Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives power the lives of more than 523,000 Oklahomans. With infrastructure in all 77 counties, co-ops serve 93% of the state’s landmass. Collectively, Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives are committed to delivering power that is safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible. Electric cooperatives go where no one would go. Serving primarily rural areas, the electric cooperatives of Oklahoma own and maintain nearly 123,000 miles of power line. That is a lot of ground to cover, but that is what electric cooperatives do:…

Rick and Tracy Roberts could probably run Stilwell Hardware Inc. without internet service — but not for very long, Rick said. The local hardware store’s inventory, point-of-sale and security systems are all cloud-based and rely on a stable internet connection to function. “We were doing backflips when we discovered OzarksGo was coming in our area,” Tracy said. “We signed up as soon as we could. The internet is way faster. It’s been solid and reliable, so that’s been a huge bonus for…

Taking high speed internet where no one else will has been a cornerstone of OEC Fiber’s mission from the beginning. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, nearly 30 percent of Oklahoma homes do not have internet access. Over the past decade, internet connectivity has arguably become as essential as electricity, yet over one quarter of homes in our state have little to no access. Jerry Love was a part of that 30 percent. While there was DSL in his area…