Nature of Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations

Description of business: Shenandoah Telecommunications Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) provide wireless personal communications service (“PCS”) under the Sprint brands, and telephone service, cable television, unregulated communications equipment sales and services, and internet access under the Shentel brand.  In addition, the Company leases towers and operates and maintains an interstate fiber optic network.  Pursuant to a management agreement with Sprint and its related parties (collectively, “Sprint”), the Company has been the exclusive Sprint PCS Affiliate providing wireless mobility communications network products and services on the 800 MHz, 1900 MHz and 2.5 GHz spectrum ranges in a multi-state area covering large portions of central and western Virginia, south-central Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and portions of Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio. The Company is licensed to use the Sprint brand names in this territory, and operates its network under the Sprint radio spectrum license. The Company also owns cell site towers built on leased land, throughout this region, and leases space on the owned towers to both affiliates and non-affiliated third-party wireless service providers.

The 2016 acquisition of nTelos and the subsequent Sprint expansions (see Note 4, Acquisitions) expanded the Company's wireless network coverage area to include south-central and western Virginia, West Virginia, and small portions of Kentucky, and Ohio.