More Channels Now Available

Your access to local content just quadrupled. Mitchell Telecom has partnered with our parent company, Santel Communications, to bring their local content into the Mitchell community. Santel has worked with four school districts in their service area (Parkston, Wolsey, Tripp-Delmont and Woonsocket) to set up local programming that originates from each of the high schools. Similar to our Channel 90, a big chunk of that coverage happens to be high school sporting events and I've included a schedule for the winter months below.

The new channels can be found in our digital package on Channels 101 (Parkston), 102 (Wolsey), 103 (Tripp), and 104 (Woonsocket). The channels along with the game schedule has been added to your digital guide - check there for complete information on dates and times.

CHANNEL 101, PARKSTON LOCAL SCHOOL CHANNEL

 December

4              GBB  vs Freeman

7              GBB vs Tea Area

14           GBB vs Chamberlain

                BBB vs Chamberlain

17           GBB vs Tripp/Delmont/Armour

18           BBB vs Avon

28           Parkston Classic, GBB

29           Parkston Classic, BBB

January

10           GBB vs Wagner

                BBB vs Wagner

14           BBB vs Andes Central

17           BBB vs Bon Homme

24           BBB vs Lennox

29           GBB vs McCook Central/Montrose

February

4              GBB vs Scotland

                BBB vs Scotland

8              BBB vs Tea Area

9              GBB vs Bridgewater/Emery

12           GBB vs Andes Central

15           BBB vs Mt. Vernon

 

CHANNEL 102, WOLSEY LOCAL SCHOOL CHANNEL

December

13           GBB vs Iroquois

17           BBB vs Mitchell Christian

January

3              GBB vs JVC

10           BBB  vs DeSmet

11           GBB 281 Tourney, 3:30

19           GBB vs Corsica/Stickney

22           GBB vs SBA

28           GBB  vs Kimball/White Lake

February

4              GBB vs Lake Preston

5              BBB vs Wessington Springs

9              GBB vs Aberdeen Christian, 1:00

11           BBB vs Hitchcock-Tulare

12           GBB Wolsey-Wessington vs Hitchcock-Tulare, 6:30

15           BBB Wolsey-Wessington vs SBA, 6:30

18           BBB Wolsey-Wessington vs JVC, 6:30

 

CHANNEL 103, TRIPP LOCAL SCHOOL CHANNEL

 December

8          GBB w/ Menno

BBB w/Menno

January

3          GBB vs Mitchell Christian

4          BBB vs Scotland

21        BBB vs Plankinton/Mt. Veron

28        BBB vs Wagner

29        GBB vs Ethan

February

1          GBB  vs Marty

BBB vs Marty

14        GBB vs Scotland

CHANNEL 104, WOONSOCKET LOCAL SCHOOL CHANNEL

December

8          GBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs SBA (DH)

            BBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs SBA (DH)

January

3          BBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Andes Central, 6:30

8          GBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Kimball/White Lake (DH, second game)

      BBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Kimball/White Lake (DH, first game)

11        GBB 281 Tourney, 3:30 (At Wolsey, Channel 102)

25        BBB Woonsocket/Sanborn Central vs Wessington Springs, 6:30

February

4          GBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Bridgewater/Emery, 6:30

8          GBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Highmore/Harrold (DH, second game)

      BBB Sanborn Central/Woonsocket vs Highmore/Harrold (DH, first game)

1-800 Numbers Delivered Virtually

Our roots as a company grew out of a traditional phone company - the Santel Communications Cooperative to be exact - and our name Mitchell TELECOM even gives an obvious wink and a nudge to those telephone roots. The ironic part is it wasn't until we figured out that we were actually a broadband company that things fell into place and we started seeing success in Mitchell.

We didn't have much choice in the matter. Customers decided for us by showing, telling and demanding what was important to their lives or businesses. That began the transition and it was important for us to deliver on the same standards of service that our fore fathers did growing up in the cooperative. Luckily our staff has been able to deliver on that promise.

Why am I taking the time to write about this? Great question. I have been thinking a lot recently about this history as we see more and more of our traditional 'phone' services get rolled into the broadband pipe. The latest one available for Mitchell Telecom is a 800 number that we can provide virtually, forward it to your business, home or cell phone - wherever you want it locally.

That, in-and-of-itself is really not a big deal, for the most part it mirrors how 800 service has always been set up. What's unique here is that the calls your customers make to connect to the 800 number do so over the Internet using Voice Over IP (VOIP).

Why would someone want to connect to a 800 number via the Internet? #1 Reason - Cost. Rates are much cheaper when utilizing VOIP over traditional connections and since it is delivered virtually, you can use existing phone lines which means no additional phone lines for 800 service.

#2 Reason - Flexibility. The 800 number could now move with you rather than only ringing a single location. That means soloprenuer businesses can offer clients 800 connectivity and know they'll get the call regardless if they are in the office or not. Wild, huh?

The next step we are testing with is a virtual phone line that can connect via your laptop providing your phone service wherever you have Internet service. I've snapped a small screen shot from my laptop to show you the software we're using to play with the technology today.

(Soft Phone Application loaded on my laptop. Plug in a headset and I'm wired with phone service anywhere I have Internet.)

If you want to learn more about this product or other Mitchell Telecom services, let us know at sales@mitchelltelecom.com