Long Lines Announces Expansion into Wireless Services and Creation of 30 New Jobs

Long Lines Announces Expansion into Wireless Services and Creation of 30 New Jobs

Long Lines Will Provide Integrated Telephone, Digital Television, High-Speed Internet, and Wireless Service Packages to Rural and Urban Customers in Siouxland and the Upper Midwest

SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Long Lines, LLC today announced the completion of its acquisition of Great Lakes of Iowa, Inc. (GLI) and Siouxland PCS (Siouxland), two wireless service providers serving Northwestern Iowa. Long Lines also acquired a 155-mile fiber network from Hinton, Iowa to the Okoboji region that will permit better and faster communications services for Long Lines customers in that area. Long Lines and its subsidiaries will add 30 new jobs to support this expanded operation.

Siouxland, which will be known as Long Lines Wireless(R), currently provides service using the GSM standard in an 11-county area that extends from Emmetsburg, Spencer, and Storm Lake to Le Mars, Orange City, and Sioux Center. The GSM standard permits use of the most popular wireless phones available in the market, including Motorola's RAZR(TM) and ROKR(TM) phones.

GLI will continue to operate as Cellular One in the counties surrounding Lake Okoboji.

Over the next 18 months, Long Lines Wireless(R) will expand to provide GSM wireless services in NE Nebraska, SE South Dakota and western Iowa, including complete coverage of the I-29 corridor from Brookings, S.D. to the Omaha Area. Long Lines Wireless(R) customers will be offered highly competitive usage packages and will have access to a worldwide network rivaling that of any other regional and national carrier. As a local carrier, Long Lines Wireless(R) will be able to provide coverage in hard-to-serve areas currently missed by the national carriers.

These acquisitions are the latest steps by Long Lines to work with other local service providers and municipalities to provide the most up-to-date telephone, cable television, high-speed internet, and wireless features to Siouxland customers in innovative service packages using the latest technology. As examples, during the past year, Long Lines has partnered with Schaller Telephone to introduce new services in the towns of Anthon, Correctionville, Holstein, and Ida Grove, and partnered with Orange City to bring new services to residents there.

"Long Lines has worked with communities, municipalities, business, and government to build communication networks that create opportunity. Today, we take the next step by adding wireless communication to this network," said Chuck Long, Chairman of Long Lines.

"We continue to look for opportunities to work with other local, regional, and national providers to bring the very best in service quality and features to customers in Siouxland and the Upper Midwest," said Jon Winkel, CEO of Long Lines. "Other companies talk about offering a 'quad play' of telephone, television, internet, and wireless services, but Long Lines is doing it -- TODAY."

Long Lines' financial backing spans from Main Street to Wall Street with Security National Bank of Sioux City, Pioneer Bank of Sergeant Bluff, and the 1818 Fund of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. of New York City combining to provide Long Lines with the financial resources to develop an advanced telecommunications infrastructure in an ever-expanding geographic territory.

Long Lines, LLC offers unique packages of telephone, television, internet, and wireless services to more than 100 communities in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Long Lines is focused on building communication networks that meet the needs of rural communities and urban centers in the Upper Midwest.

Graham Gillette, 712-271-2000, can respond to all inquiries and more information can be found about Long Lines at http://www.longlines.com/ .

Source: Long Lines, LLC

CONTACT: Graham Gillette of Long Lines, LLC, +1-712-271-2000

Web site: http://www.longlines.com/

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