Stories of Innovation

By Joshua Seidemann , Vice President of Policy, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association July 1, 2019 Over several years of contributing to various NTCA blogs I earned a reputation for sharing somewhat shambolic takes on tech and industry trends. The posts...

By Ashley Spinks , Communications Coordinator, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association June 19, 2019 Six years ago at Nemont’s (Scobey, Mont.) Annual Meeting, Chief Executive Officer Mike Kilgore shared a heartbreaking story: His close friend had lost a child in a...

Longtime NTCA members look back on the industry upon the association’s 65th anniversary.

By Jesse Ward , Director, Industry and Policy Analysis, NTCA In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS), NTCA recently announced that it is exploring the creation of a new Cyber-Threat...

Cybersecurity is top of mind for most small, rural telecommunications operators, but at Big Bend Telephone (Alpine, Texas), the stakes are even higher.

The theme of the 2019 NTCA Marketing & Sales Conference, held April 29–May 1, 2019, in New Orleans, La., was “Marketing is”—a play on the idea that marketing can be all things to all people, depending on who you ask.

At its annual Marketing + Sales Conference in New Orleans, La., April 28–30, 2019, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association introduced a new type of program during the meeting’s breakout sessions. Inspired by the many stories we’ve heard of rural broadband connections facilitating emerging technology, education and economic development, NTCA held two “Ignite Innovation” sessions.

A press conference to announce the fiber buildout plans of his cooperative, Citizens Telephone, is set to begin within an hour, but Chief Executive Officer Greg Sapp is in storytelling mode. Gathered in the Citizens office in rural southwest Virginia, a group of reporters, legislators, economic development professionals and more listens as Sapp reads from the original “Minutes Book” of the telco.

Nelson Communications Cooperative (NTec; Durand, Wis.) is on a mission to confront senior citizens’ loneliness in order to improve the longevity and quality of their lives.

NineStar’s latest project is the repurposing of an existing building to create a massive, 18,000 square-foot co-working space that the company has dubbed the Idea Co-Op.

Everyone hates broadband maps. Everyone mistrusts or distrusts them. They show services where everyone in a neighborhood knows services aren’t available.

On March 5, the fiber provider subsidiary of his RLEC, RiverStreet Networks, announced a groundbreaking new partnership with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives

In January, CoBank released its report on the year ahead, “Forces That Will Shape the U.S. Rural Economy in 2019.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel entitled “Rebuilding Rural America: Health Care Infrastructure” at the National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) Rural Health Policy Institute.

Former NTCA Board Chairman John Klatt shares his views on how broadband companies can support rural economic development.

By Ashley Spinks, Communications Coordinator, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association February 6, 2019 The final day of this year's Rural Telecom Industry Meeting and Expo began with a fun and moving Excellence Awards ceremony during which NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley...

By Ashley Spinks, Communications Coordinator, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association February 5, 2019 For some members attending RTIME, their day began very early this morning with the NTCA Rural Broadband PAC 50th Anniversary Celebration breakfast at 7 a.m. Others had an...

By Ashley Spinks, Communications Coordinator, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association February 4, 2019 The Opening General Session of the NTCA Rural Telecom Industry Meeting and Expo was held this morning in New Orleans. NTCA Board Chairman Kevin Beyer began the program...

By Ashley Spinks, Communications Coordinator, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association February 3, 2019 The sun was shining in New Orleans as members made their way to Conference Central for registration this morning—the first full day of programming at the NTCA Rural...

I took the opportunity to talk with Marketing Manager Mike Gerenser about REDCOM, its recent acquisition, and how the company can serve rural broadband providers like those in NTCA’s membership.