Winter 2018 Newsletter

Kendall Mikesell, President and Chief Executive Officer of SKT, received an award of gratitude and thanks at the Kansas Rural Independent Telecommunications Coalition (KRITC) Fall Conference held in Wichita in early October of this year. The rural independent telecommunications industry evolved from the need for basic telephone service in sparsely populated areas of Kansas. In the early 1900s, the Bell System was focused on serving densely populated urban areas, along with the larger communities in rural areas. It viewed much of rural Kansas to be too costly to serve. Faced with the prospects of having telephone service pass them by, many truly rural Kansans were forced to take the initiative to construct their own local telephone networks. In the period between the thirties and the fifties, these small, isolated networks were acquired and evolved into a group of family-owned telephone companies and customer-owned cooperatives. They grew out of necessity, eventually covering over half the geographic area of Kansas, yet serving only a small percentage of the overall telephone customers in the state. Today, these companies and cooperatives provide state-of-the-art telecommunication products and services equal to those offered by the large companies—often with better prices and more responsive personalized service. Their significant contribution to the nation-wide network becomes apparent when you consider the thousands of square miles these small businesses built out and maintain to complete the grid. If not for the continuing efforts of the 27 member companies of KRITC (one of which is SKT), the telecommunications network as we know it could not exist. Mary Jane Stankiewicz, KRITC Executive Director, says of the award, “Kendall Mikesell was one of the original KRITC board members and played a critical role in the creation of KRITC. Mikesell has devoted innumerable hours helping to shape and form KRITC into the go-to organization regarding rural telco issues in Kansas. This award is in recognition and appreciation of Mikesell’s incredible dedication and commitment to KRITC and the rural telco industry in Kansas.” “SKT was founded in 1940 by my grandparents,” said Kendall. “I am a third-generation owner and operator of our company. During my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many wonderful people committed to serving rural Kansas, and I am grateful that my peers have chosen to give me this honor.” Congratulations to Kendall and his family on this greatly deserved award. SKT • 888.758.8976 • SKTMainstreet.com Kendall Mikesell Receives Honor o The 3rd and 5th generations: Kendall Mikesell and his granddaughter, Willa Kendall Egedy Take Control of Your Wi-Fi Are you experiencing slower Internet and lost connections to your devices? Outdated equipment could be the problem. Simplify your life with SKT’s Managed Wi-Fi, and enjoy strong signals and faster Internet throughout your home or business. Faster, More Reliable Internet Connection Staying connected at top speed is easier than ever. The Managed Wi-Fi router can handle more devices at once and detects where devices are located, automatically increasing the signal in their direction. Add a Wi-Fi Mesh to extend your signal to hard- to-reach places like your garage, backyard, or basement. Free Installation, No Upfront Costs Don’t spend hundreds on a new router when you can lease the GigaCenter router at a low monthly fee. Peace of Mind With the No-Worry Program We’ll install your SKT GigaCenter router and connect your current devices. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about repairing or replacing your router. Maintenance and replacement equipment are included. More Control of Your Network With the NetValet App, monitor the devices and Internet traffic on your network, set and edit your Wi-Fi name and password, set up Internet access for guests, and more. Monitor and limit your child’s activities with Parental Controls.