Etex

BY-LAWS of ETEX TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE INC.

provided, however, that agreement to pay or payment of the membership fee in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws by a landlord on behalf of an applicant for membership who is a tenant occupying premises owned by such landlord and served by the Cooperative shall constitute compliance by such applicant with subdivision (d) of this section; and provided further, however, that no person, firm, association, corporation or body politic or subdivision thereof shall become a member unless and until he or it has been accepted for membership by the Board or the members. No member may hold more than one membership in the Cooperative, and no membership shall be transferable, except as provided in these Bylaws. Beginning six months after the date of incorporation, all applications received more than thirty days prior to each meeting of the members which have not been accepted or which have not been rejected by the Board, shall upon three (3) days written request to the Cooperative, be submitted by the secretary to such meeting; and subject to compliance by the applicant with requirements hereinabove set forth, any such applications may be accepted or rejected by vote of the members. The applicant shall be entitled to be present and heard at the meeting. SECTION 2. Membership Certificates. Membership in the Cooperative shall be evidenced by a membership certificate, which shall be in such form and shall contain such provisions as shall be determined by the Board. . . Membership in the cooperative shall not be transferable, except as provided in these bylaws. A membership certificate is not freely transferable nor assignable. Any attempted transfer of a membership interest must be approved by the Board of Directors and then only to successors in occupancy in all or in part of the patrons’ premises served by the Cooperative unless the Board of Directors, acting under the policies of general applications, provides otherwise. Any successor to a membership certificate must meet the requirements of Article I of these Bylaws in the same manner as a new Member. SECTION 3. Joint Membership. A husband and wife may apply for a joint membership, and subject to their compliance with the requirements of Section 1 of this Article, may be accepted for such membership. The term “member”, as used in these Bylaws, shall be deemed to include a husband and wife holding joint membership and any provisions relating to the rights and liabilities of such a membership shall apply equally with respect to the holders of a joint membership. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the effect of the hereinafter specified actions by or in respect of the holders of a joint membership shall be as follows: (a) The presence at a meeting of either or both shall be regarded as the presence of one member and shall constitute a joint waiver of notice of the meeting; (b) The vote of either separately or both jointly shall constitute one vote; (c) A waiver of notice signed by either or both shall constitute a joint waiver; (d) Notice to either shall constitute notice to both; (e) Expulsion of either shall terminate the joint membership; (f) Withdrawal of either shall terminate the joint membership; (g) Either, but not both may be elected or appointed as an officer or director, provided that both meet the qualifications for such office. (a) A membership may be converted to a joint membership upon the written request of the holder thereof and the agreement by such holder and his or her spouse to comply with the articles of incorporation, By Laws and any rules and regulations adopted by the Board. The outstanding membership certificates shall be surrendered and shall be reissued by the Cooperative in such manner as shall indicate the changed membership status. (b) Upon the death of either spouse who is a party to the joint membership, such membership shall be held solely by the survivor. The outstanding membership certificate shall be surrendered and shall be reissued in such manner as shall indicate the changed membership status, provided, however, that the estate of the deceased shall not be released from any debt due the Cooperative. SECTION 5. Non-Natural Members. A non-natural entity or organization may apply or continue membership in the Cooperative pursuant to the requirements for membership specified in Section 1 of this Article. Any such non-natural person accepted, or continuing membership, must designate to the Cooperative SECTION 4. Conversion of Membership.

ETEX TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE, INC.

Etex Telephone Cooperative, Inc. was founded in March 17, 1952 by a group of East Texas residents wanting telephone service for their rural area. The first directors of Etex were: D. B. Clonts, G. W. McDuff, C. H. Otto, T. O. Brooks, Therman Carroll, C. L. Starkey, and Welby Carlock. The arduous task of soliciting the 743 signed members required by REA for loan approval began shortly after the cooperative’s organization. They required members to pay a $10 membership fee and agree to pay $40 equity at the time the telephone was installed. Convincing a farmer who had never had telephone service that he would ever need it bad enough to pay $40 was not always easy. However, by early 1953, they had signed the 743 members. Etex Telephone Cooperative has grown beyond the wildest dreams of the first Board of Directors. Now there are seven exchanges with approximately 10,000 access lines and more than 100 full and part-time employees. Today Etex is a total communications provider by providing cellular, internet, long distance service and IPTV. The Board of Directors and the employees of Etex Telephone Cooperative, are working to fulfill the mission that they started over fifty years ago: to provide the best communication service to their subscribers.

BY-LAWS of ETEX TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE, INC. (as amended April 15, 1997, April 17, 2012, April 19, 2022)

ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Requirements for Membership. Any eligible person, firm, association, corporation, or body politic or subdivision thereof may become a member of Etex Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Cooperative”) by:

(a) Making a written or electronic application for membership therein; (b) Agreeing to purchase from the Cooperative such telecommunications and/or information services as may be specified in policy by the Board; (c) Agreeing to comply with and be bound by the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Cooperative and any rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors (hereinafter called the “Board”); (d) Agreeing to pay the any membership fee as may be specified on uniform terms and conditions established by the Board; and (e) The Board will determine under rules and/or policies of general application the types and amounts of revenue streams, or the types and amounts of patronage that give rise to the privileges of membership and to the allocation of patronage credits. Exchange carriers, interexchange carriers, and other telecommunications entities are eligible for membership and patronage allocation to the extent they utilize the Cooperative’ s basic telecommunications services in the ordinary course of administrative affairs of their business. However, neither such entities nor their customers are eligible for Cooperative membership or patronage allocation by virtue of their: (1) purchase of local access or toll access services (2) purchase of equipment (3) joint participation with the Cooperative in the provision of telecommunication services (4) payment of access or regulatory support program fees or assessments (5) payment of interconnection fees, or (6) purchase for resale of any of the Cooperative’s services,

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