Nemont Partners With Verizon Wireless To Bring LTE To Northeast Montana

Sagebrush Cellular d.b.a. Nemont, a leading telecommunications carrier in Northeastern Montana, Western North Dakota and South Central Montana, has announced that the company has entered into an agreement with Verizon Wireless to participate in the LTE in Rural America program. Under the LTE in Rural America program, Verizon Wireless is working with rural carriers to jumpstart the delivery of fourth-generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) services to rural communities throughout the United States.

Mike Kilgore, Nemont chief executive officer, the parent company of Sagebrush Cellular, said, "There are several digital divides that exist between urban and rural America today. This arrangement reduces one such divide by bringing fourth generation mobile data services to our customers sooner than otherwise possible. Our rural focus coupled with Verizon's national coverage will benefit customers of both companies."

"We are pleased that Sagebrush has joined the LTE in Rural America program," said Molly Feldman, Business Development for Verizon Wireless vice president. "Working together, Verizon Wireless and Sagebrush will improve the mobile broadband infrastructure in Montana and expand 4GLTE coverage in the northeastern corner of the Treasure State."

Under the agreement, Verizon Wireless will lease to Sagebrush its 700 MHz upper C block wireless spectrum in portions of Valley, Daniels, Sheridan and Roosevelt counties in Montana, and a portion of Divide County in North Dakota. Using the leased spectrum, Sagebrush will build and operate a 4G LTE network serving Sagebrush customers, Verizon Wireless customers, and customers of other LTE in Rural America participants. In addition, Sagebrush customers will have access to Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network throughout the United States.

Verizon's 4G LTE network is the largest in the U.S., and covers more than 200 million people.

Sagebrush Cellular, Inc. was formed by Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. in 1995. The company operates a cellular network spanning more than 14,000 square miles in Northeast Montana, Western North Dakota and South Central Montana.