News & Residential Blog

Conventional wisdom suggests (as does scientific research) that technology and especially electronic gadgets such as laptops, smartphones and tablets can serve as a hindrance to quality sleep when used around bedtime. But sleep-deprived consumers shouldn’t ban all devices from the…

For music lovers on the move, streaming music services offer an attractive alternative to hauling a collection of CDs around, and they open up an easy avenue to finding new favorite artists. Subscription services from the likes of Spotify and…

For cooks and bakers nationwide, the fast-approaching holidays can bring an often-overwhelming list of kitchen-related to-do items, including grocery shopping, prep work, baking, cooking and cleaning, just to name a few. And, of course, with so many culinary responsibilities on…

He’s jolly, he’s bearded, and he’s coming back! Santa is suiting up to pay a special visit to the FTC stores for FTC Santa Photo Days Nov. 19 – Nov. 30! Each day he will visit a different FTC location…

Sooner or later, that new smartphone becomes an old smartphone and needs to be replaced. Individuals who decide to sell their old phones need to be sure they remove all of their personal information securely before letting a new owner…

It’s a common problem of the digital age: You’ve got an account or app for nearly everything under the sun, and with each different one, you’re advised to create a unique password. This sounds like a great plan, of course,…

As summer winds to a close and the school year kicks off, you are probably making your way down a list of tasks to complete before the first bell rings. While you’re in prep mode, consider these tips to get…

Whether you are just starting to explore Amazon’s Echo and Alexa or you already have an Echo in every room of your house, you’ll want to know how to use Alexa to her full potential. Echo is the “smart speaker”…

10 Songs for Your Summer Playlist Wherever you play music — in the car, at the beach, around the house — these 10 numbers will get your motor running, your toes tapping and your lips moving. Warm up those pipes…

Most of you have experienced this modern-age nuisance before: Your caller ID indicates that you’re getting a local call, perhaps from a neighbor, a friend or, in some cases, even your own telephone number. But when you answer, you discover…

Hollywood celebrated its best and brightest earlier this month with the 90th Academy Awards ceremony (commonly known as the Oscars), where the famous golden statuettes were presented in 24 categories ranging from Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design to Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. 

While the celebrated awards honor accomplishments on the silver screen, FTC Digital TV customers can catch the biggest award-winners from the comfort of their own couches with our Video On Demand service. Without further ado, we’ll cut to the chase and get to the most-awarded films. And the multiple-Oscar winners available on VOD are …

With technology being at the forefront of our day-to-day lives, we can easily overlook hackers trying to steal our personal information. That’s why FTC tries to alert its customers to possible security threats as they arise. With that in mind, here is information on “typosquatting,” the latest scam to hit the Internet and technology world. It can come as a result of a simple typo.

Our main objective at FTC is to provide excellent service to all of our customers. We also want to make sure they are staying secure while utilizing our services or any other technologies out there. As we stay up-to-date on all things technology, we recently learned of a new industry security threat.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year filled with family, fun, food, drinks and the exchanging of gifts. In this day and age, the majority of those gifts are purchased online and left to sit on dimly lit porches waiting for their owners to return from work. Moreover, ‘tis the season for traveling to the homes of loved ones, leaving homes vacant and prime targets for the greedy eyes of thieves. Follow our tips to protect your gifts, home and holiday fun from the Scrooges of the world this holiday season.

“Hello. We are looking for [YOUR NAME]. We need to discuss your current healthcare plan.”

You should immediately hang up.

Not only are automatic robocalls irritating, but they’re also a dangerous way to phish for your information. As if they don’t already waste your time, they’re getting more clever, more believable and more frequent than ever.

Everywhere you look, interactive media has inundated our daily routines. Whether it is for work or for play, our smartphones have become less of a device and more of an information portal into the world around us. Within the intricate interfaces of our smartphone devices exist the potential to download hundreds of applications (apps), each with a different offering set to make our lives that much easier. There are many that stand out as some of the greatest apps to ever be made but, in no particular order, here is a list of apps that completely changed the way we live and interact:

In a world where the majority of our transactions and interactions happen online, individuals and companies alike are in a constant struggle to safeguard their information and maintain security. In honor of October being National Cyber Security Month, it’s time to fine tune those privacy settings and up your protection levels to prevent fraud and information hacks. Here’s some of the top ways to secure your online presence: 

Santa is coming to FTC. Click to see when he is coming to your FTC location. 

Summer might be winding down, but there’s still a need to beat the dog days of summer heat. Whether it be in the ambiance of the theater or in the comfort of your own home, there’s nothing quite like putting your feet up and enjoying a great piece of entertainment.

First, there was Siri – now, the universe welcomes digital voice assistants. The swell of internet-connected devices, like smart thermostats and home assistants, is bringing even more utility to a connected consumer’s life. Siri was just early to the artificial-intelligence party back in 2011. 

FTC's North Pike Store location closed on Feb. 3. Click for more information. 

What if we told you that you could have a helping hand in bringing improved telecommunications capabilities right to your front door, at no cost? You can! Click to learn more.

This time of year, it’s practically impossible to turn on your TV without subjecting yourself to endless marathons of Christmas movies, but who’s complaining? Not us! Here are some of the greatest Christmas classics, so put that wrapping paper down and pick up that remote. Click to see our favorites! 

FTC is among 11 Spirit Communications member-owners laying the groundwork for expanding economic development in South Carolina. Click to read more.