2020 | FTC-I

Dec

28

2020

What Is Hosted PBX, and What Are the Business Benefits?

More often than not, the needs of the business world demand much more powerful and professional-grade tools than their counterparts in the home. This can ring especially true in the area of communications, where reliable connections and a broad range of features can mean the difference between winning new business and missing out on valuable opportunities. And when it comes to office phone systems, having all the tools workers need to keep communications clear, open and freely flowing, both inside and outside the office walls, can be critical to a business’s success. The Power of PBX The Private Branch Exchange...

Dec

22

2020

How to Create a Memoji on an iPhone

Regular text and email users (and most everybody else by now, really) are likely familiar with emoji. These wildly popular images, symbols and icons are regularly used in text messages and emails, and they offer a simple way to quickly and succinctly express emotions, thoughts and other information with just a few clicks. Adding to their popularity, emoji recently took on a more personal touch. With the 2019 release of its then-new iOS 13, Apple upped the emoji game with the “memoji,” which allow users of Apple devices to create their own personalized avatar with facial features like their own,...

Dec

16

2020

5 Ways to Improve the Wi-Fi Experience in Your Waiting Room

For today’s connected consumers, getting through a stay in a businesses’ waiting room no longer has to equate to idle time spent with little to do besides make a cup of coffee, flip through outdated magazines or watch whatever happens to be on the waiting-room TV. With a speedy Wi-Fi connection and a laptop computer, or even just a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone, waiting-room guests can get their work done, catch up on online chores or the news, or take their pick from a broad array of online entertainment options. But as most consumers are painfully aware, not all waiting rooms...

Dec

07

2020

5 Sought-After Features in a Portable Bluetooth Speaker — and Some Top Models That Deliver Them

For today’s music lovers, modern technology has made pursuing sonic passions much easier and more convenient than in past eras of musical recordings. Case in point: A serious fan’s entire music collection, including days’ or even months’ worth of albums and tracks, can now be stored right on a smartphone and carried around in a pocket or purse, accessible at any time and from anywhere with just a few swipes and clicks. And for those who subscribe to streaming music services, virtual libraries filled with millions of artists, albums and songs can be accessed at home or on the go...

Dec

04

2020

FTC to Utilize New Vendor for Directory

FTC is transitioning the development of its directory, including its yellow pages, to the nation’s largest and oldest directory publisher of rural telephone cooperatives. Vivial, formerly known as the Berry Company and based out of Dayton, OH, will be taking over for Data Publishing, which produced the FTC “phone book” for the past decade. Dent Adams, FTC’s chief operating officer-subsidiaries, leads the division that oversees the directory. “Change is never easy, but we just found it was the perfect time for us, and we are excited about this partnership,” Adams said. “We conducted an exhaustive search and chose Vivial because...

Nov

25

2020

4 tech tools that support touchless and low-touch payments

In a business environment that has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the array of efforts being taken to prevent the spread of the virus, few areas in the retail and hospitality arenas have seen as much change as the payment process. In addition to mask-wearing protocols and the installation of plexiglass dividers at checkout in an effort to keep both consumers and workers safe, the ways people actually pay for their products is also seeing fundamental changes the world over. Among the most popular ways businesses are keeping customer-worker contact to a minimum and safety precautions at...

Nov

18

2020

What is the CPRA, and what does it mean for businesses?

Upon going into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) sent shock waves across the online business and marketing worlds by ushering in the nation’s toughest consumer-geared digital privacy protections. For many enterprises doing in-person or online business in California (and even for some whose websites were simply visited by California consumers), it created a host of new requirements regarding the collection and use of consumers’ personal data. For businesses meeting certain thresholds defined in the law, it required making revisions to their websites and other digital assets, including updating their privacy policies, preparing to respond...

Nov

17

2020

5 Holiday Movies That Can Brighten the Season

The holidays are known for endearing traditions with abundant family time, fun gift exchanges, festive decorations and nearly nonstop feasting high on the list of highlights for many Americans. Another American tradition during the time of year when the weather outside gets frightful and families are looking to spend some quality time inside, is holiday movies. Whether it is a classic Christmas tale, a long-loved holiday comedy or a new flick celebrating the season on the tinsel- and light-decked block, holiday movies and the season of joy go hand in hand. For seasonal celebrants looking to put some holiday cheer...

Nov

09

2020

The Smart(er) Home: Life-Enhancing Tech Devices for Every Room

Most modern consumers have grown familiar with the term “smart home” and they understand that today’s homes are growing more and more technologically advanced (and even internet-connected) by the day. In fact, as homes fill up with tech tools that can make homeowners’ lives easier, safer, more enjoyable or generally better in one way or another, these life-enhancing devices have begun to make appearances in nearly every room of the house. Consider these cutting-edge devices that can improve the lives of their tech-savvy owners, from the front door to the back door and from the top floor to the basement:...

Oct

30

2020

What is a static IP address, and why would a business need one?

Simply put, a static IP address can be thought of as a non-changing internet address for a business. Much like a physical street address, a static IP address can tell other computers or servers on the internet exactly where a specific computer is located or connected to the internet. This is useful for many small businesses that have internet-related needs, such as hosting a web, email or an FTP server, remote access to a corporate network, or hosting a webcam for video streaming and videoconferencing applications. Dynamic vs. static IP addresses Most devices’ IP addresses are dynamic, meaning they change over...