A cooperative shall have power:

1. To sue and be sued in its corporate name;

2. To have a perpetual existence unless a limited period of duration is stated in its articles of incorporation;

3. To adopt a corporate seal and alter the same;

4. To furnish, improve and expand any or all communications services to its members, to other persons, and through interconnection of facilities to any number of subscribers of other communications systems, and through pay stations to any number of users; provided, however, that no such regulated communications services, as determined by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, shall be furnished to persons located within the certified territory of another local exchange telephone company; and provided further that a cooperative which acquires existing communications facilities, systems or territories may continue service to persons who are already receiving service from such facilities and systems or who are located or who become located within the acquired territories. Such persons may become members as provided in the bylaws;

5. To construct, purchase, lease as lessee, or otherwise acquire, and to improve, expand, install, equip, maintain, and operate, and to sell, assign, convey, lease as lessor, mortgage, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber, communication lines, facilities or systems, lands, buildings, structures, plants and equipment, exchanges, and any other real or personal property, tangible or intangible, which shall be deemed necessary, convenient or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the cooperative is organized; provided, however, that a cooperative shall not duplicate existing telephone lines, facilities or systems providing reasonably adequate service;

6. To connect and interconnect its communication lines, facilities or systems with other communication lines, facilities or systems; provided that any such connection or interconnection shall be in such manner and according to such specifications as will avoid interference with or hazards to existing communication lines, facilities or systems;

7. To make its facilities available to persons furnishing communication services within or without this state;

8. To purchase, lease as lessee, or otherwise acquire, and to use and exercise and to sell, assign, convey, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of or encumber, franchises, rights, privileges, licenses and easements;

9. To issue membership certificates and nonvoting shares of stock as hereinafter provided;

10. To borrow money and otherwise contract indebtedness, and to issue or guarantee notes, bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness, and to secure the payment thereof by mortgage, pledge, or deed of trust of, or any other encumbrance upon, any or all of its then-owned or after-acquired real or personal property, assets, franchises, or revenues;

11. To construct, maintain and operate communication lines and facilities along, upon, under and across publicly owned lands and public thoroughfares, including, without limitation, all roads, highways, streets, alleys, bridges and causeways; subject, however, to the same requirements and limitations with respect to the use or occupancy of such thoroughfares and lands as are now or hereafter imposed by the laws of this state;

12. To exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by the laws of this state for the exercise of such power by other corporations constructing or operating telephone lines, facilities or systems;

13. To become a member of other cooperatives, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations or other legal entities or to own stock therein;

14. To conduct its business and exercise its powers within or without this state;

15. To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws;

16. To make any and all legal contracts necessary, convenient or appropriate for the full exercise of the powers herein granted; and

17. To do and perform any other acts and things, and to have and exercise any other powers which may be necessary, convenient or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the cooperative is organized.

Amended by Laws 1988, c. 323, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1988; Laws 1991, c. 135, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.