And critically important since the only way to make some of the wisest policy decisions will be based on what infrastructure truly exists for consumer use in all parts of our country – if that task is actually possible or if we’ll have to settle for “close enough”. NTCA has a group of members, with far more insight than I have, working together to explore possible, accurate and workable solutions. That is why I wanted to share some insights and…
NRECA – the national association for rural electric cooperatives – recently invited Kristi Westbrock, CEO and general manager of Consolidated Telephone Co. (CTC) in Brainerd, MN, to tell her story of innovation and creative thinking. CTC has been engaged in broadband partnerships with Minnesota electric cooperatives for a decade and it has been a good experience for CTC, their employees and the people the serve. If you ask Kristi, she would love to do it again and again. Kristi noted…
Here at NTCA, we host a number of key industry meetings a year – and all of them have a huge value (I hope!) for our membership and the various sectors of their staff, governing bodies and leadership. However, the meeting that is near and dear to my heart is our Telecom Executive Conference which is where I am at this week. This meeting is always well attended but this year we actually had to cut off attendance to our…
As I turned on the news this morning and watched the wonderful array of women who were profiled for breaking barriers as part of the media’s International Women’s Day celebration, I’ll admit it, I got a little teary hearing the stories of amazing women and what they do to follow their passion and their dreams. Especially as the mother of two amazing young professional women myself, I am reminded daily of the barriers and challenges that still exist for women–…
NTCA has had a productive relationship with the telemedicine team at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee given their leading edge on the telemedicine front. Dr. Charles, the chief medical officer for Vanderbilt’s Neuroscience Center and head of their Telemedicine Program has participated in NTCA meetings in the past and was one of our key participants during our White House Summit on this key topic a few years ago. So Vanderbilt’s leadership in this area has been long established. That was why…
The dictionary defines partnership as “an association of two or more people as partners”. The legal notation is that a partnership is an arrangement where parties, know as partners, agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments etc.” What makes it special in my book? When it’s an NTCA community broadband provider partnering with another NTCA member, community entity or even another local utility to find ways…
On a plane, trying out a new airline wifi system (competition on the ground AND in the air seems to be the order of the day). As I was flipping through my emails, my eye was caught by a notice from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that they are looking to hear from individual small businesses on the regulatory barriers that are impacting their business. In the broadband space, the FCC took a credible crack at this with their BDAC…
Welcome to NTCA Saves Week 2019! NTCA Saves Week corresponds with America Saves Week this year. America Saves Week is an annual event that seeks to motivate, encourage, and support U.S. households to save money, reduce debt and build wealth. The theme for NTCA Saves Week this year is Spring Cleaning. Spring will be here before we know it, and it’s the perfect time to get both your home and your finances in order. While I will spare readers the daily…
The quote above is attributed to Jimmy Dean. Yes, that Jimmy Dean who is likely better known for his sausage empire than his quotes; but check the man out, he was pretty fascinating after a successful career as a country singer, and actor (Daniel Boone TV show AND a James Bond movie? Now that’s variety!). He also went into the food industry, became his own spokesman, and moved on to another successful career as a radio host. I guess that…
DC had another one of our classic snowstorms yesterday. The predictions were higher than the reality, pretty typical for this region, but the mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain was certainly enough to keep people off the roads and schools and offices closed for the day. Remember when a snow day meant that you dug the sled or saucer out of the garage and took the kids to find a hill with enough vertical for sledding? Or when you…
