Red River Communications - Fall 2016 Newsletter

FALL 2016

Your local telecommunications provider

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

redrivercomm.com

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Red River Communications FALL 2016

FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER RED RIVER COMMUNICATIONS JOINS ELITE TIER OF PROVIDERS WITH A 100% FIBER OPTIC NETWORK

JEFF OLSON GENERAL MANAGER/CEO

“...THOUSANDS OF MAN HOURS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT TO REDRIVERCOMM.COM

UPGRADE THE COMMUNICATIONS

In 2003, your cooperative made the decision to rebuild an aging copper cable plant with state-of-the-art fiber optic cable. At the time, this was a difficult decision, relying somewhat on a leap of faith but clearly seeing that fiber was going to be the wave of the future. Fiber-to-the-Home began in 2004, and we are proud to say that 12 years later, every home and business in the Red River serving area now has a fiber connection!

Throughout the past 12 years, thousands of man hours and millions of dollars have been spent to upgrade the communications systems that you have come to rely on. Because of our determination to ensure you have access to modern, fast technology, Red River Communications has been deemed Gig Certified by NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association. As a Gig-Capable Provider, you can be proud to have the fastest broadband connections in the country.

None of this could have been done without the dedication and hard work of those who work for your cooperative. Though a project of this magnitude is complex and stressful at times, the can-do attitude of the employees of Red River Communications throughout the years ensured the project kept moving forward.

Finally, I want to thank all of our member-owners for your patience and cooperation. It is your support and patronage that allows us to do what we do.

SYSTEMS THAT YOU HAVE COME TO RELY ON.”

Did you know? Red River Communications put its first fiber optic transport cable in the ground in 1988.

One Sweet Job

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Local Family Makes Candy Their Business Dirk Monson Member Support Manager Since 2011, sisters Michelle Roeder and DeeAnn Bilben having been making candy their job. Together, the two own and operate Heartland Candies in Hankinson, ND. But the equipment behind the business goes back a lot further.

Originally, the Luce Family began producing lollipops in 1897 using the same machinery. Tens of millions of lollipops were produced on the equipment until 1995 when it was purchased by the Minneapolis Specialty Company. The equipment eventually made its way to Hankinson.

Today, Heartland Candies and its six employees turn out tens of thousands of lollipops each day and ship their products literally all over the world. They are one of only two remaining lollipop manufacturers in the United States.

Don’t let their location and small size fool you. They produce and ship nearly 650,000 customized lollipops each month with no slow down in sight.

In addition to lollipop manufacturing, the company also sells bulk candy. In fact much of the candy Red River Communications threw out at parades this year was from Heartland Candies’ parade mix assortment.

Thanks to the Internet, the business is able to reach customers at any time of day.

Owner Michelle Roeder says, “The majority of our business is done via email so the Internet service and reliable phone service is a necessity.”

Businesses looking for customized lollipops or bulk candy can visit them online at HeartlandCandies.com.

Local People. Locally Made. Locally Awesome.

Have an idea for a business we should feature next? Email membersupport@redrivercomm.com

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Want to see How They Make It? Visit redrivercomm.com/candy for exclusive behind-the-scenes footage

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COMMON CENTS FOR THE COMMON GOOD: “Rounding Up” Makes a Large Difference

Red River Communications FALL 2016

The Common Cents Board met in September to review applications and made donations totaling $2,500.

Thank you to the Red River customers who round up their monthly bills to the next full dollar and pool those extra funds into the Common Cents program. The Board awards funds for projects that enhance the communities in and around the Red River Communications service area.

Common Cents has awarded $125,314 to area non-profits, community organizations and several individuals since its inception in 2008.

APPLYING FOR FUNDS Local non-profits and community organizations with specific projects in and around Red River’s service area are encouraged to apply. Individuals with emergency needs or major medical needs are also eligible.

Applications are available at redrivercomm.com/about/ common-cents or at the business office. Completed applications can be returned by mail, dropped off at the business office or emailed to donnathiel@redrivercomm. com.

RECENT AWARDS Three Rivers Gymnastics $500 to replace the air floor system Lidgerwood Public School – NASP Archery $500 for archery equipment and supplies Great Bend Park Board $500 to replace the ball diamond back stop fence Immanuel Lutheran Early Child Care Center $1,000 for classroom TVs and video equipment

The next deadline is November 28.

Capital Credits Did you get your check?

Membership in a cooperative has its rewards. This fall Red River Communications cut checks to 3,500 of its members and returned $310,677 that members had earned as capital credits (profits). All of the capital credits earned from years 1987 and 1988 were paid as well as 10% from 2015.

Director of Finance Jack Plecity says the capital credit retirement “is evidence that the cooperative is working for you (the members.)” This is the third year that a portion of last year’s earnings have been paid out to current members.

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Capital credits are allocated to you as a member each year based on several factors of your service with Red River Communications. Putting it simply, the more business you have through the Cooperative, the more capital credits you earn. Capital credits are then banked and used toward growth and maintenance of the Cooperative until the Board of Directors determines the Cooperative is financially able to retire (pay out) capital credits. Capital credits are also payable to an estate upon the death of the co-op member or upon the official dissolution of a business.

If you move from the Cooperative’s service area please contact our business office to update your address in order for capital credits checks to reach you in the future.

WE HAVE CHECKS FOR THESE PEOPLE

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Below is a list of outstanding checks that were issued in 2014 & 2015. If you are the person or business listed please contact our office at 701-553-8309 or email sherribernard@redrivercomm.com so we can re-issue your check. If the person listed is deceased please have their next of kin contact our office.

BARNESVILLE, MN ACKERSON DAVID J ANDERSON CARROLL J. BINSFELD CONRAD FISHER KEVIN FRIEDERICHS TIM FROSLIE RYAN GARY SMITH POTATO WHSE GOHEEN ELLIOT GOODWILL MAURICE HAGE MARK HIGDEM RAY & MARY HOUGH JOSEPH R HUGHES LEONARD JORGENSON TERRY KAVA RAY LENOUE CRAIG LEWIS MIKE MILLER RON MULCAHY ED NAUERTZ MIKE NELSON JAMES M NYBERG JAMES OTT JASON RIDDERING DAVE SCHAEFER GREG SETER JOHN SILLERUD CARL E SMITH GARY SOLUM DONALD THYSELL BROS INC BARNEY, ND BRAATEN ANDREW DRAEGER CLARENCE GOERGER CATHRYN SANDEN ROBERT

BRECKENRIDGE, MN KAUTZ JOHN REZAC GERALD SUNOPTA SUNFLOWER YAGGIE DONALD COLFAX, ND HACKEY JEFF HENDRICKSON CHAD HENDRICKSON DARREL KRUMP PAMELA LINGEN CHAD MOEN STEVE SMITH VINCENT PETER WILLIAMS GARY LEE

FAIRMOUNT, ND AMUNDSON AMANDA BERTELSEN BRENT FITZPATRICK JENNIFER KRAFT STEVE

FARGO, ND AARFOR JAMES BALDNER MARY BREUER DAVID CARGILL FINANCIAL SERV CENTER DREWLOW ARNOLD MRS FLAA MILDRED GENEVA GUNNESS LOIS KRAUSE STEVE SCHEIDECKER ROBERT WIEN WALLACE GREAT BEND, ND GARDEN BAR HENTGES DARRELL THIELE CHAD WHALEY SARA HANKINSON, ND ARENDS JESSE BIRNBAUM FRANCIS BOLL ARLIE BOLL ERIC GINSBACH STEVEN GREEN CASEY HOEFS LLOYD IBARRA ROGELIO KRATCHA JAMES C LANGERUD RYAN LUGERT ROBERT LUGERT RONALD & BRENDA PANKOW DEBRA PETERSON DAWN PROCHNOW MYRON PUETZ DOUG SCHILTZ ROGER SCHULER MAVIANN HAWLEY, MN AAKRE TOM BERCIER CAMERON BJORNDAHL AARON K ERDMANN ROBERT ERICKSON L WAYNE & ANGELA GALLAGHER FRANCES GRAN LUTHERAN CHURCH GRANDBOIS LEROY HAAS JOHN HANSON ELDEN HAUG RODNEY HAYLOFT ANTIQUES JACOBSEN ROB JOHNSON STEVEN LEE KASIN FARMS OFFICE MIDTHUN JESSICA MINAR RICHARD NORMAN OSCAR OLSON WENDELL RIKHUS CAROL RUSS MIKE SCHENCK MERLE WALLACE RICHARD WALLACE WENDY ZEPPER CARY RADECK WILLIAM

KENT, MN AMDAHL CINDY BOUTIETTE CRAIG & CAROLYN HAM LAURA OLTHOFF MICHAEL PAVLICEK MICHAEL LIDGERWOOD, ND ADAMS TONY ARTH DIANE BIEWER DOUGLAS & JOAN BORGEN GREG COMMUNITY FIRST DOLEZAL DEAN & JANEL EBEL VIOLA FAHLBUSCH ELEANOR HEJTMANEK HAROLD HENDRICKS DENISE HOESEL WELDON & RONDA M HOLY CROSS LUTH CHURCH KLOSTERMAN TYLER KUZEL DONALD LENTZ RODRICK & BRENDA “LIDGERWOOD CAFE % CINDY MARCUSON” LUGERT JOHN A MANIKOWSKI NICK MATTSON TOM MEDENWALD RUBEN & JANE ODENBRETT LEROY PODLISKA DON RANDALL ANNA M SCOTT ROBERT MCLEOD, ND HEGSETH CHRIS LANGSDON DON OLERUD SCOTT PRATT DAVID THE DUNER MOORETON, ND BERNARD ARTHUR FORD RANDY HANSON EARL LUDEMANN WALTER OVERBY BRADY RING JENNIFER MOORHEAD, MN BARTA RICHARD BUTH MERLE HUOVINEN RODNEY PAUL NELSON JULIE THOMPSON NELS D WILLIAMS HUGH MRS PELICAN RAPIDS, MN GEHRIG LAWRENCE GULLICKSON MAVIS JEHS WALTER MCWETHY KEN & LYNN PERRIN BOB ROTHSAY, MN HAUGRUD BRENT HOLUBOK DONALD KRUEGER LOUIS

WAHPETON, ND BLOCK ROBERT M. BREUER LUELLA ESTATE CARLSON ALVIN ELLINGSON DAVE ESTES DARLENE GALCHUTT CAFE GILLES FRANCIS GRIFFITH ELSIE GULLY HARVEY G ISTA MILDRED MRS JACOBSON NETTIE MRS KRUMP JIM KURTZ DUANE LARSON PETE LINK MABEL MRS MATZ TIM MEYER MIKE & LISA MOTZKO FLORENTINE NASH BRAD NELSON GARRETT NORDICK DEAN PEARSON TIM SANDELL RICHARD THIELE ELDEN VILAND TROY WATELAND SYVER WALCOTT, ND ISTA GLENN KUB JASON KUMMER MARK WYNDMERE, ND ENERSON DAVID & LESLIE GUTZMER TINA HABERMAN JAMES J KUCHERA ANDREA NANCY ROSSOW OSTER JOHN QUAM ROBERT RALL ANTHONY SPRENGER DUSTIN THE BLACK PELICAN THOMPSON LESLIE VASQUEZ JOSEFINA WILLIAMS BRENT M WODARZ GERARD WRIGHT KATE OTHER LOCATIONS LORETEL SYSTEMS SOUTH (ADA, MN) LEIER MIKE (ALAMONTE SPG, FL) DAVIS DUANE (ARCO, MN) HULNE JACK & DONZETTA (AUSTIN, TX) CAMPBELL DINA J (BELLE PLAINE, MN) RAEDER WESLEY M (BILLINGS, MT) STARRY KYLE (BLAINE, MN ) SAYRE FRANK (BONITA, CA) MIGLER JEROME (BOTTINEAU, ND) OSCARSON LOIS M (BROOKINGS, SD) WILLIAMS FARM (DUBUQUE, IA) HARE ROBERT (EDINA, MN) ALM RICK (EMILY, MN) BOEDER LESLIE (EVERGREEN, CO)

JENSEN KEITH & SUSAN (FAIRMONT, MN) JOHNSON LEANNA (FERGUS FALLS, MN) JONES PRISCILLA (FERGUS FALLS, MN) BJERKAGER DENNIS (GALCHUTT, ND) SIEMIENIEWSKI TOM (GENESEO, ND) FLECK ROY (GLYNDON, MN) WALLER KIM (GLYNDON, MN) NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (GRAND FORKS, ND) HARDEN MIKE & LAURI (GRANDIN, ND) HEINTZ WAYNE (HARVEY, ND) DE PEW WARREN (HOMER, MI) WEST PLAINS CO (KANSAS CITY, MO) BATTRICK CALVIN (KINGMAN, AZ) NAASTAD MARSHA (LAKE PARK, MN) FLAA JOHN (LEONARD, ND) SILVA SARA (LOUISVILLE, KY) PIERCE JAMES A (MADISON, SD) HEJTMANEK DOUG (MANTADOR, ND) WHEELER BILL (MANTADOR, ND) SYVERTSEN MARK (MESA, AZ) BROWN ALAN (MILNOR, ND) GRUBA KENNETH (MILNOR, ND) PEAVEY CO (MINNEAPOLIS, MN) BECKER ANITA (MONTICELLO, MN) REHMETS LUMBER INC (NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV) NUECHTERLEIN GARY (PORT ORFORD, OR) USPS / 02013450 (QUINCY, MA) TEPFER STEVE (RENVILLE, MN) OLSON EARL (RICHMOND, IN) LABER LARRY (ROCHESTER, MN) NELSON DUANE (SAN DIEGO, CA) MELLGREN DALE (SPOKANE, WA) KUMMER JAMES (ST. LOUIS PARK, MN) PHILLIPS TONY (TINTAH, MN) MOE AXEL (VALLEY CITY, ND) GEORGE JAMES (WEST FARGO, ND) WIGTIL NORRIS & NADINE (WEST FARGO, ND) OLTHOFF MICHAEL (WILLIAMS, OR) PEEBLES BILLIETTE (WILLISTON, ND) AIGNER PAUL (WOLVERTON, MN)

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

DETROIT LAKES, MN MAIANU PETRE NWB-TERRY EKHOLM

LEINEN DONALD OPGRAND A & D THE VELVET TRUNK

Red River Communications FALL 2016

ABERCROMBIE, ND LEHMANN AMY LODAHL BROTHERS SITTE CARL SYVERTSEN BETTY J

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Red River Communications FALL 2016

JENNIFER CLARK MEMBER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Can’t decide what to get everyone on your list this year? Don’t worry, Red River Communications is gadget central!

We have gifts perfect for everyone at every stage of their life! Got a gamer who’s looking for the next big thing? How about a school age kid who needs a laptop to study with? Have a spouse who loses their keys all the time? Grandma ready for her first smartphone? Have a budding photographer on your list? We’ve got it all!

We encourage you to shop local this holiday season!

Our showroom is open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm. We’re located on Broadway in Abercrombie. Can’t make it to Abercrombie? Call us and we can ship your order!

Virtual Reality $$ Great for smartphone users, gamers, techies The future of gaming is here! Plunge yourself in 360˚ photos, videos and games.

By combining special goggles with headphones, you’re “transported” to an environment where the senses are tricked into thinking you’re experiencing the event in the real world!

Virtual Reality is a total immersive experience and works with hundreds of apps available in your device’s app store.

VR goggles from HooToo work with almost any smartphone

It’s an easy to use gift ANYONE will love!

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Power Bank $ Cell phone or laptop always running low on battery when you need it the most? Keep a power bank tucked away in your purse, car or gym bag for a quick power boost. Connect your device and get hours of additional battery charge.

$

UNDER $30

$$

UNDER $75

$$$

OVER $100

DENOTES A MUST HAVE GIFT

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Great for first-time users, students, parents A new type of computer for everything you love to do online.

A slim, lightweight device that’s ready to use right out of the box.

Red River Communications FALL 2016

Chromebook $$$ Simply log in, connect to Wi-Fi and it’s ready to go. Automatic security updates mean your computer is protected from malware and viruses.

Selfie Stick $ Take the perfect selfie every time! Easily and quickly attach any smart phone to extend the reach to take the perfect picture.

The photographer in your life is certain to love this fun and

wacky phone accessory. Works with both Apple and Android smart phones.

Tile Tracker $ The easiest way to find your things. Simply attach Tile to your keys, remote control, purse or other item you frequently lose. When you need to find a lost item, open the app on your smartphone and tap to find it.

Tile will ring the tracker attached to your missing item helping you locate it. In case you’ve left your item behind at a store, restaurant, etc., the map on your smartphone app will show you the GPS location of your item.

Apple iPhone 7 $$$ iPhone 7 dramatically improves the most important aspects of the iPhone experience. It introduces advanced new camera systems and has the best performance and battery life ever in an iPhone. Its immersive stereo speakers and brightest, most colorful iPhone display make this the smartphone to have.

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Apple’s most powerful smartphone yet

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WIN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Red River Communications FALL 2016

Several college scholarships are available to high school seniors whose parent or guardian has current service with Red River Communications.

FRS Scholarships – one application for more than $50,000 in scholarships awarded nationwide.

MN Telecom Alliance Scholarships – $2,000 scholarships awarded to Minnesota students statewide.

MN Co-op Scholarship – open to students whose parent/ 2010 Scholarship Recipient Tanasha Krull guardian has telephone service in the Barnesville, Rollag or Kent exchange. This $600 scholarship will be awarded through the local scholarship organization.

Find details about the scholarships and links to the applications at redrivercomm.com/ about/scholarships. Get started today – the first step to winning a scholarship is to apply.

Directors to be Elected Annual Meeting Planned March 16 The 65th Annual Meeting will be held March 16 in Abercrombie to review the 2016 financial year and hold an election of directors. The meeting will be held in the evening at the Richland Elementary School.

Election: Three areas will be electing a director to serve a three-year term: District 2 – Barnesville Exchange District 5 – Kent Exchange District 9 – Lidgerwood and Wyndmere Exchanges

Director Qualifications Must be a member of the Cooperative;

employee or current director

Nominations Process: The Bylaws were amended in 2016 to require every nominee for director gather at least 10 valid signatures from members of their district on a petition. Petition forms are available at the business office.

Completed petitions are due at the Cooperative’s business office by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017.

Those petitions will be validated and nominees with valid petitions will be placed on the ballot for election at the Annual Meeting. If there is no competition for a seat then ballots will not be issued for that district and instead a voice vote will be taken at the Annual Meeting. No writeins or nominations from the floor are accepted.

Please contact our business office if you have any questions.

Be a resident of the area from which he or she is elected and have resided there for more than ninety (90) days during the last twelve (12) months; REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Not be a current or past employee of the Cooperative or in any material way financially interested in a competing business; Not be a convicted felon of any state or federal crime; Not be closely related to any current Cooperative

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Clickbait - The W

Red River Communications FALL 2016

Austin Hermunslie Network Administrator

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you’ll be swept off to.” –Bilbo Baggins We all do it when we surf the web.

You start your surfing journey by going to a favorite website, a local news site, sports site, Facebook. Every time we turn on the computer/laptop/mobile device we are leaving a virtual “home” and exploring whoever or whatever subjects we are searching for. After a series of clicks, one page leads to another, and we veer off.

You may soon be somewhere completely different than where you originally set out upon.

Then, it only takes a moment to click on something that could get us into trouble.

ClickBait: Advertisements or articles that are (often) on the sidebar or bottom of an otherwise informative webpage As if they were carnival barkers, yelling, “STEP RIGHT UP, see the man eating chicken!” One clicks and sadly finds that it’s just someone eating chicken. The reality of the situation is that they are often items that will say “look how these stars look 30 years later” or “8 foods to never eat.” I’m sure you have all seen them.

These ads are often monetized, and the host websites get kickbacks for sending you to another website. While the clicks aren’t worth much (perhaps a fraction of a penny), enough people click them to generate revenue. Outbrain and Taboola are 2 of the most prolific Clickbait creators virtually littering the cyberscape.

While most of these websites house innocent content, others harbor software code that can do real damage to your digital device.

Safety Tip REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Look for the secure icon on websites that request sensitive personal information such as your credit card number. The padlock indicates that anything you submit will be encrypted and kept safer.

Wolf at The Door CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT – If you don’t need to read it, don’t. It’s probably not worth your time to “see how these 37 child stars look now.” Are you truly going to feel better about yourself after reading it?

BE DILIGENT IN WHERE YOU ARE in the cloud when you click. Are you on a highly visible web/news site? Generally a national news website will have safer content than other smaller market sites.

IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT GENERALLY IS. There is no free iPad, so don’t click to win one. There is no “1 Trick to help ________” fill in the blank. Don’t click there please! You may be creating a mess to clean-up later if your computer or device becomes compromised.

Red River Communications FALL 2016

Avoiding Common Traps

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ALWAYS BE CAREFUL WITH FINANCIAL INFORMATION online. Never give it out over an unsecured website. Certainly don’t buy prepaid cards to give them numbers either.

CREATE STRONG, SECURE, ORIGINAL PASSWORDS and change them periodically.

Passwords such as “1234”, “password”, significant dates or kids names are easily compromised. A strong password may be the easiest way to protect your computer and your online accounts from being hacked.

One new trend is online ads that claim you’ve won a prize or that your computer is infected.

In reality, these ads are more sinister in nature, often hiding a wolf: software or malicious code that eventually infects your device, leaving it susceptible to hackers.

No user means to purposefully infect a computer or device with a virus or malware. The Internet is a fascinating technology that makes all of our lives easier. Taking precautions to protect yourself and your devices will make the Internet a safer resource for all of us.

REDRIVERCOMM.COM

Clickbait on a major news site

PO Box 136 510 Broadway Abercrombie, ND 58001

FALL 2016

NEW DIRECTORY LISTINGS Abercrombie Hovind, Dylan & Jackie Mark, Daniel & Kayla

Dollar General 242-0009 553-8387 Krump, Terry & Shala 242-7675 553-8773 Leinen, Donald 242-7732 Lovdokken Auto & 242-0017 Colfax Convenience Store Benjamin R 372-3463 Marketplace for Kids 242-7744 Reiland, Justin & Leslie 372-3437 Fax Line 242-7754 Mauer, Jerome & Linda 242-0026 Fairmount Severson, Claude & Jodi 242-7767 Manock, Kevin & Ione 474-5707 Kent Great Bend Hanson, Nick & Sierra Rettig 557-8321 Benton, Jim & Wendy 545-7525 Miransowski, Steve 557-9240 Jezusko, Scott & Alyson 545-7588 Weibusch, Jeremy & Trista 545-7591 Rollag Wilm, Myron 545-7442 Anderson, Dan 937-5021 Anderson, Jacob & Jessica 937-5502 Hankinson Craigmile, Rachelle & 937-5786 Doc’s Pub & Eatery 242-7676 Jesse Reimann

Hoff, Chris & Milissa 937-5229 Jacobson, Kelly & Tamara 937-5531

Fax Line 937-5532 Laux, Robert & Kelly 937-5495 Westlund, Steven & Cynthia 937-5309 Wyndmere Burwell, Elise 439-2707 Woodbury, Timothy 439-2132

BUSINESS HOURS

INTERNET HELP DESK

BILL PAY. YOUR WAY.

Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:30pm

Need assistance? We’re here 24/7 to help you!

Pay your bill without any added fees!

Closed Saturday and Sunday

701-553-8309

855-386-9905 redrivercomm.com

Your local telecommunications provider

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