HickoryTech Approved to Provide Digital TV to Faribault

HickoryTech Approved to Provide Digital TV to Faribault

MANKATO, Minn., May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HickoryTech Corporation (NASDAQ:HTCO) received approval from the City of Faribault, Minn. for a cable franchise to provide competitive cable programming to the residents of Faribault. The company will immediately launch its Digital TV service to Faribault residents. The roll out across the city will occur in phases, with the last phase scheduled for completion in mid-July 2006.

The company also announced the scheduled June 1 opening of HickoryTech's new Faribault retail office at 25 N.W. Fourth Street. This office will provide local customer service, demonstrate HickoryTech products, and serve as a base of operations for the company's local employees. A "Grand Opening" event will be scheduled later in June to highlight the company's presence and commitment to the community.

HickoryTech offers Digital TV with over 200 channels in five package options that allow customers to select additional channels of their choice. Digital TV delivers a crystal-clear image and premium tier channels. Hispanic and sports tier channels are offered, in addition to HBO(R), Cinemax(R), Starz/Encore(R), Showtime(R), pay-per-view and commercial-free music programming. Service will be available on a stand-alone basis or as part of a money-saving bundle that includes Digital TV, High-Speed DSL Internet access, long distance, and local telephone services -- all on one bill.

"HickoryTech brings an alternative to the traditional cable and satellite services currently offered in Faribault, where we have built a state-of-the- art 'Fiber to the Neighborhood' system designed to deliver voice, data and video to residential and business customers," said John Finke, HickoryTech's chief operating officer. "Our desire to add Digital TV to our local services fits our strategy to provide competitive bundled services to the residents of Faribault and increase our level of service with a local office."

HickoryTech first entered Faribault with local voice and DSL services in 2001. Since then the company has been working to complete the advanced network construction throughout the city in anticipation of the Digital TV service launch. HickoryTech will provide all Digital TV programming over the existing communications network it constructed to serve the city. The City of Faribault will be the sixth community served by HickoryTech with the "triple- play" of voice, data and video services. HickoryTech currently provides these services to the communities of St. Peter, Waseca, Ellendale, New Richland, and St. Clair, Minn.

About HickoryTech:

HickoryTech Corporation is a diversified communications company headquartered in Mankato, Minn., with approximately 475 employees in Minnesota and Iowa. In its 108th year of operation, HickoryTech offers a full array of telecommunications products and services to business and residential customers. The Telecom Sector offers local voice, long distance, Internet, Broadband services, Digital TV, and IP networking. The Enterprise Solutions Sector provides IP Telephony, call center management, and data network solutions. Enventis Telecom provides IP-based voice and data services and network solutions on a state wide SONET-based network. The Information Solutions Sector develops telecom and carrier access billing solutions. To learn more about HickoryTech Corporation, visit the company's Web site at http://www.hickorytech.com/ or call 1-866-HICKORY.

Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry in which HickoryTech operates and management's beliefs and assumptions. The forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and probabilities. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except as required by federal securities laws, HickoryTech undertakes no obligation to update any of its forward-looking statements for any reason.

Source: HickoryTech Corporation

CONTACT: Paul Bertino, Director of Marketing & Product Management of
HickoryTech, +1-507-387-1889, paul.bertino@hickorytech.com

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

-------
Profile: intent