Tularosa Communications Spring Newsletter

THE BASIN CONNECTION Spring 2021

WHY EVERY PARENT NEEDS EXPERIENCEIQ

by Samantha Chavez As leaders in technology, we at Tularosa Communications often look for techy solutions to everyday problems for our customers.

During the pandemic I found myself constantly monitoring what was on my child's tablet, computer, phone, and gaming consolenagging my child about content, time limits, and schooling him on issues like viruses and click-bait because my billing information is also on those devices. As I navigated the seas of the World Wide Web in conversation, my 8 year-old looked blankly back at me, and I knew I needed a whole-home solution that just handled it for us.

In late 2020 we found one, called ExperienceIQ, that tailors content and restrictions straight from your WiFi network (eliminating the need for device settings)- offering customization for each profile created in your home. Tularosa Communications acquired the new app-enabled technology and expect to launch it this Spring. Find more information on our WiFi webpage.

LIFELINE NOTICE

10 DIGIT DIALING

SUICIDE PREVENTION #

The Universal Service Telephone Program that subsidizes phone and internet for low income families has updated their eligibility guidelines for 2021. p. 4

We have been required to switch to 10 digit dialing by the FCC. Please use area codes while dialing. FCC Press Release is listed on p.4

The FCC has designated 988 as the 3 digit dialing code for crisis intervention services-effective 7/16/2022. FCC Press Release is listed on p. 4

WE CONTINUE TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE

By Richard Suggs

Despite uncharted times, Tularosa Communications continues to proceed with expanding our fiber grid to provide faster speeds and updated technology to our community. While supplies, personnel, and shipping have delayed timelines for construction, we're pushing forward to help those who need better internet. In an effort to maintain transparency with our customers and community, we believe that construction will be completed as follows: Palo Duro: Accepting orders Mid-Spring 2021 Russia Canyon: Completing cutovers Early Summer 2021 Pierce Canyon: Completing cutovers Early Summer 2021 North Florida Area: Expecting Summer 2021 Columbine Serving Area: Pending Material Shipment, Expecting Summer 2021 Aspen Serving Area: Pending Material Shipment, Expecting Summer 2021 Karr Canyon Serving Area: Pending Material Shipment, Expecting Late Fall 2021 Radio Serving Area: Scheduled, Expecting Late Fall 2021 Pecos Serving Area: Scheduled, Expecting Late fall 2021

GAME CHANGING SMART WIFI

by Samantha Chavez All WiFi is not the same. Routers (the device that delivers your WiFi) come in all shapes and sizes, have set bandwidth limits, and cover amounts of square footage before they lose signal strength. We are happy to announce that we are launching smart routers with WiFi 6 technology (better throughput and coverage) and customers will have access to an app called Command IQ that lets you configure your network right from your phone.

The app will let you see all devices connected to your network, even intruders, and will give you easy access to things like speed tests for better optimization.

These new routers will also allow you to subscribe to Protect IQ that offers whole-home network anti-virus and intrusion security, and Experience IQ that gives you feature-rich parental controls. The new technology is dynamic and intuitive, giving you control of which devices have bandwidth preference (master bedroom TV over PS5), the content on devices, online curfews and limits, and who has access to the network. Check out our WiFi webpage for more information.

Tularosa Communications | Spring 2021

We're pushing forward to help those who need better internet

REMOTE HELP FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

by Tiffany Fuller Our MSP team is now offering a help desk service that let's them remote in and fix your computer, device, or network issues. This subscription based service eliminates the costs of a truck roll, company downtime, and comes with managed anti-virus protection.

Something not working? Click on our icon in the right-hand corner of your computer and fill out a ticket, a technician will receive it and remote in to troubleshoot with you shortly.

With MSP offerings, they are MANAGED for you.

Meaning all updates, patching, and reporting are taken care of by us. For just $39.99/mo., that's a whole lot cheaper than paying IT staff or having work flows halted. Email tfuller@tbtc.net for more information.

PURSUING PRC GRANT TO HELP US CONSTRUCT IN UNDERSERVED AREAS

by Josh Beug

W of US-54/70 La Luz Area

W of White Sands/US-54

Bent

Management at Tularosa Communications frequently look for ways to provide services to those areas that are underserved in internet. Each situation is complex- with permit and application fees, construction and material costs, number of homes served, as well as labor and existing facilities. Feasibility in some areas is non-existent without the help from grants and State funding. We are applying for a grant to build fiber in the grey areas shown above. While we do not know if our application will be approved, or how much aid we will receive, we wanted to let the public know that we continually seek opportunities to serve our community while keeping costs as low as possible for our customers.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC FCC REQUIRES 10-DIGIT DIALING On July 16, 2020, the FCC adopted an Order (FCC 20-100) approving 988 as the three-digit abbreviated dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting July 16, 2022.

The Order requires all telecommunications carriers, interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, and one-way VoIP providers (covered providers) to make any network changes necessary to ensure that users can dial 988 to reach the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by July 16, 2022.

In order for 988 to work in the 82 area codes in 36 states below, every customer with a number in those area codes with seven-digit local dialing must be transitioned to 10-digit (or 1+10-digit in CA and parts of IL).

The FCC ordered that any area code that has the 988 prefix assigned as telephone numbers and has seven-digit local dialing be transitioned to 10-digit (area code + telephone number) or 1+10-digits (1+ area code + telephone number in CA and parts of IL) local dialing to ensure everyone is able to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline using the three-digit 988 code.

SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing “988” will route your call to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) to reach the Lifeline until July 16, 2022.

NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY

RELAY NEW MEXICO CONTINUED

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home.

Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at their website: www.donotcall.gov. Your registration will not expire.

Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently or until you ask for it to be removed.

Dial 7-1-1 or the appropriate tollfree number provided to connect with Relay New Mexico. A qualified Communication Assistant (CA) will ask for the area code and number of the individual you wish to call and will begin relaying the conversation.

Generally, the CA will voice the typed message from the text telephone (TDD/TIT) user to the hearing person on the other end. The CA then relays the hearing person’s spoken words by typing them back to the TDD/TIT user.

The national registry is nationwide in scope, applies to all telemarketers, with the exception of certain nonprofit organizations, and covers both interstate (from one state to another) and intra-state (within state) telemarketing phone calls.

Relay New Mexico offers specialized services for individuals who have difficulty speaking and for Spanish speaking residents. Specially trained CA’s are on hand to assist in these types of calls. Since Relay New Mexico offers a variety of services please refer to the website listed or call Relay New Mexico Customer Service for more details.

A consumer who receives a telemarketing call despite being on the federal registry will be able to file a complaint by visiting www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1.888.382.1222 or 1.866.290.4236 (TTY).

RELAY NEW MEXICO Relay New Mexico is a free, bilingual (English/Spanish), and confidential public service offered 24 hours a day, which guarantees all citizens access to prompt, professional and accurate communications through the telephone. Consumers of these specialized services, specifically individuals who are deaf; deafblind, hard of hearing or have difficulty speaking, can communicate on the telephone via TIT/TDD, Voice Carry Over (VCO), Hearing Carry Over (HCO), Speech- to-Speech (STS), Spanish and Captioned Telephone in order to connect with family, friends or businesses with ease.

All services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no charge to access Relay New Mexico, although standard long-distance charges apply.

The New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NMCDHH) Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program distributes telecommunications equipment designed for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind. Equipment is distributed to qualified applicants living in New Mexico. For information on the distribution program, go to http:// www.cdhh.state.nm.us/ or call 1-505881-8824.

To place a call using Relay New Mexico, dial 7-1-1 or dial one of the following toll-free numbers below: Voice: 800-659-1779 VCO: 877-659-4147 Spanish: 800-327-1857 Speech-to-Speech: 888-659-3952 TTY/ ASCII: 800-659-8331 Customer Service: 877-463-0994

ANNUAL LIFELINE ASSISTANCE Lifeline service is a government program designed to make monthly residential telephone service rates more affordable to eligible lowincome customers. Customers who are eligible for the Lifeline program are also eligible for toll blocking at no additional charge.

To be eligible for Lifeline, a customer’s annual household income must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, or a customer must receive benefits from or have a child in the household who receives benefits from at least one of the following programs: Medicaid; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Supplemental Security Income (SSI}; Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA}; National School Lunch Program (free lunch program); or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF}.

Lifeline is a non-transferable service and eligible subscribers may receive assistance from only one wireline or wireless telecommunications provider per household. Only eligible customers may enroll in the program.

Customers are required to submit a Lifeline application form and will be required to certify continued eligibility annually. Customers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline benefits can be punished by fine or imprisonment or can be barred from the program.

Basic services are offered to all customers in Tularosa Basin Telephone Company’s service territories (Tularosa, Cloudcroft and Carrizozo) at the rates, terms, and conditions specified in the Company’s tariff. If you have any questions regarding Lifeline service or would like to apply for Lifeline service, please call TBTC at 575-5852700, toll free at 800-972-8282, or visit our business office at 503 St. Francis Drive, Tularosa, NM 88352.

TBTC/TCI STATEMENT OF NON-DESCRIMINATION Tularosa Basin Telephone Company, Inc. is the recipient of Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In accordance with Federal law and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability (not all prohibited bases apply to all programs).

The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Joshua Beug, General Manager. Any individual or specific class of individuals, who feel that this organization has subjected them to discrimination, may obtain additional information on the above statutes and regulations from the USDA. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795- 3272 or (202) 720.5964 (TDD). Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination.

Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

CONTACT US: Corporate Office 503 St. Francis Drive Tularosa, NM 88352

Customer Service 575.585.2700 M-F: 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

WWW.TULAROSA.NET

OFFICE CLOSURES:

Memorial Day Independence Day

5/31

7/5

Holiday Outage Numbers: Internet 575.439.0200 Phone 575.585.8222 Carrizozo Internet 575.585.2800

The TBTC/TCI ADA Statement of Compliance & Relay New Mexico flyer are available in all offices or at www.tularosa.net. TBTC/TCI are equal opportunity service providers.