RTC Networks Summer 2022 Newsletter

Page 3

RTC NETWORKS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

TRIGEN AG PARTNERS Page 6

EDUCATION IS THE BEST DEFENSE

SCROLL, STREAM, AND SHOP SAFELY WITH SUPPORT FROM RTC NETWORKS Page 9

CRYPTOCURRENCY 101 A TECH TIP FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD TECH EXPERT

Summer 2022

A MESSAGE FROM OUR

GENERAL MANAGER send reports on these threats directly to the palm of your hand. Learn more about internet security and ProtectIQ on page 6 of this newsletter.

RTC NETWORKS COMMUNICATOR

If you have any outdoor projects to tackle before temperatures start to fall,

24 Main Street North, PO Box 68,

please remember to call before you

Parshall, ND 58770

dig. Whether you are building a deck or

www.myRTCNetworks.com, info@myRTCNetworks.com

planting a tree, you must contact One

Customer Service: 0811 (within RTC exchanges) or 701.862.3115 Repair Service: 0611 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.822.3311 24/7 Help Desk: 0211 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.497.2151 Headquarters: 24 Main St N Parshall, ND 58770 New Town Office: 202 College Drive New Town, ND 58763 Stanley Office: 215 Main St S, Stanley, ND 58784 Watford City Office: 701 14th St SW Watford City, ND 58854

Business Office: 0811 (Toll-free within RTC Exchanges) 701.862.3115

Somehow, we have already reached the final weeks of summer. I hope that you have spent the season relaxing with friends and family, exploring the great outdoors, and enjoying the warmth while we have it.

Fax: 701.862.3008

Call at least 48 hours prior to digging.

Utility companies will then mark the location of their underground lines to

We come one step closer to realizing our goal of connecting the West to the world.

Email: info@myRTCNetworks.com

RTC Networks has been busy with

Publication Contact:

several fiber build-outs across our

help protect you from damaging them.

service territory this summer. With each

If you are within RTC Networks’ service

new community that we successfully

area in North Dakota, you can reach

equip with fiber, we come one

North Dakota One Call by dialing 811 on

step closer to realizing our goal of

your landline telephone or 1-800-795-

connecting the West to the world. More

0555. You can also submit your request

of our communities are connected to

at www.ndonecall.com by clicking on

high-speed fiber-optic internet than

the “Homeowners” tab. Montana One

ever before; it’s important that we all

Call can be reached at 1-800-551-8344

use that connection wisely.

or www.mt1call.com.

I am excited to share that we are now

Dig safely, and enjoy the rest of your

including the myRTCnet app’s ProtectIQ

summer.

Shannon Stafslien, Marketing Manager

CEO/General Manager: Shane D. Hart

Directors & Officers: Jeanette Hoff, President Wayne Skarda, Vice President Jennifer Sorenson, Secretary/Treasurer Jared Eagle, Director Terry Wilber, Director Amy Ones, Director Barbara Steinmetz, Director John McElwain, Director Alicia Brenna, Attorney RTC Networks is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Copyright© 2022 by RTC (Reservation Telephone Cooperative) and Tellwell.

feature free of charge for all internet subscribers. ProtectIQ can guard your home network against web threats, malware, intrusions, and viruses, and

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Shane Hart Shane Hart, CEO/GM

Photographed left to right: Dennis Krueger, John McElwain, Trevor Kohler, Randy Henne, Wayne Olson, Kevin Johnson, Tyler Stafslien, Rick Talbot

RTC NETWORKS

SPOTLIGHT

TRIGEN AG PARTNERS

With high-speed internet from RTC Networks, TriGen is transforming the way that elevators operate.

In 1915, there were approximately 2,000 grain elevators in North Dakota.

By 2015, there were fewer than 400.

These facilities have played a pivotal role in building North Dakota’s economy and establishing the state as a leader in the production of crops such as wheat, barley, and flax.

While the total number of grain elevators across North Dakota has continued to fall year after year, many–including the Max Farmers Elevator and Plaza-Makoti Equity Elevator– are still operational more than a century later.

Now, with high-speed internet from RTC Networks and a new mobile app, TriGen Ag Partners is transforming the way elevators operate.

TriGen Ag Partners was formed in August 2020, when the Max Farmers Elevator and Plaza-Makoti Equity Elevator merged and joined forces with Minneapolis-based Agrex, Inc. The “Tri” in the company’s name represents the three communities the elevators serve, as well as the three companies that have combined assets and capital to form TriGen. “Gen” is an homage to the generations of producers who have built North Dakota’s agricultural economy, as well as the many generations yet to come.

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Rick Talbott, who had been with the Max Farmers Elevator

Along with merging the Max and Plaza-Makoti elevators,

since 2005 and served as General Manager since 2014,

TriGen Ag Partners also broke ground on a new facility in

helped oversee the formation of TriGen.

Ryder in the summer of 2020. The new shuttle grain terminal consists of 1.050 million storage capacity and more than

“We really enjoy helping the producers get the crop planted and

10,000 feet of track.

harvested,” Talbott said. “We offer a number of services to help with both, from custom application to seed and chemical sales,

The agriculture industry has changed drastically since the early

along with various contracts to help them market the grain.”

20th century. To continue meeting the needs of producers and consumers alike, grain elevators have to change, too. With a new mobile app, created by Fargo-based software developer Bushel, TriGen Ag Partners is making it easier than ever for elevators to communicate with the growers they serve.

Within the app, growers are able to see cash bids in real-time, track and review contracts, and view scale tickets almost immediately after a load is delivered at any one of TriGen’s facilities. The app also has an “Offer” function, which allows growers to put in orders for the grain they wish to sell at any time of day.

TriGen Ag Partners is utilizing technology to ensure that North Dakota’s legacy as a global ag leader can endure for

RTC Networks' commitment to rural North Dakota, and the fiber upgrades they have made to their network, have made this possible for the communities we serve.

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generations to come–and that technology is powered by fiber internet from RTC Networks.

“It is important to have high-speed internet to connect all of our facilities in different cities,” Talbott said. "RTC Networks' commitment to rural North Dakota, and the fiber upgrades they have made to their network, have made this possible for the communities we serve."

To discover how RTC Networks can support your local

TriGen Ag Partners is making it easier than ever for elevators to communicate with the growers they serve.

business, visit myRTCNetworks.com or call 701-862-3115 today.

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Education is the Best Defense SCROLL, STREAM, AND SHOP SAFELY WITH SUPPORT FROM RTC NETWORKS From the cell phones we use to communicate to the smart televisions we use to stream, we are all more connected to the internet than ever before. And while these devices can make our lives easier and more entertaining, they can also make us more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Ransomware and other threats are continuing to rise for both business and residential internet users. Security attacks increased 31 percent from

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Use Strong Passwords (And Don’t Reuse Them) It may be tempting to reuse a password like “abc1234” across all of your accounts, but each time you recycle a password, you make yourself more susceptible to attacks. To protect yourself and your information, it is important to use passwords that are long, complex, and unique and change them at least once per year. If you are worried about remembering all of your passwords, don’t write them down on a piece of paper that anyone could find—use a secure password manager, like Lastpass, which allows you to store all your valuable password information in one place.

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2020 to 2021, according to Accenture’s “State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021” report.

Every person or business who uses the internet must take steps to ensure that their devices and data are safe. RTC Networks’ Network Manager, Dan Schilla, said it best: “Defense wins games, and education is the best defense against cybercriminals.” Here are a few simple steps that every individual can take to protect their network against cybercriminals:

Stop Snoozing Device Updates Device update notifications may be annoying, but they are also essential to maintaining your device’s security.

Regularly installing crucial updates will protect your laptop, phone, and other devices from the latest threats, so when you get that notification, don’t ignore it–update your device right away.

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TEP 3 2

4

et’s Get Started

lick Look on the Out “Let’s for FakeGet LinksStarted” utton to get started on your ay to managing your network nd devices.

Over 84 percent of all cyber attacks were distributed via email in 2021–a 20 percent increase from 2019. Protect yourself by

recognizing phishing emails, which are sent to trick people into

clicking on a dangerous link. If you click on the link, ransomware can be downloaded onto your device, freezing systems and

holding them hostage until money is paid to unlock the system.

This simple action can carry serious and costly consequences.

Never click any links if you aren’t sure if the email is legitimate.

On a Mac, you can hover over a link to see what the link address is. You can also right click on the link and select “Copy Link Address.” Paste this address into a word or text document to see if it looks fake. Rule of thumb: if you don’t recognize the link, don’t click it.

You don’t have to fight the battle against cybercriminals alone; RTC Networks is here to help. We have taken several precautions to ensure that every user who connects to the internet can do so safely.

Moving to a redundant, 100 percent fiber-optic network is just

Defend Your Devices with ProtectIQ You put locks on your doors to protect your family and belongings. Why not take the same precautions with your network?

The ProtectIQ home network cyber security tool helps you keep a lock on your network and alerts you when

one way that RTC Networks is working to keep our users safe.

any unwanted visitors try to enter. The tool, created by

Hackers have become more and more innovative over the

Calix, Inc., allows broadband service providers like RTC

years, making it easy to compromise traditional cable internet

Networks to stop web threats, intrusions, malware, and

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New to myRTCnet?

Tap “Sign Up” connections through cable tapping or other relatively simple

methods. Because fiber networks don’t radiate signals, they are significantly more difficult to hack into.

We also utilize security tools to keep our network safe. A

distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a form of cyber

attack that aims to disrupt the normal traffic of a server, service,

you are new to myRTCnet ou will need to create an ccount and set up your system

viruses from entering home networks.

ProtectIQ won the Cyber Defense Magazine 2022 Global InfoSec Award for Best in Anti-Phishing, Network Security, and Management, and now RTC Networks is making it more accessible than ever before. We are now including the myRTCnet app’s ProtectIQ feature free of charge for all internet subscribers. Not all homes

or network by flooding it with internet traffic. RTC Networks

have the equipment required for this function, but RTC

protects our customers from DDoS attacks using a tool that

Networks will work with you to get the tools you need.

senses abnormal traffic going to or from a single IP address. We

will then block that traffic so the attack cannot successfully bring down your network.

Contact RTC Networks today to start scrolling, streaming, and shopping more safely with ProtectIQ!

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APPLE APP STORE

EXPERIENCE THE

FUTURE OF INTERNET Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.

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GOOGLE PLAY STORE

Manage your Wi-Fi network from the palm of your hand with myRTCnet.

The myRTCnet app is FREE for all RTC Networks internet customers and gives you an instant snapshot of your home or small business network. ProtectIQ provides network security and protects the devices on your network, and ExperienceIQ gives you total control (including parental controls) for the total Wi-Fi experience!

RTC NETWORKS

TECH TIPS

CRYPTOCURRENCY 101

Cryptocurrency is everywhere these days. You can’t turn on the news or scroll through your Twitter feed without seeing something about Bitcoin or #DogeArmy. If you’re not familiar with the world of crypto, it can leave you with lots of questions, like what is it? How does it work?

And should I buy in?

Well today you’re in luck, let’s dive in!

So how do they work? Unlike cash that

on peer-to-peer networks and

you carry in your pocket and exchange

cryptocurrency exchanges, such as

for goods and services, cryptocurrency

Coinbase, as well as investing apps

exists as digital entries to an online

like Robinhood. But before you go

database called a blockchain. A

buying into Bitcoin, there are a few

blockchain is an open, distributed

things you should consider. First, do

ledger that records transactions

your research. There are more than

in code. Think of it like a virtual

500 exchanges to choose from, so

checkbook that’s distributed across

read reviews and talk with experienced

millions of computers around the world.

investors before diving in.

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency

but you can work around this by

that uses cryptography to secure and verify transactions, making it virtually impossible to counterfeit. The first and most famous form of cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, emerged in 2008, but today

Everyone who uses a cryptocurrency is given their own copy of this checkbook to create a unified record. Software logs each new transaction in real time, and every copy of the blockchain is updated with the new information.

speculative, be prepared for dramatic ups and downs. While Bitcoin reached a price of over $18,000 per coin in November 2020, it bottomed out at under $5,000 in the same year. If your

Next, how do you use it? You can use

blood pressure or investment portfolio

cryptocurrency just like cash to make

can’t handle the rollercoaster that is

purchases, but it’s not a universally

crypto, you may be better off sticking

accepted form of payment yet. Not

to stocks and bonds.

all businesses accept cryptocurrency, exchanging crypto for gift cards to select retailers and restaurants with services like eGifter. You can also sign up for BitPay, a debit card that converts cryptocurrency into dollars.

We’ve only scratched the surface today, but hopefully with this background knowledge you can decide whether crypto is right for you--or at least understand what people are talking about when they bring up “Bitcoin”!

there are thousands of alternates on the market.

And because crypto is highly

Finally, you can invest in crypto.

Cryptocurrency can be purchased

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NEW RTC NETWORKS PHONE LISTINGS Alexander - 828 Brokenspoke LLC.................................(701) 828-3624 Burns, Jerrold......................................(701) 828-3808 Forbes, Jim & TJ..................................(701) 828-3624 Gullikson, James & Diana.................... (701) 828-3247 Horsburgh, Dustin................................(701) 828-3839 Post Office............................................ (701) 828-3457 Roedeske, Erin ....................................(701) 828-3542 Roedeske, Fred & Laurie.....................(701) 828-3729 Yellowstone Station.............................(701) 828-3904 Arnegard - 586 Providence House LLC....................... (701) 586-3300

RTC NETWORKS

HAPPENINGS The following RTC Networks employees have been recognized for their number of years of service to the cooperative as of the year ending in 2021.

1 YEAR

15 YEARS

Keegan Swanson, Technology Specialist

Daniel Leppell, Data Network Tech I

5 YEARS

20 YEARS

Mike Campbell, Technology Specialist

Eric Jaeger, Technology Specialist

Brian Deutsch, Combination Tech

Coordinator

Emmet - 337 Albert, Gayle E..................................... (701) 337-5975 R & D Warehouse .................................(701) 337-5051

Ed Elkins, Utility Tech

Dan Schilla, Network Manager

Garrison - 463 Bittner, Ken & Josie..............................(701) 463-2390

Dar Huus, Marketing Rep

25 YEARS

Erik Linseth, Combination Tech

Brooks Goodall, Chief Operations

Craig Talbott, Cable Locator

Officer/Assistant GM

Mandaree - 759 Conklin, Lana ...................................... (701) 759-3542 MHA Land & Livestock.........................(701) 759-3552 Peterson, Clifford..................................(701) 759-4457 West Segment Cultural........................(701) 759-3552 New Town - 627 Bakken Transload................................. (701)627-3573 North Segment Property Management Security...........

(701) 627-3498 Parshall - 862 Loock, Bob...........................................(701) 862-3989 Neshem, Don........................................(701) 862-1074 Sundsbak, Mike.....................................(701) 862-1110 Superbloom Floral............................... (701) 862-3367 White Mountain, Alexis........................(701) 862-2263

Brock Lynne, Accounting Specialist III

Dave Fransen, Utility Tech

10 YEARS

Ken Ross, Cable Locator

Bernie Howell, CSR II Payton Two Crow, Utility Tech Daryl Johnson, Technology Specialist Amy Keeling, Data Network Tech I

Sept 5

Alex Quale, Data Network Tech I

Labor Day

Jeff Shobe, Combination Tech

RTC Networks Closed

Plaza - 497 Ringoen, Todd & Stacey...................... (701) 497-3456 Roseglen - 743 Elbowoods Memorial Healthcare........ (701) 743-4800 Ralph Wells Community Center - Fax...(701) 743-4799 White Shield Sports Complex............... (701) 743-4712 Watford City - 842 Anderson, Sarah.................................. (701) 444-4896 Campbell, William & Donna................. (701) 444-5287 Hughes, David......................................(701) 444-4887 Jacey Wilson State Farm......................(701) 444-3274 Jacey Wilson State Farm - Fax.............(701) 444-2310 Twist 2.0............................................... (701) 444-3986

2023 PHOTO CONTEST Deadline to submit photos:

September 1, 2022

Sept 6

Return to Normal Business Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Submit your name, RTC Networks account number, and up to 10 highdef pictures to rtcteam@rtc.email.

Oct 1-31

Winners receive a feature in our 2023 Calendar and a $20 bill credit.

Co-op Month

Must be a current RTC Networks

Watch our Facebook page for events and giveaways!

customer.

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NEW POSITIONS

Rodney Bennett Combination Tech

Brenda Brown CSR II - Provisioning

Vanessa Clemmensen Network Tech I

Craig Talbott Cable Locator

Payton Two Crow Utility Tech

NEW EMPLOYEES

Conner Borud Combination Tech

Madison Brown CSR II - Provisioning

Justin Engg Utility Tech

Kaleb Fowler Combination Tech

Ciara Mercado CSR I

Tibbs Moore Combination Tech

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG! Whether you're building a deck, planting a tree or installing a mailbox, you MUST call One Call 48 hours prior to digging. Utility companies will then mark the location of their underground lines to help protect you from damaging them. If you are within RTC Networks service area, you can reach North Dakota One Call by dialing 811 on your landline telephone or 1.800.795.0555.

You can also submit your request at www.ndonecall.com, and click on

Joshua Rockeman Cable Locator

Pat Staples

Grounds/Building Maintenance Tech

Homeowners. You can reach Montana One Call at 1.800.551.8344 or http://www.mt1call.com/

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24 Main Street North, PO Box 68, Parshall, ND 58770 myRTCNetworks.com info@myRTCNetworks.com facebook.com/RTC.coop Customer Service: 0811 (within RTC exchanges) or 701.862.3115 Repair Service: 0611 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.822.3311 24/7 Help Desk: 0211 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.497.2151 Headquarters: 24 Main St N • Parshall, ND 58770 New Town Office: 202 College Drive • New Town, ND 58763 Stanley Office: 215 S Main St • Stanley, ND 58784 Watford City Office: 701 14th St SW • Watford City, ND 58854

READERS

Contest

Congratulations to these Spring 2022 Communicator Readers’ Contest winners.

They will receive a $20 credit on their RTC Networks bill.

NAME

Glenn Helling

Ilene Hoff

Darryl Revier

Russell L. Skadberg

Alexander Exchange

Emmet Exchange

Kenmare Exchange

Steve L. Meyer

Watford City Exchange

Watford City Exchange

PHONE

1. What is now free of charge for all RTC Networks internet subscribers?

For your chance to be entered in the drawing to win a $20 credit on your bill, correctly answer the questions at the right and include with your RTC Networks bill. You can also submit your answers on our website at myRTCNetworks.com/ readerscontest or email your answers to RTCteam@restel.com.

2. How much storage does the new grain terminal provide?

3. Security attacks increased by what percentage from 2020 to 2021, according to Accenture’s “State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021” report?