Socket is a Missouri based telecommunications provider, with its headquarters located in Columbia, Missouri

Columbia, Missouri

Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...

. Socket is a privately held company and offers local and long distance phone service, DSL and dial-up internet, and data solutions to residents and businesses across Missouri.

History

Founded in 1994 by George Pfenenger and John Dupuy, Socket Internet quickly became the largest local internet provider in Missouri.

In 2001 Inc. (magazine)

Inc. (magazine)

Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...

 ranked Socket Internet 136th on its list of America's Top 500 fastest-Growing Private Held Companies. Also in 2001 Technology Fast 50, ranked Socket 4th in The Fast 50, which recognizes the 50 fastest growing technology companies in a given geographic area.
In 2004, Socket expanded into the telephone industry, offering business telephone and networking services. In 2008, the company began offering residential telephone service in select markets.
In 2010, Socket was awarded $23.7 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...

 to deploy a fiber-to-the-home network in Callaway County. Construction of the network is expected to begin later this year.