75+
Years Serving
The organization was established as Eastern New Mexico Rural Telephone Cooperative (ENMR) in response to the need for reliable and affordable telephone service in underserved rural communities. Regulatory agencies recognized the importance of expanding telecommunications access in rural America and supported ENMR's efforts to bring essential communications services to the region.
Plateau's earliest operations were made possible through an arrangement with Clovis-based Farmers' Electric Cooperative, sharing facilities to provide telephone service to local residents. As the Cooperative grew and technology advanced, the need for additional space, greater operational independence, and stronger business strategies became increasingly apparent. These changes led to the hiring of the organization's first full-time general manager and the relocation of operations to its current location north of Clovis.
The early years were not without challenges. Financial constraints and other obstacles tested the organization, but a growing subscriber base provided greater financial stability and increased borrowing capacity. This allowed ENMR to invest in new technologies, expand its services, and return value to its members through capital credits.
The telecommunications industry underwent significant change in the 1980s following federal court rulings that dismantled the nation's traditional telephone network structure. For companies like ENMR, these changes created new opportunities. Increased competition gave customers more choices, while the continued lack of investment by larger telecommunications providers in rural areas presented an opportunity for ENMR to expand its role in the region and lay the foundation for the Company that would later become known as Plateau.
Recognizing the growing demand for faster, more reliable communications, the Board of Directors and management made the strategic decision to invest in fiber-optic technology, modern networking equipment, and strategically located retail stores. Over time, these investments transformed the Company, shaping Plateau into a modern telecommunications provider positioned to meet the evolving needs of residential, business and wholesale customers.
The consolidation of the Company under the Plateau brand in 2012 marked an important new chapter. Since that time, Plateau has continued to evolve from a traditional telecommunications provider into a technology company focused on delivering advanced broadband infrastructure to rural communities.
A central focus has been the continued expansion of the Company's over 8,000-mile fiber-optic network. Plateau has made significant investments in fiber construction with the goal of bringing fiber-based connectivity to more members and communities. The Company has continued to expand its network while confronting the unique challenges and high construction costs associated with building telecommunications infrastructure across the rural, rugged terrain of eastern New Mexico and West Texas.
Plateau's commitment to infrastructure investment has also been supported by state and federal grant programs. Grant funding has helped offset the substantial cost of rural fiber construction and allowed Plateau to accelerate projects that otherwise would be difficult to complete economically. These investments are not simply about faster internet; they are about creating the infrastructure necessary for rural communities to compete, grow, and prosper in an increasingly connected economy.
Plateau's commitment extends beyond telecommunications infrastructure. The Company has continued to invest in the communities it serves through support for college students, local events, educators, classroom grants, and other community initiatives. This commitment reflects the Cooperative's belief that being a strong rural telecommunications provider also means being a strong community partner.
As technology has continued to advance, so has Plateau's vision for the future. The Company is actively building the next generation of rural connectivity by expanding fiber service into additional communities and neighborhoods.
The Company is also continuing to expand its middle-mile infrastructure. Current projects include construction of approximately 150 miles of new buried middle-mile fiber in several New Mexico counties through the NTIA Middle Mile Grant Program. This type of infrastructure strengthens the regional telecommunications network and creates additional capacity for future broadband development.
Today, Plateau offers customers an increasingly comprehensive portfolio of communications services, including high-speed fiber broadband, voice, wireless internet, business solutions, smart-home connectivity, and other technology services. Fiber plans include symmetrical speeds reaching 1 Gigabit per second, reflecting how dramatically communications technology has evolved since the Company's earliest telephone service.
Plateau's history is more than a story of technological change. It is a story of continued investment, careful financial stewardship, innovation, and commitment to rural communities. The Company has remained true to the cooperative principles on which it was founded while embracing the technologies needed to serve the next generation.
From a small rural telephone cooperative to a modern telecommunications and broadband provider, Plateau continues to invest in the people, infrastructure, and communities that make rural New Mexico and West Texas home. More than seven decades after its founding, the Company's mission remains much the same: provide dependable communications and information services while strengthening the communities it proudly serves.
