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CUSTOMER ALERT

CUSTOMER ALERT

Stay Alert – Watch Out for Fake Online Stores

Watch Out For Charity Scams Scammers create websites that look like popular online stores and may offer great deals on popular items in short supply. Once you pay, they’ll either never send you the item, or send you an inferior fake.

One red flag is if an online store does not provide adequate information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, dispute resolution, or contact details. Another red flag is if the seller does not allow payment through a secure payment service such as PayPal or a credit card transaction.

The FTC recommends you take these steps to protect yourself:
  • Check out the company before you buy. Search online for the company’s name along with words like “scam” or “fraud” to see what issues others might have had.

  • Pay by credit card. If you’re charged twice, billed for something you never got, or get a wrong or damaged item, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company.

  • Keep records. Keep track of the company’s name and website, any receipts or bank statements showing what you paid, and when they said they’d ship your item. (Sellers have to ship your order by the time they or their ads say they will — or give you the chance to get your money back.)
If an online seller hasn’t lived up to its promises, report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

SRT Recognizes Month of the Military Child

SRT Recognizes Month of the Military Child

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This April, SRT joins the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) in celebrating Month of the Military Child. Nearly 2 million children in military families face unique challenges, including frequent moves and family separations. These remarkable young people demonstrate incredible strength and courage while adapting to new schools, making new friends, and supporting their families’ service to our nation.

We encourage our community to wear purple on Purple Up! Day on April 15, 2025, to show support for military children. Military kids are essential members of our community who deserve recognition for their strength and sacrifices.

To learn more about supporting military-connected children, visit militarychild.org.

Streaming: Live or On Demand?

Streaming: Live or On Demand?

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You can stream TV live or on demand. Either way, the video you’re watching is transmitted over your internet connection while you watch it. In other words, it is streaming.

That’s what live and on-demand streaming have in common. But what makes them different?

Basically, on-demand streaming lets you watch individual TV series and movies whenever you want, while live TV works more like cable or satellite by offering local broadcast networks and other live programming.

Think of an on-demand streaming service as a large library of videos you can browse and watch when you want. These services tend to have more movies and older shows, plus exclusive originals produced by the streaming provider. Examples include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Max.

On the other hand, live streaming feels more like traditional TV with news, sports, current shows, and broadcast networks. You tune in to watch a show when it’s scheduled in the TV guide. Live streaming can be a good cable TV replacement. Examples include YouTube TV, Hulu+Live, and DirecTV via Internet.

Whether live or on-demand streaming is a better fit for you depends on your watching preferences. Since streaming is flexible, you can pick, combine, or switch your services easily. When you stream, you choose!

What You Can Watch

If sports, news, and local channels are important to you, consider a live streaming service. Most live streaming providers will have at least some access to live sports, including local sports channels, plus your local news networks.

However, if you’re a movie buff who wants your home to feel like the cinema, on-demand streaming is where you’ll find a greater variety of films. Many video streaming services offer a large library and high-quality audio and visuals.

Both live and on-demand streaming services carry television series, but their availability will differ. Current shows aired by networks like CBS or ABC are usually aired first on live television, then moved to on-demand streaming. But on-demand providers also have their own exclusive shows (and movies) you can only watch on their platforms.

When You Can Watch

Most live streaming services offer unlimited cloud digital video recording (DVR) so you can record live programming to watch later. On-demand streaming is available any time, so there’s no need for a DVR.

Let SRT Help

SRT can walk you through and help you find exactly what you want based on your preferences. We can also offer you a free in-home setup of the TV streaming service you’d like. We’d do all the work and all you have to do is enjoy watching your favorites.

To get started, click Find Your Streaming Service with SRT Communications or call us at 701-858-1200 for a free streaming checkup.

NEXT UP: We’ll talk more about how to choose your streaming services in our next streaming blog post.

Women’s History Month: Celebrating SRT Board President Kristi Miller

Women’s History Month: Celebrating SRT Board President Kristi Miller

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She’s been an SRT customer since her parents had phone service. She was an “SRT for Life” contest winner for submitting her video story about what SRT means to her family and every-day life. She was only the third woman to join SRT’s Board of Directors when she was elected in 2015. She went on to become SRT’s first female Board President in 2021. Alongside CEO/General Manager Cassidy Hjelmstad, these two women form the cooperative’s first female leadership duo.

She is Kristi Miller.

As Board President, Kristi ushered in a chapter of next generation achievements while fostering SRT’s positive, community-centered culture. This is owed not only to her leadership style, but to who she is as a person.

She is level-headed. Kristi has guided discussions and decision-making during some of SRT’s most notable strategic initiatives of the past three years, including the completion of SRT’s fiber network and the sale of 56 wireless towers.

She is respected. Kristi is known as a local farmer and financial professional, an SRT and industry spokesperson, and a neighbor, family member, and friend. Her positive ties and relationships help SRT forge ahead in our communities to provide fiber internet service and economic development support.

She is informed. Kristi pursues continuing education in the telecommunications industry to ensure sound business strategy. As a lifelong resident immersed in our service area, she also knows how boardroom decisions affect the people we serve.

She is committed. Kristi is integral to north-central North Dakota, deeply rooted in each community’s character and future. You can find her tossing candy at various homecoming parades, scooping ice cream on main street, serving pancakes at the State Fair Co-op Day, and sharing kudos and encouragement on SRT’s social media.

She is supportive. Kristi speaks to SRT employees every year at the end of the Annual Meeting and sends holiday greetings to the company, all with the message of gratitude and inspiration for what’s ahead.

Kristi’s leadership is strong and kind, decisive and compassionate. She gets work done and inspires camaraderie. Her professional skills and personal traits have helped advance SRT’s vision during a pivotal time in the cooperative’s history, as we evolve to be north-central North Dakota’s broadband company of the future.

Raised on a family farm in Kramer, Kristi works at Peoples State Bank in Westhope. She and her husband, Warren (who was also her high school sweetheart), make their home and work their farm in the Maxbass/Newburg area.

What Do I Need to Stream?

What Do I Need to Stream?

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Streaming is designed to be portable and flexible so you can watch exactly what you want, when you want. You only need three things to start streaming your favorite movies, shows, and sports, and you might already have one or two of them.

First, get a high-speed internet connection. You need a home internet connection before you can stream, which you likely already have. But make sure your speed is fast enough to ensure smooth streaming. You’ll want to consider a few things about your home, such as how many people are in your household and how many devices you have online at one time. Keep in mind that if everyone in your home is streaming, you might need a faster Internet connection. SRT has high-speed fiber packages to fit your budget and lifestyle, and we can help you determine the best speed for you.

Next, pick a device to stream on such as a Roku, or a smart TV. Most new TVs are smart and streaming-ready, so you might already have streaming apps built-in. But you don’t have to buy a new TV if your current set isn’t “smart.” You can use a device like a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV to connect to your TV and access streaming apps. These devices are relatively inexpensive and are a one-time cost rather than a monthly rental fee. Another option is to use a game console. PlayStation and Xbox, for example, can also function as streaming devices.

Finally, select your streaming services that offer what you want to watch. Services include on-demand options such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, or Max (formerly HBO Max). You also have live stream options such as HULU + Live TV, YouTube TV, or DirectTV Stream, that function more like traditional cable but with more options like searching, creating your own watch list, and sorting your channel lineup. More to come on the difference between live and on-demand streaming in our next blog post.

Remember, you don’t have to purchase TV and internet from the same provider. Streaming lets you start with your Internet connection and then select the streaming you want. There is no need for a traditional TV package that locks you into a bunch of channels you don’t watch. You have more control!

SRT can walk you through your options and help you get exactly what you want based on your preferences. We can also offer you a free in-home setup of the TV streaming service you’d like. We’d do all the work and all you have to do is enjoy watching your favorite programming.

To get started, click Find Your Streaming Service with SRT Communications or call us at 701-858-1200 for a free streaming checkup.

NEXT UP: We’ll talk more about live vs. on-demand streaming.