A Legacy Continued - 42nd Annual Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Tournament

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Left) Alvin Gotcher, GHS class of 1971, presents Stephanie Chapman, PTCI Marketing/PR Representative, with a framed Longest Drive Sponsor Flag from the 2013 tournament.

The Hitch Family started the Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Tournament in memory of their son Jim, a Guymon High School student who passed away in his sleep from walking pneumonia in 1970.  Students from all over Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas come to Guymon to play in the tournament each year. Recently,  Jim Hitch’s classmates and other graduates of Guymon High School have dedicated themselves to keep this legacy going for many more years to come.

Tournament Chairman Steve Braley, along with other event volunteers, worked hard to secure funds for the tournament through 100% donations. Braley said, “It is one of the oldest and becoming one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the country because it has been played for 42 years consecutively.”

“In the past, the tournament has only been for high school boys, 15- through 18-year-olds,” said Braley.  Two new divisions were added this year. A younger boys division 12- through 14-year-olds and a girls division 14- through 18-year-olds played in the 2013 tournament. Braley says winners and runners-up of the Jim Hitch Tournament have the opportunity to play in other well-known golf tournaments.  The winners in each division were given an exemption by Oklahoma Golf Association to play in the Oklahoma Junior Tour Championship at the end of the year.  The Texas Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) has also given an exemption into the Texas West Championship.

Interested individuals and businesses can contact Steve Braley by calling 561.310.2555 or Mike Kinslow at 512.718.2301.  The Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Tournament can also be found online at www.jimhitchtournament.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JimHitchTournament

PTCI was a contributor for the 2013  Jim Hitch Memorial Golf Tournament and has helped sponsor many youth events in our service area throughout the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles.

Tech Tip- What to Do When Your Display Breaks on Your Smartphone

Ouch!

 

You have a handsome new smartphone with all the bells and whistles. As you are carrying your kid, your bag, your groceries, and other miscellaneous items from your car, you accidentally drop your smartphone on the pavement. Ouch! Damaged displays are not covered in your warranty. What makes this worse is that you didn’t opt for cell protection, and you passed on a phone cover. Big mistake!

The good news is there are several options to get a working cell phone:

Option 1- Send your phone to the manufacturer for repair. If you have a Motorola, Samsung, or LG phone, these companies have a support department that will fix your damaged display for a fee that is usually less than a new phone. Ask a PTCI customer service representative for information on how to send in your phone to repair.

Option 2- Take your phone to a cell phone repair company. PTCI does not endorse this option for phones less than a year old because it could nullify your warranty. Unless the repair technician is certified with the manufacturer of your cell phone, this could possibly be the case. On the other hand, the cell phone might be fixed faster than the previous options. The cost is usually higher since you will not only pay for the new display, but also the labor to repair it.

Bottom line, next time sign up for cell protection and get a cover for your phone. They are stylish and durable and meant to protect your small investment.

 

PTCI's Board of Trustees Elects Officers

 

Roger Edenborough, President

Hunter Novak, Vice-President

Wanted! Outstanding Photos!

Could one of your outstanding photos be the the cover of the next PTCI Regional Telephone Directory? Here is the information to enter your best photograph in our contest:
Details for entering your photograph:

1) Only digital files are accepted. e.g. CD, DVD, or email

2) Photos must be a minimum of 300 dpi at 8 ½” x 11.” (Photos submitted with lower resolution are not judged.) This means if yo...u were to print your photo on a letter-sized (8 ½ x 11 inch) sheet of paper, the photo itself would fill the page, and be crystal clear.

a. To obtain a higher resolution, change your camera settings to the largest file size for each photo. This will decrease the number of photos your camera will hold; however, each photo will be a larger size and better quality. Just because your photo looks good on your camera’s display or a computer screen doesn’t necessarily mean it will print clearly.

b. Do not use a cell phone camera as these files are too small for good print quality.

3) Photos should NOT be manipulated with a photo editing software such as PhotoShop or Paint.

5) Photos may be emailed to connie.hawkins@ptci.net or submit using the form below.

Entries may be mailed to:

PTCI
ATTN: Directory Contest
PO Box 1188
2222 NW Hwy 64
Guymon, OK 73942

Deadline: June 28, 2013. All images, whether emailed or sent by regular mail on CD or DVD, must be in the PTCI offices by 5:00 pm on Friday, June 28. Please contact Connie Hawkins with your questions.

Above and Beyond – Frank Salgado, Sally Vaquera, & Orlando Ortiz

Spearman resident Cheryl Meek had been considering switching her TV service to someone other than PTCI. But Frank Salgado’s attitude and helpfulness won her over. She stayed with PTCI Digital TV service and is glad she did. Cheryl also recognizes Sally Vaquera and Orlando Ortiz as being equally helpful and appreciates all of them very much. Cheryl wanted PTCI to know what great employees we have, and she thinks our service is great as well.

 

With great service and great employees like Frank, Sally, and Orlando, why go anywhere else.

PTCI Completes Customer Survey

PTCI would like to thank all those customers who participated in our 2013 e-mail survey.  We received a lot of good information that will help pave the way through the coming year in the areas of customer service, service offerings and customer communication.  Over 90% of respondents rated PTCI Excellent/Good when compared to other utility companies and most said they are very likely to recommend PTCI to friends, family, and colleagues.  

 

PTCI is committed to providing you with the dependable communications and entertainment services you want, at prices you can afford.  We do listen to what you have to say, and we do our best to address all your needs.  Your input is very important.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns, call us at 1-800-562-2556 or log on to www.ptci.net and click on “Contact us.”  You can also stop by one of our stores located at 222 S. Amhurst, Perryton and 721 W. 7^th, Spearman.

FCC Demands Accountability From Long-Distance Providers for Rural Call Completion

FCC announced that Level 3 Communications, LLC, a telecommunications provider out of Colorado, will pay a voluntary $975,000 fine to the U.S. Treasury for not completing calls to rural communities.

This announcement is a positive development for rural consumers and their loved ones who have suffered the frustration or fear of a call not completing because of circumstances beyond their control. It also marks an important milestone in NTCA’s (a rural broadband organization of which PTCI is a member) two years-plus campaign to find a solution to this problem, which has included numerous meetings with FCC staff, several Capitol Hill briefings, call completion test projects conducted with our rural allies and a successful effort by Sen. Tim Johnson (D–S.D.) to seek swift action via a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski that won the support of more than 30 senators. Today’s action not only shows the commission intends to be serious about holding companies accountable for carrying out their fundamental duty as telecommunications providers; it also displays that the commission recognizes the threats persistent call failures pose to public safety and the general well-being of rural Americans.

NTCA hopes that this announcement is the first of many to come as the FCC seeks to send a message regarding the integrity and reliability of the nation’s telecommunications networks. With continued vigilance and the commission’s intervention, there may come a time when these kinds of actions are no longer needed. But we are certainly not there yet. Therefore, in the coming weeks and months we plan to continue holding discussions with commissioners and members of Congress to lead the way forward on this issue. We also plan to file formal comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking issued last month exploring new rules and data collection efforts to combat rural call failures on a systemic basis.

911 Cell Phone Bank and PTCI

For many of us, it's hard to imagine life without cell phones. But for some senior citizens and victims of domestic violence, cell phones are not always affordable. The 911 Cell Phone Bank provides free cell phones to people who need them most.

PTCI is proud to be a partner with the 911 Cell Phone Bank. The Cell Phone Bank was created to provide a source of emergency cell phones and funds to meet the needs of participating law enforcement and affiliated victim services agencies. The 911 Cell Phone Bank has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars and provided thousands of emergency cell phones for victim services organizations nationwide.

PTCI collects discarded cell phones from the community, boxes them up, and ships them to the 911 Cell Phone Bank. The phones are refurbished, cleared of their memory card and tested to ensure they can only make 911 calls. Phones that are deemed unusable are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.  Local law enforcement can request the refurbished phones for seniors or domestic violence victims who can’t otherwise afford cell phones. The 911 Cell Phone Bank will provide monetary compensation to PTCI for each phone received. That compensation is used to fund various programs within the school systems in the PTCI service area.

If you’d like to donate a cell phone, you may bring it in to any PTCI office anytime. By donating your discarded cell phone you are doing more than just providing emergency communications for someone in need. You are also helping to provide funds that support our local schools.

For more information go to www.911cellphonebank.org.

See People You Know on PTCI's Channel 2

PTCI is the only TV provider in the Oklahoma Panhandle bringing local programming to its customers. Locally filmed and produced, Channel 2’s lineup includes local high school sports action, community events, and city council meetings, along with sports programs from downstate and area documentaries. In March, watch for the all new “Media Dashboard.” It’s a 30 minute program showcasing the newest PTCI devices in detail. You won’t want to miss it! You can check out the newest cooking show “Mixing It Up” with Lisa Beer. On the menu is jalapeno shrimp cocktail, green chili chicken soup, spicy white corn, tex-mex meatballs, mexican cornbread, and cilantro cream sauce. Who could resist? Also catch the newest “OSU Extension Monthly” and “Inside OPSU.”

We welcome your content suggestions for local events; just call Shawn Barbaree at 580-338-2556 to give us the details.

How Safe is Your Wireless Phone in an Emergency?

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the huge popularity and convenience of cell phones means that approximately “70 percent of 911 calls are placed from wireless phones”. The convenience of having a cell phone on you at all times, wherever you are, is an important factor in owning one and helps justify the expense. However, that same mobility also creates a problem.

Since wireless phones are mobile, they are not associated with one fixed location or address. While the location of the cell site closest to the 911 caller may provide a general indication of the caller’s location, that information is not usually specific enough for rescue personnel to deliver assistance to a caller quickly.

The FCC has three basic rules that apply to “all wireless licensees, broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS) licensees, and certain Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licensees.”

1. The FCC’s basic 911 rules require wireless service providers to transmit all 911 calls to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), regardless of whether the caller subscribes to the provider’s service or not.
2. Phase I Enhanced 911 (E911) rules require wireless service providers to deliver the PSAP with the telephone number of the originator of a wireless 911 call and the location of the cell site or base station transmitting the call. However, a cell site may cover an area as large as 300 to 400 square miles.
3. Phase II E911 rules require wireless service providers to deliver more precise location information to PSAPs; specifically, the latitude and longitude of the caller. This information must be accurate to within 50 to 150 meters depending upon the type of location technology used.

Texas County has implemented Phase II wireless service. Beaver and Cimarron counties are in the process of implementing Phase II wireless service. PTCI is in full compliance with the FCC’s Phase II rules. These rules require 67% accuracy to within 50 meters and 90% accuracy to within 150 meters. Not all wireless providers currently serving the Oklahoma panhandle can provide your Phase II location information to the emergency response center. In fact, one local wireless provider has filed an exclusion for all of Texas County with the FCC because they are unable to provide Phase II location information to the emergency response center.

Seconds can be crucial in an emergency. Ask your wireless provider about the E911 Phase II location information they are able to provide if you have to use your wireless phone in an emergency.

Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PTCI) along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc. is headquartered in Guymon, Oklahoma and provides high quality Home, Business and Cellular Telephone service, High Speed Internet service and Digital Television service to customers in the Oklahoma Panhandle area. For more information, visit www.ptci.net.