Did you know that as a member of a cooperative you are a part owner? That’s right, and you automatically become a member when you subscribe to any of our services on fiber or copper in the areas that we serve. Each time you subscribe to one of Wabash Mutual Telephone’s services, like high-speed internet or digital TV, you are not just a customer; you are making an investment in a company that you actually own!
As an owner of a telephone cooperative, you are entitled to benefits that are not available to customers of private or big name telephone companies. These benefits include:
- You elect each representative on the Board of Directors. Their role is to ensure the cooperative provides the highest quality, best value and latest technologies for you and protect your investment.
- Any net profit is allocated back to members in the form of Capital Credits. Your percentage is tied directly to what you’ve invested—in other words, patronage.
- You can be sure that we aren’t out to make a profit, but rather, invest in our communities including members, businesses and schools that depend on the latest technologies to remain competitive and be successful in today’s global economy.
In order to operate the business, capital credits remain with the cooperative for a certain amount of time before they are retired, or returned, to members as bill credits.
If you move to an area outside of our service area, your membership status is canceled; any capital credits earned will remain with the cooperative until they are retired. It is the former member’s responsibility to notify us of any address changes. In the event that we cannot locate you, after a certain amount of time, unclaimed monies are placed back into the fund.
Patronage will be retired in full upon the death of the memership holder(s) or dissolution of business.