Celebrating Over a Half-Century in Business!

 

2006 Article, The Morning Call by Jeanne Bonner

When George Bubernack started Eastern Telephone and Telecommunications in 1968, companies had just quit renting their phone equipment from Ma Bell.

50 years later, Bubernack's son, Mike, and his wife Fusun, are proud co-owners of ET&T, Inc. in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Formed just after the FCC’s Carter-phone Decision (1968), which proclaimed private telephone devices could be hooked up to the public telephone network, ET&T's purpose was to provide an alternative for companies looking to acquire business telephone systems. The Interconnect Industry, as it was known, provided competition to the Bell Systems. This allowed businesses to no longer have to rent from the monopoly. Now, the company provides much more than just telecommunication services, having expanded their expertise to IT solutions as well. In 2018, ET&T continues to provide the Service You Trust since 1968.

George M. Bubernack, Sr.


1968

  • ET&T was started by George M. Bubernack, Sr., just after the June 1968 Carterfone decision by the FCC. This deregulation created the possibility of selling devices that could connect to the phone system and opened the market for customer-owned equipment.

1979

  • Mitel was incorporated in 1972. ET&T became a Mitel dealer in 1979, one of the first few dealers in the United States. In 1979, ET&T installed the first Mitel system in Pennsylvania, followed by the ninth Mitel digital system in the United States in 1985.

1984

  • Inter-Tel, a leading business telephone systems company, was formed in 1969. ET&T became an Inter-Tel dealer in 1984. Being a dealer for both Inter-Tel and Mitel was the best of both worlds, as Mitel then bought Inter-Tel in 2007, merging their product portfolio. This path eventually led Mitel to be the third leading telecommunications company in the United States.

1989

  • ET&T became a vendor of choice for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the first time in its history by winning their first state contract. This led to a strong partnership with the Commonwealth under various different contracts.

1992

  • ET&T became a Mitel Elite Dealer; the highest status offered by Mitel at that time.

Mike and Fusun Bubernack CEO and President, ET&T

2000

  • George M. Bubernack, Sr. retired and Mike and Fusun Bubernack purchased the company from him. With fresh blood and renewed enthusiasm, ET&T is ready to take on the world.

2002

  • ET&T purchased its new headquarters building at 2360 Avenue A in Bethlehem and moved their offices, as well as expanding their presence to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Scranton.

2005

  • ET&T reached Mitel Silver Dealer status.

2010

  • ET&T started a new Data Division offering outsourced managed IT service to its large customer base.

2011

  • ET&T reached Mitel Gold Status; one of only 12 dealers among 300 in the United States.

2012

  • ET&T was once again selected as one of the preferred vendors on a five-year state contract.

2014

  • ET&T installed Mitel phone systems at 40 State Police barracks from Gettysburg to Honesdale. Currently, ET&T has 55 State Police locations under a maintenance contract.

2018

  • ET&T celebrates its 50th year in business, with the best yet to come.

 

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