Consolidated Reach for Summer 2025

SUMMER 2025 5 REACH 5 DOWNSIDES OF 5G HOME INTERNET As the saying goes, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Some customers who switched to 5G home internet are feeling buyer’s remorse for these reasons: 1. Service is less stable. Signals for 5G travel through the air rather than in cables underground, and speeds tend to fluctuate more often. 2. Actual speeds are often slower than advertised ones. Factors such as network congestion, buildings and other obstructions, and inclement weather can slow down speeds. 3. During peak usage times, your connection may be deprioritized. This is because 5G home internet is a connection shared by many users. 4. The farther you are from the radio towers, the weaker your internet signal will be. Since 5G home internet uses radio frequencies, the travel distances of the signals are limited. 5. 5G home internet isn’t as good as fiber internet. Fiber is the fastest, most reliable internet available. Call 701.483.4000 for details on our fiber internet. CYBERBULLYING IS AN INCREASINGLY SERIOUS PROBLEM Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to harass, threaten, or humiliate someone. This can be harmful and lead to depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide—especially among teens. Common types of cyberbullying include: • Exclusion – To intentionally leave someone out of an online group or message thread. • Harassment – To send persistent and hurtful online messages to a victim. These messages can contain threats. • Cyberstalking – To monitor a victim’s online presence closely. • Outing – To openly reveal a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation without their consent. • Doxxing – To maliciously share personal data about an individual online that wouldn’t normally be publicly known to harass or intimidate a victim. • Fraping – To use a victim’s social media accounts to post inappropriate content with the victim’s name attached to it. • Trolling – To post derogatory comments about them online in the hopes of hurting these individuals. • Dissing – To spread cruel information about the victim. • Flaming – To post about or send insults and profanity to a victim. • Denigration – To post or publish false information online about the individual. • Impersonation – To post comments on social media using the individual’s name. • Trickery – To befriend a victim until the targeted individual feels comfortable sharing secrets and other sensitive information, and then publicly releases the information. • Fake Profiles – To set up fake online profiles on behalf of victims. • Catfishing – To create a fake online identity and pretend to be someone else. Of special concern is the fact that most information communicated electronically is permanent and public, if not reported and removed. A negative online reputation, including for those who have been cyberbullied, can unfairly impact college admissions, employment, and other areas of life. Make sure you discuss cyberbullying with your children, starting when they’re young. Encourage them to let you know if they ever experience cyberbullying, and you’ll help them respond appropriately.

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