Author: dev

We’re hosting an exciting giveaway at our Wasilla and Eagle River retail locations: our Back to School Tech Pack Giveaway! From now until August 4th, you can enter to win an exciting pack of tech goodies, including a Dell 2-in-1 Laptop, a Fitbit, a $100 Target Gift Card, and more. We hope to see you enter at either retail location, and if you have any questions about what’s included, rules or restrictions, please see below:

Back to School Tech Pack Giveaway Details

• One Tech Pack will be given away for each location
• You do not need to be present to win
• You do not need to be a current MTA Customer to enter
• You do not need to have a student in the home to enter
• You must enter at the Wasilla or Eagle River retail locations in person
• The Tech Pack includes:
  • Dell 2-in-1 Laptop ($800 value)
  • $100 Target Gift Card
  • Fitbit II
  • Office 365 – one year subscription
  • Bluetooth Wireless Speakers
  • Smart Alarm Clock/Charging Station
  • 3 Months Unlimited Internet (non-transferrable, only for MTA customers)

In big news from last week’s MTA Annual Membership Meeting & Tech Show, incumbents Roxie Mayberry and Larry Wiget maintained their positions on the MTA board as part of the board elections at the event. Read more about the news and the event in this article from the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.

The net neutrality rule rollback, approved by the FCC back in December 2017, took effect Monday, June 11th. MTA supports a regulatory environment that spurs the investment and innovation necessary to empower the growth of the Internet.

MTA’s position remains the same. MTA is committed to providing an open Internet experience for our members.

MTA will not throttle or prioritize content, or otherwise make any changes to our current policies and practices on how our customers can access and utilize the Internet as a result of the FCC’s actions.

Keep an eye out for suspicious-looking emails requesting updated account info, updated payment details or posing as MTA market research. If one comes your way, please delete these emails.

Here are a few tips for recognizing spam or malicious emails:

• Company logos appear distorted.
• The origination email is not the company address (i.e. official MTA communications will only include addresses ending in @mtaonline.net; @mtasolutions.com or @mta-telco.com).
• Grammar is very poor and words are often spelled incorrectly.
• The requests for information come suddenly without reason.
• MTA will never ask for personal information via email. 
• Never open an attachment, unless you’re expecting one regardless
• Contact our tech support center at 745-6821 or 694-6821 if you have additional questions.

Published in the Frontiersman, Sunday, February 25, 2018.

MTA is keeping pace with the evolving communications industry. From humble beginnings in 1953 as a rural cooperative, MTA has sought to serve as many Alaskans as possible and thrive throughout a time packed full of technological advances.

That same philosophy holds true in today’s technology-driven marketplace. The wireless industry is highly competitive and changing rapidly, requiring a tremendous amount of continual infrastructure investment. After a thorough review, MTA made the decision to exit the wireless market. MTA must use its resources wisely and resist the temptation to provide service to a small segment of the population at a tremendous cost to the majority of member-owners. Our business decisions must represent the entire base of our member’s interests.

On the heels of this decision, came the decision to end our Fixed Wireless service to a remote section of the Susitna Basin. This service is an out-of-date technology that is failing at an increasing rate. It was delivered by the wireless spectrum and tower infrastructure that MTA owned while operating as a wireless carrier. Recently, MTA sold its towers and spectrum as a result of exiting the competitive wireless arena.

Some question if the decision to end Fixed Wireless service to remote customers is counter to the cooperative spirit. In reality, the cooperative model requires organizations like MTA to make business decisions that are beneficial to the entire member base, such as exiting the wireless business. All of MTA’s decisions are grounded in our mission to be Alaska’s leading broadband technology company, to dedicate resources necessary to preserve the cooperative and pioneer critical economic development opportunities for the community.

Today’s wireless carriers and satellite communications companies specialize in delivering voice and internet service to the most remote locations. MTA’s research confirmed that satellite service is available to virtually all customers currently receiving Fixed Wireless service. In the alternative, Fixed Wireless customers can install an antenna comparable to the existing Fixed Wireless antenna to facilitate delivery of superior LTE wireless service to their homes.

MTA is a vibrant cooperative. The decision to exit the fixed wireless business was difficult, but necessary to preserve the resources of the remaining 99% of the cooperative. MTA has provided financial and technical assistance to affected customers to ease the transition.

This information will provide MTA Fixed Wireless customers with potential alternative solutions. Learn more.