More Than a Phone Company. A Community Partner.
Since 1955, Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company (SCTC) has been keeping the
Santiam Canyon connected. Founded as a member-owned cooperative, SCTC began with a simple but powerful mission: provide reliable communication services while reinvesting in the communities it serves. More than 70 years later, that commitment remains at the heart of everything they do.
Today, SCTC serves customers across Stayton, Sublimity, and up the Santiam Canyon. Its wholly owned subsidiary, PTC, serves Lyons & Mehama, and surrounding rural areas. In whole, covering nearly 120 square miles. While SCTC is still a regulated telephone cooperative, internet service has become its primary offering, reflecting how dramatically the world has changed since the cooperative’s early days. Fiber internet connectivity now defines the modern SCTC. SCTC no longer operates as “just a phone company” they have evolved as a provider of meaningful connections that enable people, communities, and businesses to connect, thrive, and grow.
A Bold Vision for the Future
Everything changed when the internet entered the picture. In 2007, SCTC’s Board of Directors made a forward-looking and transformative decision: copper phone lines were no longer sufficient to meet growing demand. They committed to a full fiber-optic network rebuild—an ambitious move that required long-term planning, heavy investment, and trust in what the future would require.
That decision has paid off. Today, just a handful of customers remain on copper lines, primarily due to location or special circumstances. Fiber is now the foundation of SCTC’s network, ensuring reliable, high-speed connectivity for residents and businesses alike.
SCTC also works closely with new housing and business developments to ensure tenants and homeowners have the best access possible from day one.
Local Service, Real People
SCTC currently employs 31 full-time and two part-time staff. Their commitment to customer experience sets them apart. “Customer experience is where we are different,” the cooperative emphasizes. When customers call, they reach a real person—someone local who understands the community and is ready to help. If there’s trouble, SCTC has people on the ground to respond quickly, taking a proactive approach whenever possible.
As a locally owned cooperative, SCTC is deeply rooted in the places it serves. That local presence mattered immensely during times of crisis.
Stepping Up When It Mattered Most
During the devastating 2020 wildfires, SCTC’s dedication was put to the ultimate test. Seventeen miles of underground lines were destroyed. The damage was extensive and unprecedented.
Yet through collaboration, determination, and community partnerships, SCTC restored service to all customers who were able to receive it within six weeks after this devastating fire. The team worked closely with other agencies, leveraged industry relationships to reduce lead times, and witnessed everyone—inside and outside the company—step up to help. It was a powerful example of what a cooperative can do when community comes first.
Reinvesting Where It Counts
As a cooperative, SCTC doesn’t operate to maximize profit—it exists to serve its members. Every dollar stays local, circulating back into the regional economy. Over the last three years alone, SCTC has returned approximately $10 million in patronage to members. More than $7.5 million has been invested in broadband infrastructure, laying critical groundwork for the region’s future.
True to its cooperative principles, SCTC also gives back beyond its member base. According to company reports, SCTC has donated more than $300,000 to local schools, nonprofits, and community initiatives in recent years, supporting sustainable development and enhancing quality of life throughout the Santiam Canyon. [sctcweb.com]
A Cooperative Difference
“We are local.”
“You call, you’ll get a person.” “Where we can help people, we do.”
These aren’t just words they use to describe SCTC—they’re guiding values. Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company continues to evolve every year, building a fiber-powered future while staying grounded in its cooperative roots. As a donor and community partner, SCTC exemplifies what it means to invest locally, respond with integrity, and put people first.