Diversicom

Diversicom is a privately owned ILEC and CLEC communications company based in Melrose, Minnesota employing approximately 80 employees and serving 12,000 customers in Central Minnesota. As of 2010, David Del Zoppo was the chief executive officer of Diversicom.

Products and Services

• Digital and Cable television (video)
• High Speed Internet
• Telephone and long distance service along with several ancillary features
• Redneck Techs computer sales and service
• Business systems, hardware and installation
• Wisper High Speed wireless internet^[1]
• DTV^[2] local original programming

History

Diversicom’s history began under the name Melrose Telephone Company, originating in the late 1890s when a local businessmen got together to develop telephone service in Melrose, Minnesota. In 1916, Melrose Telephone Exchange was incorporated under the ownership of William Balder, A.E (Tony) Kraker and Joseph Kraker.

Mildred Arvig purchased the company in 1928 and operated Melrose Telephone Company along with her son, L.H. (Tom) Arvig. L.H. Arvig bought the company in 1940 from his mother and continued to operate the company until his death in 1983. During that time, Melrose Telephone Company grew to include the communities of Richmond, Grey Eagle, Greenwald, St. Martin, Kimball, Watkins and Eden Valley in the 1950s. Continued growth also brought technological advances allowing MTC to bury all lines and broaden service again between 1960 and 1980.

In 1994 MTC installed their first dial-up Internet customer. In 1999 expansion into Sauk Centre, Minnesota as a Competitive Exchange (CLEC) also included offering cable television and high speed Internet service. The company also announced its new corporate name, Diversicom. About this same time SCTV was created, offering local and original programming to both the CLEC and ILEC areas. The station rebranded in 2010 to Diversicom TV (DTV) to better blend with its family of offering and over-arching brand.

In 2003, a new building was constructed in Melrose to make room for employees and expanding technology. This building at 224 East Main Street is the current headquarters for the company.

Diversicom started offering digital video services in 2006 in its Melrose Telephone service area and continues to expand to its exchanges and in rural areas.

On September 13, 2010, Arvig Communications Systems (ACS) announced a purchase agreement to acquire Diversicom ^[3] and its subsidiaries which include Melrose Telephone Company, Mainstreet Communications, and Wisper Wireless.

Redneck Techs

Redneck Techs is the brand name under which Diversicom provides computer sales, service and maintenance services based out of Melrose, Minnesota^[4]. The name Redneck Techs was chosen by the marketing team at Diversicom to invoke humor and make more memorable the fact the company offered these types of services. In May 2010 the company received an Indy Award for its Redneck Tech logo.^[5]

Services

• On-site support of network, hardware and software needs
• Remote technical support to access customer network for off-site troubleshooting
• Clean up of viruses, spyware and malware
• Installation, updates and maintenance
• New hardware sales backed up by support: routers, servers, wireless routers, computers & monitors
• Web hosting, email & design
• Net Nanny® and AVG reseller

References

1. ^ http://www.wisperhighspeed.com/
2. ^ http://www.dtv19.com/
3. ^ http://www.albanyenterprise.com/articles/2010/09/15/melrose_beacon/news/diversicom.txt
4. ^ http://www.diversicom.net/internet_computer_sales_and_service.php
5. ^ http://www.opastco.org/site/about/awards/indy/past