Everett Dobson founded Dobson Communications Corporation (DCC) in 1989, and was its Executive Chairman when it sold to AT&T in November 2007.
He started his career with Dobson Telephone Company, the family-owned rural telephone service provider started by his grandfather in 1936 serving several markets in rural Oklahoma.
Everett started Dobson Cellular Systems in 1989. The company entered the rural wireless lotteries and won three markets. He became President and COO and led the company through its significant expansion when it won rural lotteries in Oklahoma and Texas. He had a vision for rural cellular providers that was rare among his peers – to develop rural markets in close proximity to larger urban and suburban areas controlled by the major carriers, and then work cooperatively on roaming arrangements that would best serve both carriers and customers.
Dobson Cellular became the largest independent rural wireless provider in the country and the ninth largest provider of wireless services in the United States, serving 1.6 million subscribers in 16 states. The company also ranks as the largest wireless provider in Alaska. Everett served on the CTIA board for many years. Dobson Cellular was sold to AT&T in November, 2007.
Inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame 2024