You can think of it this way: Internet speed is like the speed limit of a highway versus the number of lanes and the likelihood of roadblocks. How valuable is the ability to travel quickly if there’s congestion and unreliable conditions that often hinder you from doing so? For many businesses and homes, internet access is nearly as important as other utilities such as electricity, natural gas, and water. Having unreliable internet is stressful and counterproductive. If there’s downtime, businesses simply can’t operate in an efficient manner and productivity suffers. For families, unreliable internet can be an annoyance that occasionally prevents the enjoyment of streaming services and social media. For those who work from home, the consequences are more serious. It can severely limit the ability to complete projects and connect with colleagues. You can rest assured that OmniTel Communications makes internet reliability a high priority and proudly maintains an uptime of 99%+. We’ve invested heavily in our fiber network, and we proactively monitor it to minimize service interruptions. Our network is also designed with redundant paths, meaning if a cable is accidentally cut, internet traffic can instantly be rerouted to another path to continue flowing. The internet reliability you experience from OmniTel Communications is further enhanced by the knowledgeable, professional support you receive from our local team of employees. After all, customer service goes hand-in-hand with reliability. Should issues develop—after all, no technology is foolproof—our goal is to get you back up and running as soon as possible. For complete details about the reliable, fast, and affordable internet plans we offer, call 641-749-2531 or visit www.omnitel.biz. SUMMER 2024 A MESH WI-FI NETWORK IS BEST FOR LARGER HOMES While a traditional router is a singular, centralized access point, a mesh network is created from multiple Wi-Fi nodes that all provide web connectivity. For example, you could have a central hub in the kitchen and satellite nodes in the home office, kitchen, and bedroom. The main benefit of a mesh network is extended Wi-Fi coverage. Mesh networks can often cover up to 5,000 square feet—much more than you can expect from one central router —to eliminate the annoyance of dead zones. They’re a particularly good fit for large or multistory homes where the Wi-Fi network has a lot of ground to cover and walls to travel through. In a home that’s smaller than about 1,500 square feet, a mesh network might be more hardware than you need. OmniTel Communications offers Managed Wi-Fi, and our team will select the right network equipment to give your home the best coverage and signal strength. To learn more, call 641-749-2531. INTERNET SPEED MATTERS, BUT SO DOES RELIABILITY Discussions about what to consider when choosing an internet plan tend to focus on speed. That’s certainly understandable, given that the more speed you have, the less time you’ll spend waiting for big files to load or video buffering to stop. However, the way families and businesses evaluate internet service is evolving beyond just speed to also include reliability.
OmniTel CONNECTIONS ARE YOU AWARE OF FIBER’S MANY BENEFITS? When communications providers including OmniTel Communications build fiber-optic networks, it enables residential and business customers to enjoy benefits including these: • Ultra-fast internet speeds up to a Gig and higher • Symmetrical bandwidth for uploads as fast as downloads • Higher reliability with less downtime than other networks • Ability to easily handle many users and devices with no slowdowns • More efficient access to cloud-based applications and data storage • Minimal latency for better quality video and VoIP calls • Enhanced security against cyber crime • Support for robust HD video conferencing • Future-proof infrastructure to meet changing needs To find out more about fiber availability and internet speeds in your area, call us at 614-749-2531 or visit www.omnitel.biz. Cornerstone Group © 2024 OmniTel’s Charity Grant Program At OmniTel Communications, we strive to give back to the hardworking communities we serve. OmniTel’s Charity Grant Program was established to support that goal and positively impact the lives of our neighbors, friends, and customers. During the 3rd quarter of 2023, the Board of Directors of OmniTel Communications awarded grants for the following organizations and initiatives: • Riceville Community Club - Splash Pad Project in City Park • Rudd Commercial Club - Annual chicken BBQ • Greene Parish Nurse Health Project - Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for elderly • Riceville Ambulance – Purchase of Life Vac choking assistance devices • Lindsey Thorson Cancer Benefit • RSVP of North Central Iowa - Reading Buddy program • Kellar Family Community Foundation – Cancer fundraiser • The Rudd Public Library - Purchase of conference room table and chairs • The City of Carson - Park improvement projects • The Walter Bohl Community Center – Remodeling project in the facility • Riceville Athletic Booster Club • The Sharing Closet at RRMR – Provide personal items and snacks to any student in need • Greene Volunteer Fire Department - Purchase of hands-free helmet lights • American Legion Riders Osage Post 278 - “Remembering JT” ride, fundraiser for veterans Grants for the 4th Quarter of 2023 included: • Carson Business Club - Outdoor improvements to the Dreamland Theatre • Cub Scout Pack 4022 - Purchase t-shirts for members to wear while volunteering • St Ansgar Chamber of Commerce - Spaghetti and Shop with Santa event • Post Prom Activities - Central Springs Schools and North Butler Schools • NIACC CEO Club - Assist students attending a CEO conference • Warrior Mat Club - Youth wrestling tournaments and supplies • Nora Springs Rock Falls PTO - Spring Carnival • St Ansgar Fire Department - Update their SCBA compressor • Southwest Iowa Nature Trails Project - Improvements at the Imogene Trailhead Campground • Central Springs Booster Club - Improvements to the concession stand equipment • Interstate 35 Education Foundation - 2nd annual Roadrunner Gala • City of Stacyville - Phase 2 of the Splash Pad Project • St Ansgar Police Department - Upgrades to the security system at City Hall • Mitchell County Ducks Unlimited - Annual youth event • RRMR Daycare - Purchase toys and materials suitable for infants and toddlers at daycare • Green Devils Care - Purchase personal hygiene products for students in need at school Grant applications and guidelines can be found at www.omnitel.biz. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year.
OmniTel CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2024 People fall victim to tech support scams since the phone call, email, or pop-up message appears to be serious—about an “urgent computer problem”—and from a well-known tech company such as Microsoft or Apple. Don’t be fooled. Tech support scammers may use lots of technical terms to try and convince you immediate action is required. They may ask you to open some files or run a scan on your computer, and then tell you those files or the scan results show a problem. Here’s what else scammers may do: • Ask you to give them remote access to your computer, which lets them access all information stored on it. • Try to enroll you in a worthless computer maintenance or warranty program. • Install malware that gives them access to your computer and sensitive data, like usernames and passwords. • Ask for credit card information so they can bill you for phony services or services available elsewhere for free. • Try to sell you software or repair services that are worthless or available elsewhere for free. • Direct you to websites and ask you to enter credit card, bank account, and other personal information. Now that you know the warning signs, you’ll be able to more easily spot tech support scams and act appropriately. If a caller says your computer has a problem, hang up. Legitimate technology companies will not call you out of the blue. Be aware that scammers use fake caller ID information to look like local businesses or trusted companies. If you get a pop-up message warning you of a computer problem and telling you to call tech support or click on a link, ignore it. Never give remote access to your computer or provide your password to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. It’s important to keep your computer’s operating system and other software updated, so you’ll have the latest protections against security threats. OmniTel’s Managed Wi-Fi also has built-in security features such as Protect IQ which can provide an additional layer of security. To learn more about this service, visit www.omnitel.biz or call 641-749-2531. NO, MICROSOFT IS NOT CALLING YOU ABOUT A COMPUTER PROBLEM Cornerstone Group © 2024 WHAT TO KNOWBEFORE YOU BURN, DIGORMOW Telephone pedestals and fiber markers indicate the location of internet, digital TV, and phone cables and equipment. Please watch for them on your property if you are burning ditches or mowing and be careful to avoid them. Damage can disrupt service for you and/or your neighbors. Fiber connections are very expensive to repair—often several thousand dollars or more. Repair costs may be billed to the operator who caused the damage, so pay attention in order to avoid having to pay up. Also be sure to call 811 before you dig anywhere. All sorts of utility lines, pipes, and cables could be buried on your property. That’s why every digging job—from planting a tree to installing a fence— requires a call to 811 to locate and mark underground facilities before digging begins. There’s no cost to you. OmniTel Communications thanks you for your cooperation in helping protect our valuable communications infrastructure.
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