The Internet of Things (IoT) Includes Many Smart ObjectsHigh-Speed Internet When you choose high-speed Internet, you can do what you’ve always done online— but so much faster.

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Quarter 3 • 2015 CUSTOMER CONNECTIONA Quarterly Newsletter From Your Friends at RT Communications

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There’s a lot of talk these days about the Internet of Things (IoT). But just what is it? The IoT is a collection of objects represented and connected virtually through the Internet. This means that ordinary things will be identified with electronic tags that will allow them to send information to other devices, enabling people to interact with the objects in helpful ways.

For example, a smart refrigerator might send information to your smartphone about what’s inside, so you can do a grocery run on the way home from work without having to go home to check what’s running low. A fitness bracelet might measure your body fat and suggest tailored fitness plans. Or a toothbrush might evaluate your brushing technique and alert you to spots in your mouth you’ve missed.

There seems to be no limit to possibilities offered by the IoT. A leading networking company, Cisco, estimates that the number of devices connected to the Internet will grow four times to 50 billion by 2020 from about 13 billion in 2014. Those billions and billions of connected devices — more than seven things for every person on Earth — will

generate massive amounts of data that can reshape the way the world lives and works.

We can look forward to a wide range of benefits from the IoT, including:

• No more passwords! Devices will have finger-print and retinal scanners to identify users.

• Healthier world. Sensors will provide information about air quality, sewers, and other locations to determine the impact of our activities on the environment.

• Better emergency response. Cars will send details about crashes so emergency responders can plan ahead.

• Improved health. Pill bottles will be equipped to flash lights or send messages when a patient forgets to take a dose.

• Increased safety. Buildings will have monitors that measure the severity of earthquakes, so occupants will know when to evacuate.

RT Communications has invested in our network to make sure our customers have access to the high-speed Internet required to take advantage of tomorrow’s technologies.

The Internet of Things (IoT) Includes Many Smart Objects

Remember, September 11 is Patriot DayPatriot Day is designated in memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the catastrophic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Each year on this day, the President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments both here and abroad. The President also asks Americans to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 A.M. (Eastern Daylight Time), the time of the first plane collision into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, you can see photos and learn more about its exhibits at www.911memorial.org. Included are Google Maps tours of the 9/11 Memorial’s street view and an Earth Tour of 7 World Trade Center.

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What is Open Internet and What Does It Mean For Rural Broadband?You’ve probably heard the term Open Internet (or Net Neutrality) used in news reports. The FCC recently voted to impose strong, specific rules related to an Open Internet, and it’s become a hotly contested issue. NTCA — The Rural Broadband Association put together a fact sheet and we share highlights of it with you here.

Q. What is an Open Internet? A. The basic premise is that Internet Service

Providers (ISPs) should not interfere with a consumer’s access to content or data of his or her choosing.

Q. Was the Internet closed before these FCC rules were adopted?

A. No. There are very few instances of ISPs being accused of blocking or throttling data on their networks, and most of these exam-ples are years old and involve larger ISPs in disputes with specific content providers. The FCC’s order appears to be more about preventing potential bad behavior than it is about correcting bad behavior in the past.

Q. Will a consumer see any change in his or her Internet service as a result of this order? A. No, at least not immediately. The order shouldn’t result in near-term changes in terms of what

content a consumer can see on the Internet or the speeds at which content is delivered. But it’s still possible that some of the rules could, over time, have unforeseen effects on ISPs, their networks, and/or the consumer experience.

Q. Is there anything in this order that might be of special interest to rural broadband consumers? A. In the near term, the order appears to treat all consumers—rural and urban—largely the same in terms

of the policies being adopted. But some of the reasoning used by the FCC to reach its decision could affect future debates that are important to rural consumers. Specifically, small rural ISPs often depend upon interconnection with larger providers to take data “to and from the Internet,” and they also rely upon universal service support to deploy and operate the broadband-capable networks that make Internet access possible in rural areas. While the FCC’s order may not directly address these issues, it appears to provide at least a foundation for future action that could promote the affordability and sustainability of rural broadband.

To learn more, visit http://www.fcc.gov/openinternet.

Top 3 Benefits of High-Speed InternetWhen you choose high-speed Internet, you can do what you’ve always done online — but so much faster. There are many advantages to having faster Internet. Here are the three most important:

1. Faster load time. With high-speed Internet, webpages will load faster than the average speed — even when you have multiple tabs open, and even if there are videos or photos present on the pages.

2. Continuous streaming. Stream TV shows, movies, and music without interruption when you have highspeed Internet. Buffering is a thing of the past!

3. Support for multiple users. If more than one person in your household is using the Internet, you may experience a slow con-nection without a high-speed connection. For the modern family, faster Internet isn’t a luxury anymore — it’s a necessity.

High-speed Internet means faster social networking, faster video streaming, and faster multi-player online gaming — not just for you, but for the whole family. To sign up for faster Internet speeds, call us today.

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