The situation seemed ideal, and in October, 1945, they purchased the physical assets of the Leeville Telephone Company, Inc., which consisted of three magneto (non-dial) exchanges at Galliano, Golden Meadow, and Grand Isle. There were six employees on the payroll as of November 1, 1945, and about 160 working telephones.      John, Sr. climbed telephone poles and his wife, Irene, kept the books and, frequently in those early days, operated the switchboard. Gradually, they installed more modern equipment and brought in experienced men and women to conduct a training and procedures program for employees.

John A. Brady, Sr.

     In April of 1947, Sylvester Landry, Irene's father, entered the company and a partnership was formed. In October of 1950, John Brady, Sr., Irene Landry Brady, and Sylvester Landry formed a corporation and Lafourche Telephone Company, Inc. became official. At that time, the company purchased the Larose and Cut Off areas from Southern Bell.

Irene Landry Brady

Technological Advances:       By December 1952, Extended Area Service (free calling without toll charges) was instituted between subscribers in Larose, Cut Off, Galliano, and Golden Meadow. In March, 1956, mobile service was offered for the first time. In December, 1956, the company became the first company in the United States to install Direct Distance Dialing on a nationwide non-experimental basis. The year 1969 witnessed the introduction of a Voice Paging System, known as "Cajun Paging",was made possible through the use of a small transistorized paging unit.      Fiber Optics: In April of 1991,a fiber optic network extending from the Leeville area to the Fourchon port was installed. The system, which was completed in November of 1996 now extends fiber optics from Larose to Grand Isle via Galliano, Golden Meadow, Leeville, and Fourchon. Fiber optic communication, which utilizes light as opposed to electrical signals, is the latest in a long line of advancements in the telecommunications industry. Two glass fibers, hardly the size of sewing thread, can carry as many as 32,000 telephone conversations simultaneously, providing superior sound.      In early 2002, Bayou Access DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) was introduced and offered to customers of Latelco. DSL is a system for transmitting digital data over ordinary copper lines. This service is available to individual subscribers with a special router that transmits the digital signals to a backbone network. Using an existing telephone line, DSL allows speeds up to 7MBs. That is 50 times faster than 28.8k modems. The service allows data and voice over the same line so customers can talk or fax while on the internet. This was the first service offered by both Lafourche Telephone Company and MobileTel in unison. John Brady's contribution to Telecommunications:       On Sunday, March 27, 1983, sadness struck the Lafourche community with the death of Latelco's founder, John Brady, Sr. The prominent civic and business leader is still remembered as a dedicated man of principle, with a love of learning and accomplishing. Throughout Mr. Brady's career, he served as a member, officer, or director of USTA's Small Company Committee, ITPA, OPASTCO, RTA, and the National REA Telephone Association. He also served on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's National Telephone Advisory Board and was a founder, board member, past secretary and the first president of the Louisiana Telephone Association.

A New Era:       In October of 2001, SJI, LLC announced the sale of SJI and its affiliated companies to the Pat Brady family. The ownership interest of John Brady Jr. and his family was purchased by SJI with the result being 100% ownership by Pat Brady and his family. Affiliated Companies:      SJI, LLC became involved in the exciting, fast-paced wireless communications industry with the establishment of MobileTel, LLC. MobileTel, LLC, headquartered in Larose, Louisiana, was established in 1989 as a rural cellular service provider and has evolved into a leading full-service wireless communications company. MobileTel offers cellular, prepaid cellular, paging and Internet products, web design and services to Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary's parishes. A subsidiary of SJI, LLC, one of the largest privately held telecommunications conglomerates in the southern United States, MobileTel credits its success to first-rate customer service and a commitment to the community.      The wireless portion of MobileTel was sold to ALLTEL in November 2004. SJI maintains MobileTel Internet, web design and paging services under the company SJI Networks, LLC.      In October 2003, Latelco acquired VISION Communications (formerly Callais Cablevision) which provides digital and analog cable television services as well as broadband service. VISION provides these services from Mathews to Grand Isle. With the acquisition, SJI anticipates even greater success in the communications industry.      Another SJI company was formed in December 2003. Employees of SJI Services, LLC provide Accounting, Human Resources, Information Systems, Marketing and Network Operations services to Latelco, VISION and SJI Networks.

Sylvester Landry