DRN Network Connections Q1 | 2023

A letter from our General Manager/CEO Kent Schimke

2022—A YEAR IN REVIEW

Looking back on 2022, we focused on DRN’s cooperative difference through “Making a Difference in Our Communities” campaign and living up to our cooperative values—through our staff volunteer efforts, donations to non-profit organizations and by offering you the best broadband services available with speeds up to 1 Gig.

Celebrating Our Communities

We participated in many events such as local fairs, parades, and other community celebrations. DRN employees dedicated their time to be part of these activities in their hometowns and communities. In 2022, we celebrated our member appreciation picnics in Jud and Oakes. While the weather was hot, this years’ picnics were well attended. The picnics were truly fun events, and we appreciate all who attended and enjoyed burgers, brats and wonderful conversations together!

Supporting Our Youth

The summer intern program was a great success again this year! We appreciate the work these interns completed and the way that they adapted to become an integral part of the team. Thank you to Cody Winter, accounting intern; Derek Bear and Megan Beyer, IT interns; Dalton Schmit, marketing intern; Isabel Grueneich, network operations records intern; and Nickolas Seefeld, security intern.

Building Our Network

Rain in early spring was abundant and slowed the start of our underground construction. Despite the delay, when the ground dried contractors were able to catch up and complete the transport upgrading

the fiber-to-the-home network from Nelvik to Kulm. Contractors then proceeded to complete half of the sixty-mile Lisbon to Horace transport project before the ground froze. In the Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) area, contractors were able to complete all the main fiber line construction in Horace. There are several drops to place in the spring of 2023 to connect the many customers to highspeed fiber broadband Internet with ReadiTech Fiber.

Supporting Our Members

After another successful year the DRN Board of Directors approved $5.5 million dollars in capital credits to be returned to the members. Members should have received their checks or bill credits in December, if you didn’t, please contact our office.

Thank you to all who attended the 72nd Annual Meeting in October! As your telecommunications cooperative, the DRN Board of Directors and I appreciate your continued support and look forward to a prosperous year in 2023!

In December, DRN Members Received $5.5 Million in Capital Credits.

ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

DRN Board President Ralph Neu and Kent Schimke, DRN CEO/general manager updated approximately 180 voting members and 70 guests who attended the meeting on the financial health of the cooperative. In honor of the cooperative difference and their guiding principles, this year’s annual meeting theme was ‘Making a Difference in Our Communities’ highlighting the partnership between DRN as a cooperative and its support for all the communities it serves through donations, volunteer efforts and innovative telecommunications services.

At the meeting, Schimke and Neu shared net margins for 2021 were $14 million. Neu reported the cooperative returned over $3.5 million in capital credits to members in 2021. “We are committed to our members

quality communications at competitive prices to ensure

Beginning Jan. 1, 2023 customers will be asked to verify who they are with new methods when calling DRN regarding their account. This procedure is referred to as multi-factor authentication to improve security when accessing your account.

What is Multi-Factor Authorization (MFA)?

Multi-Factor Authorization is an important security method used to identify and access your accounts. This process requires two forms of identification to access resources and data. DRN is adding security questions as an extra layer of security to your DRN account.

Please call DRN at 701-344-5000 to set up your security questions. Or, set up online on your smart device by downloading Smart Hub on the App Store or Google Play.

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STREAM HD VIDEO, WORK FROM HOME, EVEN IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ENTERTAINMENT.

Gigabit Internet may seem impossibly futuristic, like flying cars or robot pets, but it’s already here, in our communities.

Across North Dakota, rural broadband providers like DRN are offering Internet speeds of one gigabit, or one million bits, per second—that’s one hundred times faster than the average Internet speed in the United States. Gigabit Internet isn’t just faster; it’s more reliable, has lower latency, and offers matching upload and download speeds.

So what does all of this mean for you? Consider how much of your life revolves around the Internet: you use it to work, learn, entertain, shop, communicate, bank, and more. With gig, you can do everything you already do online, but faster and with higher quality.

What Can You Do with Gig?

Register today at readitech.com/techcamp

Stream high-quality video. Whether you’re streaming Game of Thrones or your grandson’s graduation ceremony, with gigabit Internet, you can expect higher quality video without annoying buffering or lags. But the most exciting improvement in terms of video is that you will be able to stream ultra-high definition 4K video at the same speeds as a typical 1080p stream, despite requiring up to five times as much data.

Work from home. These days, more of us are working from our home offices than ever before. And while gigabit Internet is not essential for working successfully from home, if you rely on collaboration tools or frequently need to transfer large files, our 1 Gig upload speeds will allow you to get more done in less time.

With Gig You Can Do It All

Keep in touch. Speaking of working from home: we’ve all been on a Zoom or Skype call where someone’s video keeps cutting out, making it impossible to make out what they are saying. This isn’t just frustrating; it can put a strain on relationships that rely on these virtual connections. Gigabit Internet allows for smoother, higher resolution video calls, so you can lead that big meeting or chat with your long-distance friends without interruption.

Online game. With 1 Gig, you can work hard AND play hard. Thanks to matching upload and download speeds, the online gamers in your household will never have to worry about losing a game due to a laggy connection again.

Explore new, immersive media. When we say “gaming,” we’re not just talking about Fortnite and Animal Crossing anymore. Gigabit upload and download speeds will make immersive media, like virtual and augmented reality, more accessible from home.

Backup your data. From family photos to financial documents, there is so much data on our devices that we don’t want to lose. Traditionally, backing up valuable data required external hard drives that can be damaged or misplaced. Gig Internet makes it more convenient to store your data with cloud backup services, like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, that you can access from anywhere.

Support multiple users and devices simultaneously. Say you want to stream your favorite show while your kids are playing video games upstairs and your spouse is on a video call preparing for an important business meeting. Something’s got to give, right? Not with one gig. Perhaps the most exciting feature of gigabit Internet is the ability to support your entire household, and its devices, all at once.

These are just a handful of ways that gigabit Internet can make your online life faster, more convenient, and more reliable. But in order to enjoy all these advantages and more, you’ll need technology that can support such blazing speeds. Just give us a call, and one of DRN’s tech experts will set you up with the right equipment.

Ready to experience the future of Internet speeds today? Contact DRN at 701-344-5000 to learn what Gig can do for you!

Belle® is a small, easy to use mobile medical alert pendant that works at home and away across the U.S. using 4G LTE cellular coverage.

Belle connects you to expert care specialists who can send loved ones or emergency services, depending on what you need.

Have confidence and peace of mind with help at the press of a button. CALL 701.344.5000 to learn more!

DRN WELCOMES STEPHENSON AND ELLIS

DRN has recently hired two new employees: Beth Stephenson who joined as a new customer care specialist in Ellendale and Kevin Ellis, who works as an outside network operations specialist in the Lisbon office.

In her new role as customer care specialist, Stephenson answers customers’ questions regarding DRN products and services; she also assesses customers’ needs and recommends the best telecommunications solutions. Stephenson is originally from Fredonia and currently resides in Ellendale. Before joining DRN, she worked at Dakota Plains Credit Union. In her spare time, Stephenson enjoys spending time with her family and restoring old woodwork. She and her husband Phil have two daughters, Hadley and Breckyn.

As the new outside network operations specialist, Ellis installs new telecommunications services, places inside wiring and cables, performs network testing and other maintenance to support network reliability. In January 2023, he will move into the new role of managed security analyst where he will maintain, design and upgrade the DRN IT network to enhance reliability and service while ensuring network security. Ellis is originally from Gary, Indiana and currently resides in Kulm. Before joining DRN, he worked as a helpdesk technician for Unisys. In his free time, Ellis enjoys exercising, fishing and playing video games.

Annual Scholarship Program

Attention students—earn money for college!

DRN will continue its Scholarship Program in 2023 and will again participate in the Foundation for Rural Services (FRS) Scholarship. Students will need to complete both online applications separately.

DRN will also award a scholarship to a student attending the Southeast Regional Career & Technology Center and to a student majoring in business administration at Trinity Bible College (TBC).

DRN Scholarship Deadline is Feb. 28, 2023. Visit drtel.com/scholarship to apply online.

TEN-DIGIT DIALING

In July 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established “988” as a new nationwide three-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This change offers an easy-toremember, easy-to-dial phone number to reach suicide prevention and mental health counselors.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dialing the 10-digit number in our area improves call quality? Based on SIP, an application layer protocol & foundation of modern interactive communications used across the Internet.

To support this change, everyone with a telephone number in select states, including South Dakota with area code 605, are required to use 10-digit dialing to complete local calls. While dialing the area code to complete a local call in North Dakota is not required, DRN recommends customers dial all ten digits for improved call completion.

WHAT IS 10-DIGIT DIALING?

A 10-digit call requires entering both the three-digit area code plus the seven-digit telephone number to complete the local call. For example: 605-XXX-XXXX is considered 10-digit dialing. XXX-XXXX is considered seven-digit dialing. In DRN area, technicians have set up the system to work with or without dialing 1 before the area code.

Beginning in the early 1990s, to accommodate the growing need for more new phone numbers, some areas began to add a second area code. Dialing both the area code and the seven-digit number was necessary to ensure the call reached the intended recipient. As more areas run out of seven-digit numbers to assign, a second local area code may be added, requiring that area to transition to 10-digit dialing. To learn more about area codes requiring 10-digit dialing visit: fcc.gov.

TV SERVICE PRICE CHANGE NOTIFICATION

As a video (TV) provider, DRN is subject to annual programming fee increases from programmers and network channel owners. Because of these programming fee increases, we must adjust our rates. Effective March 1, 2023 the Ultimate Family Pak will increase $6 per month.

If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact our customer care department at 701-344-5000 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

LET US HELP FIND THE PACKAGE FOR YOU AND SAVE ON YOUR TV SERVICE!

Traditional TV: Valu Pak with 50 channels for $40/mo. includes local channels, BEK Sports and more. WATCHTV Everywhere is included with your traditional DRN video subscription to watch your shows on most devices anywhere with Internet.

Try Streaming: Check out which streaming service is best for you. Visit: mybundle.tv/drtel/start Call DRN to review and make changes to your account at 701-344-5000.

Date Description Time Channel

Tue. Jan. 3 H.S. Girls Basketball Bismarck Century vs Bismarck High 6 p.m. 104

Tue. Jan. 3 H.S. Boys Basketball Garrison vs Wilton-Wing 7:15 p.m. 196

Tue. Jan. 3 H.S. Boys Basketball Sargent County vs Lisbon 7:30 p.m. 195

Tue. Jan. 3 H.S. Boys Basketball Bismarck Century vs Bismarck High 7:30 p.m. 104

Thu. Jan. 5 H.S. Girls Basketball Parshall vs White Shield 6 p.m. 196

Thu. Jan. 5 H.S. Wrestling Lisbon vs South Border 7 p.m. 195

Thu. Jan. 5 H.S. Boys Basketball Parshall vs White Shield 7:30 p.m. 196

Fri. Jan. 6 College Women’s Basketball University of Sioux Falls vs Minot State 5:30 p.m. 104

Fri. Jan. 6 H.S. Girls Basketball Powers Lake vs New Town 6 p.m. 196

Fri. Jan. 6 College Men’s Basketball University of Sioux Falls vs Minot State 7:30 p.m. 104

Fri. Jan. 6 H.S. Boys Basketball Powers Lake vs New Town 7:30 p.m. 196

Sat. Jan. 7 College Women’s Basketball Southwest Minn. State vs Minot State 3:30 p.m. 104

Sat. Jan. 7 College Men’s Basketball Southwest Minn. State vs Minot State 5:30 p.m. 104

Tue. Jan. 10 H.S. Girls Basketball West Fargo vs Fargo Davies 5:45 p.m. 104

Tue. Jan. 10 H.S. Boys Basketball West Fargo vs Fargo Davies 7:15 p.m. 104

Tue. Jan. 10 H.S. Girls Basketball Alexander vs L&C-NS-Plaza 7:15 p.m. 196

Tue. Jan. 10 H.S. Girls Basketball Central McLean vs Garrison 7:30 p.m. 195

Thu. Jan. 12 H.S. Boys Basketball Linton-HMB vs Kidder County 7:30 p.m. 196

Thu. Jan. 12 H.S. Boys Hockey East Grand Forks, MN vs Fargo Davies 7:30 p.m. 104

Thu. Jan. 12 H.S. Girls Basketball South Border vs Napoleon-GS 7:30 p.m. 195

Fri. Jan. 13 H.S. Girls Basketball Watford City vs Mandan 6:30 p.m. 104

Fri. Jan. 13 H.S. Boys Basketball Linton-HMB vs LaMoure-LM 7:30 p.m. 195 & 196

Fri. Jan. 13 H.S. Boys Basketball Watford City Mandan 8 p.m. 104

Sun. Jan. 15

College Men’s Basketball Lucky Lanes Bowling Tournament 6 p.m. 104

Mon. Jan. 16 H.S. Boys Basketball Tioga vs Kenmare 7:15 p.m. 195 & 196

Tue. Jan. 17 H.S. Girls Basketball Kenmare vs Stanley 7:15 p.m. 196

Tue. Jan. 17

College Women’s Basketball Minot High vs Bismarck Century 7:30 p.m. 104

Tue. Jan. 17 H.S. Boys Basketball South Border vs Oakes 7:30 p.m. 195

Thu. Jan. 19 H.S. Wrestling Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm vs LaMoure-LM 6:30 p.m. 195

Thu. Jan. 19 H.S. Boys Hockey West Fargo vs Fargo South/Shanley 7:30 p.m. 104

Thu. Jan. 19 H.S. Girls Basketball LaMoure-LM vs Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 7:30 p.m. 196

Fri. Jan. 20

College Women’s Basketball Winona State vs Minot State 5:30 p.m. 104

ANNUAL NOTIFICATIONS

Do Not Call Residential Notification

To address consumer concerns about unwelcome telemarketing calls, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) established a national Do-Not-Call Registry. The registry applies to all telemarketers (with the exception of certain non-profit and political organizations) and covers both interstate and intrastate telemarketing calls. Commercial telemarketers are not allowed to call you if your number is listed on the registry.

Consumers may register their residential phone number, and wireless numbers, on the national Do-Not-Call Registry for free. To register by phone, call 1-888-382-1222. For TTY call 1-866-290-4236. You must call from the phone number you wish to register. Or, register online at donotcall.gov. Telemarketers have up to 31 days to get your phone number and remove it from their call lists.

Battery Backup Notification

DRN reminds customers your telecommunications services are powered by electricity. If your main power source goes out, all fiber customers have a backup power supply box provided by DRN in your home, apartment complex, or office building.

The battery backup powers telephone service for approximately eight hours. This means the backup will provide eight hours of in use time or talk time. If the power is out for an extended period of time, telephone service will continue to work as long as the battery backup has not been depleted of its eight hours of in use time. During a power outage, Internet and television service disconnects immediately.

In order to keep you and your family connected during an extended power outage, DRN recommends connecting your home or business to a backup generator or emergency backup battery. DRN offers a 24-hour extended battery for purchase. For details on buying an extended battery or any other questions regarding the battery backup, contact a customer care specialist at 701-344-5000.

Federal Lifeline Assistance

For those who can’t afford communication services–Lifeline, a federal program, can help eligible people pay part of their phone or broadband bill.

Lifeline can save you at least $9.25 on your monthly phone bill for basic local telephone service or broadband. Lifeline assistance applies only to service in the home where you live.

Who is eligible?* An individual is eligible if he or she participates in one of the following programs:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Medicaid

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Federal Public Housing Assistance

• Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension

In addition, a consumer may be eligible if his or her household income is at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines.

* Only eligible persons may apply. Only one discount is available per household. Lifeline is non-transferable.

How to obtain assistance: Offices that administer a program under which you are eligible for Lifeline may automatically send you an Assistance Certificate in the mail. Anyone wishing to participate in Lifeline is required to sign a form indicating, under oath, that they qualify to participate because they meet at least one of the program eligibility requirements. This must be signed and returned with a copy of your income or program eligibility.

What if my benefits stop? If you no longer qualify for any economic program, you no longer qualify for Lifeline.

For more information: Call DRN at 701-3445000. Consumers must apply for Lifeline through their telecommunications company.

DRN awards $4,000 to area non-profits

DRN recently awarded $4,000 in donations to eight area non-profit organizations who applied for a grant to benefit rural areas and lead to community improvements.

“We are proud of our communities and are committed to supporting efforts that keep our area vibrant and healthy for generations,” said DRN GM/CEO Kent Schimke. “As we reviewed the eight grant applications, we were inspired to help support each non-profit group with a $500 donation. The DRN Board of Directors approved a $2,000 match to double funding to $4,000 in donations for these community-based projects,” he continued.

Applicants of the 2022 RDFC grant in DRN service area who received donations/grants were: Ashley Ambulance Service; Fort Ransom Community Club; D.A.R.E. Program, Oakes; Gwinner Baseball Program; LaMoure Fire Department; Little Loboes Bright Beginnings Inc.; Marion Park Board and Oakes Fire and Rescue District.

1. Ft. Ransom Community Club, Building Addition

DRN’s Kari Nishek presents the donation to Joe Billing, Tish Mennis and Dianne Skramstad.

2. Oakes Fire & Rescue, New Fire Hall Construction Kari Niskek, DRN, presents t he donation to Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Sitzler.

3. Marion Park Board, Handicap Restroom Upgrades Kari Nishek presents the donation to Jackie Baertsch, r ight, and Kayla Cuypers, center with her children.

4. Little Loboes, Playground & Classroom Equipment

Accepting the DRN donation is Sarah Weber and Courteney Kelstrom.

5. LaMoure Fire Dept., Upgrade PPE for Volunteers Kari Niskek, DRN, presents the donation to Davy Bellim.

6. Oakes Police Dept., D.A.R.E. Curriculum Officer Jeremy Sitzler and Police Chief Matthew O’Brien, receive the donation from Kari Nishek, DRN.

7. Gwinner Baseball Program, Foul Poles Field Upgrade Krista Peterson accepts the DRN donation from Kari Nishek.

Photo not available: Ashley Ambulance Service.

PO Box 69 Ellendale, ND 58436

Enjoy online peace of mind while we keep the intruders out.

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ProtectIQ puts a shield between your devices and bad actors, stopping threats before they ever make it to your devices. Learn more online at drtel.com/protectiq.