about us
 The July 11, 1878, Dodge County Republican stated that, "The telephone is quite a success. Conversation is easily and freely indulged in between parties in Mantorville and Kasson. Music played in one office fills the other office, three miles away with its melody, clear and distinct. Now, if it is only a success as a business venture, so as to make it a permanent institution, it will be of absolute utility to both places'.
"This early line between a land title attorney's office in Kasson and the Court House in Mantorville was followed by a number of lines connecting businessmen with their homes. But no interconnections were possible until the Kasson Telephone Exchange began service about March 15, 1901. The initial 39 subscribers were predominantly business and professional men who had telephones installed in their offices and homes. For the first time they could talk to each other and also call long distance.
The company was founded by Herman M. Tollefson,  better known as H.M., the local druggist, with the telephone switchboard located on a balcony to the rear of what is now the New Release Movies. The system was termed 'Metallic return' and the switchboard has a capacity of 100 "drops"of which 50 were initially installed. Twenty-three miles of wire was strung for the system. Rural lines were constructed during the summers of 1901-1903. Initially, service was confined to daylight hours. Later, service was given on Sunday mornings and afternoons at limited hours, and evening service was provided until 9 p.m., with a charge for emergencies after that. In 1916, 24 hour service was instituted with a new switchboard.
The new business grew rapidly in size and in 1909 the Mantorville Telephone exchange was purchased from a Mr. La Due, the original system having been built by Rev. Mears. Since this time, the company name has been the Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company.
In 1913 the Kasson exchange was rebuilt with aerial cable and the present telephone building was constructed. In 1916, a new switchboard was installed. The Mantorville exchange was rebuilt in 1917 with underground cable in the village proper. Incorporation was accomplished on April 24, 1920, with the stockholders and board of directors consisting of Herman Tollefson, his wife, Mary, and their three children: Howard, Helen and Marian. Herman was president, Mary was vice president and Howard was secretary and treasurer. $60,000 of stock at a par of $50 a share was authorized and 840 shares were issued on June 1, 1920. Those original articles of incorporation limited borrowing to a maximum of $15,000!
 By 1927, the total telephones served had grown to 731 but it was to be 20 years before there were that many again. At Herman Tollefson's death in 1933, his son Howard H. took over management of the company and continued until his retirement 51 years later in 1964, when his son Jon R. became president. Today, 87 years after the start, Jon, the third generation Tollefson in the business, continues as President. The fourth generation is now well represented with Jon and Dee's daughters Mary Ehmke as General Manager, and Beth Tollefson as Controller.
Kasson was converted to common battery on Jan. 20, 1938, with a Stromberg-Carlson 106 board that cost $1694.50. Mantorville was converted to a North Electric CX 100 dial system in 1939. Kasson and Mantorville exchanges were converted to Stromberg-Carlson XY boards in 1954 with a $129,000 financing from Stromberg-Carlson.
In 1961 Jon R. Tollefson and his wife Dee bought the Farmers Interurban Telephone Company of Rock Dell and incorporated it as the Rock Dell Telephone Company. With a $275,000 REA loan, the plant was totally rebuilt with underground, plastic-insulated air core cable. Five-party service was the standard offering at that time. A Stromberg-Carlson XY switch was installed to replace a magneto board and a system that had up to 25 parties on a line. In 1980, by a exchange of stock, the Rock Dell company became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kasson & Mantorville Telephone Company.
The Kasson and Mantorville rural exchange areas were plowed underground in 1976 using $1,000,000 financing from Industrial Revenue Bonds issued by the City of Kasson. On May 21, 1986, a self-financed, CIT Alcatel E10-Five digital switch was cut over in Kasson simultaneously with a remote line unit in Mantorville. On April 26, 1995, in order to serve our customers with the most advanced telephone switching equipment available, we turned up an AT&T 5ESS/CDX digital switch. This new hardware brought K&M Telephone 21st century technology, including all of the Caller ID and advanced features found in cities much larger than ours.
The company does not have a museum, per se, but has a collection of telephones dating back to magneto phones made in the early 1900s and used by the companies' customers. Nearly as large in volume are the records of reports and rate hearings before the Railway and Warehouse Commission.
The company today, with its Rock Dell subsidiary, serves almost 4,000 access lines. The service area has changed through the years from the original small-town agricultural base to a suburban bedroom area largely supported by the medical and manufacturing business located in nearby Rochester, MN. Moderate growth has occurred almost continuously since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Today the company still pursues its original business, but has added new ventures to stay on top in an exciting business.
In 1994, K&M Telephone Company joined with NRTC to offer sales and distribution of the RCA Directv DBS Satellite System. This system brought big city "cable" to our rural customers.
Also in early 1995, K&M Telephone Company joined with the Minnesota Equal Access Network Services to offer internet access with local dial-up numbers to our customers. Today with our high speed links to the internet, our customers have access to world-wide information at the touch of a button.
January, 2001 K&M Telephone Company changed their name to KMTelecom. As the technology needs expand in the community so have our services. Still locally owned and operated, still offering complete communication services with a human touch. KMTelecom is our new look.
In 2002 KMTelecom brought telephone and internet services to Dodge Center businesses. Later that year the Dodge Center City Council requested that KMTelecom review serving the residential community as well. A decision was made to make a $3.3 million investment in infrastructure to provide services. We launched our Triple Play plan in May of 2004 offering telephone, internet and television over a single telephone line to residents of Dodge Center. One year later, May 2005, we launched the Triple Play in our Mantorville market. KMTV digital television was a new service for Mantorville residents.
Broadband internet service reaches rural America. KMTelecom added WildBlue Satellite Speed Internet to their long list of services in July of 2005. WildBlue is a great option for rural residents within a 60 mile radius of the Kasson business office.
Thanks to its employees, past and present, the company continues as one of the relatively few remaining small telephone companies to provide good service and prosper while doing so.
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