COMPANY HISTORY
Geneseo, Cambridge and Henry County Communications, successfully serving you for more than 100 years.
1895-1926
- 1895
The Central Union Telephone Company opens an exchange to serve Geneseo, Illinois - 1901
To compete with Central Union; John Dedrick and D.M. Storm form City Mutual Telephone Company - 1926
Rural and city lines combine to form ‘Geneseo Co-Operative Telephone Company’
1941-1958
- 1945
The switchboard is moved from the 2nd floor of former Farmers National Bank building to the company’s current location on First Street - 1952
New dial service is installed which leads to a 50% reduction in the operator force - 1953/1957
Henry County Telephone Company than later Cambridge Telephone Company sign agreements allowing Geneseo Co-Operative Telephone Company to act as a service bureau - 1958
As a privately owned company, the word “Co-Operative” is dropped, and the name becomes ‘Geneseo Telephone Company’
1965-1989
- 1965
Henry County Telephone Company expands service into Atkinson - 1968
Geneseo Telephone Company becomes first Illinois company to provide 9-1-1 service - 1985
A new digital switch is installed, and with-it comes Equal Access - 1988
Geneseo Telephone; first independent telephone company in Illinois to convert to equal access - 1989
Geneseo Telephone Co. is awarded the contract to develop and implement the Enhanced 9-1-1 system for Henry County
1990-1999
- 1990
Geneseo Telephone Co., first company in Illinois to offer CLASS features - 1994
GenSoft Systems, Inc., is formed to market Operational Support Systems (OSS) software and billing service bureau functions for telephone companies nationwide - 1995
Geneseo Telephone Company becomes an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and offers Internet services to customers - 1996
Geneseo Long Distance is launched. Later that year Celebrate Communications, L.L.C. is formed - 1997
Cambridge Telcom Services is formed, operating as a CLEC extending service into Andover, Illinois - 1998
Telephone Companies band together to form IL PCS providing digital PCS under the Sprint PCS brand name. - 1999
Digital Subscriber Line ‘DSL’ High Speed Internet is offered - 1999
Tri-Com, LLC is formed expanding services into portions of Henry and Mercer County, Illinois
2000-2010
- 2000
iPCS, is incorporated to assume the business of Illinois PCS - 2001
TriCom L.L.C. purchases Interactive Design Consultants, and forms IDC Digital Solutions, a computer and Internet service provider. In that same year, a retail store is opened - 2001
Geneseo Telephone Company replaces DMS-10 switch with a DMS-100 switch, offering Geneseo customers direct links to inter-exchange carriers - 2001
iPCS, Inc. and Airgate PCS, a Sprint PCS affiliate, complete a stock for stock merger by which iPCS becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Airgate PCS - 2005
Geneseo Telephone Company celebrates a century of service - 2006
Geneseo Telephone Company purchases Precision Alignment building. Demolition of the building makes room for the new 4,500 square foot retail IDC TechCenter store - 2007
Geneseo Telephone Company introduces On Guard Security offering monitored fire, smoke, security, and personal safety systems to residents of Henry County - 2008
Geneseo Communications is awarded reseller license by Dish and DirecTV, expanding its offering to include video entertainment - 2010
IDC Technology Solutions welcomes Radio Shack franchise
2011-2020
- 2011
Henry County Telephone named preferred provider of communication services for President Obama’s visit to Atkinson, Illinois - 2013
Geneseo Communications opens Colohub in Bettendorf, Iowa, a new 56,000 square foot state of the art data center facility - 2013
Cambridge Telcom begins extensive fiber optic project to better serve the communities of Kewanee, Wethersfield, and Galva IL - 2013
Geneseo Communications announces plans to expand its direct fiber network into the Iowa Quad City area - 2014
Geneseo Communications sells On Guard Security division - 2015
Putnam and Rock Island Counties select Geneseo Communications to power 911 emergency services - 2015
Cambridge Telcom begins fiber expansion to homes and business within areas of Cambridge, IL - 2015
Geneseo Communications enters the Bitcoin world and processes its first mining machine from its Colohub Data Center facility in Bettendorf, Iowa - 2015
The City of East Moline selects Geneseo Communications to power all city facilities with Fiber Optic Service - 2016
Geneseo Communications launches BillProEasy, a new customer billing platform including self-managed service through Apple and Android app access - 2017
Cambridge Telcom announces plans to expand their fiber network to Orion, Il - 2020
Geneseo Communications is awarded $5 Million and Cambridge Telcom $800 thousand in grant funding through the State of Illinois Connect Illinois Broadband Initiative
2021-2026
- 2021
Geneseo Communications begins expansion of their fiber network throughout the city of Geneseo, IL and in parts of Coal Valley, IL - 2022
With the financial support from the Henry County Commission and the communities involved, Geneseo Communications, Cambridge Telcom, and Henry County Telephone Co., will Invest Millions to Build 100% Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) networks throughout Atkinson, Annawan, Cambridge, Cleveland and the Wolf Road corridor - 2023
With the financial support from the Henry County Commission and the communities involved, Geneseo Communications, Cambridge Telcom, and Henry County Telephone Co., announce the completion of the 100% Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) networks throughout Geneseo, Atkinson, Annawan, Cambridge, Cleveland and the Wolf Road corridor - 2023
Geneseo Communications, Cambridge Telcom, and Henry County Telephone Co., introduce the area’s most advanced wireless technology to serve rural areas throughout Geneseo, Atkinson, Annawan, and Cambridge - 2024
FiberMeFast powered by Geneseo Communications has been selected by the City of Peru, to build a buried 100% fiber-to-the-premises network throughout the city - 2024
FiberMeFast powered by Geneseo Communications has been selected by the Village of Sheffield, to build a buried 100% fiber-to-the-premises network throughout the community - 2025
- FiberMeFast powered by Geneseo Communications has been selected by the City of Spring Valley, to build a buried 100% fiber-to-the-premises network
- throughout the city
- 2025
- FiberMeFast powered by Geneseo Communications opens the doors to their new locations in the Janko Center in Peru, IL
- 2026
- Geneseo Telephone Company, Geneseo Communications Services, Inc., Cambridge Telephone Company, Cambridge Telecom Services, Inc., and Henry County Telephone Company (together referred to as GCI)—have selected new network equipment from Arista Networks and Smart Optics to replace parts of our aging regional network. This upgrade includes new, fully redundant equipment installed at nine network locations across Illinois and Iowa: Geneseo, Green River, North Green River, Milan, Moline, Bettendorf, Cambridge, Kewanee, and Atkinson