History | Early Success Stories | Our Goal | Board Members
History
In the fall of 2009, ten rural telephone companies serving areas in northeast Colorado and Zayo Bandwidth came together to find a way to provide fast and reliable Internet access and other IP-based services to their communities. Colorado Communications Transport, LLC (CCT) is the result of their inspiration. In 2010, CCT was created by a consortium of the following telephone companies:
- Agate Mutual Telephone – www.prairienetworks.net
- Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association, Inc. – www.esrta.com
- Nunn Telephone Company – www.nunntel.com
- PC Telcom – www.pctelcom.coop
- Peetz Cooperative Telephone Company – www.peetzplace.com
- Plains Cooperative Telephone Company – www.plainstel.com
- Roggen Telephone Cooperative Company – www.rtebb.net
- Stoneham Cooperative Telephone Corporation – www.stonehamtelephone.com
- Wiggins Telephone Association – www.getbluelightning.com
- Willard Telephone Company – www.willardtelephone.com
- Zayo Group – www.zayo.com
CCT members decided to connect their local distribution networks to form a long-haul fiber ring with state-of-the-art SONET and Ethernet service equipment. This ensured that CCT’s network would offer the highest level of survivability, known in the industry as 5-9’s reliability or 99.999% uptime. These members also acquired the latest technology supporting current standards-based services, such as Metro Ethernet Forum and Ethernet Ring Protection Switching. Everything was put together in a service delivery package to provide customers with numerous access points, multiple service offerings, flexible connection methods, and affordable price options. It took fifteen months of diligent planning, network engineering, and corporate development to complete CCT’s network.
In 2015, the Colorado Telecommunications Association, through their Colorado Community Access Alliance project, praised CCT as a “Game Changer” for rural communities in Northeastern Colorado. The article, which can be found here, acknowledges the possibilities CCT has created to provide a quality broadband connection and enhance economic development for the rural communities it serves.
Early Success Stories
Beginning in January 2011, CCT initiated service to the founding telephone company members. Their rural customers immediately experienced improved Internet access due to the higher capacity the telephone companies could now afford. This enabled the companies to offer greater bandwidth Internet service for less money to more customers.
One of the first users of CCT’s network was the newly formed Rural Nebraska Health Care Network (RNHN), a consortium of nine rural hospitals and related clinics in western Nebraska. Numerous health care providers are now able to access affordable Internet services with the assistance of a Universal Service Fund Health Care grant. Had it not been for the CCT network, which provides cost-effective connections to Denver, the RNHN would have been forced to use unprotected, expensive legacy circuits to reach out to the world.
Since 2013, CCT provides Ethernet services to the Colorado Telehealth Network project. Medical clinics, hospitals and other health-oriented entities in rural Colorado now enjoy the very high bandwidth and reliability associated with the services available on CCT’s ring network.
As early as 2012, CCT has provided Ethernet backhaul service for many national and regional wireless carriers. Cellular service relies on high quality, low latency and large bandwidth circuits to serve their mobile customers. CCT is the essential network provider to these carriers and their customers. As 5G Cellular rolls out to eastern Colorado, CCT will provide the necessary backbone network the service depends on.
In 2019, Kansas Fiber Network, www.ksfiber.net was added as an additional member.
Our Goal
CCT’s goal is to expand our reach beyond the service areas of our telephone company members to also provide fiber optic connectivity to organizations including businesses, commercial enterprises, schools and libraries, healthcare institutions and clinics, and government agencies throughout northeastern Colorado.
Board Members
Terry Hendrickson, President
Terry Hendrickson has been in the telecommunications industry for 35+ years at Wiggins Telephone Association. He starting out as a lineman and combination technician and then moved to positions in buried plant and digital switching. Terry was later promoted to Senior Technician, Plant Manager and in 2007, to General Manager/CEO. He has worked with Colorado Communications Transport, LLC since its inception and currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Managers. Terry also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Telecommunications Association.
Public service has been a part of Terry’s life throughout his career; he has served as a Town Councilman, Mayor, and community organizer for various groups. Terry graduated from Colorado State University in 1975. He is married and has five sons, one daughter, and five grandchildren.
Patricia L. White, Vice President
Patricia White is the General Manager/CEO of Eastern Slope Rural Telephone, Inc., headquartered in Hugo, CO. Pat has thirty-five years of telecommunications experience, the last 18 years in a management role.
Pat also serves on the Colorado Telecommunications Association Board of Directors, Colorado Communications Transport, LLC. Board of Directors, as well as Colorado East Central Council of Government’s Broadband Steering Committee. She and her husband of 36 years have 2 sons and 6 grandchildren. The family ranches, rodeos, and has a hay broker business.
Adam Rislov, Director
Adam Rislov is the General Manager of the Nunn Telephone Company. He is originally from South Dakota moving to the Northern Colorado area just out of the telecommunications program from Mitchell Technical Institute. Adam was hired on at Nunn Telephone Company as a Combination Technician an then served as the Plant Manager for twelve years before recently accepting the General Managers position at Nunn Telephone Company. He has been an employee of NTC for over 18 years. He was also an active participant on CCT’s technical committee from the inception helping where he could for the CCT ring turn-up. Adam is also serving on the board for the Colorado Telecommunications Association.
When not in the office, Adam and his wife Megan enjoy coaching and supporting their two children in multiple sports and all of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.
Peggy Manino, Secretary
Peggy Manino is General Manager of Roggen Telephone Cooperative Company and its subsidiary. She began her telephony career in 1990 as a bookkeeper and became the General Manager in 1993. Peggy has served as a Director on the Colorado Telecommunications Association board since 2000.
Peggy and her husband, Robert, have three daughters, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Amanda “Aimee” Dollerschell, Treasurer
Amanda “Aimee” Dollerschell is the General Manager of The Willard Telephone Company. She has served in that role since 2014. Aimee’s background includes a variety of positions with the following companies: Wildwood CACFP, Bank of Colorado, and Pepsi.
Kelly C. Dyer, General Manager
Kelly C. Dyer has been employed in the telecommunications industry for his entire career. He began his career with Daviess-Martin County RTC, (RTC Communications) in rural Indiana. He served in various capacities within this organization quickly rising to Executive VP and General Manager, a position which he held for 19 years.
After RTC, Kelly become the first President and CEO of Indiana Fiber Network, LLC, (IFN) the Indiana equivalent to Colorado Communications Transport. Kelly stayed in this position for 13 years before deciding to relocate to Colorado to be closer to his grandchildren. Upon arrival he formed his own consulting company working for various companies before hiring on as the GM of Colorado Communications Transport in July of 2022.
Kelly and his wife of 42 years Anita, along with both their sons and two grandchildren all now reside in Colorado.