ASHEBORO —
Randolph Telephone Membership Corp. has weathered the economic storm but now faces potentially negative consequences from a proposed federal broadband plan.
RTMC General Manager Frankie Cagle told a packed Southwestern Randolph Middle School gymnasium crowd at the organization’s 52nd annual meeting last Saturday that despite a difficult economy, “I’m proud to tell you ... we are doing well. ... We have an excellent board (of directors) ... and what separates Randolph Telephone from others is our employees.”
He said the staff members “are willing to go the extra mile to give quality service. (To them) it’s more than just a job.”
Along with the good report, Cagle announced that RTMC will be returning $2.4 million in capital credits to the members. Despite “spending at lot of money” to remain at the forefront of technology in the communications industry, he said, the corporation is “doing better than most.”
Cagle said RTMC’s goal is to “provide you with the services you want when you want them.”
But there are clouds on the horizon, he said, referring to a proposal by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to push broadband to all areas of the country.
“I’m on board with that,” he said of federal efforts to expand greater bandwidth telecommunications signals to the entire nation. “It’s the details that worry me.”
He explained that the FCC wants to provide urban areas with 100 megabytes/per/second (Mbps) while only allowing four Mbps to rural areas.
“We offer more than that now,” Cagle said. “We’re not going to be able to compete with urban areas.”
He asked all members to fill out cards provided to them, which call for more robust broadband speeds for rural communities.
The cards will be sent to Congressional representatives.
Each card reads in part: “I am extremely concerned with the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. The plan will have serious negative consequences for consumers living in rural America ...
“Without the deployment of broadband with robust speeds, I fear our rural community will fall behind in terms of economic development, educational opportunities, advances in health care, and quality of life. This large disparity if unacceptable, and I urge you to contact the FCC to tell them so. ...”
Aaryn Slafky, director of marketing and communications, told the RTMC members that “we’re so much more than a telephone company.
“As a telephone company, Randolph Telephone is designed to deliver all sorts of communications paths” including telephone, Internet, wireless and TV, she said.
Randolph Telephone, Slafky said, is committed to three goals: provide services members want and need, return excess capital to members and have a positive impact on the community.
“We are always examining different products and technologies to see if a new solution may improve an existing service or fill a new need that our members have,” said Slafky.
She explained that excess capital is a necessary function of providing for future needs. “You can basically look at it as using these funds to future-proof the network to bring you all the services you know and enjoy.”
As for community impact, Slafky said, “We want to be involved in happenings in this community. That is why you see our employees participating in local organizations and in local events. We want to help shape the future success of our community by being an active participant.”
One aspect of that is providing $6,000 in student scholarships.
Slafky announced this year’s winners: Kelly Megan Purvis of Chatham Central High School, attending UNC-Greensboro; Joseph Aaron Cheek of Southern Alamance, attending N.C. State; Megan Renee Shoffner of Southeast Guilford, attending UNC-Greensboro; Shelby Lynn Garner of North Moore, attending Campbell University; Jessica Michelle Gordon of Eastern Randolph, attending Mount Olive College; Jessica Lynn Haithcox of Providence Grove, attending Campbell University; Miranda Page Cox of Randolph Early College High School, attending Appalachian State University; and the $1000 Young Artists Scholarship winner, Le Mei Huang of Asheboro High School, attending the Academy of Art University.
In other business, the members voted to re-elect board members Joe Allen, Bobby Macon and Wayne Brady.
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