Rural Telecommunications articles from May 2005

Rural Telecommunications archives from May 2005

New beginnings.(FROM the Editor)(Telecommunications industry)(Editorial)
May 1, 2005... It's that time of year.... spring brings a new season and a celebration of nature as we say good-bye to the cold winter months and embrace the warmth of spring and summer. Rural Telecommunications magazine is celebrating new beginnings as...

Study: satellite TV gains not always cable losses.(SHORT Takes)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A recent report from technology research firm Strategy Analytics holds that although U.S. satellite TV providers gained millions of new customers last year, the impact on most cable operators was relatively small. The report, "U.S. Multichannel...

Breathing new life into your job.(SHORT Takes)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The same old job, day in and day out, can become boring no matter how interesting that job may be. According to Ron Rosenberg, an award-winning expert in marketing and customer service, there are some things you can do to breathe new life into...

P2P VoIP solution bodes poorly for ILECs.(SHORT Takes)(Peer To Peer)(Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The telecom market, especially in Europe, is expected to be hit hard due to the fast and accelerating uptake of SKYPE, the most available P2P (peer-to-peer) VoIP solutions around the world today, according to a survey conducted by Evaluserve...

Telejustice: videoconferencing in the courtroom.(SHORT Takes)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Telejustice is one of the fastest growing video applications, according to Craig Lynar, vice president of solutions marketing at the communications solutions firm Polycom Inc. [www.polycom.com]. Videoconferencing in the courtroom is gaining...

It's time to give research more respect.(Perspective)
May 1, 2005... "Research is my secret weapon." Those words, spoken by a general manager, were music to my ears. This manager knew the benefits of integrating effective research into the decision-making process--a stark contrast to another company that needed...

What is the most successful marketing initiative that your telco has undertaken?(FIRST Person)
May 1, 2005... The evolutionary nature of the telecommunications industry has led rural telcos to continually roll out new products and services to attract and retain customers. Also, they have increased their focus on marketing with the changing competition...

Use marketing: as your competitive edge.
May 1, 2005... IMAGINE SPENDING MONTHS to host a magnificent party--one where no expense is spared from the food to the flowers to the entertainment--but you neglect to send invitations. This is the scenario that marketing experts say occurs when small...

Measuring marketing.
May 1, 2005... Management guru Peter Drucker offers this stern reminder that success in any business endeavor depends on the ability to evaluate results and to adapt as strengths and weaknesses are identified. Rural telco marketers are increasingly expected...

Firing up the sales force.
May 1, 2005... With new products and services appearing every year, and with more markets becoming competitive, independent telcos are finding that sales are critical to their success. Now that salespeople are not just order-takers, should they be paid...

Advertising your unique selling proposition.
May 1, 2005... One of the most common statements marketing consultants hear when working on advertising with a telco is, "I already tried that and it didn't work." When pressed for further information, most often the consultant discovers the company's idea of...

2005 NTCA TeleChoice Award winners.(WINNERS Circle)(National Telephone Cooperative Association)
May 1, 2005... The seventh annual NTCA TeleChoice Awards winners were honored during the PRNet conference, April 24-26, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Judges from the communications and marketing fields, as well as representatives from the telecommunications industry,...

What is customer loyalty worth to your telco?(BUSINESS Matters)
May 1, 2005... When a rural telephone company loses a customer, it does not lose one sale but a lifetime opportunity of profitability with that individual. What could that customer have been worth? To determine the average lifetime value of customers,...

Proactive marketing is a telco imperative.(EXECUTIVE Viewpoint)
May 1, 2005... Not long ago, rural telephone co-ops and commercial companies enjoyed unique status in your communities: you were monopolies. In our thriving capitalist economy, the term "monopoly" can have an unsettling connotation--conjuring images of...