Dialer`s Digest Fall Winter 2007

2
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D I A L E R ’ S
FALL | WINTER 2007
D I G E S T
CTC launches
BIG TEN Network.
CTC is excited to offer the BIG TEN
Network on CTC TV. With our service
located in the heart of Minnesota and
Big Ten Country, we are happy to offer
our members the BIG TEN Network.
Offering many Big Ten conference
games, you’ll catch Minnesota
Gopher action including football,
and men’s and women’s basketball.
At CTC we’re here to deliver the
services our members and the
Brainerd lakes area deserve.
Also in this issue:
INTRODUCING CTC SKYWAVE | NTCA LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE | ELECTION RECAP | SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
p. 2 - 3
OUR COOPERATIVE UPDATE
_Innovative technology + Unrivaled Customer Service. Welcome to CTC.
Dear Members,
In the Cooperative Spirit.
The CTC Board of Directors
has approved the
retirement of over
$400,000 this year with
checks being delivered
later this year.
In the last 20 years, CTC
has returned over $9.4
million to the members.
This is truly an indication
of the commitment CTC
has to its members and
communities we serve!
CTC has completed another busy and successful spring and summer, and now we
look forward to the fall and winter seasons.
The summer projects were plentiful as we
continued to expand Digital TV offering in
our rural areas.
Along with the TV expansion, we are proud to announce that we have reached
an agreement to add the
“BIG TEN Network” to our
channel lineup. As a local company, we are
very excited to offer Gopher Sports to our
members with Digital TV service.
Besides adding the BIG
TEN Network, we are also in
the process of delivering a
DVR service (digital video
recorder) to compliment our
Digital TV offering. DVR will
allow CTC members to record
TV programs to view at a later time. This
gives you the flexibility to pause, rewind or
fast forward any program and to view it at
your convenience. In addition to
DVR, we are also looking forward
to the release of High Definition TV to selected Digital TV
areas that can support HD
service. These are exciting new
services.
CTC continues to grow its
fiber optic network with the
completion of numerous construction projects throughout
our service areas. We all know
that this is the infrastructure for the future
because of the new and improved services
it provides our residents and businesses.
These investments will position our communities well into the future helping to ensure a vibrant and strong economy.
CTC also completed another large
project this summer
with the release of
our new SkyWave
Wireless High Speed
Internet product. This
new service will allow us to deliver much
needed High Speed Internet access to residences around the Gull Lake area, East and
South Brainerd residences, and to the more
remote areas around Nisswa. CTC constructed a new communications tower at
our Brainerd office and implemented new
equipment on a tower at Gull Lake in order
to offer this service.
Even with all of these projects going on,
we still want to stay focused on our number
one objective – providing you, our members,
with the best customer service
possible. As always, should you
have any questions, please do
not hesitate to contact us.
Enjoy the beautiful fall weather
and up coming holidays.
Kevin Larson
CEO/General Manager
Edward “Bud” Swecker
President
CTC has expanded
our High Speed
Internet offering. If
you are interested in
finding out more
information about
CTC High Speed
Internet in your
area, give us a call at
218-454-1234
or 800-753-9104.
CTC SkyWave Wireless High Speed Internet (Brainerd
communication tower shown here) will deliver much
needed High Speed Internet access to residences
around Gull Lake, East and South Brainerd, and to the
more remote areas around the city of Nisswa.
p. 4-5
HIGH SPEED HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating new promotions . . .
_New faces and promotions
Get to
know. . .
Kelly.
Kelly has lived in the Lakes Area for 26
years and has 17 years of experience in the
telecommunications industry. Kelly has
worked a variety of different positions in her
17 years of experience. She enjoys new challenges and staying on top of new trends in
our fast-paced industry.
Kelly
Shawn
Sales Coordinator
CTC|IT Network Analyst
Introducing new faces . . .
Shawn.
Shawn has lived in the Lakes Area for 16
years. He enjoys computers, hunting, fishing
and golf. Shawn gets to interact with our customers on a daily basis where he enjoys finding ways to make their daily lives easier and
more productive.
Luke
Luke has been living in the Lakes Area
for 20 years. He enjoys playing basketball,
hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling in his
spare time. Luke enjoys working at CTC
because he meets many new people on a
day-to-day basis while helping them find the
best solutions for the home communication
and entertainment needs.
Luke
Kyle
Residential Account Executive
Supply & Staging Technician
Kyle.
Kyle has lived in the Brainerd Lakes Area for 8 years. He is an avid
outdoorsman, and enjoys music, sports, and spending time with his
family. As a Supply & Staging Technician, he enjoys collaborating
with his co-workers and looks forward to watching CTC continually
grow in our industry.
_Professional support at your fingertips
218-454-HELP,
Your first call for help.
DESK
Jason, Paul, & Don
CTC Help Desk
With over 20 years of experience, the CTC Help Desk
offers high level support to
our members. Customer troubles and questions come first for the
CTC Help Desk. When calls come in, the experience and knowledge
offered by the Help Desk gets those hard-to-figure-out-troubles
solved in a timely manner. That experience also helps CTC when
working on internal applications, such as provisioning modems and
testing internal equipment.
With technology changing at a rapid pace, having a team like
the CTC Help Desk leading the way helps your Cooperative move
forward in offering the highest level customer service along with
the latest technology.
_VoiceMail to eMail, Is it right for you?
Senator Norm Coleman
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Congressman Jim Oberstar
_Newsmakers
CTC attends
NTCA Legislative
Conference
Kevin Larson, along with Board Members
Bob Young and Kathy Kobliska, attended
the NTCA Legislative Conference in Washington DC earlier this year to discuss Universal
Service Funds, which help keep rates
affordable in rural areas.
_Election Update
Elections
results and
Annual
Meeting
highlights
CTC announced election results
from our 2007 Annual Meeting
this summer, 1,749 ballots were
sent in for this year’s election with
the following candidates being
reelected to the CTC Board of Directors. Congratulations Morris,
Kathy, and Bud.
Strictly
Business with
Lori Rubin
Staying in touch with
clients and co-workers
is essential in todays
business environment.
CTC helps you
stay in touch with all
your important business calls. With CTC
business phone service and high speed internet, you can add VoiceMail to eMail service. VoiceMail to eMail
allows all of your VoiceMails from your work phone to forward to
your eMail box. You can listen to your Voice Mail or forward it right
from your eMail box. CTC, providing tools to keep you connected
to the business community. To learn more about VoiceMail to eMail,
call Lori at 218-454-1203.
Edward “Bud” Swecker
District Four
Kathy Kobliska
At Large
Morris Nelson
District One
p. 6-7
CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY
Marcus Olson
Northland High School
Parents:
Dave & Diana Olson
Intended Major:
Wild Land Firefighting
_In Our Communities
Congratulations Graduates
CTC is proud to support higher education to the youth in our service
areas. CTC recently awarded
seven $500 scholarships to the
following students beginning
their college careers.
Philip Charles Nachbar
Pequot Lakes High School
Parent:
Gordon Nachbar
Intended Major:
Business – Economics/Finance
Michelle Otis
Brainerd High School
Parents:
Susan Schuller & Michael Otis
Intended Major:
Biology
Stephanie Vosen,
Little Falls Community
High School
Parent:
Lois Vosen
Intended Major:
Accounting
Curtis Hoffman,
Onamia High School
Parents:
Gary & Jackie Hoffman
Intended Major:
Accounting
Taste of Technology events
visit Outing and Lincoln
Tyler Rohloff
Pillager High School
Parents:
Todd & Merry Rohloff
Intended Major:
Psychology
Teresa Mogensen
Pierz High School
Parents:
Tim & Brenda Mogensen
Intended Major:
Criminal Justice
CTC employees serving members in Outing.
This past summer gave CTC employees a chance to get out and enjoy the communities we serve and catch up with
some of our members. In August and September CTC employees held our Taste of Technology BBQ’s in Outing and
Lincoln. Members enjoyed a hot dog BBQ while meeting with fellow CTC members and employees.
Look for future Taste of Technology BBQ’s coming to your neighborhood in 2008!
S P E C I A L
P U B L I C
N O T I C E
Annual notice of State and National Assistance Programs
Telephone Equipment
Distribution program (TED)
LifeLine and Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP)
LifeLine and TAP provides eligible subscribers with a monthly credit
on their local service telephone bill. This discount applies on a single line at the principle place of residence. The applicant must sign
a document certifying under penalty of perjury that the applicant
receives benefits from at least one of the following programs:
• Medicaid/Medical Assistance
• Food Support/Food Stamps
• Supplemental Security Income
• Federal Public Housing Assistance/Section 8
• Low Income Energy Assistance
• Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
Having trouble using the phone? Don’t let
hearing, speech, or physical disability prevent you from using the telephone.
Simply contact:
Minnesota Department
of Human Services
Telephone Equipment
Distribution Program
444 Lafayette Road,
St. Paul, MN 55155-3814
For persons living on a reservation:
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Head Start
• National School Lunch Program
Toll free: (800) 657-3663
For TTY callers: (800) 657-3513
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.tedprogram.org
Applicants must agree to notify the telephone company if they
cease to participate in any of the programs listed above. If the telephone company discovers that conditions exist that disqualify the
recipient of TAP, the support will be discontinued and the customer
will be billed retroactively.
Ask about no cost, assistive telephone
devices for eligible Minnesotans.
The telephone equipment Distribution program is administered by the
Department of Commerce-Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM) and
funded by a telephone surcharge. TAM
also contracts for the provision of the
Minnesota Relay, which provides full
telephone accessibility to people who have
hearing or vision loss, or who are speech
impaired. This allows a person using a text
phone, such as TTY or VCO, to communicate with a person using a standard phone
by calling 711 or (800) 627-3529.
Link-up Service Connection Program
Link-up provides eligible subscribers with reduced connection
charges for home telephone service. The reduction is 50% of the applicable charges. It also provides for deferred payment of the remaining connection fee without interest. It does not cover the cost
of wiring inside the home.
Eligibility requirements for TAP, Link-up and LifeLine require income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or participation in one of the assistance programs listed under the TAP program.
Cut Along Dotted Edge and Save
Contact CTC at (218) 454-1234 or (800) 753-9104 for applications for these programs.
If you plan on digging to a depth of
12 inches or more the area needs
to located prior to digging.
✁
Important
info to know
before you dig!
1. Mark the digging area with white stakes
or white spray paint.
2. Call Gopher State One at 800-252-1166
two business days before digging.
3. After Gopher State One marks the site, hand
dig carefully within two feet on either side of
the utility marking.
4. Report any and all damages to the
affected utility company immediately.
All damages including nicks and dents in
cables can eventually cause the utility to fail.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
INGREDIENTS:
Seeds of 1 pumpkin
HIGH SPEED RECIPE
1¼ teaspoons seasoning salt
( 10 minutes or less )
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS:
• Rinse the seeds to remove strings and pulp.
• Pat dry with paper towels.
• Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and
let stand for several hours to dry.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Bake seeds for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Use less Worcestershire and salt when preparing
for children. It’s a little too tangy for them at
full strength. Enjoy!
ConnectingTheCommunity.
14385 Edgewood Drive
Baxter, MN 56425
CTC Board Officers
CTC Directors
CEO/General Manager
CTC Brainerd
Contact CTC
Edward “Bud Swecker, President
Paul Nieman, Vice-President
Stanley Johnson, Secretary
Kathy Kobliska, Treasurer
Mike Wetzel
Jerry Palm
Morris Nelson
Bob Young
Kevin Larson
1102 Madison Street
P.O. Box 972
Brainerd, MN 56401
218-454-1234
800-753-9104
Consolidated Telecommunications Company - An Equal Opportunity Employer
CTC Baxter
14385 Edgewood Drive
Baxter, MN 56425
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Internet Help
218-454-HELP (4357)
www.ctctelcom.net