Rural Telecommunications articles from March 2006

Rural Telecommunications archives from March 2006

Breaking through the clutter.(Column)
March 1, 2006... Some days it feels as if everyone and everything is vying for my attention. This morning, I read the newspaper and encountered 54 different stories and 15 different ads. As I walked from the subway to work, several storefronts featured...

Is the muzak too loud?(telecom providers waiting checkup )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Despite advances in technology, many customers communicate with service providers via customer service telephone lines or in-person visits. It's a good practice to periodically evaluate the waiting experience from the customer's point of view....

Restoring emergency communications capabilities.(BearCom Wireless Worldwide introduced a Quicksite 1000)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Hurricanes, snowstorms, terrorist attacks--there is no telling what natural disaster or calamity will strike next. Regardless of the disaster or cause, restoring communication capabilities is of utmost importance for first responders in an...

Who's spying on your keystrokes?(SHORTTakes)(usage of spyware in the year 2005)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... 2005 was the biggest year ever for spyware as consumer and business PCs were invaded in record numbers, according to software vendor Webroot in its new report "The State of Spyware." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Spyware is unsolicited...

VoIP add-on services provide additional value.(SHORTTakes)
March 1, 2006... We've all heard about the monetary advantages to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), such as low monthly fees and low or unlimited long-distance rates. According to In-Stat, the VoIP market was estimated at 16 million in 2005, and is projected...

Communication: a key to keeping customers.(Perspective)
March 1, 2006... Our customers are the most important assets we have as a telecommunications company. It behooves us to take great care of those valuable assets and develop long-term relationships with customers built on trust. There are three important...

What criteria does your telco use to identify and implement new products or services?(FIRSTPerson)
March 1, 2006... With the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the telecommunications industry, making decisions on emerging technologies is no easy task for telco managers. They must weigh the pros and cons of either delving into something new, or fine tuning and...

The battle of the bundles.(survey reports on customer service provided by telecommunications industry)
March 1, 2006... Today's telecommunications industry has never been more competitive. According to the 2005 NTCA Marketing & Benchmark Survey Report, telcos are responding by solidifying their edge in customer service, developing new revenue streams, improving...

Savvy marketing tips to gain a competitive edge.
March 1, 2006... "Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing." --John D. Rockefeller The telecommunications industry has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Technology, competition...

Getting better mileage out of member events.
March 1, 2006... Planning the perfect member event is no easy feat. Even though most telecom providers host one annual meeting and a couple customer appreciation days or community-related events throughout the year, finding new ways to keep customers engaged...

Marketing on a shoestring budget.
March 1, 2006... Things are looking up for the marketing departments of independent telcos across the United States. According to the 2005 NTCA Marketing & Benchmark Survey Report released in October 2005, the average telco marketing department has one or two...

F. Thomas Rowland: innovating in telecom, leading NTCA.(National Telecommunications Cooperative Association)(North Central Telephone Cooperative )
March 1, 2006... On February 5, F. Thomas Rowland, president and CEO of North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC) located in Lafayette, Tenn., was elected as NTCA's incoming president. While the industry has changed significantly throughout his nearly 37-year...

Annual meeting review.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)(National Telecommunications Cooperative Association)
March 1, 2006... Educational and networking opportunities, a forum for the exchange of ideas and sharing of perspectives, and a healthy dose of southern California sunshine, combined to produce an exceptional experience for the 2,800-plus attendees at NTCA's...

Customers central theme of Rural Telecom Summit dialogue.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)(National Telecommunications Cooperative Association )
March 1, 2006... NTCA initiated the Rural Telecom Summit as part of the 2006 Annual Meeting. The summit brought together telecom industry leaders for discussion and exchange on the industry's most pressing issues. The summit included a series of plenary...

Expo '06: a one-stop shop for your rural telecommunications needs.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)(National Telecommunications Cooperative Association)(technologies applied in telecommunications industry)
March 1, 2006... NTCA's EXPO '06, held February 7-8 in conjunction with the association's 2006 Annual Meeting, in San Diego, Calif., revealed copper technologies receding further and further into the background, steadily being replaced by state-of-the-art fiber...

The state of the association: building bridges.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)
March 1, 2006... NTCA CEO Michael E. Brunner presented the following state of the association address February 6 at NTCA's 2006 Annual Meeting & EXPO and Rural Telecom Summit in San Diego, Calif. Good morning. Welcome to your annual meeting and San Diego,...

Award winners.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)(National Telecommunications Cooperative Association)(Danny Troth of Peoples Telecommunications, LLC recieves awards)(Wallgren, Rod of Rural Telephone Service Company Inc. recieves awards)(David Spencer of Hancock Telecom recieves awards)
March 1, 2006... Following are the winners of NTCA's 2006 National Awards, which recognize the outstanding achievements of the leaders in rural telecommunications. NTCA Chief Executive Officer Michael E. Brunner presented the awards February 8 at the...

NTCA 2006 policy resolutions.(2006 NTCA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO and RURAL TELECOM SUMMIT)
March 1, 2006... Resolutions approved by the membership at the NTCA Annual Meeting represent NTCA's policy and objectives for the year. Resolutions are proposed by NTCA member committees or by joint committee action, reviewed by the NTCA resolutions committee,...

Engage employees with effective communications.(WORKFORCE)
March 1, 2006... Employees who understand the company's direction and know how to do their jobs to support that direction are more engaged; they have higher job satisfaction and overall morale, and are more productive. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But this...

Putting your best foot forward to prevent slips, trips and falls.(RISKManager)
March 1, 2006... If most of us have been walking for longer than we care to admit, why is that the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other results in so many injuries--both on and off the job? Slips, trips and falls can happen just about anywhere:...

Diverse insights, unified goals.(EXECUTIVEViewpoint)(National Telephone Cooperative Association)
March 1, 2006... In business, we hear a lot about the term "synergy." Webster's Dictionary defines synergy as "the interaction of two or more agents whose combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects." At NTCA and your own organizations,...