Join Us in Celebrating 75 Years! Thursday, October 22, 2026 11:30am - 5:30pm 301 East Main Street Flippin, Arkansas; Free Hamburgers,  Hot Dogs & Refreshments, Door Prizes, NATCO Service Demos & More!

NATCO Celebrates 75 Years in Business with Anniversary Event

Flippin, ARK - Northern Arkansas Telephone Company, (NATCO) a leading provider of fiber broadband and voice services in portions of Marion and Boone Counties in north central Arkansas, is celebrating 75 years in business.

The public is invited to attend the 75th anniversary celebration on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 11:30AM to 5:30PM at NATCO's main office located at 301 East Main Street in Flippin, Arkansas.
Hamburgers, hot dogs, and refreshments will be served. NATCO will host technology "mini-sessions" demonstrating 2.5 Gig internet, streaming TV, email, WiFi, and NATCO's SmartHub Customer App. A multi-media presentation featuring highlights from the 75-year history of NATCO will also be on display. Event attendees will have the opportunity to win door prizes and receive NATCO 75th Anniversary commemorative items.

The anniversary event will celebrate the company's dynamic history. Over the past 75 years, NATCO has grown from serving 42 multi-party landline customers to providing advanced fiber optic broadband services to residents and businesses within its 658 square mile service area.

Northern Arkansas Telephone Company was founded in September 1951 by Ray and Mildred "Millie" Sanders along with associate Artel Chamberlain. Ray Sanders brought more than 20-years' industry experience to the new company, having previously worked for Bell Telephone in Illinois. Millie became NATCO's switchboard operator, manually connecting calls, as Ray ran new lines and installed telephones. Sanders adopted the company motto "Watch Us Grow." For 25 years under his leadership, NATCO grew.

In 1976, Ray and Millie's son, Dr. Steven G. Sanders, was appointed President of the family company. A telecommunications industry visionary, Dr. Sanders led the company from 1976 to 2009. During his 33-year tenure, Dr. Sanders guided NATCO through pivotal changes in telecommunications technology, transitioning from copper party lines to the internet age. Dr. Sanders pioneered Digital ISDN, making NATCO the first company in Arkansas to offer that service.

Steven Sanders, Jr. began working alongside his father in 1994, becoming heavily involved in bringing internet service to NATCO's customers and designing some of the company's first fiber networks. Those early projects would eventually lead to the deployment of fiber throughout much of NATCO's service area and the development of one of Arkansas's first fiber communities. NATCO later received the designation of a Gig-Certified Community through NRTC, recognizing the availability of gigabit broadband service in the area.

In 2009, Sanders, Jr. took the helm as the third generation of the Sanders family to serve as President and General Manager of NATCO. Under his leadership, the company has continued to expand and improve its network as technology has advanced and the needs of its customers have changed. Over the years, NATCO has secured more than $25 million in grant and matching grant funding to help extend fiber service throughout the communities it serves.

Most recently, NATCO was awarded $12.7 million for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program for projects in its Flippin, Pyatt, and Lead Hill exchanges, with construction underway or planned to bring fiber service to over 1500 additional locations. These projects, along with future planned builds, continue the work that began with NATCO's earliest internet and fiber deployments more than three decades ago and position the company to continue serving its communities well into the future.

"All customers and friends of NATCO are invited to join us in celebrating this historic company milestone. It has been a pleasure to connect our community for 75 years and we invite you to celebrate with us," stated Steven Sanders, Jr., NATCO President.

NATCO is an independent, locally owned and operated, broadband communications company established in 1951. Headquartered in Flippin, Arkansas at 301 East Main Street, NATCO provides advanced communications services to homes and businesses throughout north central Arkansas including portions of Marion and Boone Counties.

NATCO's 75th Anniversary Celebration event will be held at the company's main office, located at 301 East Main Street in Flippin, Arkansas, pictured at top. The original NATCO office (1951) pictured at bottom, was located across the street from the company's current facilities.