GTE Midwest served Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, and included the former operations of Contel in Iowa and Missouri.
In 2000, GTE completed the sale of some of its Missouri lines to Spectra Communications Group, which was an investment of CenturyTel.
Also occurring that year Bell Atlantic acquired GTE, renaming the merged company Verizon.
Upon the completion of the merger, Iowa operations of GTE Midwest were sold to Iowa Network Service, and Nebraska operations were sold to Citizens Utilities (Citizens Telecommunications Company of Nebraska).
In 2002, Verizon sold its operations in Missouri to CenturyTel, becoming CenturyTel of Missouri (remaining separate from Spectra Communications Group).