We will have the Beta version of CTCTV Prime at the Brainerd Lakes Marketplace this weekend. You can stop by the Civic Center on Friday from 10:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. or on Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission is $1 per person. Free if you are 17 and under. 

CTC Officials Meet with Congressional Representatives

To discuss CTC’s efforts to bring advanced communications to the Brainerd Lakes Area and the need for sustained support

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2012 – Representatives from CTC met with the offices of Representative Cravaack and Senator Franken in Washington, D.C. the week of March 18th to discuss the significant impact to small communications providers like CTC in delivering affordable broadband services to consumers in the greater Brainerd Lakes Area.

Kevin T. Larson, CEO/Gm, and Mike Wetzel, CC Board Director, spoke about the importance of broadband for rural business development and growth and also the ways that broadband brings education, public safety, telemedicine and other opportunities to rural consumers. They provided an overview of CTC service areas in the 8^th district of Minnesota and highlighted the types of services they provide to businesses and consumers in the area. They also pointed out the number of jobs CTC provides in the state and other services that contribute to the area’s economic development.

Larson and Wetzel urged their congressional delegates to help them continue to provide the services their community needs at an affordable rate by removing regulatory uncertainty and urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reconsider the deep cuts and other extreme modifications it is proposing to impose on the Universal Service Fund (USF). They explained that cuts to this important fund could put existing investment in rural broadband at risk and discourage future investment in new broadband-capable networks by small companies, leading to increased rates for telephone, broadband and other services.

CTC representatives were in Washington to participate in the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association’s Legislative & Policy Conference March 19-21. More than 500 rural telecom representatives from all over the country gathered in the nation’s capital for educational briefings about emerging rules and regulations and other industry issues. They also took part in visits to policymakers on Capitol Hill and the FCC.

Kyle Linstad of CTC was awarded the thirteenth annual 21st Century Humanitarian Award at this years MTA Annual Convention in Minneapolis. Kyle was driving through a CTC service area when he noticed a dog acting unusual on the side of the road as he was driving by. Kyle decided to turn around to see what was going on when he noticed a gentleman stuck underneath his tractor that had tipped over in the ditch. Kyle followed safety procedures to help the handicap gentleman back to his home. The spouse of the gentleman later called CTC to thank Kyle for his help, she had no idea he was out on his tractor and the outcome could have been far worse had Kyle not stopped to help. All of us at CTC are very proud of Kyle for his thoughtfulness and quick response to help out a member of our Coop!

AboutMinnesota TelecomAlliance

The Minnesota Telecom Alliance is a trade association representing more than 95 small, medium and large telecommunication companies providing voice, video, data, wireless, and high-speed broadband services to Minnesota’s metropolitan and rural communities. More information about MTA can be found at www.mnta.org.