Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Revenue [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition

See Note 2 – “Revenue Recognition” for a discussion of our revenue recognition policies.

Cost of Goods and Service [Policy Text Block]

Cost of Services (excluding depreciation and amortization)

Cost of services includes all costs related to delivery of communication services and products. These operating costs include all costs of performing services and providing related products including engineering, network monitoring and transport cost.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses include direct and indirect selling expenses, customer service, billing and collections, advertising and all other general and administrative costs associated with the operations of the business.

Depreciation, Depletion, and Amortization [Policy Text Block]

Depreciation and Amortization Expense

We use the group life method (mass asset accounting) to depreciate the assets of our telephone companies. Telephone plant acquired in a given year is grouped into similar categories and depreciated over the remaining estimated useful life of the group. When an asset is retired, both the asset and the accumulated depreciation associated with that asset are removed from the books. Due to rapid changes in technology, selecting the estimated economic life of communications plant and equipment requires a significant amount of judgment. We periodically review data on expected utilization of new equipment, asset retirement activity and net salvage values to determine adjustments to our depreciation rates. Depreciation expense was $2,205,382 and $1,667,077 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018. We amortize our definite-lived intangible assets over their estimated useful lives. Identifiable intangible assets that are subject to amortization are evaluated for impairment.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes consists of an amount for taxes currently payable and a provision for tax consequences deferred to future periods. Deferred income taxes are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities, and their respective tax bases. Significant components of our deferred taxes arise from differences (i) in the basis of property, plant and equipment due to the use of accelerated depreciation methods for tax purposes, as well as (ii) in partnership investments and intangible assets due to the difference between book and tax basis. Our effective income tax rate is normally higher than the United States tax rate due to state income taxes and permanent differences. 

We account for income taxes in accordance with GAAP, which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. As required by GAAP, we recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more-likely-than-not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority.

As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 we had no unrecognized tax benefits.     

We are primarily subject to United States, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin income taxes. Tax years subsequent to 2014 remain open to examination by federal and state tax authorities. Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters as income tax expense. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 we had no interest or penalties accrued that related to income tax matters.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Accounting Developments

In August, 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-12 (ASU 2017-12), “Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” ASU 2017-12 amends current guidance on accounting for hedges mainly to align more closely an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. In addition, amendments in ASU 2017-12 simplify the application of hedge accounting by allowing effectiveness assessments to be performed on a qualitative basis after hedge inception. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2017-12 as of January 1, 2019 and is applying the guidance to our hedging activities.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles – Goodwill and other (Topic 350).” ASU 2017-04 simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment and removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. Goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Entities will continue to have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. The same one-step impairment test will be applied to goodwill at all reporting units, even those with zero or negative carrying amounts. The amendments in this update should be applied on a prospective basis. ASU 2017-04 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. Management is evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU 2017-04 will have on the Company’s financial statements (if any).

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 requires entities to use a new forward-looking, expected loss model to estimate credit losses. It also requires additional disclosures relating to the credit quality of trade and other receivables, including information relating to management’s estimate of credit allowances. The Company is required to adopt ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020. Early adoption as of January 1, 2019 is permitted. We are evaluating the effects that adoption of ASU 2016-13 will have on our financial position, results of operations and disclosures.

We have reviewed all other significant newly issued accounting pronouncements and determined that they are either not applicable to our business or that no material effect is expected on our financial position and results of operations.