NEP Telephone
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | March 1900 |
| Founder | Fred J. Osgood |
| Headquarters | Forest City , United States |
Area served | Lackawanna, Wayne, and Susquehanna counties, Pennsylvania |
| Products | Landline telephony, Broadband Internet, IPTV, Wireless Phone services |
| Website | www |
North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company (NEP) is a telecommunications firm headquartered in Forest City, Pennsylvania. It functions as a local exchange carrier primarily serving the rural communities within Lackawanna, Wayne, and Susquehanna counties. NEP provides services including traditional landline telephony, Broadband Internet access, NEP Datavision IPTV, and Wireless Phone offerings.
History
Established in March 1900 by Fred J. Osgood to cater to Forest City, NEP expanded rapidly by acquiring Penn Mutual Telephone Company within its inaugural year. A significant consolidation occurred in 1941 when it merged with Anthracite Telephone Company.
In 2007, NEP introduced a GSM-based wireless network covering areas such as Dimock, Montrose, Susquehanna, and Forest City. This network supported data technologies like EDGE and GPRS and enabled roaming capabilities for subscribers of other GSM providers. Through roaming partnerships with AT&T and T-Mobile USA, customers gained access to nationwide coverage.
By April 2011, NEP enhanced its network infrastructure to accommodate the ADSL2+ protocol, resulting in increased Internet speeds and the rollout of an IPTV service platform. The following year, NEP became a member of the Rural Telecommunications Group trade association.
In 2012, the company received $6.7 million from the FCC’s mobility fund to develop a 4G LTE network operating in the 700 MHz B block frequency band, holding the license for CMA-122 Binghamton, NY. Nevertheless, on September 22, 2015, NEP Wireless discontinued its retail wireless services; its wireless segment was subsequently acquired by AT&T Mobility.