The following companies have joined the Centennial Club.
Centennial Club Members
 

702 Communications
Ace Telephone Association
Albany Mutual Telephone Association
Alliance Communications Cooperative, Inc.
Arvig Communication Systems

• Callaway Telephone Company, Inc.
• East Otter Tail Telephone Company
• Midwest Telephone Company
• Osakis Telephone Company
• The Peoples Telephone Company of Big Fork
• Twin Valley-Ulen Telephone Company

Badger Communications Corporation
Benton Cooperative Telephone Company
BEVCOMM
Blackduck Telephone Company
Calix
CC & I Engineering, Inc.
Christensen Communications Company
CoBank
Consolidated Telephone Company
diversiCOM

• Mainstreet Communications, LLC
• Melrose Telephone Company

Dunnell Telephone Company
Embarq
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company
Finley Engineering Company, Inc.
Federated Telephone Cooperative
Garden Valley Telephone Company
Halstad Telephone Company
Hanson Communications, Inc.

• Clara City Telephone Company
• Sacred Heart Telephone Company
• Starbuck Telephone Company
• Zumbrota Telephone Company

Interstate Telcom Consulting, Inc.
KM Telecom
Lakedale Communications
Lowry Telephone Company, LLC
Martin Group
Midwest Data, LLC
Moss & Barnett
MP Nexlevel, LLC
MRV Communications
National Information Solution Cooperative
NECA
North Star Chapter Pioneer Club
NU-Telecom
Onvoy Voice Services
Olsen Thielen & Company, Ltd.
Park Region Mutual Telephone Company

•  Otter Tail Telcom
• Valley Telephone Company

Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative
PCS Technologies, Inc.
Pinnacle Publishing, LLC
Polar Communications
Rothsay Telephone Company
Runestone Telecom Association
Sherburne Tele-Systems, Inc.
Shields Environmental, Inc.
Spring Grove Communications
Suttle
TDS Telecommunications Corporation

• Arvig Telephone Company
• Bridge Water Telephone Company
• Mid-State Telephone Company
• Winsted Telephone Company

Walker and Associates
West Central Telephone Association
Wikstrom Telephone Company
Windstream Supply
Woodstock Telephone Company

MTA Bill Signed Into Law     
Governor Tim Pawlenty has signed into law the bill (HF 2414 – SF 2262) drafted by the MTA Legislative Committee repealing a number of obsolete Chapter 7810 telecom rules. The rules that are being repealed include:

• Telcos will no longer be required to keep records of their inspections of billing equipment;
• An archaic rule related to discontinuing service when a matter is pending before the Public Utilities Commission;
• A rule requiring telcos to furnish contractors information on underground facilities. These type of requirements have since been incorporated into the state’s one-call law;
• Telcos will no longer have to provide a coin operated telephone lighted at night available to the public on a 24-hour a day basis;
• The requirement for different accounting rules based on the size of telephone company (class).  This is no longer necessary as the PUC will accept FCC filings instead;
• A rule determining how size or class of telephone company is established. This is no longer necessary as the PUC will accept FCC filings;
• Elimination of language requiring certain annual report information and stockholder information to be filed with the Commission.  The MTA sponsored language that passed in a previous legislative session limiting and describing the annual report filing has superseded this rule; and  
• Elimination of requirements for telcos to submit information annually on the number of resolved and unresolved complaints, number of lines in each class of service and the duty to notify the Commission of changes.

MTA Ask PUC to Dismiss Verizon’s Complaint
The MTA this week filed comments with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Verizon's complaint against Embarq's intrastate access charge rates.   In its comments, the MTA said “the action requested by Verizon in this docket is contrary to the best interests of Minnesota’s ratepayers since they would be likely to see only increases to local rates and would be unlikely to see any corresponding benefit. 

In addition, MTA continued, “Verizon has offered no arguments or information to show that its request is supported by state stature or to show that the Commission’s prior access rate-setting for Embarq should be overturned. Therefore, the MTA recommends that the Verizon complaint against Embarq be dismissed.”

Addressing the potential impact on consumers, the MTA pointed out that access revenues contribute to recovery of the cost of providing service, which is the premise of Minn. Stat. § 237.12.  As a result, the alliance said, reducing access rates will lead to higher local rates.  Thus, it is appropriate for the Commission to consider whether there is a corresponding benefit.   

MTA argued that the Verizon complaint provides no basis to conclude that Minnesota ratepayers will benefit from a reduction in the Embarq access rates.  In fact, there is no basis to conclude that Minnesota customers will experience any related benefit from lower long distance rates, much less any assurance that there will be a corresponding reduction in long distance rates or other benefits to the Embarq ratepayers. MTA members may view the comments in the members only section of the MTA Web site under regulatory.

Watch complete interviews at Viodi.tv

MTA-U Course for Managers & Supervisors
The next MTA-U course for managers and supervisors cover how to de-escalate emotionally charged people, provide and update on technology trends,  and financial tips for non-accounting professionals.    This course, now in its fourth year, is the annual source for developing leadership skills and learning important human resources responsibilities.  Members have the option of taking the one-day course on June 5 or June 6 at the Radisson Suite Hotel in St. Cloud. For more details and online registration, click here.

Unanimous Vote for Merger
MTA members at its annual meeting on March 3, 2008 voted unanimously to approve a proposal to merge with MART (Minnesota Association for Rural Telecom).  The MART members also voted unanimously to approve the merger. The combined organization will retain the MTA moniker.  Randy Young, President/CEO of MART will be the CEO of the new Alliance. The Board of Directors selected Michael Nowick, MTA President, as Director of Member services. The organization will change its logo to reflect the combined organization and will be headquartered at the MTA’s current location in St. Paul.

The Alliance said it will continue to host the nation’s largest state telecom trade show with plans underway for the MTA 100^th Annual Convention in March 2009 in Minneapolis.

21^st Century Award Recipients
During the annual meeting, the MTA presented the 21^st Century Awards winners. This year’s recipients are: Humanitarian Award presented to Steven R. Kohls, central office switching and network technician for Lakedale Communications; the Industry Leadership Award was presented to Anthony V. Mayer, general manager of West Central Telephone Association; Public Service Award was presented to Derek Groth, Marketing-Public Relations Supervisor for Lakedale Communications and Gary Johnson, Chief Operating Officer for Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative; and Tom Farm, Principal and head of the telecom group for Olsen Thielen CPAs, received the Associate Member Industry Leadership Award. Consolidated Telecommunications Company, Brainerd, received the Economic Development Award.

This year’s safety award winners are: Small Company --Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association, Gardonville; Medium Company – Alliance Communications, Garretson, SD;  Large Company—Hutchinson Telephone Company, Hutchinson.  The Safety Director’s Award was presented to Connections Etc., and Tom Campbell, from Connections Etc., received the Safety Leadership Award.

MTA Partners with NetSmartz to Help Keep Kids Safe Online

As the primary provider of high-speed Internet access in our communities, MTA member companies recognize the need to help keep children safe online. The MTA has partnered with NetSmartz to bring online safety information and tools to schools in our service areas. To date, MTA members have purchased and donated over 130 NetSmartz kits to elementary schools in the state.

The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of American for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
 
Free Online Safety Material for Parents
Parents and educators looking for online educational material are invited to click on the NetSmartz icon above to access free online material from NetSmartz.

MTA members may still order NetSmartz kits by clicking here.
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Minnesota Telecom Alliance was formerly the Minnesota Telephone Association, changing its name in March 2003