Rural Telecommunications articles from September 2004

Rural Telecommunications archives from September 2004

Seasonal changes.(From the Editor)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... It's hard to believe that another summer has gone and we are standing on the edge of autumn's colorful plumage. Just as the seasons passing is a constant reality of life we've come to accept, and even appreciate, the "season" for technological...

Play ball! (and chow down).(Short Takes)(CellBucks Payments Network)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... What goes better with beer and hot dogs at the ball game? Not having to get up in the middle of a bases-are-loaded, can't-miss-it play to satisfy the munchies. Why not call your order in and have it delivered to your stadium seat? ...

New look for DOC Web site.(Short Takes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) launched a redesign of its Web site [www.commerce.gov] that makes the site more accessible to users and highlights technological innovations. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] The site includes comprehensive...

A lesson in customer care.(Short Takes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The satellite TV industry would be more than double its current size if it were to sign up every unsatisfied cable customer, according to Innovista Research, an independent research firm specializing in consumer market analysis for the cable,...

High-speed eye care in Nashville.(Short Takes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A new medical center in Nashville, Tenn., will make it possible for people living in remote areas of the country who are at risk of losing their eyesight due to diabetes-related complications to access health expertise not available to them...

CLECs on the rise.(Short Takes)(competitive local exchange carriers)(Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier)
September 1, 2004... Despite the widely reported financial struggles of competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), CLECs continue to increase their penetration rates in both the consumer and business telecom markets, according to Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS)...

'Leaving the house' to make an impact.(Perspective)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Woody Allen once said that 98% of life is just showing up. There's great truth to that sentiment. My interpretation of that statement is this: By just being involved in something, you are miles ahead of the 98% of the people that didn't even...

Do you outsource any aspects of your business?(First Person)
September 1, 2004... "A good bit of our construction is outsourced to general contractors," said Dewey Doss, assistant manager of New Hope Telephone Cooperative (New Hope, Ala.). In fact, the cooperative has been outsourcing its cable TV and telephone cable...

A matter of timing softswitches linger on sidelines.
September 1, 2004... Switching in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) has advanced through several phases in the past century, and all evidence points to softswitching as the next step in this evolutionary progression. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] In...

Outsourcing options: when to call in the specialists.
September 1, 2004... Outsourcing. It's something many of us do time and again: Rather than risk damaging our finer articles of clothing, we drop them off at the dry cleaners to be cleaned. When a pipe bursts in our home, we call a plumber to fix the problem. We may...

DSL: where applications are king.(digital subscriber line)
September 1, 2004... The widely accepted telecommunications law text, "Federal Telecommunications Law, Second Edition," defines advanced services as "those high-speed telecommunication services, such as digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem, which enable...

Broadband pilot program: RUS celebrates second anniversary.(Rural Utilities Service)
September 1, 2004... Accompanying President George W. Bush's May signature on the Farm Bill was the media's laser-like focus on the tremendous costs of new price support systems for America's farmers. While pundits, columnists and editorial boards across the...

What do customers want? Ask them.(PR Notebook)
September 1, 2004... "Our philosophy is, you need to talk to the customer and listen to the customer," said Marc Violette, general manager of sales and service for MCT Telecom (Contoocook, N.H.). Most telco managers would agree with him. Willingness to listen to...

Wireless Internet: asking the right questions.(Tech Talk)
September 1, 2004... I once heard the founder of a wireless Internet service provider (WISP) say, "When I started doing wireless Internet, I couldn't even spell RF!" Sadly enough, those were famous last words from yet another profitable company digging itself...

Employee or independent contractor? The IRS wants to know.(Work Force)(Internal Revenue Service)
September 1, 2004... While the use of independent contractors is a popular way of controlling expenses, employers need to be aware of the downside: Back taxes and costly penalties can result when the IRS reclassifies self-employed workers as employees. "This...

Youthful outlook: tapping into the teen market.(Business Matters)
September 1, 2004... Competition is encroaching and demographics are changing, and the convergence of these two realities is compelling rural telcos to closely examine their marketing options and service offerings. With their unique challenges, rural communities...

Mold madness: warning--property at risk.(Risk Manager)(toxic mold spells danger for properties)
September 1, 2004... Real and perceived threats of the dangers attributed to toxic mold are creating havoc for homeowners, commercial businesses and insurance companies, as they face fears of possible physical harm, ruined property values and scenarios of mounting...

'Be prepared' a noteworthy adage for rural telcos.(Executive Viewpoint)
September 1, 2004... I'm sure many of you are familiar with the story of the grasshopper and the ant. As the story goes, the weather was nice, the days were sunny and food was abundant. The grasshopper, in passing, would see the ant working hard storing food....