September 2009

Tri-State G&T Selects Honeywell Security Solution through NRTC

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has entered into an agreement with NRTC to purchase a Honeywell Integrated Security access control and camera system to modernize security at Craig Station, one of its flagship baseload generating stations. Read more.

NRTC's Top Five Work Plan Suggestions for Electric Cooperatives

As everyone who works for an electric cooperative knows, this is the time of year for finalizing next year's work plan. But as you prepare for 2010, there are a few items you need to keep in mind. The electricity distribution market is changing more than ever, and you should consider these five things that will help you tomorrow:

5. Weather: You never know when lightning might strike, and you need to think about ways to limit damage caused by lightning and other weather events. Visit NRTC's Surge Protection and Weather pages to learn how you can protect your cooperative and help your members.

4. Improve Engineering and Planning: Like all electric utilities, your system is always changing. To help plan your system's growth, install a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. SCADA can greatly reduce operations and maintenance costs, while helping you make better planning and engineering decisions. Visit NRTC's SCADA page for more information.

3. Safety: It's no secret that crime goes up as the stock market goes down, and you should think about installing a security system to protect your cooperative's assets and employees. You can learn more about how NRTC helps utilities operate securely at this Web site.

2. The Smart Grid: With modernizing the electrical grid deemed a national priority, there has never been a better time to consider upgrading your distribution network with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), next-generation backhaul communications and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Learn about all of these options at NRTC's Utility Solutions Web site.

1. 2013: Don't get caught by the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) mandatory deadline to narrowband private land mobile radios (LMR) by 2013. The FCC has mandated that all two-way LMR systems operating in 150-174 or 450-512 MHz spectrum must switch to narrowband 12.5 kHz-spaced channels by Jan. 1, 2013. To learn more about this mandate, read the MissionCritical Magazine article "The Big Digital Decision," written by Todd Ellis, manager of Wireless Systems at NRTC. You can also visit NRTC's Communications Web site.

June Issue of CRN's Tech Surveillance Features NRTC Member and Staff

The June Issue of Tech Surveillance Magazine, produced by the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), included articles featuring NRTC member Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) and NRTC staff member Todd Ellis. Both articles focus on radio system upgrades and the Federal Communications Commission narrowbanding mandate.

"Rappahannock: How One Co-op Handled Its Radio Upgrade" provides the details of REC's decision to select an MPT-1327 trunking system manufactured by Tait Electronics.

"No Time to Waste: Co-ops Need to Plan Now for 2013 Land Mobile Radio Upgrade" warns cooperatives not to delay in preparing for the FCC narrowbanding deadline of Jan 1, 2013. NRTC's Todd Ellis was consulted for the article.

Rural Broadband Webinar Features NRTC's Sukow

NRTC Business Research & Analysis Manager Randy Sukow will participate in a Pike & Fisher Webinar, "Here Be Dragons: Bringing Broadband to the Unserved." The event, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, from 2-3:30 p.m., Eastern, includes live discussion. Read More.

NRTC Listening to Its Members...

As announced at the annual meeting, NRTC has held a number of focus groups with members over the past year. The purpose of these sessions is to learn more about member perceptions of NRTC, its mission and place in the rural utility industry.

Using data gathered from these sessions and with the guidance of its Board of Directors, NRTC will set a strategic course for its future. These focus groups have been valuable, demonstrating the connection between members and NRTC and what we can achieve by working together. In the coming months, NRTC will continue to hold focus groups and listening sessions around the United States.

Thank you to the members who have shared their views in one of these sessions. We appreciate your support.

Come See NRTC at NTCA Fall Conference and NRECA Regional Meetings!

This fall, NRTC staff will be attending the NTCA Fall Conference and the seven NRECA Regional Meetings all over the country. NRTC looks forward to these great opportunities to meet with members and other industry professionals. Please come see us!

NTCA: NRTC staff will join many of its telco members at the NTCA Fall Conference in New York City, September 13-16, 2009.

Stop by NRTC's meeting place for a chance to learn more about the many technologies featured at the conference, including WiMAX and video programming. The NRTC meeting place is located in Conference Room E (on the Executive level) and will be open Monday, September 14, and Tuesday, September 15, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

In addition, NRTC is pleased to support the Foundation for Rural Service as a sponsor of the "City Lights, City Sights" harbor cruise event, on Monday, September 14, 2009, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Please join us!

NRECA: NRTC will be hosting, sponsoring and attending various events throughout the NRECA Regional Meetings this fall.

On Regional Meeting Day One, NRTC President and CEO Bob Phillips will speak during the Second General Session. Please join us in the evening for the Regional Reception, co-hosted by NRTC and the local statewide cooperative association.

Throughout the meeting, NRTC will be exhibiting near the registration area. Please stop by for a visit.

We look forward to seeing you during the NTCA Fall Conference NRECA Regional Meetings this fall!

NRTC's Mark Chambers Presents on Broadband Capabilities in Missouri

On August 12, 2009, NRTC Director of Sales Mark Chambers attended the Missouri Telecommunications Industry Association Annual Meeting in Branson, MO, and delivered a presentation on "Extending Broadband in Rural America."

With the 150 meeting attendees, Mark shared what NRTC has been doing to help members take advantage of the broadband stimulus opportunity. He went on to discuss ways that telcos can increase the value of the broadband technologies they deploy using stimulus funding, including offering Internet Protocol television and Voice over Internet Protocol service.

In addition, Mark discussed the partnership opportunities that the stimulus funds make available. Electric cooperatives deploying the smart grid will require broadband speed for their communications networks. Telcos could ensure the availability of broadband for this use. Mark urged members to create or participate in programs that encourage broadband use in rural America, explaining that with increased use of broadband comes job creation and public-service benefits.

If you would like NRTC to speak to your statewide association about the benefits of extending broadband access in rural communities or other subjects related to deployment of advanced telecommunications technologies, please call NRTC at 703-787-0874.

WildBlue Meeting Focuses on Additional Capacity

NRTC Sales and Marketing Managers Jason DiStefano and Matt Timmons met with WildBlue members from Georgia, Florida and Texas on July 29, 2009, in Atlanta to discuss new opportunities to market the service. WildBlue Communications recently added more capacity that will make it possible to add 10,000 more subscribers. To help members increase subscriber acquisition, Jason and Matt discussed specific marketing opportunities. After this meeting, a webcast was held for the members unable to attend. NRTC is excited about this additional capacity and looks forward to working with members to grow their WildBlue businesses.

NRTC's Jay Smith Addresses Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Electric Cooperatives

Recently, NRTC Regional Business Manager Jay Smith attended the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) Annual Meeting of the Membership held in conjunction with the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) Annual Meeting of the Membership. At the meeting, over 350 representatives from VMDAEC's 16 electric cooperatives, 11 of which are also part of ODEC, met to discuss operations, products, services, business and strategy.

Jay took the stage to give an overview of current happenings at NRTC. For Jay, it meant an opportunity to connect with members and learn about needs and interests. "This meeting is very important to relationship building," said Jay Smith.

"I enjoy attending VMDAEC because I am able to spend time with a number of CEOs and their staff, listen to their challenges and plans and discuss the solutions that NRTC can offer," he continued.

Co-op Month Is Coming

Did you know that October is Co-op month? It presents a great opportunity to educate your members about what a cooperative is and the importance and value of the cooperative business model.

But where can you go for articles, ads and other resources to help you? The Co-op Month Web site has everything you need—from marketing, a downloadable booklet and logos. Check out their social media tools, including the Go Co-op Month Web site.

NRTC Members in the News

NRTC members are known for delivering products and services that improve the quality of life in the communities they serve. Recently, two members received recognition from their communities for the service they provide. Read More.

Stayton Cooperative Telephone, located in Santiam Canyon, Oregon, is installing FTTH. Read more.

Reservation Telephone Cooperative, a WildBlue member in Parshall, ND, will be helping the Three Affiliated Tribes broadcast their tribal council meeting via broadband to the all districts on the Fort Berthold Reservation. This will be the first meeting broadcasted for the tribes; they hope to continue to do so in the future using Internet, television and hopefully cell phones. Read more.

Sho-Me Power, an electric cooperative, is applying for broadband stimulus funding with the help of the state of Missouri. Sho-Me is hoping for funds to expand cables and add towers. Read more.

Write us at nrtconnects@nrtc.coop.

© 2009 NRTC
2121 Cooperative Way
Herndon, VA 20171
www.nrtc.coop

September Issue

• NRTC Supports 23 Members in First Round of Stimulus Applications

• Tri-State G&T Selects Honeywell Security Solution through NRTC

• NRTC's Top Five Work Plan Suggestions for Electric Cooperatives

• June Issue of CRN's Tech Surveillance Features NRTC Member and Staff

• Rural Broadband Webinar Features NRTC's Sukow

• NRTC Listening to its Members…

• Come See NRTC at the NTCA Fall Conference and NRECA Regional Meetings!

• NRTC's Mark Chambers Presents on Broadband Capabilities in Missouri

• WildBlue Meeting Focuses on Additional Capacity

• NRTC's Jay Smith Addresses Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Electric Cooperatives

• Co-op Month Is Coming

• NRTC Members in the News

• Please Welcome New Members

• Meet Senior Regional Business Manager Gene Porter

• When You Can See NRTC

Welcoming New Members

Please join NRTC in welcoming these new members!

• American Samoa Telecommunications Authority,
Pago Pago, American Samoa

• Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative,
Vonore, TN

• Lavaca Telephone Company,
Lavaca, AR, doing business as Pinnacle Communications

• Schurz Communications, Inc.,
Mishawaka, IN

Featured Staff Profile

Meet Senior Regional Business Manager Gene Porter

Since 2004, Senior Regional Business Manager Gene Porter has worked at NRTC. Gene serves electric cooperatives in the states of AL, AR, FL, LA, MS and MO.

Prior to joining NRTC, Gene worked at Data Transmission Network, a satellite-delivered information service, growing with the company from a start-up to a 450 million company.

Gene brings an experienced background of business development in rural America, along with experience in satellite, wireless and Internet-based communications. If you would like to contact Gene to set up a meeting, please call him at 402-960-7807 or e-mail at lporter@nrtc.coop.

When You Can See NRTC

• Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Texas Telephone Association Annual Convention
Steve Hanson will attend

• Sept. 3: New Mexico Rural Electric Association Annual BBQ
Jerry Titus will attend

• Sept. 8-10: NRECA Region 1 & 4 Meeting, Burlington, VT
NRTC staff will attend

• Sept. 9: Pike & Fisher Webinar: "Bringing Broadband to the Unserved"
Randy Sukow speaking on panel

• Sept. 13-15: Electric Power Association of Mississippi Annual Meeting
Gene Porter will attend

• Sept. 13-16: NTCA Fall Conference
NRTC staff will attend

• Sept. 13-16: Texas Telephone Association Convention & Product Showcase
Steve Hanson will attend

• Sept. 16-18: NRECA Region 5 Meeting, Springfield, IL
NRTC staff will attend

• Sept. 16-18: Telecommunications Association of Michigan Annual Convention
Dennis Renowski will attend

• Sept. 16-18: Texas Electric Cooperatives Materials Management Engineering Conference
Rod Phillips will attend

• Sept. 22: Golden State Power Cooperative Annual Meeting
Bob Phillips speaking

• Sept. 22-24: NRECA Region 9 Meeting, San Diego, CA
NRTC staff will attend

• Sept. 27-30: Western Telecommunications Alliance Fall Meeting
Madeleine Forrer speaking and Steve Hanson will attend

• Sept. 29-Oct. 1: NRECA Region 2 & 3 Meeting, Chattanooga, TN
NRTC staff will attend

• Oct. 7-10: Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives Annual Meeting
Gene Porter will attend

• Oct. 13-15: NRECA Region 7 Meeting, Cheyenne, WY
NRTC staff will attend

• Oct. 14-16: New York State Telephone Association Annual Meeting
Dennis Renowski will attend

• Oct. 18-20: Mid-America Telecom Showcase & Seminar
Steve Hanson will attend

• Oct. 27-29: NRECA Region 6 Meeting, Grand Forks, ND
NRTC staff will attend