112 THE POWER OF POSSIBILITY NISC | 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND MEMBER SERVICE access to broadband at a download speed of at least 25 Mbps, while 96 percent of urban areas have access to broadband at least that fast, according to a 2016 Federal Communications Commission report. Rural telecoms have worked to extend fiber, sometimes collaboratively with electric utilities, while large telecommu- nications companies, locked in their own competitive battles, avoid rural terrain as high-cost and low-yield. “In 1952, we were formed because the large Bell company wouldn’t come to the rural areas to provide telephone service,” says Johnson. “That’s exactly what’s happening today. We’re trying to serve where the big guys and other folks won’t. Now it’s all about broadband and internet access rather than voice.” NISC adapts to each new service, providing billing and accounting software and tools to manage the network and compiling reports to comply with government regulations. SwitchTalk2 , which allows customer service representatives to connect or disconnect specific services, and SmartHub, which allows customers to track their broadband usage, make payments and perform other tasks, improve the broadband experience. But many of the efficiencies occur behind the scenes. “We’re integrating all their systems,” says Ed Wolff, Vice President for Professional Services. “[Members] have systems for video, they have systems for internet, they have systems for phone. It’s our job to tie that all back to the customer.” NISC’s Broadband Measured Service allows customers to trackusageonanhourly,dailyandmonthlybasis.Thatenabled Emery Telecom in Orangeville, Utah, to switch from pricing based on internet speed to pricing for data usage. Everyone has 100 Mbps; the unlimited plan provides gigabit speed. “Theynaturallyfallintothepackagethatmeetstheirneeds,” says Chief Operating Officer Jared Anderson. “Customers have a higher speed and a better experience.” Data analytics, with tools such as iVUE Mosaic, will help telecom Members understand how and when their customers are using broadband. For example, if Netflix streaming strains the network during prime time, the telecom may choose to collect usage data to convince Netflix to provide a local caching server for faster access to the content. “If you don’t know how your network is being used, you can’t maximize it,” says Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA — The “We’re integrating all their systems. [Members] have systems for video, they have systems for internet, they have systems for phone. It’s our job to tie that all back to the customer.” — ED WOLFF NATIONAL INFORMATION SOLUTIONS COOPERATIVE continued from page 110