As NATCO continues to expand our Fiber-to-the-Home network, we are excited to announce we recently completed a fiber build in the 6th Street and Old Dump Road area in Flippin. We’re excited to add over 210 homes to our fiber family!
Our field technicians are currently working overtime to upgrade homes to fiber services on the nearly 20-mile route. If you haven’t upgraded to the area’s most advanced and affordable Internet service, call our Customer Care Team at 870.453.8800.
We are still taking every precaution to keep our customers and team members safe, but we also realize the Internet is an essential tool now more than ever. We’re OPEN by phone and ready to help you get connected to the region’s fastest fiber network!
2020 has shown us that telework is a viable option for many industries and companies. Businesses have had the capability of mobilizing workforces for years, but many lacked resources, confidence, or time to put telework solutions in place. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies worldwide to find solutions and make the shift to a work-from-home format. Now that many offices have been working remotely for a few months, they are starting to see possibilities and benefits for continuing remote work going forward. In order to reap the benefits of telework however, they will need to invest in their workforce and technological solutions.
In all, we are still in the data-gathering stages of this telework experiment. In the coming months and years, we will learn how to adapt and succeed at telecommuting, and we will have a better idea of how to make it work in cases where we did not think it was possible before. Businesses will grow more comfortable with the idea of their employees being productive outside the office and realize that in many cases, it is a successful practice.
NATCO is dedicated to expanding our fiber footprint to our rural customers. Though expensive due to equipment and labor costs, as well as our rocky Arkansas terrain, we see our fiber expansions as an investment in our community’s infrastructure and workforce. We are constantly pushing to bring our customers the connection they need to thrive in their work and leisure. It is part of our commitment to help you #livehereworkanywhere.
For more reading on telecommuting, we recommend checking out these articles:
- The Brookings Institution brings an in-depth academic look at telework and the data on current telework issues;
- Magazine gives tips on how to make telework work for you;
- CNN Business offers advice on video conference call etiquette;
- The American Psychological Association outlines a look at the future of telework and its impact on people. Please note that this article was written before COVID so statistics are outdated, but it gives good insight and resources for where telework could have potential benefits and drawbacks post-COVID.
COVID-19 has affected many area businesses differently, and we are finding that many residents in our communities aren't sure which businesses are open and which aren't. When you're ready to open, or even if you already are, be sure your customers know.
We originally developed the "We AR Open" graphics for internal use, and then immediately recognized that other businesses and organizations would also need the same type of materials to promote their reopening.
We are excited to share these materials as a natural extension of NATCO's ongoing community commitment to improve economic opportunities throughout the State of Arkansas.
Download your own free graphics online at natconet.com/weARopen and receive a free window cling. #weARopen
If your summer vacation was cancelled or postponed this year, it may be the perfect time to try a new hobby (or a few)! Our team members shared some of their favorite pastimes to give you some inspiration.
“In the summer we choose a day each week to try out a new hiking trail in our area. This is great family time and allows us to catch up on our week while enjoying our beautiful area. I actually found a new app this year called AllTrails that lets you pick an area and shows you the trails available there. You can even search for trails based on accessibility or features like waterfalls or beautiful scenery.” — Lisa, Director of Human Resources
“I have a patio garden with tomato, cucumbers, and herbs.” — Teresa, Bookkeeper
“I've been working full-time and raising kids for the past 21 years so I've never really had time for a hobby before. I recently found a way to enjoy some down time using the Cricut Maker which is basically a cutting machine that allows for quick precise cuts on a wide variety of material. I enjoy trying my hand at custom t-shirts and glasses, as well as paper crafts!” — Danielle, Senior Executive Assistant
“When we go camping I like to take my little HobbyZone Champ RTF remote control airplane and fly it at the campground. It is battery powered, small, inexpensive and pretty easy to fly slow if you practice a little using available apps and online instruction.” — David, Director of Finance
“I like to fish…for anything that bites the line!” — Sharon, Business Development Coordinator
“We like visiting local growers to pick fresh from the farm cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, apples! Whatever is in season. Yum! I am the official jam supplier for my family.” — Denise, Director of Regulatory Affairs
NATCO wants to congratulate Eddie Duke on his recent retirement. Eddie has been a team member for 17 years and has been a friendly face to our customers across our service area. We wish him all the best in his retirement!
Congratulations class of 2020!
NATCO is proud of the students in our community. We can’t wait to see what your future has in store!
Every summer, teachers fear that students will experience some level of summer slide – the loss of knowledge gained in the previous school year. This year, the threat of summer slide is exponentially greater. With students already having been out of the traditional classroom for months in some cases, teachers and students may experience a more difficult time than usual playing catch-up in August.
Many parents who have spent the last few months in the teacher role are likely exhausted and glad to be on summer break, while others are worried about their kids’ progress in the upcoming school year. For now, experts are recommending parents and students simply to their best to keep minds active over the summer months to help avoid the dreaded summer slide.
Don’t get overwhelmed at the thought of trying to come up with a whole curriculum for your kiddos; we’ve got a list of resources for a variety of students, from the hands-on learners to the bookworms to the tech geniuses:
- For the tech lovers, Google Expeditions offers virtual tours of some of the greatest wonders and sites around the world.
- For students who like traditional learning, ACT.org offers math and English resources to keep students on the ball.
- For students who need a little fun in their lessons, MotionMathGames.com teaches math lessons in the form of interactive games.
- For kids who like to mix things up, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan publishes daily, themed lessons that will “bring the museum to your home."
- For our aspiring chefs, America’s Test Kitchen is releasing weekly recipes that help kids learn math while in the kitchen.
- For kids full of energy, Go Noodle “provides tons of ways for kids and families to be active, stay mindful, have fun, and learn throughout the summer!”
- For the gamers, Minecraft: Education Edition is a free version of the open-world game that encourages kids to get creative.
- For the future coders, MIT has created an online initiative called Scratch to help kids expand their coding skills.
- For NatGeo fans, National Geographic Kids offers a little bit of everything.
- Bonus: Are your kids podcast listeners? Common Sense Media has compiled a great list of kid-friendly podcasts. New to podcasts? Check out our Podcasts 411 article to get started!
