WHAT SHOULD YOU DO BEFORE SCANNING QR CODES?

While many QR codes are trustworthy, fraudulent ones are used for malware and phishing. To be safe, use a QR scanner that displays the URL before it opens the website — such as the built-in one that came with your phone — so you can stop the process if the URL looks suspicious. Most third-party QR scanners instantly display the …

WHY MOVIE DIALOGUE IS GETTING HARDER TO UNDERSTAND

When you stream movies, do you sometimes struggle to understand what’s being said? You’re not alone. In the past few years, movie dialogue has become more difficult to understand. This can be because the director intentionally wants to mimic the real world, the actors choose an “under your breath” delivery, or the compressed audio files required for streaming are of …

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

We love what we do because of customers like you! Thanks for trusting us to keep you connected to what matters most. We hope your Valentine’s Day is filled with many lovely moments.

BAD BOTS COMPRISE NEARLY 40% OF ALL INTERNET TRAFFIC

A bot – short for robot – is a software program that performs automated, repetitive, predefined tasks. Bots typically imitate or replace human user behavior.  While some bots, such as search engine crawlers, are good, bad bots are built to carry out malicious attacks at scale.   When left unchecked, these bad bots can steal data, affect site performance, and even lead to …

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PAPERLESS BILLING

Are you afraid that paperless billing isn’t secure?  The reality is that paperless billing has many safeguards in place, making it more secure than having statements and payments in a mailbox when they could be stolen. Do you think you need paper bills to remind yourself to pay? It’s actually more convenient to receive text and/or email reminders of when your …

AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM

The FCC’s new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) replaces the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) developed at the start of the pandemic. The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Get more details and eligibility criteria at www.fcc.gov/acp.

How to Safely use Public Wi-fi

To minimize your risk of hackers gaining access to your personal information when you use public Wi-Fi, treat all Wi-Fi links with suspicion. Speak with an employee at the business to get the name of the legitimate Wi-Fi network, since hackers can set up a bogus link with a connection name that’s deliberately similar to the real one.

3 Tech Resolutions to Make in 2022

Don’t forget about technology when making New Year’s resolutions. If you aren’t doing these things already, resolve to start in 2022: 1) Back up your data regularly, either through an external hard drive or cloud storage. 2) Keep your software and operating system updated. 3) Fight back against spam by using junk mail filters.

Don’t be Fooled by Caller ID Spoofing

With Caller ID spoofing, scammers are able to disguise the number they’re calling from and make it appear as if their calls are coming from a local phone number — perhaps even from someone you know. That way, you’re more likely to pick up. Never give out personal information over the phone, such as account numbers, unless you initiate the call.

What Can You Do With Your Old Phone?

When you get a new phone, you may decide to trade in your old one with your cellular carrier, give it to a family member, sell it online, or take it to an electronics recycling organization. But those aren’t your only options. Use it as a security camera by downloading an app like AlfredCamera or Presence. Turn it into a …