UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2015

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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For the Transition Period from             to            

Commission File Number: 1-32362

OTELCO INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

205-625-3574

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of  “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of June 30, 2015, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s Class A Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $13.7 million based on the closing sale price as reported on NASDAQ. In determining the market value of the registrant’s Class A shares held by non-affiliates, Class A shares beneficially owned by directors, officers and holders of more than 10% of the registrant’s Class A shares have been excluded. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes ☒ No ☐

As of March 11, 2016, the registrant had 3,247,879 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 0 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Certain information required in Part III of this report is incorporated by reference from the registrant’s proxy statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with respect to the registrant’s 2016 annual meeting of stockholders.

OTELCO INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Unless the context otherwise requires, the words “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and “Otelco” refer to Otelco Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations relating to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. These statements may include words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry in which we operate, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect our actual financial condition or results of operations or cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, those discussed in Item 1A, Risk Factors.

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PART I

Item 1.   Business

History

We were formed as a Delaware limited liability company in 1998 for the purpose of operating and acquiring rural local exchange carriers, which we refer to as RLECs. Since 1999, we have acquired eleven RLEC businesses, four of which serve contiguous territories in north central Alabama; three of which serve territories adjacent to either Portland or Bangor, Maine; and one each serving a portion of western Massachusetts, central Missouri, western Vermont and southern West Virginia. In addition to traditional telephone services, we provide a variety of unregulated services in our RLEC territories, including internet data lines and long distance services in all these territories. In addition, we acquired three facilities based competitive local exchange carriers, which we refer to as CLECs, which offer services primarily to business or enterprise customers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and operate under the trade name OTT Communications. The Company completed an initial public offering in December 2004 at which time it converted from a Delaware limited liability company into a Delaware corporation and changed its name to Otelco Inc.

The following table shows the aggregate number of our voice and data access lines (which together are access line equivalents) and other video services we offer such as cable, Internet Protocol television, which we refer to as IPTV, and satellite television; security systems; and other internet lines as of December 31, 2015:

Our RLEC companies trace their history to the introduction of telecommunication services in the areas they serve over 100 years ago. We are able to leverage our long-standing relationship with our local service customers by offering them a broad suite of telecommunications and information services, such as long distance, internet/broadband data access and, in some areas, video and security, thereby increasing customer loyalty and revenue per access line equivalent. Each RLEC qualifies as a rural telephone company under the Federal Communications Act of 1934, which we refer to as the Communications Act. We are currently exempt from certain costly interconnection requirements imposed on incumbent or historical local telephone companies by the Communications Act. Although this exemption helps us maintain our strong competitive position, we have direct competition in portions of our RLEC markets, primarily where a cable provider also serves the same market. In addition, the larger wireless carriers have deployed their 4G/LTE networks in most of our markets.

In Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, our facilities-based CLEC serves primarily business customers, utilizing both owned and leased fiber as its backbone network. In seventeen years of operations, the CLEC has grown to provide nearly 36,000 access line equivalents.

Acquisitions have represented a significant part of our growth. From 1999 to 2003, we acquired four contiguous RLECs in north central Alabama. In 2004, we acquired an RLEC in central Missouri. In 2006, we acquired an RLEC adjacent to Bangor, Maine and a CLEC serving the state of Maine. In 2008, we acquired RLECs adjacent to Portland, Maine, in western Massachusetts and southern West Virginia, as well as two CLECs serving customers in Maine and New Hampshire. In 2011, we acquired an RLEC in western Vermont. In 2014, we acquired the assets of Reliable Networks of Maine, LLC, which we refer to as Reliable Networks, a Portland, Maine-based provider of cloud hosting and managed services for companies who rely on mission-critical software applications. The acquisition expanded our service offerings to include multi-tenancy hosting of vendor-agnostic email, database, web and industry vertical software applications, as well as related professional engineering services, which we refer to, collectively, as managed services.

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The following table reflects the percentage of total revenues derived from each of our service offerings for the year ended December 31, 2015:

Revenue Mix

Local Services

We are the sole provider of wireline voice telephone services in three of the eleven RLEC territories we serve. In seven territories, the incumbent cable provider also offers local services in portions of our territory. In Missouri, a local electric co-operative also offers local services in a portion of our territory. Local services enable customers to originate and receive telephone calls. The amount that we can charge a customer for certain basic services in Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Vermont and West Virginia is regulated by the Alabama Public Service Commission, which we refer to as the APSC, the Maine Public Utilities Commission, which we refer to as the MPUC, the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable, which we refer to as the MDTC, the Missouri Public Service Commission, which we refer to as the MPSC, the Vermont Public Service Board, which we refer to as the VPSB, and the West Virginia Public Service Commission, which we refer to as the WVPSC. We also have authority to provide service in New Hampshire from the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, which we refer to as the NHPUC. The regulatory involvement in pricing varies by state and by type of service. In recent years, state commissions have relaxed regulation of many services.

Revenue derived from local services includes monthly recurring charges for voice access lines providing local dial tone and calling features, including caller identification, call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail. We also receive revenue for providing long distance services to our customers, billing and collection services for other carriers under contract, and directory advertising. We provide local services on a retail basis to residential and business customers. With the high level of acceptance of local service bundles, a significant percentage of our customers receive a broad range of bundled services for a single, fixed monthly price.

We offer long distance telephone services to our RLEC local telephone customers. We provide long distance services on our own facilities or through services purchased from various long distance providers. At December 31, 2015, customers representing approximately 67% of our regulated voiceaccess lines subscribed to our long distance services. We intend to continue to make our long distance business an integral part of the services we provide to our RLEC customers principally through bundling of services. In addition, a recent order from the Federal Communications Commission, which we refer to as the FCC, has relaxed rules which previously required that we allow our RLEC customers to presubscribe to other long distance carriers.

In Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, our CLEC provides communications services tailored to business and enterprise customers, including specialized data and voice network configurations, to support their unique business requirements. Our fiber network allows us to offer our customers affordable and reliable voice and data solutions to support their business requirements and applications.

We derive revenue from other telephone related services, including leasing, selling, installing, and maintaining customer premise telecommunications equipment and the publication of local telephone directories in certain of our RLEC territories. We also provide billing and collection services for long distance carriers (also referred to as interexchange carriers) through negotiated billing and collection agreements for certain types of toll calls placed by our local customers.

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Network Access

Network access revenue relates primarily to services provided by us to long distance carriers in connection with their use of our facilities to originate and terminate interstate and intrastate long distance, or toll, telephone calls. As toll calls are generally billed to the customer originating the call, network access charges are applied in order to compensate each telecommunications company providing services relating to the call. Network access charges apply to both interstate and intrastate calls. Three of our RLECs also receive Universal Service Fund High Cost Loop, or USF HCL, revenue which is included in our reported network access revenue.

Intrastate Access Charges.   We generate intrastate access revenue when a long distance call, involving a long distance carrier, is originated and terminated within the same state. The interexchange carrier pays us an intrastate access payment for either terminating or originating the call. We record the details of the call through our carrier access billing system. Our access charges for our intrastate access services were historically set by state regulatory commissions. The Federal Communications Commission intercarrier compensation order released in October 2011, which we refer to as the FCC Order, preempted the state commissions’ authority to set terminating intrastate access service rates, and required companies with terminating access rates higher than interstate rates to reduce their terminating intrastate access rates to a rate equal to interstate access service rates by July 1, 2013, and to move to a “bill and keep” arrangement by July 1, 2020, which will eliminate access charges between carriers. The FCC Order created the Connect America Fund to offset the RLECs’ resulting loss in intrastate terminating access revenues but limited the yearly amount recovered to 95% of the previous year’s revenue requirement.

Interstate Access Charges.   We generate interstate access revenue when a long distance call originates from an area served by one of our local exchange carriers and terminates outside of that state, or vice versa. We bill interstate access charges in a manner similar to intrastate access charges. Our RLEC interstate access charges are regulated by the FCC through our participation in tariffs filed by the National Exchange Carriers Association, which we refer to as NECA. The FCC regulates the prices local exchange carriers charge for access services in two ways: price caps and rate-of-return. All of our RLECs are rate-of-return carriers for purposes of interstate network access regulation. Interstate access revenue for rate-of-return carriers for non-FCC Order elements is based on an FCC regulated rate-of-return currently authorized up to 11.25% on investment and recovery of operating expenses and taxes, in each case solely to the extent related to interstate access. The FCC Order requires terminating interstate access rates to move to a “bill and keep” arrangement by July 1, 2020, which will eliminate access charges between carriers. Initial reductions in interstate access rates began July 1, 2012, with additional reductions on July 1 of each year through July 1, 2020. The Connect America Fund provides recovery of terminating interstate access revenues. This recovery is limited to 95% of the previous year’s revenue requirement and excludes CLECs.

Federal Universal Service Fund High Cost Loop Revenue.   Three of our operating subsidiaries recover a portion of their operating costs through the USF HCL, which is regulated by the FCC and administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company, which we refer to as USAC, a non-profit organization. Based on historic and other information, a nationwide average cost per loop is determined by USAC. Any incumbent local exchange carrier whose individual cost per loop exceeds the nationwide average by more than 15% qualifies for USF HCL support. Although all of our RLECs have been designated as eligible telecommunication carriers, which we refer to as ETCs, eight of our operating subsidiaries do not receive USF HCL support because their cost per loop does not exceed the national average by more than 15%. The USF HCL, which is funded by assessments on all United States telecommunication carriers as a percentage of their revenue from end-users of interstate and international service, distributes funds to our participating RLECs based upon their respective costs for providing local services. USF HCL payments are received monthly. The FCC Order included new requirements for carriers to become certified as ETCs. ETCs must now, upon their customers’ reasonable request, provide broadband service at minimum speeds of 4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload, at prices reasonably comparable to those provided in urban areas. In addition, the FCC Order placed limits on the recovery of certain operating expenses, implemented a benchmark floor for local service rates, and placed limits on the overall support an ETC can receive. Not all of our RLECs provide services to all of their customers at these minimum speeds. The FCC recently clarified a reasonable request to be the cost effective extension of a voice or broadband network to the requested location. The FCC’s definition of a cost effective extension is when the incremental cost of

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undertaking the upgrade does not exceed the revenues that could be expected from the upgraded line. If we receive a request for service that requires an extension or upgrade of our network and the extension or upgrade meets the definition of a reasonable request, we would be required to extend our network in order to maintain our status as an ETC. If the extension or upgrade does not meet the definition of a reasonable request at the 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds, we may be required to consider whether an upgrade or extension that provides 4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload meets the definition of a cost effective extension.

Transition Service Fund Revenue.   Our four Alabama RLECs recover a portion of their costs through the Transition Service Fund, which we refer to as the TSF, which is administered by the APSC. All interexchange carriers originating calls in Alabama contribute to the TSF on a monthly basis, with the amount of each carrier’s contribution calculated based upon its relative originating minutes of use compared to the aggregate originating minutes of use for all telecommunication carriers participating in the TSF. The TSF reduces the vulnerability of our Alabama RLECs to a loss of access and interconnection revenue. TSF payments are received monthly. Negotiations to eliminate TSF payments in Alabama were completed in August 2015. TSF payments will be phased out over a five-year period beginning June 2016 and ending June 2021. The reduction in TSF will be 5% in 2016 and 2017; 10% in 2018; and 15% in 2019 and 2020.

Maine Universal Service Fund.   One of our three Maine RLECs recovers a portion of its costs through the Maine Universal Service Fund, which we refer to as the MUSF, which is administered by the MPUC. All local and interexchange carriers in Maine contribute to the MUSF on a monthly basis, with the amount of each carrier’s contribution calculated based upon a percentage of retail intrastate revenues. The MUSF was created to support RLEC universal service goals in response to legislative mandates to reduce intrastate access rates, expand local calling areas and cap local service rates.

Internet

We provide a variety of internet access data lines to our customers, including bulk broadband data access to support large corporate enterprise users; digital high-speed data lines in varying capacity speeds for business and residential use; and residential legacy dial-up connectivity. Digital high-speed data lines are provided via digital subscriber line, which we refer to as DSL; cable modems; and wireless broadband, depending upon the location in which the service is offered and via dedicated fiber connectivity to larger business customers. We charge our internet customers a flat rate for unlimited internet usage and a premium for higher speed internet services. We are able to provide digital high-speed internet data lines to over 90% of our RLEC access lines and all of our CLEC lines. We intend to expand the availability of our high-speed internet services as required by law and as warranted by customer demand by installing additional equipment at certain switching locations. In Maine and Missouri, we provide legacy dial-up internet services throughout the state.

Transport Services

Our CLEC receives monthly recurring revenues for the rental of fiber to transport data and other telecommunication services in Maine and New Hampshire from businesses and telecommunication carriers over our fiber network.

Video and Security

We provide cable television services, including high definition, digital video recording capability and video on demand, which we refer to as VOD, over networks with 750 MHz of transmission capacity or by IPTV in our Alabama service area. We offer digital signals, high-definition program content, digital video recording capability and VOD through both our traditional cable plant and IPTV. Our cable television packages offer from 20 to 200 channels. We are a licensed installer of security equipment in the state of Alabama. We offer wireless security systems in Alabama and Missouri and monthly monitoring of security systems through a third-party monitoring company. We are a licensed installer of DirecTV satellite television and have deployed these services to customers in our Missouri territories. DISH Network eliminated their RLEC sales channel in November 2015, and, accordingly, our former DISH Network customers in New England transitioned to being directly serviced by DISH Networks at that time.

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Managed Services

We provide private/hybrid cloud hosting services, as well as consulting and professional engineering services, for mission-critical software applications for small and mid-sized North American companies. Revenues are generated from monthly recurring hosting fees, commonly referred to as Infrastructure as a Service, or IaaS, monthly maintenance fees, à la carte professional engineering services, and pay-as-you-use Software as a Service, which we refer to as SaaS, in a secure SOC 2 Type II redundant environment. Services are domiciled in two diverse owned data centers. Reliable Networks’ operations in-rack and professional engineering services are covered by a SOC 2 Type II audit covering security, availability and confidentiality. Our data center operations are covered by a separate SOC 2 Type II audit covering security and availability.

Network Assets

Our telephone networks include carrier grade advanced switching capabilities provided by traditional digital as well as software based switches; fiber rings and routers; and network software supporting specialized business applications, all of which meet industry standards for service integrity, redundancy, reliability and flexibility. Our networks enable us to provide traditional and Internet Protocol, which we refer to as IP, wireline telephone services and other calling features; long distance services; digital internet access services through DSL and cable modems and dedicated circuits; and specialized customer specific applications.

Sales, Marketing and Customer Service

In Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia, our RLECs and CLEC provide services under the brand names “OTT Communications” and “Reliable Networks.” Our CLEC competes with the incumbent carriers throughout each state, as well as with other competitive communications providers, utilizing both an employee and agent sales force. Service configurations are tailored to meet specific customer requirements, utilizing customer designed voice and data telecommunications configurations. Increased service monitoring for business customers is provided through a state of the art network operations center and serves as a differentiator for our offers. We offer an IP-based Hosted Private Branch Exchange service, which we refer to as HPBX, that provides industry leading capability for our customers, as well as Reliable Networks’ cloud hosting and professional engineering services.

Our RLEC marketing approach emphasizes locally managed, customer-oriented sales, marketing and service. We believe that we are able to differentiate ourselves from any competition by providing a superior level of service in our territories. Each of our RLECs has a long history in the communities it serves, which has helped to enhance our reputation among local residents by fostering familiarity with our products and level of service. Our customer service representatives are local residents and often have a direct connection to the community they serve, which we believe improves customer satisfaction and enhances our reputation with local residents. We also build upon our strong reputation by participating in local activities, such as local fund raising and charitable events for schools and community organizations and, in Alabama, by airing local interest programs on our local access community cable channels.

In order to capitalize on strong branding in our markets, we utilize the “Otelco,” “OTT Communications” and “Reliable Networks” brand names across our relevant service territories. Part of our strategy is to increase customer loyalty and strengthen our brand name by deploying new technologies and by offering comprehensive bundling of services, including digital high-speed internet access, cable and satellite television, unlimited long distance and a full array of calling features. In addition, our ability to provide our customers with a single, unified bill for all of our RLEC and traditional CLEC services is a competitive advantage and helps to enhance customer loyalty.

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Competition

Local Services

We believe that many of the competitive threats to wireline telephone companies are not as significant in portions of our RLEC service areas as in more urban areas. The demographic characteristics of rural telecommunications markets generally require significant capital investment to offer competitive wireline telephone services with low potential revenues. As a result, RLECs face a lesser threat of significant wireline telephone competition except in markets where a cable company or electric co-operative provides existing services. We face direct competition in portions of eight of our eleven RLEC territories. New market entrants, such as providers of satellite broadband, and indirect competition such as VoIP, have gained greater acceptance over time.

We currently qualify for the rural exemption from certain interconnection obligations which support industry competition, including obligations to provide services for resale at discounted wholesale prices and to offer unbundled network elements. If the exemption were terminated by a state commission, our RLECs could face additional competition.

In all of our markets, we face competition from wireless carriers. We have experienced a decrease in access lines as a result of customers switching their residential wireline telephone service to a wireless service. We have also experienced an increase in network access revenue associated with terminating wireless calls on our telephone network. The introduction of residential bundled offerings including unlimited long distance calling appears to have recaptured minutes back from wireless carriers. A portion of the wireless technology threat to our business is reduced due in part to the topography of some of our telephone territories, which can result in inconsistent wireless coverage in some areas. However, as wireless carriers continue the deployment of newer technologies in our territories, we expect to experience increased competition from these carriers.

The long distance market remains competitive in all of our RLEC territories. We compete with major national and regional interexchange carriers as well as wireless carriers and other service providers. However, we believe that our service bundling that includes long distance, our long-standing local presence in our territories and our ability to provide a single, unified bill for all of our services, are major competitive advantages. At December 31, 2015, approximately 67% of our regulated voice access lines subscribed to our long distance services. The majority of our CLEC customers have also selected us for their long distance services as part of their overall package of services.

In Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, we operate as a facilities-based CLEC in areas primarily served by FairPoint Communications or Verizon. There are other competitors who serve these markets today as both facilities based and resale carriers. Our focus has been on the small to medium size business customer with multiple locations and enterprise telecommunications requirements, where we offer a combination of knowledge, experience, competitive pricing and new IP-based products to meet their specialized needs.

Internet

Competition in the provision of RLEC data lines and internet services currently comes from alternative digital high-speed internet service providers. Competitors vary on a market-to-market basis and include cable providers Charter Communications, Inc., which we refer to as Charter, Time Warner Cable, which we refer to as TW, Comcast Corporation, which we refer to as Comcast, and Co-Mo Electric Cooperative, Inc. At December 31, 2015, we provided data access lines to approximately 72% of our rural voice access lines. In Maine and Missouri, we also provide high-speed data lines or legacy dial-up internet services to approximately 2,800 subscribers outside of our rural telephone services territory, where approximately 76% of those customers receive high-speed data services. Our CLEC customers are provided a variety of data access service options based on their individual requirements.

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Transport Services

Other local telephone companies, long distance carriers, cable providers, utilities, governments, and industry associations deploy and sell fiber capacity to users. Existing and newly deployed capacity could impact market pricing. Multi-year contracts generally protect existing relationships and provide revenue stability. The cost of and time required for deploying new fiber can be a deterrent to adding capacity. We have expanded our fiber network in Maine to reach additional locations and serve incremental customers.

Video and Security

We offer cable television services, including VOD, in our Alabama territory and are a licensed agent for a satellite provider. Cable services are delivered through traditional cable technology and IPTV. Charter provides cable service, passing about 30% of our Alabama telephone subscribers. In Maine, TW provides cable service, passing approximately 60% of our RLEC telephone subscribers. In Massachusetts, Comcast provides cable service, passing more than 90% of our telephone subscribers. In West Virginia, Shentel provides cable service, passing more than 98% of our telephone subscribers. In addition, we compete against digital broadcast satellite providers including DISH Network and DirecTV in our Alabama territory. Our broadband subscribers also have access to “Over The Top” entertainment services offered by numerous providers, such as Netflix and Hulu.

Managed Services

The managed services and cloud hosting market has numerous competitors from very large multi-dimensional companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Google and IBM, to divisions of large telecommunications firms, to small operations serving specific local markets or industries. Our managed services offerings are focused on small and mid-sized companies who have mission-critical software applications that also need operational and design support for their applications.

Information Technology and Support Systems

We have integrated software systems that function as operational support and customer care/billing systems. One system serves our Alabama and Missouri subscribers and one serves our Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia subscribers. Reliable Networks’ clients are invoiced directly by a third billing system. The systems include automated provisioning and service activation, mechanized line records and trouble reporting. These services are provided through the use of licensed third-party software. By utilizing integrated software systems, we are able to reduce individual company costs and standardize functions resulting in greater efficiencies and profitability. Each system allows us to provide a single, unified bill for all our services which we believe is a significant competitive advantage. Two additional systems serve our additional internet subscribers in Missouri and our managed services customers. We are in the process of soliciting proposals to combine all of our billing and operating systems for additional operational synergies.

Additionally, the systems provide us an extensive database that enables us to gather detailed marketing information in our service territories. This capability allows us to market new services as they become available to particular customers. We have implemented all currently established safeguards to Customer Proprietary Network Information as established by the FCC for telecommunications providers and are compliant with the “red flag” provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act.

Environment

We are subject to various federal, state and local laws relating to the protection of the environment. We believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with all such laws. The environmental compliance costs incurred by us to date have not been material, and we currently have no reason to believe that such costs will become material in the foreseeable future.

Employees

As of December 31, 2015, we employed 224 full-time and 4 part-time employees. None of our employees are members of, or are represented by, any labor union or other collective bargaining unit. We consider our relations with our employees to be good.

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Available Information

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which we refer to as the Exchange Act, we are required to file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as the SEC, annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements and other information. You may read and copy any document we file with or furnish to the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. We file electronically with the SEC.

We make available, free of charge, through the investor relations section of our website, our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. The address for our website is http://www.OtelcoInc.com. The investor relations section of our website also includes charters for the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of our board of directors, as well as our code of ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers and directors, including our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer and principal accounting officer.

The information contained on our website is not part of, and is not incorporated in, this or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC.

Item 1A.   Risk Factors

In evaluating our business, every investor should carefully consider the following risks. Our business, financial condition or results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by any of the following risks.

The Telecommunications Industry Has Experienced Increased Competition.

The market for telecommunication services is highly competitive. Currently, we have competition in eight of our markets from cable providers and an electric co-operative. Certain competitors benefit from brand recognition, financial, personnel and marketing resources and access to capital that are significantly greater than ours, which may also be impacted by further industry consolidation. We cannot predict the number of competitors that will emerge, especially as a result of existing or new federal and state regulatory or legislative actions. Increased competition from existing and new entities could have an adverse effect on our business, revenue and cash flow.

In all of our markets, we face competition from wireless carriers. As wireless carriers continue to build-out their voice and data networks and add products and services targeted to the fixed wireless market, we may experience increased competition, which could have an adverse effect on our business, revenue and cash flow.

The current and potential competitors in our RLEC territories include cable television companies; electric utilities; CLECs and other providers of telecommunications and data services, including internet and VoIP service providers; wireless carriers; satellite television companies; alternate access providers; neighboring incumbent local exchange carriers; and long distance companies that may provide services competitive with those services that we provide or intend to provide.

In Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, our CLEC operations may encounter a change in the competitive landscape that would impact its continued ability to grow and/or retain customers, sustain current pricing plans and control the cost of access to incumbent carrier customers. Our CLEC leases a portion of its facilities, reducing its ability to adjust to price competition.

We have expanded our long distance business within our territories, primarily through bundling long distance with other local services and providing a single bill for these services. Our existing long distance competitors, including those with significantly greater resources than us and carriers offering VoIP services, could respond with attractive new offerings. There can be no assurance that our local services revenue, including long distance services, will not decrease in the future as competition and/or the cost of providing services increase.

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Changes in the Regulation of the Telecommunications Industry Could Adversely Affect Our Business, Revenue or Cash Flow.

We operate in an industry that is regulated at the federal, state and local level. The majority of our revenue has historically been supported by and subject to regulation. Certain federal and state regulations and local franchise requirements have been, are currently, and may in the future be, the subject of judicial proceedings, legislative hearings and administrative proposals. Such proceedings may relate to, among other things, federal and state universal service funds (including USF HCL), the rates we may charge for our local, network access and other services, the manner in which we offer and bundle our services, the terms and conditions of interconnection, unbundled network elements and resale rates, and could change the manner in which telecommunications companies operate. The FCC Order began significantly reducing access revenue received by us in July 2012 and is expected to significantly reduce USF HCL revenue over a five to ten year period. In addition, the FCC Order imposes certain costs and rate increases on carriers that we may not be able to pass on to our customers without experiencing further access line loss.

We Are Subject to Restrictive Debt Covenants That Limit Our Business Flexibility By Imposing Operating and Financial Restrictions on Our Operations.

Our credit facilities contain certain covenants that, among other things, restrict our ability to take specific actions, which may limit our ability to invest in new services or respond to competitive forces, including, without limitation, restrictions on our ability to:

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incur certain liens;

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incur additional indebtedness;

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wind up, liquidate, merge, or consolidate with any other person or transfer or dispose of certain properties or assets;

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change the nature of our business;

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make certain types of restricted payments, including dividends on our common stock, investments and acquisitions;

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enter into specified transactions with affiliates;

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•

enter into sale and leaseback transactions; and

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•

make capital expenditures.

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Any of our future indebtedness may impose similar or other restrictive covenants.

Our senior credit facility also requires quarterly fixed principal payments and annual variable excess cash flow payments, which may limit cash available for our operations. In addition, our financial covenants may require the use of operating cash to pay outstanding debt and limit our ability to invest in our operations.

We May Not Be Able to Integrate New Technologies and Provide New Services in a Cost-Efficient Manner.

The telecommunications industry is subject to rapid and significant changes in technology, frequent new service introductions and evolving industry standards. We cannot predict the effect of these changes on our competitive position, our capital expenditure requirements, our profitability or the industry in general. Technological developments may reduce the competitiveness of our networks and require additional capital expenditures or the procurement of additional products that could be expensive and time consuming to install and integrate into our network. In addition, new products and services arising out of technological developments may reduce the attractiveness of our services. If we fail to adapt successfully to technological advances or fail to obtain access to new technologies, we could lose customers and be limited in our ability to attract new customers and/or sell new services to our existing customers. In addition, delivery of new services in a cost-efficient manner depends upon many factors, and we may not generate the revenue anticipated from such services.

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Disruptions in Our Networks and Infrastructure May Cause Us to Lose Customers and Incur Additional Expenses.

To be successful, we will need to continue to provide our customers with reliable and timely service over our networks. We face the following risks to our networks and infrastructure:

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our territories could have significant weather events which physically damage access lines and network infrastructure, potentially disrupting our ability to provide service and potentially encouraging our customers to find alternative service providers;

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our rural geography creates the risk of security breaches, break-ins and sabotage;

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much of our equipment has long service lives, which could increase the frequency of malfunction and outage;

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our equipment, access and network interface suppliers could experience outages, delivery limitations or labor issues which could impact our ability to provide services to our customers;

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power surges and outages, computer viruses or hacking and software or hardware defects that are beyond our control; and

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unusual spikes in demand or capacity limitations in our or our suppliers’ networks.

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Disruptions may cause interruptions in service or reduced capacity for customers, either of which could cause us to lose customers and/or incur expenses, and thereby adversely affect our business, revenue and cash flow. In addition, the APSC, MPUC, MDTC, MPSC, NHPUC, VPSB and/or WVPSC could require us to issue credits on customer bills for such service interruptions, further impacting revenue and cash flow.

Our Operating Activities Are Subject to Risks Caused by Misappropriation, Misuse, Leakage, Falsification and Accidental Release or Loss of Information Maintained in Our Information Technology Systems.

Our operating activities are subject to risks caused by misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification and accidental release or loss of information maintained in our information technology systems, including customer, personnel and vendor data. These risks could result from cyber-attacks, which may be committed by our employees or external actors operating in any geography, including jurisdictions where law enforcement measures to address such attacks are unavailable or ineffective, or by other means. Cyber-attacks against companies have increased in frequency, scope and potential harm in recent years. Any preventive actions we have taken or may take to reduce the risks of cyber-attacks may be insufficient to repel or mitigate the effects of a cyber-attack in the future. We could be exposed to significant costs if any of the above risks were to materialize, and any of the events described above could damage the reputation and credibility of us and our business and have a negative impact on our revenues. Costs related to these risks could include incentives offered to existing customers to retain their business, increased expenditures on cyber security measures and the use of alternate resources, lost revenues from business interruption and litigation. We could also be required to expend significant capital and other resources to remedy any such security breach.

Our Business is Geographically Concentrated and Dependent on Regional Economic Conditions.

Our business is conducted primarily in north central Alabama, Maine, New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, central Missouri, western Vermont and southern West Virginia and, accordingly, our business is dependent upon the general economic conditions of these regions. There can be no assurance that future economic conditions in these regions, including the slow recovery from the recent global economic downturn, will not impact demand for our services or cause residents to relocate to other regions, which may adversely impact our business, revenue and cash flow.

Our Success Depends on a Small Number of Key Personnel.

Our success depends on the personal efforts of a small group of skilled employees and senior management. The rural nature of much of our service area provides for a smaller pool of skilled telephone employees and increases the challenge of hiring employees. The loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.

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We Provide Numerous Services to Our Customers Over Access Lines, and if We Lose Access Lines, Our Business and Results of Operations May Be Adversely Affected.

Our business generates revenue by delivering voice and data services over access lines. We have experienced net voice access line loss in our RLEC territories due to increased competition, wireless substitution, challenging economic conditions and loss of second lines. RLEC residential voice access lines declined by approximately 9.5% during 2015. We expect to continue to experience net residential voice access line loss in our rural markets. It is unlikely that we will be able to offset the loss of residential voice lines by data access line growth, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our Performance Is Subject to a Number of Other Economic and Non-Economic Factors, Which We May Not Be Able to Predict Accurately.

There are factors that may be beyond our control that could affect our operations and business. Such factors include adverse changes in the conditions in the specific markets for our services, the conditions in the broader market for telecommunication services and the conditions in the domestic and global economies, generally.

Although our performance is affected by the general condition of the economy, not all of our services are affected equally. Voice access revenue is generally linked to relatively consistent variables such as population changes, housing starts and general economic activity levels in the areas served. Data access and cable television revenue is generally related to more variable factors, such as changing levels of discretionary spending on entertainment and the adoption of e-commerce and other on-line activities by our current or prospective customers. It is not possible for management to accurately predict all of these factors and the impact of such factors on our performance.

Changes in the competitive, technological and regulatory environments may also impact our ability to increase revenue and/or earnings from the provision of local wireline services. We may therefore have to place increased emphasis on developing and realizing revenue through the provision of new and enhanced services with higher growth potential. In such a case, there is a risk that these revenue sources, as well as our cost savings efforts through further efficiency gains, will not grow or develop at a fast enough pace to offset declines in local residential services. It is also possible that, as we invest in new technologies and services, demand for those new services may not develop. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully expand our service offerings through the development of new services, and our efforts to do so may have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.

Governmental Authorities Could Decrease Network Access Charges or Rates for Local Services, Which Would Adversely Affect Our Revenue.

Approximately 17.4% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2015 was derived from interstate network access charges paid by long distance carriers for use of our facilities to originate and terminate interstate and intrastate telephone calls. The interstate network access rates that we can charge are regulated by the FCC. Intrastate network access rates, which formerly were regulated by the regulatory commissions in each state in which we operate, have been capped and reduced by the FCC. The FCC continues to reform the federal network access charge system with the stated intent to promote deployment of broadband data services. In October 2011, the FCC released the FCC Order, which has and will continue to significantly change the way telecommunication carriers receive compensation for exchanging traffic. On July 1, 2013, all terminating intrastate rates that exceeded the interstate rate were reduced to the interstate rate. In 2014, the interstate rate began a six year reduction to “bill and keep,” in which carriers bill their customers for services and keep those charges, but neither pay for nor receive compensation from traffic sent to or received from other carriers. It is unknown at this time what additional changes, if any, the FCC or state regulatory commissions may adopt. Such regulatory developments could adversely affect our business, revenue and cash flow.

The local services rates and intrastate access fees charged by our RLECs are regulated by state regulatory commissions which have the power to grant and revoke authorization to companies to provide telecommunication services and to impose other conditions and penalties. If we fail to comply with regulations set forth by the state regulatory commissions, we may face revocation of our authorizations in a

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state or other conditions and penalties. It is possible that new plans would require us to reduce our rates, forego future rate increases, provide greater features as part of our basic service plan or limit our rates for certain offerings. We cannot predict the ultimate impact, if any, of such changes on our business, revenue and cash flow.

Certain of our RLECs charge rates for local services and intrastate access service based in part upon a rate-of-return authorized by the state regulatory commissions. These authorized rates are subject to audit at any time and may be reduced if the state regulatory commission finds them excessive. If any of our RLECs is ordered to reduce its rates or if its applications to increase rates are denied or delayed, our business, revenue and cash flow may be negatively impacted.

NECA may file revisions to its average schedule formula each year, which revisions are subject to FCC approval. Six of our subsidiaries participate in average schedule rates. The FCC Order contains provisions which extend limits on corporate operations expense to the Interstate Common Line Support portions of the Universal Service Fund, which we refer to as the USF, which will reduce the level of funding some of our operating subsidiaries receive by approximately $0.1 million per year.

A Further Reduction in Universal Service Fund High Cost Loop Support Would Adversely Affect Our Business, Revenue and Cash Flow.

Three of our RLECs receive federal USF HCL revenue to support their high cost of operations. Such support payments represented approximately 2.9% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2015 and were based upon each participating RLEC’s average cost per loop as compared to the national average cost per loop. These support payments fluctuate based upon the historical costs of our participating RLECs as compared to the national average cost per loop. Each year, the average cost per loop has increased, putting pressure on the USF HCL funds received by our participating RLECs to the extent that our participating RLECs’ costs do not increase at the same rate. If our participating RLECs are unable to receive support from the USF HCL, or if such support is reduced, our business, revenue and cash flow would be negatively affected.

On October 27, 2011, the FCC adopted the FCC Order reforming the current high-cost universal support rules. The FCC Order places limits on certain operating expenses that can be recovered from the USF and places additional service requirements to be eligible to receive USF HCL support. The FCC has yet to issue orders addressing all aspects of the high-cost universal support which could affect the amount of USF HCL support we receive. We cannot predict the total impact these orders could have on USF HCL support. The outcome of any future FCC proceedings and other regulatory or legislative changes could affect the amount of USF HCL support that we receive, and could have an adverse effect on our business, revenue and cash flow. If a wireless or other telecommunication carrier receives ETC status in our service areas or even outside of our service areas, the amount of support we receive from the USF HCL could decline under current rules, and under some proposed USF HCL rule changes, could be significantly reduced.

USAC serves as the administrative agent to collect data and distribute funds for USF. In 2006, it began conducting High Cost Beneficiary audits, designed to ensure compliance with FCC rules and program requirements and to assist in program compliance. Carriers were chosen from a random sample of each type of ETC, including average schedule and cost companies, incumbents and competitors and rural and non-rural, from various states. Audits were designed to ensure proper designation of a carrier as ETC, accuracy of data submissions, documentation of accounting procedures, physical inventory of assets, true-up of projected data and samples of detailed documentation (for example, invoices, continuing property records). In 2013, USAC initiated in-depth data valuation process audits on two of our RLECs and a payment quality assurance audit on one of our RLECs. All audits have been completed and no material action is pending. If USAC determined that our data submissions were incorrect, we could be required to return funds to USAC for the period under review.

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If We Were to Lose Our Protected Status Under Interconnection Rules, We Would Incur Additional Administrative and Regulatory Expenses and Face More Competition.

As a “rural telephone company” under the Communications Act, each of our RLECs is exempt from the obligation to lease its unbundled facilities to CLECs, to offer retail services at wholesale prices for resale, to permit competitive co-location at its facilities and to comply with certain other requirements applicable to larger incumbent local exchange carriers. However, we eventually may be required to comply with these requirements in some or all of our service areas if: (i) we receive a bona fide request from a telecommunication carrier; and (ii) the state regulatory commissions, as applicable, determine that it is in the public interest to impose such requirements. In addition, we may be required to comply with some or all of these requirements in order to achieve greater pricing flexibility from state regulators. If we are required to comply with these requirements, we could incur additional administrative and regulatory expenses and face more competition, which could adversely affect our business, revenue and cash flow.

Item 1B.   Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2.   Properties

Our property consists primarily of land and buildings; central office, internet and cable equipment; computer software; telephone lines; and related equipment. Our telephone lines include aerial and underground cable, conduit, poles and wires. Our central office equipment includes digital and software defined switches, internet and other servers and related peripheral equipment. We own substantially all our real property in Alabama, Missouri, Vermont and West Virginia, including our corporate office. We primarily lease real property in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, including our primary office locations in Bangor, New Gloucester and Portland, Maine. As of December 31, 2015, our property and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

Item 3.   Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may be involved in various claims, legal actions and regulatory proceedings incidental to and in the ordinary course of business, including administrative hearings of the APSC, MPUC, MDTC, MPSC, NHPUC, VPSB and WVPSC relating primarily to rate making and customer service requirements. In addition, we may be involved in similar proceeding with interconnection carriers and the FCC. Currently, except as set forth below, none of our legal proceedings are expected to have a material adverse effect on our business.

Sprint Communications L.P., which we refer to as Sprint, MCI Communications Services, Inc., which we refer to as MCI, and Verizon Select Services, Inc., which we refer to as Verizon, have filed more than 60 lawsuits in federal courts across the United States alleging that over 400 local exchange carriers overcharged Sprint, MCI and Verizon for so-called intraMTA traffic (wireless phone calls that originate and terminate in the same metropolitan transit area). The lawsuits seek a refund of previously-paid access charges for

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intraMTA traffic, as well as a discount related to intraMTA traffic on a going-forward basis. One of our subsidiaries, Otelco Mid-Missouri LLC, was named as a defendant in two of the lawsuits that are being brought before the District Court for the Western District of Missouri (one filed on May 2, 2014 by Sprint and the other filed on September 5, 2014 by MCI and Verizon). In addition, one of our other subsidiaries, Otelco Telephone LLC, was named as a defendant in a lawsuit relating to these issues filed by MCI and Verizon in the District Court for the District of Delaware on September 5, 2014. As all of the lawsuits relating to these issues raise the same fundamental questions of law, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has consolidated the lawsuits in the District Court for the Northern District of Texas for all pre-trial proceedings. On September 18, 2015, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas held an oral argument on the local exchange carrier defendants’ motions to dismiss all of the pending proceedings. On November 17, 2015, the same court issued a memorandum opinion and order dismissing the federal-law claims with prejudice, dismissing the state-law claims but granting leave to replead said claims, and denying the local exchange carrier defendants’ request to refer the matter to the FCC. At this time, it is too soon to determine whether these lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on our business.

On November 10, 2014, a large coalition of the local exchange carrier defendants, including Otelco Mid-Missouri LLC and Otelco Telephone LLC, filed a petition for declaratory ruling with the FCC seeking a ruling by it that: (1) any traffic intentionally routed over Interexchange carrier, which we refer to as an IXC, trunks by IXCs should be subject to access charges; (2) only carriers with specific agreements with a local exchange carrier may use alternative billing arrangements; (3) federal tariffing rules require the local exchange carriers to assess access charges for switched access traffic routed through Feature Group D trunks; and (4) the IXCs may not engage in self-help by refusing to pay the local exchange carriers’ properly assessed access charges. On March 11, 2015, the local exchange carrier defendants filed their reply brief with the FCC. No timeline has been established for a decision by the FCC.

Item 4.   Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Item X.   Executive Officers of the Registrant

The following table sets forth the names and positions of our executive officers and certain other officers, and their ages, in each case, as of December 31, 2015.

Robert J. Souza became our President in May 2014 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer and elected as a Director in January 2015. Prior to becoming our President, he served as our Senior Vice President and General Manager for our New England division from July 2010 to May 2014. He joined Otelco in October 2008 as the Vice President of Operations for New England. He served as President of Pine Tree Holdings, Inc., Granby Holdings, Inc. and War Holdings, Inc., which we refer to, collectively, as the Country Road Companies, from 2001 until they were acquired by Otelco in October 2008. Prior to that role, he served as Operations Manager for Saco River Telephone and Telegraph, having joined that company in 1983. His 39 years of experience in the industry includes three years with Ooltewah-Collegedale Telephone Company in Tennessee and five years with New England Telephone in Maine.

Curtis L. Garner, Jr. has served as our Chief Financial Officer since February 2004 and was elected as a Director in May 2015. Prior to becoming our Chief Financial Officer, he provided consulting services to a number of businesses and not-for-profit organizations from October 2002. He served PTEK Holdings, Inc. from November 1997 through September 2002 (including one year as a consultant), first as President of

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one of its divisions, and later as Chief Administrative Officer for another division. Prior thereto, he spent 26 years at AT&T Corp., retiring in 1997 as the Chief Financial Officer of the Southern and Southwestern Regions of AT&T Corp.’s consumer long distance business.

Dennis K. Andrews was appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager of our Alabama division in August 2006 and of our Missouri division in July 2012. He served as our Vice President and General Manager of two Alabama operating subsidiaries since November 2005 and Vice President — Regulatory Affairs since July 2000. Prior to this position, he spent 21 years at Brindlee Mountain Telephone Company, which we acquired in 2001, where he held several positions, including Vice President — Finance, General Manager, Operations Manager and Accounting Department Manager.

Jerry C. Boles became our Senior Vice President and Controller in July 2010. He joined Otelco in January 1999 as Vice President and Controller. Prior to joining Otelco, he was controller for McPherson Oil Company for 14 years. He also worked in public accounting for 10 years, is licensed as a CPA by the state of Alabama, and is a member in good standing of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Edwin D. Tisdale has served as our Senior Vice President for New England since May 2014. He served as our Senior Vice President for New England regulated operations from July of 2010 to May 2014 and as Vice President for New England Support Services from November 2008 to 2010. From 1996 until October 2008, he served as General Manager of Pine Tree Telephone and Telegraph Company and Chief Financial Officer of the Country Road Companies until they were acquired by Otelco. Prior to that time, he worked in banking and real estate.

E. Todd Wessing was appointed as our Vice President and General Manager for Missouri in December 2010. He has worked for the Company (or its predecessor prior to being acquired by Otelco in 2004) since 1988 with experience in outside plant maintenance and installation; construction; and central office switching.

Officers are not elected for a fixed term of office but hold their position until a successor is named.

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PART II

Item 5.

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

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Market Information

Our certificate of incorporation currently authorizes two separate classes of common stock, our Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and our Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Our Class A common stock began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market, under the symbol “OTEL,” on May 28, 2013, following our emergence from bankruptcy. On May 16, 2014, the listing of our Class A common stock was transferred to the NASDAQ Capital Market.

The high and low closing sales prices for our Class A common stock during the quarters indicated are as follows:

There is no established trading market for our Class B common stock. On February 17, 2016, in connection with the termination of our prior credit facility, all 232,780 then outstanding shares of our Class B common stock were automatically converted into an equal number of shares of our Class A common stock. Accordingly, no shares of our Class B Common Stock are currently outstanding.

Holders

As of March 11, 2016, there were approximately 3,500 record holders of our Class A common stock and no holders of our Class B common stock.

Dividends

We have not declared or paid cash dividends on any shares of our common stock during 2016 or during the past two fiscal years. We currently intend to retain any earnings that we may have for investment in our business and reduction of our long-term notes payable and therefore do not currently anticipate paying any cash dividends.

Restrictions on Payment of Dividends

Our credit facilities do not permit us to pay cash dividends on our common stock.

Item 6.   Selected Financial Data

The following table sets forth our selected consolidated financial information. The consolidated financial information as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015 has been derived from, and should be read together with, our audited consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. The consolidated financial information as of December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2012 has been derived from our audited

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consolidated financial statements not included in this report. The consolidated financial information set forth below should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

(1)

During the year ended December 31, 2011, we acquired Shoreham Telephone Company, Inc.

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(2)

During the year ended December 31, 2014, we acquired substantially all of the assets of Reliable Networks.

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(3)

Diluted net income (loss) per common share has been retrospectively adjusted for the new common stock outstanding following our emergence from bankruptcy, to be comparable to the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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(4)

Reflects issued shares of old common stock before our emergence from bankruptcy.

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Item 7.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Overview

General

Since 1999, we have acquired and operate eleven RLECs serving subscribers in north central Alabama, central Maine, western Massachusetts, central Missouri, western Vermont and southern West Virginia. We are the sole wireline telephone services provider for three of the rural communities we serve. We also operate a CLEC serving subscribers in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Our services include a broad

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suite of communications and information services including local and long distance telephone services; internet and data services; network access; other telephone related services; cloud hosting and professional engineering services for small and mid-sized companies who rely on mission-critical software applications; and video and security (in some markets). We view, manage and evaluate the results of operations from the various telecommunications products and services as one company and therefore have identified one reporting segment as it relates to providing segment information.

We provide local and long distance telecommunications voice and broadband data services; wholesale access to the local and long distance network; and network access to other wireline, long distance and wireless carriers for calls originated or terminated on our network. As of December 31, 2015, we operated 97,259 voice and data access lines, which we refer to as access line equivalents. We also provide video and security service in some markets and digital high-speed transport services in our New England market. In addition, we offer cloud hosting and managed services.

The FCC released the FCC Order in November 2011. This order makes substantial changes in the way telecommunication carriers are compensated for serving high cost areas and for completing traffic with other carriers. We began seeing the significant impact of the FCC Order to our business in July 2012, with additional impacts beginning in July 2013 and July 2014. The initial consequence to our business was to reduce access revenue from intrastate calling in Maine and other states where intrastate rates were higher than interstate rates. A portion of this revenue loss for our RLEC properties is returned to us through the Connect America Fund. There is no recovery mechanism for the lost revenue in our CLEC. The impact of the FCC Order is expected to reduce our revenue and net income in the coming years.

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes, included in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and the other financial information appearing elsewhere in this report. The following discussion and analysis relates to our financial condition and results of operations on a consolidated basis.

Revenue Sources

We derive our revenues from six sources:

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Local services.   We receive revenues from providing local exchange telecommunication services in our eleven rural territories and on a competitive basis throughout Maine, New Hampshire and western Massachusetts through both wholesale and retail channels. These revenues include monthly subscription charges for basic service, calling beyond the local territory on a fixed price and on a per minute basis, local private line services and enhanced calling features, such as voicemail, caller identification, call waiting and call forwarding. We also provide billing and collections services for other carriers under contract and receive revenues from directory advertising. A significant portion of our rural subscribers take bundled service plans which include multiple services, including unlimited domestic calling, for a flat monthly fee.

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Network access.   We receive revenues from charges established to compensate us for the origination, transport and termination of calls of long distance, wireless and other interexchange carriers. These include subscriber line charges imposed on end users and switched and special access charges paid by carriers. Switched access charges for long distance services within Alabama, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia have historically been based on rates approved by the APSC, MDTC, MPUC, MPSC, NHPUC, VPSB and WVPSC, respectively, where appropriate. The FCC Order preempted the state commissions’ authority to set terminating intrastate access service rates, and required companies with terminating access rates higher than interstate rates to reduce their terminating intrastate access rates to a rate equal to interstate access service rates by July 1, 2013, and to move to a “bill and keep” arrangement by July 1, 2020, which will eliminate access charges between carriers. The FCC Order prescribes a recovery mechanism for the recovery of any decrease in intrastate terminating access revenues through the Connect America Fund for RLEC companies. This recovery is limited to 95% of the previous year’s revenue requirement. Switched and special access charges for interstate and international services are based on rates approved by the FCC.

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•

Internet.   We receive revenues from monthly recurring charges for digital high-speed data lines, legacy dial-up internet access and ancillary services such as web hosting and computer virus protection.

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Transport services.   We receive monthly recurring revenues for the rental of fiber to transport data and other telecommunication services in Maine and New Hampshire.

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Video and security.   We offer basic, digital, high-definition, digital video recording, VOD and pay per view cable television services to a portion of our telephone service territory in Alabama, including IPTV. We offer wireless security systems and system monitoring in Alabama and Missouri. We are a reseller of satellite services for DirecTV in Missouri.

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Managed services.   We provide private/hybrid cloud hosting services, as well as consulting and professional engineering services, for mission-critical software applications for small and mid-sized North American companies. Revenues are generated from monthly recurring hosting IaaS fees, monthly maintenance fees, à la carte professional engineering services, and pay-as-you-use SaaS fees. Services are domiciled in two diverse owned data centers. Reliable Networks’ operations in-rack and professional engineering services are covered by a SOC 2 Type II audit covering security, availability and confidentiality, while our data center operations are covered by a separate SOC 2 Type II audit covering security and availability.

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Access Line and Customer Trends

The number of voice and data access lines served is a fundamental factor in determining revenue stability for a telecommunications provider. Approximately 55% of our access line equivalents at December 31, 2015 served business and enterprise customers, up from approximately 50% at December 31, 2014. Reflecting a general trend in the RLEC industry, the number of rural residential voice access lines we serve has been decreasing when normalized for territory acquisitions. We expect that this trend will continue, and may be further impacted by competition from cable and co-operative electric providers in our RLEC properties, the continuing effect of the economy on our customers and the availability of alternative wireless data products. In the past, the growth of data access lines has partially offset the loss of residential voice access lines. However, the current high level of data access line penetration in our RLEC territories and competition limit this impact. Our ability to grow CLEC and RLEC business voice and data lines will have an important impact on our future revenues. Our primary strategy consists of leveraging our strong incumbent market position, selling additional services to our rural customer base and providing new IP technology and managed services to our competitive customer base.

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(1)

We define access line equivalents as voice access lines and data access lines (including cable modems, digital subscriber lines, and dedicated data access trunks).

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For 2015, business and enterprise access line equivalents increased 1.4%. Residential access line equivalents decreased 5.8%, with the decrease attributable to the loss of RLEC customers to competitive alternatives. We are the primary long distance provider for our customers, serving approximately 67% of our RLEC customer base and virtually all of our CLEC customers. Cable and IPTV television decreased by 161 customers in Alabama, while satellite television in Missouri increased by 4 customers. DISH Network withdrew its resale channel through RLECs in November 2015, causing a decrease of 47 satellite customers in Maine, West Virginia and Vermont. Security systems increased 34.2%, or 83 customers.

We provide legacy dial-up internet in our RLEC territories and on a statewide basis in Maine and Missouri. We expect that our legacy dial-up internet customers will continue to migrate to data access lines as growth in broadband services becomes available to them. In Missouri, we provide data access lines for digital high-speed internet in selected areas outside of our telephone service territory. This data service offering had 2,150 customers at December 31, 2015, or approximately 75% of the additional internet customers noted in the table above.

The following is a discussion of the major factors affecting our access line count:

Competition.   We face competition from cable providers or electric co-operatives in eight of our eleven RLEC territories, which primarily impacts our residential voice and data access lines. We also experience residential voice access line losses to wireless carrier substitution, though the impact is reduced due in part to the topography of a portion of our telephone territories and inconsistent wireless coverage. We have responded to competition by offering bundled service packages which include unlimited domestic calling; features like voice mail and caller identification; data access lines; and, where possible, television services.

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These service bundles are designed to meet the broader communications needs of our customers at industry competitive prices. There are a number of established competitive providers in our Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire CLEC markets. The effectiveness of our sales force, the pricing of our products and the market perception of the quality of our service are critical to our success in these markets.

Cyclical Economic and Industry Factors.   We believe that changes in global economic conditions have and will continue to have an impact on our voice access line count. The rural nature of much of the territory we serve delays both the negative and positive response to the economy’s impact on our customer base. We expect a national recovery to lag in its impact on our business.

Our Rate and Pricing Structure

Our CLEC enterprise pricing is based on market requirements. We combine varying services to meet individual customer requirements, including technical support, and provide multi-year contracts which are both market sensitive for the customer and profitable for us. The MPUC, MDTC and NHPUC impose certain requirements on all CLECs operating in their markets for reporting and for interactions with the various incumbent local exchange and interexchange carriers. These requirements provide wide latitude in pricing services.

Our RLECs operate in six states and are regulated in varying degrees by the respective state regulatory authorities. The impact on pricing flexibility varies by state. In Maine and Vermont, three of our wholly-owned subsidiaries have obtained authority to implement pricing flexibility while remaining under rate-of-return regulation. Our rates for other services we provide, including cable, long-distance, data lines and legacy dial-up and high-speed internet access, are not price regulated. The market for competitive services, such as wireless, also impacts the ability to adjust prices. With the increase of bundled services offerings, including unlimited long distance, pricing for individual services takes on reduced importance to revenue stability. We expect this trend to continue into the immediate future.

Alabama RLECs have state service funds which were implemented more than a decade ago as part of balancing local service pricing and long distance access rates. These funds were intended to neutralize the revenue impact on state RLECs from pricing shifts implemented to reduce access rates over time. The Alabama Transition Service Fund provided total compensation of  $0.4 million, representing 0.5% of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2015. The revenue we receive from these funds will be phased out over a five-year period beginning June 2016. Reductions in fund revenue will be 5% in 2016 and 2017; 10% in 2018; and 15% in 2019 and 2020.

Categories of Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses are categorized as cost of services; selling, general and administrative expenses; depreciation and amortization; and impairments.

Cost of services.   This includes expenses for salaries, wages and benefits relating to plant operation, maintenance, sales and customer service; other plant operations, maintenance and administrative costs; network access costs; and costs of services for long distance, cable television, internet and directory services.

Selling, general and administrative expenses.   This includes expenses for salaries, wages and benefits and contract service payments (for example, legal fees) relating to engineering, financial, human resources and corporate operations; information management expenses, including billing; allowance for uncollectible revenue; expenses for travel, lodging and meals; internal and external communications costs; insurance premiums; stock exchange and banking fees; and postage.

Depreciation and amortization.   This includes depreciation of our telecommunications, cable and internet networks and equipment, and amortization of intangible assets. Certain of these amortization expenses continue to be deductible for tax purposes.

Our Ability to Control Operating Expenses

We strive to control expenses in order to maintain our operating margins. As our revenue shifts to non-regulated services and CLEC customers and our residential RLEC revenue declines, operating margins decrease reflecting the lower margins associated with non-regulated services. Reductions in Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation payments based on FCC action in 2011 may be difficult to fully offset through expense control and pricing action.

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Results of Operations

The following table sets forth our results of operations as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated. All results include acquisitions as of the date acquired.

Year Ended December 31, 2015 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2014

Total Revenues.   Total revenues decreased 3.7% in 2015 to $71.1 million from $73.9 million in 2014. The loss of residential voice access lines and changes in inter-carrier compensation primarily drove the decrease in revenue. The table below provides the components of our revenues for 2015 compared to 2014.

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Local services.   Local services revenue in 2015 decreased 6.0% to $25.1 million from $26.7 million in 2014. Basic local service revenue (including bundled services such as voice mail and features, directory revenue and local cellular revenue) decreased $1.1 million in 2015 compared to 2014. Long distance and reciprocal compensation revenue decreased $0.8 million in 2015 compared to 2014. Both decreases reflect the decline in residential voice access lines and impact of the FCC Order. In 2014, we had fiber installation revenue of  $0.1 million with no comparable revenue in 2015. These decreases were partially offset by an increase of  $0.4 million in HPBX revenue.

Network access.   Network access revenue in 2015 decreased 7.0% to $22.2 million from $23.8 million in 2014. Switched access inter-carrier compensation declined $0.4 million and special access declined $1.2 million in 2015 compared to 2014. End user revenue and USF HCL funds decreased $0.2 million in 2015 compared to 2014. The Connect America Fund increased $0.1 million in 2015, partially offsetting the declines in access revenue.

Internet.   Internet revenue in 2015 increased 3.0% to $14.9 million from $14.4 million in 2014. Customer demand for faster broadband speeds increased revenue by $0.2 million and charges for broadband equipment rental increased $0.3 million in 2015 compared to 2014. Fiber rental decreased by $0.1 million in 2015.

Transport services.   Transport services revenue in 2015 increased 1.6% to $5.4 million from $5.3 million in 2014. Increased wide-area network customers accounted for the change.

Video and security.   Video and security revenue in 2015 decreased 2.4% to just under $2.8 million from just over $2.8 million in 2014. Decreases in the customer base were partially offset by increased pay per view usage and security system revenue.

Managed services.   Managed services revenue in 2015 increased 6.1% to just over $0.9 million from just under $0.9 million in 2014 due to an increase in cloud hosting revenue.

Operating expenses.   Operating expenses for 2015 decreased 9.1% to $51.8 million from $57.0 million in 2014. Improved network loop, co-location cost, and sales and operations efficiencies primarily drove the decrease in cost and expense. The table below provides the components of our operating expenses for 2015 compared to 2014.

Cost of services.   Cost of services decreased 6.7% to $33.1 million in 2015 from $35.5 million in 2014. Network loop and co-locations costs decreased $1.4 million; customer marketing, sales and product management costs decreased $0.4 million, access and toll costs decreased $0.4 million and network and operational efficiencies decreased costs by $0.4 million in 2015 compared to 2014. These decreases were partially offset by increases in cloud hosting expenses of  $0.1 million and cable content costs of  $0.1 million.

Selling, general and administrative expenses.   Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 9.8% to $9.8 million in 2015 from $10.9 million in 2014. Human resources, accounting and external affairs expense decreased $0.2 million, legal and insurance expense decreased by $0.2 million, non-cash stock compensation expense decreased by $0.3 million, and other administrative expenses declined by $0.3 million in 2015 compared to 2014. A separation payment of  $0.4 million in 2014 had no comparable expense in 2015. These decreases were partially offset by increased cloud hosting expense of  $0.2 million and higher operating taxes of  $0.1 million in 2015.

Depreciation and amortization.   Depreciation and amortization decreased 16.1% to $8.9 million in 2015 from $10.6 million in 2014. Intangible assets associated with acquisitions, including customer valuation and covenant not to compete agreements accounted for a decrease of  $0.4 million. RLEC depreciation decreased by $0.3 million and CLEC depreciation decreased by $1.0 million.

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Interest expense.   Interest expense decreased 10.8% to $7.9 million in 2015 from $8.9 million in 2014. Interest on senior debt decreased $0.9 million reflecting the impact of lower outstanding principal balance and amortization of loan costs decreased $0.1 million in 2015 compared to 2014.

Other income.   Other income increased 408.1% to $1.1 million in 2015 from $0.2 million in 2014. The increase in 2015 reflected $0.4 million in higher dividends from CoBank. A one-time securities expense of $0.4 million in 2014 had no comparable expense in 2015.

Income tax expense.   Provision for income tax expense in 2015 was $4.9 million compared to an income tax expense of  $3.2 million for 2014. The increase was equally caused by increased federal and state income taxes. The effective income tax rate was 38.8% and 39.8% for 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Net income.   As a result of the foregoing, there was net income of  $7.5 million in 2015 compared to $5.0 million in 2014.

Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2013

Total Revenues.   Total revenues decreased 6.5% in 2014 to $73.9 million from $79.0 million in 2013. Our contract with TW expired on December 31, 2012 and conversion revenue related thereto ended on June 30, 2013. We acquired the assets of Reliable Networks on January 2, 2014. The table below provides the components of our revenues for 2014 compared to 2013.

*

Not a meaningful calculation.

​

Local services.   Local services revenue in 2014 decreased 12.7% to $26.7 million from $30.5 million in 2013. TW accounted for a decrease of  $1.7 million in 2014. Basic service revenue, including bundled services such as long distance, decreased $2.4 million in 2014, reflecting the decline in residential voice access lines and the impact of the FCC Order. In 2013, a settlement of  $0.2 million had no comparable revenue in 2014. The decreases were partially offset in increased HPBX revenue of  $0.2 million and increased fiber and Ethernet revenue of  $0.2 million in 2014.

Network access.   Network access revenue in 2014 decreased 5.3% to $23.8 million from $25.2 million in 2013. End user based charges and switched access revenue decreased $0.7 million, state access charges decreased $0.9 million associated with the FCC Order, the Alabama transition services fund decreased $0.7 million and special access decreased $0.6 million in 2014 compared to 2013. The decreases were partially offset by an increase in the Connect America Fund of  $1.4 million and an increase in access recovery fees of $0.2 million in 2014.

Internet.   Internet revenue in 2014 decreased 0.7% to $14.4 million from $14.5 million in 2013. Fiber rental increased $0.1 million in 2014 compared to 2013. The increase was offset by a decline of  $0.2 million in basic and DSL internet services in 2014.

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Transport services.   Transport services revenue in 2014 decreased 8.1% to $5.3 million from $5.7 million in 2013. Wide area network transport services churn and changes in industry pricing accounted for the decrease.

Video and security.   Video and security revenue in 2014 decreased 6.0% to $2.8 million from $3.0 million in 2013. Cable and IPTV subscriber loss accounted for a decrease of  $0.3 million in 2014 compared to 2013, which was partially offset by an increase of  $0.1 million in advertising, security, HPBX equipment and satellite revenue in 2014.

Managed services.   Managed services revenue associated with the Reliable Networks acquisition in 2014 accounted for new revenue of  $0.9 million in 2014.

Operating expenses.   Operating expenses for 2014 decreased to $57.0 million from $60.3 million in 2013. The table below provides the components of our operating expenses for 2014 compared to 2013.

Cost of services.   Cost of services decreased 4.5% to $35.5 million in 2014 from $37.2 million in 2013. The Reliable Networks acquisition in 2014 accounted for an increase of  $0.2 million. Decreases in access and circuit expense of  $0.8 million, marketing and customer service expense of  $0.6 million, cost of toll of $0.4 million, and internet cost of  $0.1 million in 2014 more than offset that increase.

Selling, general and administrative expenses.   Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 4.0% to $10.9 million in 2014 from $10.5 million in 2013. The Reliable Networks acquisition in 2014 accounted for an increase of  $0.8 million, including non-cash earn-out stock compensation. Non-cash incentive stock compensation for 2014 was $0.3 million and separation payment in 2014 was $0.4 million with no comparable expense in 2013. Decreases in employee costs of  $0.6 million, legal costs of  $0.2 million, operating and property taxes of  $0.2 million and insurance costs of  $0.1 million in 2014 accounted for the balance of the change.

Depreciation and amortization.   Depreciation and amortization decreased 16.2% to $10.6 million in 2014 from $12.6 million in 2013. Amortization of intangible assets, including amortization of the TW contract, decreased $1.3 million in 2014 compared to 2013. Depreciation of CLEC property, plant and equipment decreased by $0.7 million in 2014 compared to 2013. There was no change in depreciation of RLEC property, plant and equipment.

*

Not a meaningful calculation.

​

Interest expense.   Interest expense decreased 30.1% in 2014 to $8.9 million from $12.7 million in 2013. The interest on our senior subordinated notes in 2013 was $3.4 million with no comparable expense in 2014 as the senior subordinated notes were exchanged for shares of Class A common stock in May 2013. Interest on senior debt decreased $0.3 million in 2014 compared to 2013 as the impact of the reduction in principal loan balance exceeded the impact of the higher interest rate. The amortization of loan costs decreased $0.1 million in 2014 compared to 2013.

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Other income.   Other income in 2014 decreased 23.6% to $0.2 million from just under $0.3 million in 2013. Higher dividends and patronage share redemption from CoBank of  $0.4 million was offset by securities expenses of  $0.4 million in 2014. The balance of the decrease is attributable to lower proceeds from the sale of surplus equipment.

Reorganization items.   Separate classification of reorganization items began in first quarter 2013 when we filed for reorganization. We expensed $9.0 million in 2013 associated with our balance sheet restructuring process with no comparable expense in 2014. We also reflected $118.2 million in cancellation of debt income in 2013 which is a non-cash item.

Income tax expense.   The provision for income tax expense in 2014 was $3.2 million as compared to $6.4 million in 2013. In calculating the effective tax rate, the cancellation of debt income in 2013 significantly impacts the tax calculation. The effective income tax rate was 5.5% and 38.8% for 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Net income.   As a result of the foregoing, there was net income in 2014 of  $5.0 million compared to $109.1 million in 2013.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our liquidity needs arise primarily from: (i) principal and interest payments related to our credit facilities; (ii) capital expenditures for investment in our business; and (iii) working capital requirements. Historically, we satisfy our operating cash requirements from the cash generated by our business and utilize borrowings under our credit facilities to facilitate larger acquisitions. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we generated cash from our business to invest in additional property and equipment; reduce the principal balance on our prior credit facility; and pay scheduled principal and interest on our senior debt. Cash increased from $5.1 million at December 31, 2014 to $6.9 million at December 31, 2015.

Cash flows from operating activities for 2015 were $21.0 million compared to $18.1 million for 2014, primarily reflecting higher net income in 2015. See the table below regarding cash generation and cash utilization.

Cash flows used in investing activities for 2015 were $6.6 million compared to $6.5 million for 2014, reflecting the acquisition and construction of property and equipment in 2015 and the acquisition of Reliable Networks in 2014.

Cash flows used in financing activities for 2015 were $12.6 million compared to $16.50 million for 2014, primarily reflecting principal payments on our prior credit facility. In 2015, we also paid $0.5 million in expenses relating to the replacement of our prior credit facility.

We do not use financial instruments as part of our business strategy.

We also have received patronage shares, primarily from one of our lenders, over a period of years for which there is a limited market to determine value until the shares are redeemed by the issuing institution. Historically, these shares have been redeemed at a value similar to their issued value. In 2015, we received $0.6 million for redeemed shares, the second such redemption since we became a publicly traded company. Due to the uncertainty of this future value, these shares are carried at $1.5 million, or approximately 34% of their issued value.

The following table provides a summary of the extent to which cash generated from operations was reinvested in our operations and used to pay principal and interest on our senior debt for the periods indicated.

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(1)

Excludes non-cash stock compensation.

​

Our prior credit facility was scheduled to mature on April 30, 2016. However, on January 25, 2016, we entered into a new senior credit facility, providing for a five year term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of  $85.0 million and a five year $5.0 million revolving credit facility, and a new subordinated credit facility, providing for a five and a half year term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of  $15.0 million. On February 17, 2016, the subordinated credit facility was amended to increase the aggregate principal amount available for borrowing thereunder to $15.3 million, and we borrowed $85.0 million under the term loan facility of the senior credit facility and $15.3 million under the subordinated credit facility. We used the borrowings under the credit facilities to, among other things, pay all amounts due, including principal, interest and fees, and satisfy in full all of our obligations under our previous credit facility.

We anticipate that operating cash flow, together with borrowings under our revolving credit facility, will be adequate to meet our currently anticipated operating and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12 months. Our indebtedness levels and related debt service requirements, the increase in cash income taxes that began in 2014 as net operating loss carryforwards and alternative minimum tax credits were extinguished when we emerged from bankruptcy and our capital expenditure requirements will significantly limit any cash available from operations for other uses for the foreseeable future. We may not retain a sufficient amount of cash to finance growth opportunities or unanticipated capital expenditure needs or to fund our operations in the event of a significant business downturn. We may have to forego growth opportunities or capital expenditures that would otherwise be necessary or desirable if we do not find alternative sources of financing. If we do not have sufficient cash for these purposes, our financial condition and our business will suffer.

We use adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, which we refer to as Adjusted EBITDA, as an operational performance measurement. Adjusted EBITDA, as presented in this report, corresponds to the definition of Adjusted EBITDA in our credit facilities. Adjusted EBITDA, as

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presented in this report, is a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which we refer to as U.S. GAAP. The lenders under our credit facilities use this measure to determine compliance with credit facility requirements. We report Adjusted EBITDA in our quarterly earnings press release to allow current and potential investors to understand this performance metric and because we believe that it provides current and potential investors with helpful information with respect to our operating performance and cash flows. However, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income, operating income or any other performance measures derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP or as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015, and its reconciliation to net income, is reflected in the table below:

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements.

Critical Accounting Policies and Accounting Estimates

The process of preparing financial statements requires the use of estimates on the part of management. These estimates are based on our historical experience combined with management’s understanding of current facts and circumstances. Certain of our accounting policies are considered critical as they are both important to the portrayal of our financial statements and require significant or complex judgment on the part of management. See Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data — Note 2, Summary of Significant Account Policies, for a description of our critical accounting policies and estimates.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

See Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data — Note 2, Summary of Significant Account Policies — Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements, for a description of the recently adopted accounting pronouncements that are applicable to us.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data — Note 2, Summary of Significant Account Policies — Recent Accounting Pronouncements, for a description of the recent accounting pronouncements that are applicable to us.

Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Our short-term excess cash balance is invested in short-term commercial paper. We do not invest in any derivative or commodity type instruments. Accordingly, we are subject to minimal market risk on our investments.

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Interest rates applicable to the term loans and the revolving loans under our prior credit facility were set at a margin over an index rate (which was defined as the highest of  (1) the prime rate, (2) the federal funds rate plus 50 basis points per annum and (3) 4.25% per annum) or a LIBOR rate (which was defined as the higher of  (1) 3.0% per annum and (2) LIBOR). Interest rates applicable to the term loans and the revolving loans under our current senior credit facility are set at a margin over a LIBOR rate (which is defined as the higher of  (1) LIBOR and (2) 1.0% per annum) or a reference rate (which is generally defined as the highest of  (1) 3.5% per annum, (2) the federal funds rate plus 0.50% per annum, (3) the LIBOR rate plus 1.00% per annum and (4) the prime rate). Accordingly, we are exposed to interest rate risk. However, based on the daily average amount of our outstanding variable rate debt during 2015, because the LIBOR rate under our prior credit facility had a 3.0% per annum minimum, a one percentage point change in market interest rates from December 31, 2015 interest rates would have resulted in no change in our interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2015.

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Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

OTELCO INC.

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Board of Directors and Stockholders
Otelco, Inc.
Oneonta, Alabama

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Otelco, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Otelco, Inc. and subsidiaries at December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Otelco, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) and our report dated March 11, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ BDO USA, LLP

Atlanta, Georgia
March 11, 2016

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Board of Directors and Stockholders
Otelco Inc.
Oneonta, Alabama

We have audited Otelco Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO criteria). Otelco, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying “Item 9A, Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting”. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, Otelco, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of Otelco, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015 and our report dated March 11, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ BDO USA, LLP

Atlanta, Georgia
March 11, 2016

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OTELCO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except share par values and share amounts)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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OTELCO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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OTELCO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
(in thousands, except share amounts)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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OTELCO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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OTELCO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015

1.

Nature of Business

​

Otelco Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the “Company”) provides a broad range of telecommunication services on a retail and wholesale basis. These services include local and long distance calling; network access to and from the Company’s customers; data transport; digital high-speed and legacy dial-up internet access; cable, satellite and Internet Protocol television; other telephone related services; and cloud hosting and managed services. The principal markets for these services are business and residential customers residing in and adjacent to the exchanges the Company serves in Alabama, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Vermont, and West Virginia. In addition, the Company serves business customers throughout Maine and New Hampshire and provides legacy dial-up internet service throughout the states of Maine and Missouri. The Company offers various communications services that are sold to economically similar customers in a comparable manner of distribution. The Company also offers cloud hosting and managed services for small and mid-sized companies who rely on mission-critical software applications. The majority of customers buy multiple services, often bundled together at a single price. The Company views, manages and evaluates the results of its operations from the various communications services as one company and therefore has identified one reporting segment as it relates to providing segment information.

Reorganization

On March 24, 2013, the Company and each of its then direct and indirect subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization (the “Reorganization Cases”) under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”) in order to effectuate their prepackaged Chapter 11 plan of reorganization (the “Plan”). On May 6, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order confirming the Plan. On May 24, 2013 (the “Effective Date”), the Company substantially consummated its reorganization through a series of transactions contemplated by the Plan, and the Plan became effective pursuant to its terms. On August 22, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court issued a final decree closing the Reorganization Cases.

When the Plan became effective, the $162.0 million of outstanding principal term loan obligations under the Company’s then outstanding credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) was reduced to $133.3 million through a cash payment of  $28.7 million. Also in connection with the Plan, the maturity of the outstanding principal term loan obligations and any revolving loan obligations under the Credit Facility was extended to April 30, 2016 and the holders of the outstanding principal term loan obligations received their pro rata share of the Company’s new Class B common stock, which represented 7.5% of the Company’s total economic and voting interest immediately following the effectiveness of the Plan. Certain revolving loan commitments under the Credit Facility were also reinstated, with availability of up to $5.0 million. Under the Plan, the Company’s outstanding senior subordinated notes (“Notes”) were cancelled and the holders of outstanding Notes received their pro rata share of the Company’s new Class A common stock, which represented 92.5% of the Company’s total economic and voting interests immediately following the effectiveness of the Plan, and the outstanding shares of the Company’s old common stock were cancelled.

As of the Effective Date, a total of 2,870,948 shares of the Company’s new Class A common stock and 232,780 shares of the Company’s new Class B common stock were issued and outstanding, and 232,780 shares of the Company’s new Class A common stock were reserved for the future issuance upon the conversion of the Company’s new Class B common stock.

The Company’s emergence from bankruptcy did not qualify for fresh-start accounting in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 852, Reorganization, as immediately following the effectiveness of the Plan, more than 50.0% of the Company’s new Class A common stock was held by persons who also held the Company’s old common stock.

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2.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

​

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are either directly or indirectly wholly owned. These include: Otelco Telecommunications LLC; Otelco Telephone LLC (“OTP”); Hopper Telecommunications LLC; Brindlee Mountain Telephone LLC; Blountsville Telephone LLC (“BTC”); Otelco Mid-Missouri LLC (“MMT”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary I-Land Internet Services LLC; Mid-Maine Telecom LLC; Mid-Maine TelPlus LLC; Granby Telephone LLC; War Telephone LLC; Pine Tree Telephone LLC; Saco River Telephone LLC; Shoreham Telephone LLC; and CRC Communications LLC (“CRC”).

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all of the aforesaid subsidiaries after elimination of all material intercompany balances and transactions.

Use of Estimates

The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. The estimates and assumptions used in the accompanying consolidated financial statements are based upon management’s evaluation of the relevant facts and circumstances as of the date of the financial statements. Actual results may differ from the estimates and assumptions used in preparing the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Significant accounting estimates include the recoverability of goodwill, identified intangibles, long-term assets, deferred tax valuation allowances and allowance for bad debt.

Regulatory Accounting

The Company follows the accounting for regulated enterprises, which is now part of ASC 980, Regulated Operations (“ASC 980”), as issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”). This accounting practice recognizes the economic effects of rate regulation by recording costs and a return on investment as such amounts are recovered through rates authorized by regulatory authorities. Accordingly, ASC 980 requires the Company to depreciate telecommunications property and equipment over the estimated useful lives approved by regulators, which could be different than the estimated useful lives that would otherwise be determined by management. ASC 980 also requires deferral of certain costs and obligations based upon approvals received from regulators to permit recovery of such amounts in future years. Criteria that would give rise to the discontinuance of accounting in accordance with ASC 980 include (1) increasing competition restricting the ability of the Company to establish prices that allow it to recover specific costs and (2) significant changes in the manner in which rates are set by regulators from cost-based regulation to another form of regulation. The Company periodically reviews the criteria to determine whether the continuing application of ASC 980 is appropriate for its rural local exchange carriers (“RLECs”). As of December 31, 2014 and 2015, 75.3% and 76.5%, respectively, of the Company’s net property, plant and equipment was accounted for under ASC 980.

The Company is subject to reviews and audits by regulatory agencies. The effect of these reviews and audits, if any, will be recorded in the period in which they first become known and determinable.

Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Intangible assets consist primarily of the fair values of customer related intangibles, non-compete agreements and long-term customer contracts acquired in connection with business combinations. Goodwill represents the excess of total acquisition cost over the assigned value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired through various business combinations, less any impairment. Due to the regulatory accounting required by ASC 980, the Company did not record acquired regulated telecommunications property and equipment at fair value as required by ASC 805, Business Combinations,

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through 2004. In accordance with 47 CFR 32.2000, the federal regulation governing acquired telecommunications property and equipment, such property and equipment is accounted for at original cost, and depreciation and amortization of property and equipment acquired is credited to accumulated depreciation.

The Company performs a quarterly review of its identified intangible assets to determine if facts and circumstances exist which indicate that the useful life is shorter than originally estimated or that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. If such facts and circumstances do exist, the Company assesses the recoverability of identified intangible assets by comparing the projected undiscounted net cash flows associated with the related asset or group of assets over their remaining lives against their respective carrying amounts. Impairment, if any, is based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of those assets.

Revenue Recognition

Local services.   Local services revenue for monthly recurring local services is billed in advance to a portion of the Company’s customers and in arrears to the balance of the customers. The Company records revenue for charges that have not yet been invoiced to its customers as unbilled revenue when services are rendered. The Company records revenue billed in advance as advance billings and defers recognition until such revenue is earned. Long distance service is billed to customers in arrears based on actual usage except when it is included in service bundles. The Company records unbilled long distance revenue as unbilled revenue when services are rendered. In bundles, unlimited usage is billed in arrears at a flat rate.

Network access.   Network access revenue is derived from several sources. Revenue for interstate access services is received through tariffed access charges filed with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). Eight of the Company’s RLECs utilize the National Exchange Carrier Association (“NECA”), who files tariffs with the FCC on behalf of the NECA member companies. These access charges are billed by the Company to interstate interexchange carriers and pooled with like-revenues from all NECA member companies. A portion of the pooled access charge revenue received by the Company is based upon its actual cost of providing interstate access service, plus a return on the investment dedicated to providing that service. The balance of the pooled access charge revenue received by the Company is based upon the nationwide average schedule costs of providing interstate access services. Three of the Company’s RLECs utilize the NECA to file common line tariffs with the FCC, and pool the common line access charge revenues. These three RLECs also file Traffic Sensitive tariffs directly with the FCC, and bill and keep the Traffic Sensitive access revenues. Rates for the Company’s competitive subsidiaries are set by FCC rule to be no more than the interconnecting interstate rate of the predominant local carrier.

Revenue for intrastate access service is received through tariffed access charges billed by the Company to the originating intrastate carrier using access rates filed with the Alabama Public Service Commission (“APSC”), the Maine Public Utilities Commission (“MPUC”), the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable (“MDTC”), the Missouri Public Service Commission (“MPSC”), the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (“NHPUC”), the Vermont Public Service Board (“VPSB”) and the West Virginia Public Service Commission (“WVPSC”) and are retained by the Company.

Revenue for the intrastate/interLATA access service is received through tariffed access charges as filed with the APSC, MDTC, MPSC, MPUC, NHPUC, VPSB and WVPSC. These access charges are billed to the intrastate carriers and are retained by the Company. Revenue for terminating and originating long distance service is received through charges for providing usage of the local exchange network. Toll revenues are recognized when services are rendered.

The FCC’s Intercarrier Compensation order, issued in October 2011, has significantly changed the way telecommunication carriers receive compensation for exchanging traffic and state tariffed rates. All terminating intrastate rates that exceeded the interstate rate were reduced to the terminating interstate rate effective July 2014. Beginning in 2014, the interstate and intrastate rates will be reduced over three years to “bill and keep” in which carriers bill their customers for services and keep those charges but neither pay for nor receive compensation from traffic sent to or received from other carriers. In addition, subsidies to carriers serving high cost areas will be phased out over an extended period.

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Revenues for interstate access services are based on reimbursement of costs and an allowed rate of return. Revenues of this nature are received from the NECA in the form of monthly settlements. Such revenues amounted to 13.1%, 15.5%, and 17.4% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.

Internet, transport service, cable and satellite television and cloud hosting and managed services.   Internet, transport service, cable and satellite television and cloud hosting and managed services revenues are recognized when services are rendered. Operating revenues from the lease of dark fiber covered by indefeasible rights-of-use agreements are recorded as earned. In some cases, the entire lease payment is received at inception of the lease and recognized ratably over the lease term after recognition of expenses associated with lease inception. The Company has deferred revenue in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2014 and 2015 of  $734 thousand and $681 thousand, respectively, related to transport services, which is included as part of advanced billing and payments.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents are stated at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates fair value. Cash equivalents are high-quality, short-term money market instruments and highly liquid debt instruments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased. The cash equivalents are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are so near maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

Accounts Receivable

The Company extends credit to its business and residential customers based upon a written credit policy. Service interruption is the primary vehicle for controlling losses. Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate for the amount of probable credit losses in the Company’s existing accounts receivable. The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of specific customers, historical trends, and other information. Receivable balances are reviewed on an aged basis and account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote.

Materials and Supplies

Materials and supplies are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Cost is determined using an average cost basis.

Property and Equipment

Regulated property and equipment is stated at original cost less any impairment. Unregulated property and equipment purchased through acquisitions is stated at its fair value at the date of acquisition less any impairment. Expenditures for improvements that significantly add to productive capacity or extend the useful life of an asset are capitalized. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed when incurred. Depreciation of regulated property and equipment is computed principally using the straight-line method over useful lives determined by the APSC, MDTC, MPSC, MPUC, NHPUC, VPSB and WVPSC as discussed above. Depreciation of unregulated property and equipment primarily employs the straight-line method over industry standard estimated useful lives.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment at each balance sheet date and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset should be assessed. To determine if impairment exists, the Company estimates the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset being reviewed for impairment. If the sum of these expected future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset, the Company recognizes an impairment loss in accordance with guidance included in ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment. The amount of the impairment recognized is determined by estimating the fair value of the assets and recording a loss for the excess of the carrying value over the fair value.