News - RS Fiber

Semi-Final State Basketball Tournament Coverage on RS Fiber

April 6, 2021 By Dave Dicke •

RS Fiber Video customers can tune in this week for all the action of the 2021 Minnesota State High School League Girls and Boys High School Basketball Tournaments this year with coverage provided by KSTC 45TV!

Customers can catch all the action on channel 6 in SD or 1006 in HD. All games will be held at Target Center in Minneapolis. Class A girls semi-final action begins April 6^th at 10:00 am. The boys semi-final rounds tip-off April 7^th at 10:00 am. All games will also be available to view online at prep45.com.

You may click here to view the full tournament schedule.

Boys and Girls High School Hockey Tournament Schedule

March 30, 2021 By Susan Fiser •

We are happy to announce that we will be televising the 2021 High School Boys and Girls High School Hockey Tournaments this year!

You can watch all the games in SD on channel 6 and in HD on channel 1006. All games will also be available to view online at prep45.com. The games will be held at the Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis and recorded by KSTC 45TV.

Please visit the MSHSL webpage to learn more about the schools participating and view the full tournament schedule.

Girls Tournament Schedule

Girls Class A Tournament

Semifinals Thursday, April 1st at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Championship Saturday, April 3rd at 11 a.m.

Girls Class AA Tournament

Semifinals Thursday, April 1st at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Championship Saturday, April 3rd at 1 p.m.

Boys Tournament Schedule

Boys Class A Tournament

Quarterfinals Tuesday, March 30th at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m.

Semifinals Friday, April 2nd at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Championship Saturday, April 3rd at 6 p.m.

Boys Class AA Tournament

Quarterfinals Tuesday, March 30th at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m.

Semifinals Friday, April 2nd at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Championship Saturday, April 3rd at 8 p.m.

Spring Sun Outages Begin this Week

March 1, 2021 By Dave Dicke •

Twice a year, the sun is positioned directly in line with the ground-based satellite antennas used to receive cable television programming causing intermittent programming outages. Starting March 1st through March 10th, you may experience outages that may last for less than a minute up to 15 minutes. Interruption periods typically occur between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, but will vary based on the satellite being affected.

Sun Outages To Begin Next Week

September 25, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

Twice each year, the sun is positioned directly in line with the ground-based satellite dish antennas used to receive CATV programing. This positioning causes programming interruptions as the sun’s energy overpowers the signals transmitted by the satellites.

Fall sun outages will begin as early as Saturday, October 3, and will last as long as through Tuesday, October 13. The length of the signal interruptions will begin at a minute or less, and lengthen to as long as 15 minutes at the peak of the interruptions. The interruption periods will be between the hours of 11:30 AM and 5 PM. Times will vary with the satellite being affected.

During these interruptions, customers will see a blank colored or black screen on the affected channel(s) .

RS Fiber Announces Extension of the Keep Americans Connected Pledge

July 2, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

Gaylord, MN – RS Fiber Cooperative (RSF) is taking additional measures to protect customers from losing essential broadband services by extending the Federal Communications Commission’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge.

“Many of our customers continue to endure significant financial challenges because of COVID-19,” RS Fiber General Manager Ben Ranft said. “RS Fiber understands that and is committed to helping our most financially vulnerable customers keep their services which have become even more essential in this pandemic environment because of online learning and working from home.”

Extension of the Keep Americans Connected Pledge means:

-Free broadband service to qualified low-income households. Eligible households must have school-aged children enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program or the Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP).

-Temporarily suspending disconnections of service due to failure to pay and waiving late fees for customers.

-Maintaining free access to RS Fiber Community Wi-Fi hotspots.

Since signing the initial FCC pledge in March, RS Fiber has worked with local school districts to make sure each student, their families, and teachers would have access to broadband for both education and working from home through its wired and wireless networks. RS Fiber continues to make its community Wi-Fi access points available free of charge.

Throughout this pandemic, RS Fiber Installation Technicians have been safely connecting and servicing customers while following strict safety protocols. All employees must pass a daily health screening which includes temperature checks, before being allowed to serve customers. Local RS Fiber offices are open by appointment only with customers being asked to answer several health-related questions prior to scheduling any appointment. These protocols will remain in place to protect our customers and employees and to help stop the spread of COVID-19. HBC is proud to report that these precautions have kept all employees healthy and virus free.

According to Ranft, RS Fiber will continue to implement these safety measures as long as they are needed.

“It is important that we do everything thing we can to be able to safely serve our customers and continue to provide them with the tools they need to be successful in both work and school,” Ranft said.

RS Fiber Extends Keep Americans Connected Pledge Through June 30

May 4, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

05/03/2020

Winthrop, MN – RS Fiber has announced they are extending their FCC Keep Americans Connected pledge through June 30, 2020. The Keep Americans Connected Pledge was made by more than 700 media companies who committed to support their residential and small business customers during the pandemic by waiving late fees and not terminating service because of an inability to pay. The original pledge expired April 30^th.

As an early adopter of the FCC pledge, RS Fiber made the decision to extend their pledge to its customers and small businesses to June 30^th. In addition, RS Fiber will extend sign-ups for the Internet Assistance Program through June 30^th to support students of low-income families.

This extension includes:

Free broadband service to low-income households. Eligible households must have school-aged children enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program or the Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP).
Maintaining free access to Community Wi-Fi Hotspots.
Temporarily suspending disconnections of service due to failure to pay and waiving late fees for customers.

While RS Fiber offices remain closed to walk-in traffic, our Customer Care and Technical Support teams are available to serve customers. Customers needing to meet with a Customer Care Representative in person may call (800) 628-1754 to set an appointment. Technical Support Services are available 24/7 by calling (800) 628-1754.

About us: RS Fiber Cooperative is a community driven effort to deliver a high-speed fiber-optic connection to Sibley County and portions of Renville, Nicollet, and McLeod Counties. The project has brought fiber-optic Internet, Video, and Phone services to ten cities and fixed wireless broadband to seventeen townships. The RS Fiber mission is: “To provide each and every customer with an exceptional service experience that you can only expect to receive from a local business, while providing you with access to the benefits of the most advanced fiber optic network in the US”

Digital Survival in Self Isolation

April 9, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

Daily life has changed drastically as a result of COVID-19. Our already digital-centric lives have become even more so. That’s why the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has called upon broadband service companies to commit to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge to reduce the risk of interruptions to broadband and telecom connectivity coast to coast during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I certainly agree with the designation of broadband service as essential to society. But I also know information overload can take a toll. To reduce that risk, I’m trying to be more mindful about my media consumption and would suggest others do, too.

I remind myself not to believe everything I read or hear. Rumors are being debunked daily about everything from which celebrity has contracted the virus to which home remedies protect against it. Choose outlets you trust to keep up on the latest safety guidance.

Online tools, like video conferencing, are a great way to stay connected. I urge you to use the technology available to stay connected with family and loved ones who are self-isolating in other places. With a little creativity, I have also worked to establish a routine. Bookmarking online resource lists, remote learning options, home workout routines and digital tours keeps me updated, entertained and engaged while avoiding getting sucked into ‘click bait’ that sensationalizes and misleads.

Wearing my work hat, I am focused on keeping our network running and I am proud of the company and all of our great employees for working to bring essential services to the homes, community support services, and businesses of our RS Fiber service area. You can visit our website (https://www.rsfiber.coop) if you would like to learn more about our efforts and assistance offerings.

I hope you and your families are staying safe, healthy and calmly connected.

Dan Pecarina

President

Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC)

RS Fiber Operations

A Letter to Our Customers

March 18, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

To our customers,

With the increase in the number of Coronavirus cases, we want to ensure you we are taking steps to protect our employees and customers. We continue to monitor closely the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “Coronavirus Disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be. Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, we are taking proactive steps to limit the spread of illness.

Staff are following HBC guidelines for:

Hand sanitizers
Clorox wipes for disinfecting work surfaces & electronic devices (mobile phone, laptops)
Other protections such as disposable rubber gloves and face masks when needed
Self-imposed work from home as a precaution for employees who have traveled by air or cruise ship or who have a known exposure

We are following CDC recommendations such as requiring employees to:

Stay at home if they are experiencing respiratory symptoms, fever, and other flu-like symptoms
Wash hands frequently with soap and water and make use of alcohol-based sanitizers
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as telephones, keyboards, and tools

In order to adhere to new social distancing guidelines, HBC is announcing several new protocols.

Effective today, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, RS Fiber offices are being closed to walk-in traffic. An appointment will be required for customers to drop off, pick up or exchange equipment. Customers may contact RS Fiber by calling (800) 628-1754 to set an appointment.

When scheduling equipment related or installation appointments, Customer Care Representatives will be asking a series of health screening questions to access when an appointment can be made. If anyone in the household has been ill, traveled on an airplane or has traveled outside the country, an appointment will be delayed for a minimum of 14 days per CDC quarantine guidelines.

You may notice employees such as installers, in-home repair technicians, and front lobby personnel wearing gloves and/or masks as they perform their day-to-day activities. In addition, service technicians who enter homes are also equipped with disposable boot covers.

With area schools closed and shifting to online learning platforms, RS Fiber is offering low-income families, who qualify for the free or reduced school lunch program, 60-days of free broadband service to ensure students have access to the Internet for online learning. Other low-income individuals who qualify for the national Telephone Assistance Program (TAP) can also take advantage of the 60-day free broadband offer. To find out if you qualify, visit rsfiber.coop.

RS Fiber has also made its Community WiFi networks, at both the Gaylord and Winthrop city parks, free for everyone.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation. Protecting the health of our customers, employees, visitors to our facility, and others is our utmost priority. Together, we can limit the risk of spreading illness in the workplace and community.

Thank you,

The RS Fiber Team

RS Fiber Enacts Protocols to Protect Customers and Employees During Coronavirus Outbreak

March 17, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

RS Fiber Cooperative is committed to the health and well-being of our customers and employees during the Coronoavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In order to adhere to new social distancing guidelines, RS Fiber will be implementing the following protocols:

Effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, RS Fiber offices will be closed to walk-in traffic. An appointment will be required for customers to drop off, pick up or exchange equipment. Customers may contact RS Fiber by calling (800) 628-1754 to make an appointment.

When scheduling equipment related or installation appointments, Customer Care Representatives will be asking a series of health screening questions to assess when an appointment can be made. If anyone in the household has been ill, traveled on an airplane or has traveled outside the country, an appointment will be delayed for a minimum of 14 days per CDC quarantine guidelines.

RS Fiber is committed to providing the highest possible level of service during these difficult times. Our offices will remain staffed and customers will still have access to 24/7 technical support.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate through this crisis together.

RS Fiber to Offer Free Broadband Internet to Eligible Families with Students Amid Coronavirus School Closures

March 17, 2020 By Dave Dicke •

For Immediate Release (03/15/2020)

Gaylord, MN – RS Fiber Cooperative (RS Fiber) will provide two months of free broadband service to eligible low-income households, as a number of Minnesota schools announce closures amid concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Manager of the RS Fiber Network, Winona-based Hiawatha Broadband Communications, Inc. (HBC) made the announcement Monday morning. HBC President Dan Pecarina said that RS Fiber is taking measures to provide free Internet access to eligible low-income families, who are new customers, and for free community Wi-Fi hotspots.

“RS Fiber will be working with local school districts to accelerate the school system’s referrals of local low-income families to ensure every student has access to vital communications services through the RS Fiber Internet Assistance Program,” Pecarina said. “Families who live in RS Fiber member communities and townships can sign up for the program through the school system.”

“RS Fiber is a strong supporter of K-12 education,” said Pecarina. “It is important to all families, schools, and communities that every child is provided the access to on-line learning offered by local school districts.”

RS Fiber is prepared to move quickly to install broadband service to new subscriber families to ensure students aren’t left behind as schools suspend classes and move to on-line learning amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Free Community WiFi Hot Spots will be located in Gaylord at Gaylord Park and in Winthrop at Winthrop Park to provide additional Internet access for the general public.

Girls Tournament Schedule

Boys Tournament Schedule

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