Rural Telecommunications articles from November 2005

Rural Telecommunications archives from November 2005

Planning for fluidity.(FROM the Editor)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Business gurus are always telling us that we need to adapt, change and be flexible and fluid to survive and thrive in today's business environment. Given the state of the telecommunications industry, we all know that change is inevitable. Your...

Rural telephone use could be risky.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Researchers in Sweden discovered that cellular phone usage in rural areas may pose a greater risk for developing brain tumors than using a cellular phone in urban areas. Reportedly, in rural areas towers are further apart and cellular phones...

Online tutoring offers an affordable alternative for students.(SHORT Takes)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Relief is in sight for parents and students who need tutoring assistance but are limited by funds, distance or time. Multimedia Tutorial Services recently announced the launch of affordable, online, real-time tutoring in mathematics. Using its...

Consolidation of wireless companies will cause increased competition.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... On the heels of Sprint Corp.'s merger with Nextel Communications, independent credit rating agency Standard and Poor's biannual report "Telecommunications: Wireless Industry Survey" indicates that the wireless industry soon will look like...

Is 'big brother' offending employees?(SHORT Takes)
November 1, 2005... There is a definitive gap between the reasons given by human resources professionals and those perceived by employees as to why management monitors employee activity in the office, according to the "2005 Workplace Privacy Survey" conducted by...

Broadband subscribership increases dramatically.
November 1, 2005... Through a variety of technologies, broadband Internet access is becoming more prevalent in rural America. According to the "NTCA 2005 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report," released in September, 96% of respondents offer broadband to...

A crystal ball glimpse of tomorrow's customers.
November 1, 2005... According to the time-worn adage, those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Equally true is the concept that the present can provide valuable insight into the future. The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) and NTCA...

What is the most successful innovation or advancement your telco put into practice this year?
November 1, 2005... Innovation. This word is the seeming embodiment and lifeblood of telecommunications today. Rural carriers are keeping pace remarkably well with the rapid transformations within the industry--not only with emerging technologies, but also in...

Planning for natural disasters.
November 1, 2005... Each year, rural telcos face the challenges posed by Mother Nature. Most recently, she has been bowling in Hurricane Ally, and tossing down a category 4 hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, followed by a category 3 strike on...

Building a new cooperative.
November 1, 2005... Deep in the Michigan woods, 300 families are preparing to celebrate the arrival of telephone service. After years of trying to persuade telephone companies to run lines into their unserved area, residents finally decided to take matters into...

Revitalizing rural America one community at a time: wanted: well-qualified, honest, hard-working people who are interested in living in a safe, supportive, slow-paced environment. Must be adaptable to change, willing to make a long-term commitment and have a good work ethic. If you meet these qualifications, please stop by a rural community near you.
November 1, 2005... All across the country, there are small rural communities in need of a few good people--be it natives of rural America who want to return home or positive, ambitious folks looking for a fresh start. Rural America is in the midst of transition....

Educating customers: a win-win strategy.
November 1, 2005... It is six or seven times more costly to acquire a new customer as it is to retain an existing customer. Further, a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% - 95% (Bain & Co. Study, Harvard Business Review). However, many sales...

The five-finger bonus.(Reprint)
November 1, 2005... Bill Carey won't be retiring anytime soon. The president and owner of a small business in Wichita, Kan., got the first clue his retirement would be postponed when his trusted bookkeeper stepped out for the weekend in January 1999. Checking...

NTCA 2006 Annual Meeting & EXPO and Rural Telecom Summit.
November 1, 2005... Annual Meeting Program San Diego, "America's finest city," is the perfect setting for NTCA's 2006 Annual Meeting & EXPO and Rural Telecom Summit. Attendees will find a program packed with informative general sessions, valuable educational...

Hiring and keeping the 'A' player.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... What personal characteristic makes the best hire? Until recently, most employers would place their bets on "competency," or the command of needed skills. As we enter the 2006 marketplace, though, employers are looking for candidates who can not...

Preserving the future through the past.
November 1, 2005... The end of another year brings ample opportunity for reflection. Television news programs run retrospectives on the year's most newsworthy events, newspapers look back at the trials and tribulations we've endured, and a certain magazine's...