Rural Telecommunications articles from May 2007

Rural Telecommunications archives from May 2007

The tip of the iceberg.(FROMthe Editor)
May 1, 2007... At our recent annual meeting, I was comparing notes with a colleague about how I was "practicing" text messaging with my daughter while at the meeting (or "texting" as she likes to say--is this really a verb?!). She had been giving me grief...

The magic touch.(SHORTTakes)
May 1, 2007... Drop the keyboards, the mouse and yes, the stylus pens too! Touted as revolutionary, new consumer electronics with gesture-based, touch-sensitive technologies are making their way onto the market. Cellular devices like the Apple iPhone and LG...

Stress in the workplace.(SHORTTakes)
May 1, 2007... Jobs and careers help fulfill personal goals, build social networks and serve professions and communities. They also are a source of income and a major source of stress for some. The American Psychological Association found the majority of...

Farmers markets go online.(SHORTTakes)
May 1, 2007... Direct producer-to-consumer farmers markets allow access to and creates consumer awareness of local produce. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) marketing service reports an 18% increase of farmers markets operating in the United...

Widgets create customization.(SHORTTakes)(The New York Times)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... In a time when consumers can customize just about any product to their liking, whether it's encrusting their cell phones with stones or protecting their iPods from scratches with a choice color cover, the Web, too, can be customized. With the...

The FCC's spectrum auction policy: a good start ...(Perspective)
May 1, 2007... Few technological innovations in the history of mankind have become so ubiquitous so quickly as has the wireless telephone. According to the Cellular Telecommunication Industry Association's annual survey, in 1986 there were only 500,000 total...

What is the best community economic development initiative you have been involved with in the past year?(FIRSTPerson)
May 1, 2007... Successful businesses have several key traits in common. Among these are business practices that benefit their local communities while still working toward accomplishing the company goals. Many rural telcos consistently identify opportunities...

WiMAX in rural America.(Cover story)(Company overview)
May 1, 2007... Public safety officials in South Sioux City, Neb., have a secret weapon: a secure communications system that enables them to share information while they're speeding to the scene of an emergency. Police, fire and rescue workers can not only...

Driving mobile television.(Company overview)
May 1, 2007... Mobile television is poised to drive wireless into a new frontier. Rural telcos are beginning to navigate the mobile television terrain. To help charter a potential course, a few industry experts have shared their views on the profile of the...

Carrier class quality for IP-based networks.
May 1, 2007... For more than 100 years, the worldwide carrier market has been marked by reliability. At the core of this reliability is predictability--understanding that when a person picks up the phone, the dial tone will be there. Telecom engineers...

The ultimate bundle: baby boomers and teenagers.
May 1, 2007... When the infamous Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he replied, "Because that's where the money is." Ask small telcos and co-ops why they focus the bulk of their advertising and marketing budget on baby boomers, and they'll likely...

Factors to motivate employee performance.(WORKForce)
May 1, 2007... Telcos that try to motivate employees individually without changing their work environment fight an uphill battle. Measure-X, a Phoenix-based company specializing in helping telcos improve customer service and sales, demonstrates that focusing...

Are you a great manager?(BUSINESSMatters)
May 1, 2007... Are you a great manager? Easy to ask; tough to answer. Technical skills are only part of the picture. Champion managers also possess an array of personal attributes that help transform employees into top performers. So, how good are you at...

Reverse auctions, the wrong tune for USF.(EXECUTIVEViewpoint)(Universal Service Fund)
May 1, 2007... Some of you may remember the game show "Name that Tune," where contestants bid each other downward to determine who needed the fewest notes to identify a song. "I can name that tune in x notes," became the show's catch phrase. Such...