Unnamed Administration sources reported that Tony Mumm said:
If you are talking about ILECs that include smaller independent
telephone companies, I believe Minnesota and Iowa have the highest
count. Iowa has around 140 total ILEC companies...
To be expected. To most folks "REA" meant electricity. But in
reality it meant 100's of small co-op telcos as well, with
borrowing power that a telco startup needed.
While over the years many have sold out to GTE or Citizens,
there are lots left.