BROADBAND: HELPING YOU WORK ConnectedMAY/JUNE 2020 A close-knit project Looking back at the sock industry POPPING WITH FLAVOR MAKING A CONNECTION Family business built Broadband links home and with love work to the world INDUSTRY NEWS Rural Connections By SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD, CEO WE WERE HERE NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association when our communities needed a modern, Staying well, reliable communications network. staying connected t’s late March as I work on my thoughts for this issue. Knowing that the maga- Izine won’t reach your mailbox for another four weeks, I asked myself, “What will the world look like in late April to early May?” So much has changed in just the past two weeks, it’s hard to imagine what the immediate future holds. WE ARE HERE There are, however, a few things I know to help you stay connected during this with great certainty. In this time of crisis, time of national crisis. community-based broadband providers across America have stepped up their already deep commitments to keeping you connected. As Americans are increasingly compelled to work or study from home, use telemedicine, and lean on virtual tools to connect with loved ones, the work of your local broadband company has become more essential than ever — for you and for the national economy. Working with one voice through NTCA, WE WILL these providers have been on top of national issues such as adopting the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected” pledge, communi- BE HERE cating with Congress on the importance of the “Keeping Critical Connections Act,” and supporting the recovery through a advocating for support to help small broad- band providers ensure internet connectivity broadband network that builds businesses, when it’s extremely critical. creates jobs and drives the economy. Locally, providers like yours are balanc- ing employee safety with their commitment to keeping networks functioning. In times of crisis, we see more strongly than ever that these providers’ investment in build- ing resilient networks — and in the people PROUD TO BE YOUR who operate them — is foundational to our society. COMMUNITY-BASED Stay well, stay healthy and stay con- nected. We will get through this together. BROADBAND PROVIDER 2 | May/June 2020 Unlocking the potential of rural businesses Story by NOBLE SPRAYBERRY y turning to digital technologies, more TRAINING than half of small businesses in rural areas There should be a goal of increasing the talent pipeline of expanded their customer base not only locally candidates trained in digital skills, such as the use of cloud com- B puting and digital marketing. Such a workforce could offset the but also throughout their state, and about one-third grew their market in neighboring states. In fact, about existing shortage of IT professionals in rural areas. 16% of rural businesses even used digital resources to DIGITAL TOOLS expand into international markets. Increasing the adoption of digital training and digital tools by Those were only a few findings from a study Amazon commis- rural small businesses will allow them to better scale their opera- sioned from the U.S. Chamber Technology Engagement Center tions. This study highlights two points: the positive benefits for that showed how broadband has the potential to further benefit rural small businesses effectively utilizing digital tools to sell the economy in rural communities and the nation as a whole. online and the potential for businesses currently underutilizing What’s the possible upside of improving access to digital tools those digital tools to grow. such as broadband? Rural small businesses have the potential to be critical blocks in the foundation needed to strengthen the Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree nation's economy. Increasing the number of businesses adopting online tools Technology helps rural businesses 55.2% 39.5% and digital services could support thousands of jobs. Businesses to grow the customer base with revenue of less than $100,000 have the greatest potential to Conducting business online is an benefit. opportunity for small business 46.3% 38.2% Increased adoption of technology could be responsible for gen- erating billions of dollars of revenue, and Southern states have Conducting business online puts existing business at risk 17.9% the most room to grow. Results of the study released in 2019 were compiled from a 7.6% survey sent to more than 5,000 rural small businesses across the Source: Unlocking the Digital Potential of Rural America, A U.S. Chamber country. And the report made three policy recommendations that Technology Engagement Center study commissioned by Amazon. could help make the projections a reality. CONNECTIVITY Selling online depends on internet and mobile phone service. About 27% of rural residents lack access to high-speed internet, compared with 92% of all Americans who can access faster ser- vices. The private and public sectors should continue to identify opportunities to expand connectivity through initiatives such as the creation of new infrastructure. NEW POLICIES COULD EASE CONCERNS OF RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES 66% of rural small businesses say poor internet or cell- phone connectivity negatively impacts their business. 38% of rural small businesses say they can’t hire the talent with the right digital skills in their area. Nearly 41% of rural small businesses agree that policy- makers should create incentive programs that make it easier for rural small businesses to incorporate digital technology into their daily operations. May/June 2020 | 3 FROM THE CEO Connected MAY/JUNE 2020 VOL. 24, NO. 3 Connected is a bimonthly magazine Have faith — brighter published by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2020. It is distributed without days are ahead charge to all customers of FTC. Editorially, there will necessarily be a significant number of days between the time I write these words and the time you read them. At the moment, Alabama is more fortunate than some states in experiencing and dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. We can only hope and pray this continues. Our social media accounts will highlight much of what we are trying to do to help FTC is the state’s largest member-owned you and your community stay connected, and I will not recap provider of telecommunications services. It serves Northeast Alabama with a robust FRED JOHNSON that here. Neither will I engage in platitudes that would likely broadband network using world-class optical Chief Executive Officer offend some who are truly suffering. The fact is, COVID-19 is fiber technology. not, as we all hoped, just another type of flu. It is a serious threat to us all and deserves to be respected as such. My heart goes out to health care workers, first responders and those manning our grocery stores (just to name Farmers Telecommunications a few) who, through their commitment, are allowing some normalcy to prevail for the rest Cooperative, Inc. of us. P.O. Box 217 • 144 McCurdy Ave. N. Rainsville, AL 35986 I keep hearing that these are unprecedented times. While I appreciate the sentiment, it Telephone: 256-638-2144 is more correct to say that these are times unprecedented in most of our lifetimes. At the www.farmerstel.com outset, the Wall Street Journal did a fine job of reminding us of how, as a people, we have faced similar crises before — and won. Think of the yellow fever epidemic, smallpox and polio just to name a few. BOARD OF TRUSTEES We don’t teach American history as we once did, but a careful review would reveal Randy Wright, President that this is but the latest in a long string of existential crises faced by the world and, more Flat Rock Exchange particularly, our relatively young nation. Yet we endured, and we will endure this. Perhaps Garry Smith, Vice President we will be changed by it, and maybe some of those changes will make us better people. Fyffe Exchange Say, less prone to political posturing, less judgmental of efforts to help, more appreciative Danny R. Richey, Secretary of times when they are good. Perhaps, we will realize that sometimes bad things simply Geraldine Exchange happen. More important is how we react. Lynn Welden, Treasurer Early on, a friend reminded me of Franklin Roosevelt’s oft-quoted words, “We have Bryant Exchange nothing to fear but fear itself.” At the precise time Roosevelt said that, there was actually Kenneth Gilbert much to fear. The nation was in the throes of its greatest depression and evil forces were Pisgah Exchange advancing on both sides of the globe toward a war that would define the world for genera- Gregg Griffith tions to come. There was no certainty the United States would survive as we know it today, Henagar Exchange and the rest of the world was in even greater danger. Still, Roosevelt coined it perfectly. The Randy Tumlin greatest danger of all was our own fear. The same is true today. Rainsville Exchange It doesn’t help that in the midst of this crisis, we face forced separation from friends and family. For many of us that is our greatest source of human strength. Still, I challenge Produced for FTC by: you to accept that fear itself is still our greatest enemy. Those of you who are people of faith must remember that our source of hope comes ultimately from the God in whom we believe. But for all of us, including those who choose not to accept divine providence, we can still find comfort and courage in each other and in our common bond as friends and neighbors to prevail. To overcome hardship and inconvenience. To help those in need. To On the Cover: respect and help protect those who must still work, keeping crucial parts of our economy Glenn Horton calls his collection of knitting and infrastructure working.