Blog & Tools

The stories from 2020 certainly reflected the environment of the world, with people adjusting their schedules to stay safe during a global pandemic. But there were also stories of growth and investment, as well as faces of the industry.

After recent hurricanes, there were reports of fraudsters spoofing caller ID numbers to make scam calls about flood insurance. In other words, the bad guys disguised their phone numbers to trick people out of info or money.

In lieu of holiday gifts this year, SDN is making a charitable contribution in appreciation of our customers to four deserving groups that are doing important work.

The 211 Helpline program that’s often considered the “front door” of the social services system is now available to all South Dakotans thanks to the 2020 Legislative Session. And it couldn't have come at a better time.

Some video conference participants are still learning and refining their skills, while some more experienced users might be picking up some bad habits. A refresher on video etiquette might be in order.

Korena Keys jokes that if online connectivity to her office went down, she and her staff would sit around and stare at each other because they wouldn’t have anything to do. A cyber assessment gave her some comfort in the chances of that happening.

Rich Coit has played an important role in helping rural telecoms across the state to develop broadband connectivity and other telecommunications services for nearly 28 years. He's now moving to the next phase of his life as he retires from the SDTA.

Getting a glowing report card on an employee engagement survey can help reinforce strong company culture. Doing so during a global pandemic while employees are working from home — even more impressive.

The time has come for me to free up more time for personal projects and move closer to retirement. So this is my 695th and final blog for SDN.

With Cyber Monday billed as the biggest online shopping day of the season, here are some cool gadgets to inspire your gift-giving. We asked SDN Communications employees for their suggestions, too. Take a look at some of their responses, along with a few other eclectic ideas to consider.

It’s hard to know what to gift someone retiring. By that point in their life, their desire for material things diminishes. So, what to give Rob? I decided on something a writer most values: words.

With the help of two years of state and federal grant programs, telecoms serving rural South Dakota are adding nearly $100 million in infrastructure and significantly improving broadband services in underserved areas.

Recently, while navigating the internet, an SDN customer received what appeared to be a security window pop-up that encouraged the customer to call an 800 number because his system might have been compromised.

Bringing good, broadband connectivity to remote areas of South Dakota is a historic undertaking nearly as challenging and potentially as rewarding as was delivering electricity to rural residents in the mid-20th Century.

Rushmore Electric Cooperative and its member cooperatives have stepped up to the challenge of bringing a collective, affordable power supply to rural western South Dakota. It's grown and evolved over the past seven decades. And that ongoing investment is worth celebrating beyond National Co-op Month.

When a worst-case scenario comes true, being prepared is key — no matter the industry. Knowing what to do can help employees navigate and manage solutions.

Email is the most common communication method fraudsters use to trick people out of information or money. They also use texting, however. So be suspicious of any unexpected links in texts you receive on your smartphone.

Jennifer Fritzsche calls fiber the “connective tissue” that enables today’s online trends. And thanks to public-private partnerships with the state of South Dakota and the federal government, even more people and businesses in South Dakota are getting access to broadband connectivity.

The International Data Corporation, a global provider of IT information and other market services, has estimated that by 2025, the average person will interact with connected devices nearly 4,800 times a day. That’s about one interaction every 18 seconds.

“We had a number of our interns hired by the time the pandemic hit, and we felt an obligation to them, especially since some of them need internship credits to graduate,”