Blog & Tools

Popular Resources
  1. Local ISPs delivering alternate solutions where out-of-state providers won’t
    As the state of South Dakota looks to connect all citizens, it should embrace all forms of connectivity, but do so realizing wireless technologies are a temporary fix.
  2. Concerns about data privacy moving closer to center stage
    Data Privacy Day probably didn’t create three-day weekends for many Americans, but the Jan. 28 observation brought welcome attention to cyber issues of growing importance in the United States.
  3. ICAN helps businesses across rural S.D. effectively use TV ads
    Preparing an ad and running it through Garretson-based Alliance Communications’ TV service turned out to be less expensive than one small business had expected. Running a TV ad in the Brandon region also proved effective.
  4. MPLS, football and the importance of good technique
    In the past, I’ve compared the objectives of MPLS networks to that of basketball teams. But upon further review, comparing MPLS to football probably makes more sense.
  5. 7 Numbers to Know about SD’s Digital Divide and Gov. Noem’s $5 Million Kickstart
    In her recent budget address, Gov. Kristi Noem outlined her plan to start with a $5 million investment to encourage private sector partnerships to deliver internet to every pocket of the state. So where is the digital divide in South Dakota?
  6. Data Privacy: Resources for you, your business
    Advances in high-tech fields such as automation and artificial intelligence, as well as old-fashioned criminal greed, have made digital data difficult to protect. But it must be done.
  7. With one exception, 2018’s top blogs offer great mix of topics
    The most viewed blog published by SDN Communications in 2018 was a column that gave readers an inside look at how company experts responded to an equipment failure at a bank in South Dakota.
  8. Regional telecom services take big, seamless step into future
    A significant upgrade in telephone switching equipment at SDN Communications provides striking visual evidence of how the tools of technology are getting smaller as well as better.
  9. SD-WAN for Businesses - Who Needs It?
    The SD-WAN market is predicted to grow by 69 percent annually to become an $8 billion market by 2021. So which enterprises are most suitable?
  10. Drafting isn’t just for racing – SD talks high-tech truck testing
    South Dakota Department of Transportation employees are working with neighboring states to test high-tech trucks on the interstate. They’ll be radar-controlled and follow each other at a distance other drivers might consider tailgating.
  11. Good internet helps rural America build stronger U.S. economy
    Internet-based transactions drive half the U.S. economy, according to a study conducted for the Foundation for Rural Service, and cyber contributions to the gross domestic product are growing.
  12. Outside plant engineers keep growing fiber network going
    A chance encounter with someone at a store in Sioux Falls led Jerry Andersen to a career of 44 years - and counting - in the telecommunications industry.
  13. Cyber insurance: An emerging product that’s finding its place
    To help protect themselves financially, some businesses are buying cyber insurance. It’s a relatively new offering that can help cover expenses related to incident response, legal defense and business interruption.
  14. Telecoms are in the middle of an exciting economic revolution
    Estimates suggest that as many as one-third of working Americans already participate in the gig economy (I’m among them), and the total is expected to increase.
  15. Telecom important, but unlikely to grab legislative headlines
    Improved communication systems are a big factor that helps make nontraditional schedules and remote work easier, even in government.
  16. Fiber footprint expands for Minnesota businesses through partnership between SDN, two networks
    SDN Communications has added two broadband partners to its Minnesota network, which will improve business broadband reach into two counties of that state – Nobles and Watonwan.
  17. Civic involvement is a value that runs deep at SDN
    SDN Communications and its employees are prominently engaged in causes ranging from assisting schoolchildren to serving in community leadership positions.
  18. Santel Communications is significantly upgrading its network
    Santel Communications of Woonsocket is finishing work on the first phase of a $24 million network upgrade. The project is bringing world-class fiber connectivity to its customers.
  19. A basic of business communication: Bandwidth vs. Speed
    In the jargon of electronic communications, bandwidth and speed sometimes seem to mean the same thing. At other times, the two terms clearly refer to something different.
  20. Successful co-op project in Minn. strengthens school connectivity
    Before public schools in Worthington, Minn., were connected directly to a fiber optic network, they relied for years on wireless internet with spotty service.