Note 2 - Revenue Recognition

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2025

Notes to Financial Statements

Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]

Note 2 – Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue based on the following single principles-based, five-step model that is applied to all services and contracts that are required with customers. These steps include (1) identify the contract(s)/service with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract/service provided, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract/service provided and (5) recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied.

Our revenue contracts/services provided by customers may include a promise or promises to deliver services such as broadband, video or voice services. Promised services are considered distinct as the customer can benefit from the services either on their own or together with other resources that are readily available to the customer and the Company’s promise to transfer service to the customer is identifiable separately from other promises in the contract. The Company accounts for services as separate performance obligations. Each service is considered a single performance obligation as it provides a series of distinct services that are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer.

The transaction price is determined at service or contract inception and reflects the amount of consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for transferring the service to the customer. This amount is generally equal to the market price of the services promised in the service provided or contract and may include promotional or bundling discounts. Most of our prices are based on tariffed rates filed with regulatory bodies or standard company price lists. The transaction price excludes amounts collected on behalf of third parties such as sales taxes and regulatory fees. Conversely, non-refundable up-front fees, such as service activation and set-up fees, which are immaterial to our overall revenues, are included in the transaction price. In determining the transaction price, we consider our enforceable rights and obligations within the service or contract. We do not consider the possibility of a contract being cancelled, renewed, or modified, which is consistent with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC 606-10-32-4).

The transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation based on the standalone selling price of the service, net of the related discount, as applicable.

Revenue is recognized when performance obligations are satisfied by transferring services to the customer as described below.

Significant Judgements

The Company often provides multiple services to a customer. Provision of customer premise equipment (CPE) and additional service tiers may have a significant level of integration and interdependency with the subscription voice, video, Internet, or connectivity services. Judgement is required to determine whether the provision of CPE, installation services and additional service tiers are considered distinct and accounted for separately, or not distinct and accounted for together with the subscription services.

Allocation of the transaction price to the distinct performance obligations in bundled service subscriptions requires judgement. The transaction price for a bundle of services is frequently less than the sum of standalone selling prices of each individual service. Bundled discounts are allocated proportionally to the selling price of each individual service within the bundle. Standalone selling prices for the Company’s services are directly observable.

Disaggregation of Revenue

The following table summarizes revenue from contracts with customers for the quarters ending March 31, 2025, and 2024:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025		2024
Voice Service¹	$	1,225,575	$	1,372,387
Network Access¹		739,536		968,286
Video Service¹		2,880,680		2,989,949
Data Service¹		7,259,832		6,675,840
Directory²		125,771		140,765
Other Contracted Revenue³		548,681		675,834
Other⁴		531,978		470,536
Revenue from customers		13,312,053		13,293,597
Subsidy and other revenue outside scope of ASC 606⁵		4,568,716		3,651,528
Total revenue	$	17,880,769	$	16,945,125

¹ Month-to-Month contracts billed and consumed in the same month.

² Directory revenue is contracted annually, however, this revenue is recognized monthly over the contract period as the advertising is used.

³ This includes long-term contracts where the revenue is recognized monthly over the term of the contract.

⁴ This includes CPE and other equipment sales.

⁵ This includes governmental subsidies and lease revenue outside the scope of ASC 606.

For the three months ending March 31, 2025, approximately 71.47% of our total revenue was from month-to-month and other contracted revenue from customers. Approximately 25.55% of our total revenue was from revenue sources outside of the scope of ASC 606. The remaining 2.98% of total revenue was from other sources including CPE and equipment sales and installation.

For the three months ending March 31, 2024, approximately 75.67% of our total revenue was from month-to-month and other contracted revenue from customers. Approximately 21.55% of our total revenue was from revenue sources outside of the scope of ASC 606. The remaining 2.78% of total revenue was from other sources including CPE and equipment sales and installation.

A significant portion of our revenue is derived from customers who may generally cancel their subscriptions at any time without penalty. As such, the amount of revenue related to unsatisfied performance obligations is not necessarily indicative of the future revenue to be recognized from our existing customer base. Revenue from customers with a contractually specified term and non-cancellable service period will be recognized over the term of such contracts, which is generally three to ten years for these types of contracts.

Nature of Services

Revenues are earned from our customers primarily through the connection to our advanced fiber networks, digital and commercial television (TV) programming, Internet services (high-speed broadband), and hosted and managed services. Revenues for these services are billed based on set rates for monthly service or based on the amount of time the customer is utilizing our facilities. The revenue for these services is recognized over time as the service is rendered.

Voice Service – We receive recurring revenue for basic local services that enable end-user customers to make and receive telephone calls within a defined local calling area for a flat monthly fee. In addition to subscribing to basic local telephone services, our customers may choose from multiple voice service plans with a variety of custom calling features such as call waiting, call forwarding, caller identification and voicemail. Our voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) digital phone service is also available as an alternative to the traditional telephone line. Customers may generally cancel their subscriptions at any time without penalty. Each subscription service provided is accounted for as a distinct performance obligation and revenue is recognized over a one-month service period as the subscription services are delivered. Other optional services purchased by the customer are generally accounted for as a distinct performance obligation when purchased and revenue is recognized when the service is provided.

Network Access – We provide access services to other communication carriers for the use of our facilities to terminate or originate long distance calls on our fiber network. Additionally, we bill monthly subscriber line charges (SLCs) to substantially all our customers for access to the public switched network. These monthly SLCs are regulated and approved by the FCC. In addition, network access revenue is derived from several federally administered pooling arrangements designed to provide support and distribute funding to us.

Revenues earned from other communication carriers accessing our network are based on the utilization of our network by these carriers as measured by minutes of use on the network or special access to the network by the individual carriers monthly. Revenues are billed at tariffed access rates for both interstate and intrastate calls and are recognized into revenue monthly based on the period the access was provided.

The National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA) pools and redistributes the SLCs to various communication providers through the Connect America Fund (CAF). These revenues are earned and recognized into revenue on a monthly basis. Any adjustments to these amounts received by NECA are adjusted for in revenue upon receipt of the adjustment.

On December 12, 2023, the Company announced that it confirmed eligibility for Consumer Broadband-only Loop Support (CBOL) funding through the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC). The incremental funding will be used to continue to support the Company’s multi-year fiber construction initiative. The Company began receiving a monthly benefit in November of 2023 with the first payment receipt confirmed in December. On an annualized basis this new program will provide $3.9 million of new funding based on the tariff filing and the Company’s expected line counts. The monthly CBOL subsidy formula is reviewed and subjected to revision on an annual basis and subject to change based on updated USAC funding criteria July 1 of each year.

Video Service – We provide a variety of enhanced video services on a monthly recurring basis to our customers. Depending on geographical market availability, our video services range from limited basic service to advanced digital TV, which includes several plans each with hundreds of local, national music channels including premium and pay-per-view channels as well as video-on-demand service. Certain customers may also subscribe to our advanced video services, which consist of high-definition TV, digital video recorders (DVR) and Whole Home DVR. Our Whole Home DVR allows customers the ability to watch recorded shows on any TV in the house, record multiple shows at one time and utilize an intuitive on-screen guide and user interface. Video subscribers also have access to our TV Everywhere service which allows subscriber access to full episodes of available shows, movies and live screens using a computer or mobile device. We also receive monthly recurring revenue from our subscribers for providing commercial TV programming in competition with cable television services (CATV), satellite dish TV and off-air TV service providers. Customers may generally cancel their subscriptions at any time without penalty. Each subscription service provided is accounted for as a distinct performance obligation and revenue is recognized over a one-month service period as the subscription services are delivered. Other optional services purchased by the customer are generally accounted for as a distinct performance obligation when purchased and revenue is recognized when the service is provided.

Data Service – We provide high speed Internet to business and residential customers depending on the nature of the network facilities that are available, the level of service selected and the location. Our revenue is earned based on the offering of various flat packages based on the level of service, data speeds and features. We also provide e-mail and managed services, such as web hosting and design, on-line file back up and on-line file storage. Data customers may generally cancel their subscriptions at any time without penalty. Each subscription service provided is accounted for as a distinct performance obligation and revenue is recognized over a one-month service period as the subscription services are delivered. Other optional services purchased by the customer are generally accounted for as a distinct performance obligation when purchased and revenue is recognized when the service is provided.

Directory – Our directory publishing revenue in our telephone directories recurs monthly and is recognized as revenue monthly.

Other Contracted Revenue - Managed services and certain other data customers include advanced fiber-delivered communications and managed information technology solutions to mainly business customers, as well as high-capacity last-mile data connectivity services to wireless and wireline carriers. Services are primarily offered on a subscription basis with a contractually specified and non-cancelable service period. The non-cancelable contract terms for these customers generally range from three to ten years. Each subscription service provided is accounted for as a distinct performance obligation and revenue is recognized ratably over the contract period as the subscription services are delivered. These services are billed as monthly recurring charges to customers.

Other – We also generate revenue from the sales, service and installation of CPE and other services. Sales and services of CPE are billed and recognized into revenue once the sale or service is complete or delivered. These sales and services are generally short-term in-nature and are completed within one month. Other revenues are immaterial to our total revenues.

Subsidy and Other Revenue outside the Scope of ASC 606 – We receive subsidies from governmental entities to operate and expand our advanced fiber networks. In addition, we have revenue from leasing arrangements. Both of these revenue streams are outside of the scope of ASC 606.

Interstate access rates are established by nationwide pooling of companies known as NECA. The FCC established NECA in 1983 to develop and administer interstate access service rates, terms, and conditions. Revenues are pooled and redistributed based on a company's actual or average costs. There has been a change in the composition of interstate access charges in recent years, shifting more of the charges to the end user and reducing the amount of access charges paid by the Interexchange Carriers (IXC’s). We believe this trend will continue.

Intrastate access rates are filed with state regulatory commissions in Minnesota and Iowa.

The Company currently receives funding based on the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) as described below, except for Scott-Rice Telephone Co. (Scott-Rice), which receives funding from the Federal Universal Service Fund (FUSF). Scott-Rice’s settlements from the pools are based on nationwide average schedules, which includes the pooling and redistribution of revenues based on a company’s actual or average costs as described below.

A-CAM

As described above, with the exception of Scott-Rice, the remainder of our companies receive funding from the A-CAM.

Per the FCC Public Notice DA 19-115, the Company receives A-CAM support and has corresponding service deployment obligations under that program. The Company annually receives (i) $596,084 for its Iowa operations and (ii) $8,354,481 for its Minnesota operations. The Company will receive the A-CAM support for a period of 10 years, which started in 2019. The Company uses the funding that it receives through the A-CAM program to meet its defined broadband build-out obligations, which the Company is currently completing.

Accounts Receivable, Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities

The following table provides information about our receivables, contracts assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts with our customers:

	March 31,		December 31,
	2025		2024
Accounts receivable, net - beginning balance	$	1,567,927	$	1,966,012
Accounts receivable, net - ending balance	$	1,986,935	$	1,567,927
Contract assets - beginning balance		1,419,660		1,458,631
Contract assets - ending balance		1,370,960		1,419,660
Contract liabilities - beginning balance		363,818		551,995
Contract liabilities - ending balance		373,202		363,818

Accounts Receivable

A receivable is recognized in the period the Company provides goods and services when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional. Payment terms on invoiced amounts are generally 30-60 days.

Contract Assets

Contract assets include costs that are incremental to the acquisition of a contract. Incremental costs are those that result directly from obtaining a contract or costs that would not have been incurred if the contract had not been obtained, which primarily relates to sales commissions. We defer and amortize these costs over the expected customer life as the contract obligations are satisfied. We determined that the expected customer life is the expected period of benefit as the commission on the renewal contract is commensurate with the commission on the initial contract. During the quarters ending March 31, 2025, and 2024, the Company recognized expenses of $171,459 and $159,107, respectively, related to deferred contract acquisition costs. Short-term contract assets are included in current assets under prepaid expenses and other current assets. Long-term contract assets are included in investments and other assets under other assets.

Contract Liabilities

Contract liabilities include deferred revenues related to advanced payments for services and nonrefundable, upfront service activation and set-up fees, which are generally deferred. In addition, contact liabilities include customer deposits that are not recognized as revenue, but are instead returned to the customer after a holding period. Short-term contract liabilities include deferred revenues for advanced payments for managed services and other long-term contracts. This includes the current portion of the deferred revenues that will be recognized monthly within one year. Short-term contact liabilities are included in current liabilities under other accrued liabilities. Long-term contract liabilities include deferred revenues for advanced payments for managed services and other long-term contracts. This includes the portion longer than one year and the corresponding deferred revenues are recognized in revenue on a monthly basis based on the term of the contract. Long-term contact liabilities are included in noncurrent liabilities under other accrued liabilities.

During the quarters ending March 31, 2025, and 2024, the Company recognized revenues of $159,235 and $164,927, respectively, related to deferred revenues.

Performance Obligations

ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, requires that the Company disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price that is allocated to remaining performance obligations that are unsatisfied as of March 31, 2025. The guidance provides certain practical expedients that limit this requirement. The service revenue contracts of the Company meet the following practical expedients provided by ASC 606:

1. The performance obligation is part of a contract that has an original expected duration of one year or less.

2. Revenue is recognized from the satisfaction of the performance obligations in the amount billable to the customer in accordance with ASC 606-10-55-18.

The Company has elected these practical expedients. Performance obligations related to our service revenue contracts are generally satisfied over time. For services transferred over time, revenue is recognized based on amounts invoiced to the customer as the Company has concluded that the invoice amount directly corresponds with the value of services provided to the customer. Management considers this a faithful depiction of the transfer of control as services are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer over the life of the contract. As such, revenue related to unsatisfied performance obligations that will be billed in future periods has not been disclosed.