RTC Networks Spring 2023 Newsletter

GENERAL MANAGER A MESSAGE FROM OUR

RTC NETWORKS COMMUNICATOR

24 Main Street North, PO Box 68, Parshall, ND 58770 www.myRTCNetworks.com, info@myRTCNetworks.com

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

Fax: 701.862.3008

Email: info@myRTCNetworks.com

Publication Contact:

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© 2023 by RTC Networks (Reservation Telephone Cooperative) and

For me, this time of year always represents growth and new beginnings–and we have plenty of new beginnings to celebrate here at RTC Networks. I will highlight some of these new beginnings in this letter.

In order to accommodate the significant growth we’ve experienced in recent years and best serve our entire community, RTC Networks has added a new role: Construction Manager - West. Our teammate Dave Uhlich has been promoted to this new management role and will be responsible for the following exchanges: Watford City, Keene, Arnegard, Alexander, the Gap, Beach, and Medora. Dave will also oversee the areas around Wibaux, MT and Fairview, MT, after the planned fiber construction for those areas has been completed In his 19 years as a Technician and Coordinator at RTC Networks, Dave has demonstrated the dedication and leadership required for this new role. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement, Dave!

Another new beginning to celebrate is our expanded service territory. Federal grant programs have allowed us to bring fiber to under-served areas, to the west, like Cartwright, ND. Reliable broadband internet, phone service, and security cameras from RTC Networks

allow businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish. One such entrepreneur is Will Berry. Will and his family operate Yellowstone Station and connect their tiny town to the world through RTC Networks services. Read more about this exciting new beginning on page 3.

Finally, students across the region are preparing for their own new beginnings as we approach graduation season. RTC Networks is proud to be awarding 34 scholarships to deserving students

in our area, totalling $40,000. We are excited to celebrate these students on graduation day and look forward to watching them take their next steps toward their educational goals.

I wish you a happy spring from all of us at RTC Networks, and as the snow (finally) melts, remember to call before you dig!

Shane Hart

Shane Hart, CEO/GM

Don’t let the lingering snow fool you: spring has arrived in western North Dakota.

Tellwell.

RTC Networks is proud to be awarding 34 scholarships to deserving students in our area, totalling $40,000.

RTC NETWORKS SPOTLIGHT

YELLOWSTONE STATION

With support from RTC Networks, two brothers are putting Cartwright, ND on the map.

Five minutes from North Dakota’s western border, just off of Highway 200, there is a gas station... and a post office... and a conference center... and a liquor store... and a tactical shop.

And they all live under one roof.

Locally owned and family-operated, Yellowstone Station is a one-stop-shop for travelers and locals alike. It’s the brainchild of brothers Will and Luke Berry, who sought to revitalize their hometown of Cartwright, ND.

“There was nothing here. Our post office closed three years ago,” Will said. “Our population is 12, if you count the neighbor’s dog.”

His head count may be a slight underestimate–Cartwright’s population actually hovers a bit higher (around 30), but Will’s description of the community is otherwise accurate. Before Yellowstone Station, residents had to travel nearly 30 minutes in any direction–to Williston, Watford City, or Sidney–to mail a letter or grab a bite to eat.

“Since we built this, I’ve actually gotten to see more of my neighbors because there is somewhere for everyone to go,”

Will said. “We may be a small town, but now we have a little bit of everything.”

While Yellowstone Station may have a bit of everything now, they started in 2011 as just a fuel station for trucks passing through to the oil fields. After securing a contract with the United States government to reopen a post office in Cartwright, the Berry brothers put their entrepreneurial brains together to determine what else the community could use–and on April 1, 2022, Yellowstone Station opened its doors.

From that very first day, Yellowstone Station has been a true family affair. Will and Luke oversee operations; their mother, Mavis, is in charge of accounting; their father, Ron, helps out in the store; and Will’s wife, Emily, is in charge of ordering inventory and maintaining the business’s online presence.

“Anything that saves me time, they are willing to help with,” Will said.

RTC Networks is proud to be an honorary member of the Yellowstone Station family, providing fiber internet to keep the business up and running. Will understands the importance of a high-speed, reliable internet connection. Before settling back in his hometown, Will spent years traveling the world. Over the course of his travels, he saw the best and the worst that the internet had to offer.

“Before RTC Networks came to Cartwright, I used to have better luck at an internet cafe in Bolivia than I did in my own hometown,” he said.

Now, with fiber from RTC Networks, Yellowstone Station has reliable connectivity at every corner of their property. The credit card reader at each fuel pump connects to the till in the store, and transactions are authorized in seconds. A monitor with a static IP address on each tank allows Will to monitor fuel levels remotely and automatically sends a notification to providers when they need more fuel.

“Everything down to the smoothie machine has to connect to the internet,” Will said.

The internet also allows Yellowstone Station to connect their business to the world, even from Cartwright. The tactical arm of the business, Yellowstone Tactical, has its own online store that automatically syncs with the inventory of the physical store.

The Berry brothers’ next venture, Yellowstone Rifle Company, is set to open this spring. From a separate building on the same property, Yellowstone Rifle will manufacture custom rifles right here in North Dakota, with stock from a provider in Norway.

“I was just on a video call with our stock maker the other day,” Will said. “It’s amazing because the internet was

The internet was flawless enough that there was zero delay from here to Norway.

flawless enough that there was zero delay from here to Norway.”

Will and Luke Berry have built an incredible business out of nothing. With internet from RTC Networks, they ensure that their business is protected from weather, theft, and other threats. All of Yellowstone Station’s security cameras are streamed over the internet, so Will can access the footage from anywhere, at any time–whether it’s at his farm a few miles away or halfway across the world.

“I moonlight as a professional pilot,” he said. “When I do that I take my laptop with me, and I can still monitor all sales and make sure everything is running smoothly from wherever I am. I can see if there is anything fishy going on.”

A t-shirt that can be purchased from Yellowstone Station’s online shop poses a question that Will has been asked his entire life: “Where the hell is Cartwright?” It’s a question he often heard when calling Yellowstone Station’s former telephone provider, a large national company, for support.

Not with RTC Networks.

“It’s a delight to have a local provider,” Will said. “Everybody you talk to is in North Dakota. They actually know where

RTC Networks is proud to support local businesses like Yellowstone Station. Learn more about the business and its two subsidiaries, Yellowstone Tactical and Yellowstone Rifle Company, at yellowstonestation.us.

Before RTC Networks came to Cartwright, I used to have better luck at an internet cafe in Bolivia than I did in my own hometown.

Cartwright is.”

STRUGGLING WITH SLOWER-THAN-USUAL INTERNET?

IT MAY BE TIME TO REBOOT YOUR ROUTER.

Just like humans, routers need a little break from time to time in order to keep working at top speeds.

Rebooting is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fix an internet connection that isn’t working properly.

Here’s how to reboot your GigaSpire router from RTC Networks:

First, do NOT use a paperclip or other item to try to press the reset button.

If your router has an on/off button on the lower left side, press that button to power off. Wait 2030 seconds and press the button again to power on the router.

If your router does not have an on/off button, remove the power cable from the lower left side by squeezing in the sides of the cable and pulling out. Wait 20-30 seconds and then reattach the power cable to apply power to the router.

After roughly 3-5 minutes, your router will boot back up. You should be back to streaming and scrolling in no time!

If this process does not solve your connectivity issues, give us a call at 701-862-3115 to speak directly with one of our tech experts.

Do NOT press the reset button!

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Congratulations to all 34 of our 2023 scholarship winners! We wish you the best as you start your new adventure. Juniors, keep an eye out for next year’s applications at myrtcnetworks.com/ scholarships

Derrick Handeland Kenmare High School Bismarck State College

Rainbow Perkins Parshall High School University of Kansas

Charlee Schenfisch North Shore Plaza High School University of North Dakota

Karli Klein Garrison High School Northern State University

Emily Fannik Max High School North Dakota State University

Nevaeh Thiers Watford City High School North Dakota State College of Science

Erick Talbott Max High School Minot State University

Tyson Odermann Parshall High School Yale University

Aaron Cutshall Johnson Corners Christian Academy Valley City State University

Ava Froseth Kenmare High School Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Ava Schuster Stanley High School

University of North Dakota

Calum Sorenson Stanley High School

North Dakota State University

RTC NETWORKS HAPPENINGS

NEW POSITION

We are excited to announce that Wes Mincer has moved into a new position. Congratulations Wes!

2024 CALENDAR CONTEST

Deadline to submit photos: September 1,

2023

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

Winners receive a feature in our 2024 Calendar and a $20 bill credit.

Must be a current RTC Networks customer.

Wes Mincer Fiber Splicer

June 15

Meeting 4 Bears Event Center New Town, ND at 5pm

July 4

Independence Day Office Closed

NEW RTC NETWORKS PHONE LISTINGS

Alexander - 828 Admiral Well Service Corp (701)828-3101 Fast Energy Services (701)828-3181

Beach - 872

Chrudimsky, Marian (701)872-3300 Dobrowski, Louis & Diana (701)872-3313 Jones, LR (701)872-0032

Lindelien, Thomas (701)872-2323 Van Vleet, Leone (701)872-4692

Vine, Brian & Jenna (701)872-5177

Cartwright - 744 Paulson, Carroll (701)744-5137

Douglas - 529 Parisien, Kabryne (701)529-4004

Garrison - 463

Voth, Freda (701)463-2029

Kenmare - 385

Mogren Custom Processing (701)385-4901

Peterson, Sandra (701)385-4428

South Of The Border 2.0 (701)385-3838

Medora - 623

Hammer, D & T (701)623-5946

New Town - 627 52 WEST (701)627-3860

Clifford, Pam (701)627-2414

Maagarishda Nest (701)627-2768

North Segment - Health Hub (701)627-3265

North Segment - Health Hub Fax (701)627-3285

North Segment Quick Lube (701)627-2112

DAVE UHLICH PROMOTED TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGER - WEST

Our teammate Dave Uhlich has been promoted to this new management role and will be responsible for the following exchanges: Watford City, Keene, Arnegard, Alexander, the Gap, Beach, and Medora. Dave will also oversee the areas around Wibaux, MT and Fairview, MT, after the planned fiber construction for those areas has been completed.

We’ve also extended our reach to previously under-served areas in western North Dakota and eastern Montana. With this growth comes additional operational duties, which is why on March 13, 2023, RTC Networks added a Construction Manager role in the west.

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. Once you call, utility companies will mark the location of their underground lines to help protect you from damaging them. Submit your request online at www.ndonecall.com or www.montana811.org, click on homeowners. You can also call in your request by dialing 811 from your landline or cell phone.

Dave started at RTC Networks in 2004 as a Combination Tech. He was later promoted to the position of Combination Tech Lead, and then further to Combination Tech Coordinator. In his 19 years with RTC Networks, Dave has demonstrated the dedication and leadership required for this new role.

Read the full press release on our website!

MEDORA MUSICAL TICKETS

We are giving away tickets throughout the summer and there are so many ways that you can get entered to win!

Watch for ticket contests on our Facebook page, enter our weekly drawings on our website: myRTCNetworks.com/medora-musical-tickets/, or email us at medoratix@rtc.email for a chance to win!

Over the past few years, RTC Networks’ footprint has grown substantially. In January 2022, we acquired Midstate Telephone LLC and Midstate Communication, Inc., expanding our service area to serve cities including Stanley, Beach, and Medora.

Dave Uhlich Construction Manager - West

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

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Lifeline are assistance programs that can help eligible people afford broadband internet and telephone service, providing a discount up to $30 per month toward service and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands.

LEARN MORE AT myrtcnetworks.com/lifeline

READERS Contest

Congratulations to these Winter 2022 Communicator Readers’ Contest winners. They will receive a $20 credit on their RTC Networks bill.

NAME

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.

1. What town is Yellowstone Station located in?

PHONE

2. How many students did RTC Networks award scholarships to?

3. For how many seconds should you power off your router when restarting it?

Tanya Anderson Watford City Exchange

Vicki Fure Garrison Exchange

Mary Griffin Medora Exchange

Mary Hauf Max Exchange

Ernest Lehman Kenmare Exchange

CUT ALONG THE BLACK EDGE

AFFORDABLE SERVICE. NO MATTER THE SITUATION.