About Us

Our Beginning

Friends and neighbors in Burleigh, Emmons and Kidder counties of North Dakota founded the coop in 1952. Thus the name – BEK Communications Cooperative. Our headquarters has always been and will always remain in Steele.

The original coop territory grew to serve nearly 6,000 customers in south-central North Dakota. Over the past decade, BEK has grown to serve nearly 11,000 customers in Burleigh, Emmons, Kidder, Morton, Oliver, McLean, Logan, McIntosh, Barnes, Griggs, Cass and Steele counties, with offices in Steele, Bismarck and Valley City.

BEK provides phone, gigabit broadband internet and television services over a leading edge fiber-optic network; cloud-based security, automation, surveillance, voice and data storage services; and hospital and business communications solutions. We also provide statewide sports broadcasting on the BEK Sports Network and television content across the state through KNDM, KNDB and KNGF.

Cooperative and Service Areas

Within the cooperative area our customers are our owners. BEK’s member-owners elect representatives to a nine-person Board of Directors that guides the company’s progress.

BEK also serves Valley City and the surrounding area, as well as rural areas adjacent to Bismarck and Mandan. Although customers in these areas are not coop members, they receive the same great services at competitive prices.
BEK service area

The Future is Now

Over the years, we have invested heavily in the electronics and fiber infrastructure necessary to deliver state-of-the-art fiber-based services to you and your neighbors. The BEK Fiber network is continually monitored and updated in order to outpace the exponential growth of internet data.

And the network is still growing. BEK is currently extending BEK Fiber to rural areas surrounding Valley City – BEK East on the above map – and to more of rural Morton County west of Mandan. Watch our In the Know page for construction updates and future expansion plans.

Capital Credits

Members earn capital credits when they do business with the coop. BEK uses the capital credits to fund investments and upgrades to facilities, equipment and the fiber-optic network, if it determines the coop’s financials will not be negatively impacted.

Affiliated Companies

BEK is a member-owner of Dakota Carrier Network (DCN), North Dakota Long Distance (NDLD); a partner in Central Dakota Cellular of North Dakota LP (CDC), Northwest Dakota Cellular of North Dakota LP (NDC), Red River Cellular of North Dakota LP (RRC); and a partner/investor in Codero.

Annual Reports

Download the annual report to see our healthy cooperative financials and read reports from the
CEO and executive board members.

2022 Annual Report

2021 Annual report

2020 Annual Report

2019 Annual Report

2018 Annual Report

2017 Annual Report

Cooperative Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation

Our core governance documents that outline membership requirements, the Board of Directors
structure, election rules, and more.

Articles of Incorporation

BEK Communications Cooperative Bylaws