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Type: Blog

State grants help SDN affiliates improve connectivity across S.D.

It’s extremely important that the state and telecommunications industry continue to close gaps in connectivity that have left some rural areas of South Dakota underserved. A second round of grants from the Connect South Dakota broadband program will help plug some of the holes.
Race to connect businesses, network expansion among projects keeping fiber contractor busy

I was scheduled to connect with Brad Engbarth by phone recently. But an urgent cable-moving situation arose and his plans changed. When he answered my call, he was standing at the bottom of a 20-foot hole at a street-construction site in Sioux Falls.
Governor Kristi Noem Announces Broadband Grant Awards

Governor Kristi Noem announced today that 14 projects have been awarded grants to fund broadband projects to better connect unserved and underserved areas across South Dakota.
Midwestern Mechanical grows its business with help from SDN

As the IT administrator for Midwestern Mechanical, Inc., Matt Allen needs a good, reliable partner to help keep communications technology at the growing company operating smoothly and securely.
Video conferencing establishes its niche in the next normal

Video conferencing has been available for years. However, until COVID-19 started disrupting workplaces, companies used the technology mostly just to connect with employees and business partners not located within convenient driving distance.
Meet Dave Fehrs; he helps businesses adapt to changing needs

The COVID-19 outbreak is changing the way business is conducted, probably for the long term. Dave Fehrs says in terms of network communications and broadband usage, some of the changes are probably for the better.
Pandemic ‘has been a game-changer’ for telehealth center

The pandemic has thrust Avera eCARE into an even greater role in remotely providing medical assistance to regional affiliates of Avera Health and other health-care facilities across the nation.
Believe it or not, some still use 'password' as a password

As encouraging signs go, this isn’t much. It’s minuscule. However, “password,” one of the weakest computer passwords of all time, might have been slightly less popular in 2019 than it was in 2018.
Despite pandemic, 2020 is busy year for SDN’s growing network

It’s too early to say for sure, but 2020 could turn into a record year for network improvement projects at SDN Communications. While the pandemic has slowed activity in some business organizations, telecommunications, generally speaking, is not among them.
Updated portal gives businesses easy access to useful data

Detailed information in SDN Communications' customer portal gives companies the ability to assess internet usage, analyze secure, data-transmitting techniques, schedule networking tasks, and more.
Interns at SDN Communications build successful careers

Interns at SDN are entrusted with real work duties across the company. Some stayed with the company in permanent positions. Others have built successful careers elsewhere across the region. We checked in with two to see where they are today.
Enrollment open for telecom degree with 100% job placement

The broadband industry that makes it possible for you to read this article online needs technical workers, and Mitchell Technical Institute has immediate openings, possibly even full-ride scholarships, for students of any age who are ready to get hired even before graduation.
Black Hills fiber project is hopeful start of something bigger

State-of-the-art, fiber internet is coming to three communities in the Black Hills, thanks to a $3.3 million federal grant and $1.1 million investment from SDN.
USDA Invests $3 Million in High-Speed Broadband with SDN Communications for Black Hills Communities

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the USDA is investing $3.3 million to provide broadband service in the unserved and underserved Black Hills South Dakota communities of Nemo, Rochford and Silver City.
Stay informed during the pandemic to help fight cybercrime

Professional and recreational fraudsters alike are busier than ever. They have plenty of time to try to cheat you and your employer out of valuable information and money, and they’re demonstrating creativity in shaping their fraudulent pitches around the dominating subject of the day: COVID-19.
Social surveys, trendy posts can be social engineering risks

While it's fun to see people showcase the fashion and haircut choices of their senior year days, it's also a reminder of the information hackers can gain by sharing something that is seemingly fun.
Welcome the newest member of SDN’s blogging team

Please welcome Amy Bennett Smolik to SDN Communications’ blogging team. Amy is joining me as a writer and contracted service provider for SDN. Like me, she’ll assist SDN’s full-time marketing staff, which is led by Vernon Brown, the company’s vice president of marketing and community relations.
Questions - and some answers - about working from home

For Terri Pepper, the best part of working at home is the extra time she gets to spend with her dogs. Tasks have changed as employers and employees figure out what works best. But there are still questions about working from home.
New to video conferencing? Here are some dos and don’ts

Chris Aeilts was only half-joking when he boiled down his suggestions for good, video conferencing etiquette to a single, catchy sentence: “Wear pants, prepare for good video, and audio is king,” he said. Then he elaborated on what he meant.
Check it out: Useful information on SDN’s new website is easier to find

SDN Communications has updated its website, and the results are impressive. Finding fresh information about products, services, telecommunications issues, and the company and its affiliates will be easier for readers.