Past Issues: August 2001 | September 2001 | October 2001 | November 2001 | December 2001 | January 2002 | February 2002 | March 2002 | April 2002 | May 2002 | June 2002 | July 2002 | August 2002 | September 2002 | October 2002 | November/December 2002 | January 2003 | August 2005 | September 2005 | October 2005 | November 2005 | December 2005 | January 2006 | February 2006 | March 2006 | April 2006 | May 2006 | June 2006 | July 2006 | August 2006 | September 2006 | October 2006 | November 2006 | December 2006 | January 2007 | February 2007 | March 2007 | April 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007 | July 2007 | August 2007 | September 2007 | October 2007 | November 2007 | December 2007 | January 2008 | February 2008 | March 2008 | April 2008 | May 2008 | June 2008 | July 2008  |  August 2008  |  September 2008  |  October 2008  |  November 2008  |  December 2008

August 2006

Inside this issue: Digital Telephone, Citynet Events, New Product offering for Digital Phone customers, Welcome – Youngstown, Ohio, Ohio West Virginia – Our Home, Our most important tool – Our People

Digital Telephone On May 9th, Primary day, Citynet began selling our new Digital Phone Plan in the North Central WV area. We expanded that area to include the rest of West Virginia during a press conference on June 10th at the Charleston Civic Center. "Calls to our Customer Care Center have been extremely heavy but we’ve been able to handle the volume and answer any questions that callers have had," said Oscar Rivera, Call Center Manager.

Citynet’s new residential phone service is only $24.95 per month and that includes unlimited local and long distance (US and Canada) calling, voice mail, call forwarding, and features customers would have to pay extra for anywhere else. Our proprietary system provides complete control of the telephone allowing customers to select calling rules that send calls directly to voice mail when they do not wish to be bothered; or calls can be routed to different numbers – even a cell phone – to make certain that important calls get through. This feature is especially important in case you loose your internet connection or you loose electricity – your calls still get to you. You can even hear voice mail messages via your email inbox – anywhere in the world.

To find out more about Citynet’s new Digital Phone Service or to sign up, visit our website: www.citynet.net and click on the "House Phone" logo. Customers can also call our 24X7X365 Customer Care Center at 1 800-903-8906 for complete details or to sign up.

Citynet Events

"Citynet has been pretty active over the past month or so by participating in a number of promotional events including a West Virginia Power baseball game in Charleston. We are also making two box seat tickets available to the upcoming WVU/Marshall football game. Any resident of West Virginia living within Citynet’s coverage area are eligible to enter the drawing simply by clicking on our website (www.citynet.net) and then clicking on the WVU/Marshall ticket banner. Be certain to check out the rules page while you are there, too. Tickets to this game are nearly impossible to get and Citynet is thrilled to make two West Virginians extremely happy," said Luther Toney, COO.

Readers can also register for the game tickets at Citynet’s display in Charleston’s Town Center Mall. We will be exhibiting our new phone service in the mall and will be located between Jos. A. Banks and Foot Action on the Chili’s side of the mall. Stop by and speak with any of the trained display representatives, sign up for the Digital Phone Service, and be certain to register for your chance to win the two box seat tickets to the hottest game in the state!!!

As we continue to introduce our new products, we are inviting customers and friends to join us at a number of upcoming events. Everyone is invited to come to the Town Center Mall to see our new Digital Phone Plan. On August 4th, we’ll be hosting a tailgate party across the street from WV Power Park. On August 9th business customers can come to a special open house and demonstration in the Richardson Room at the Capitol Conference Center on Lee Street in Charleston. August 10th, members of the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce and members of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce are invited to join us for lunch and a discussion on internet telephones and a demonstration to be held at the Bridgeport Conference Center.

New Product offering for Digital Phone customers

Many of Citynet’s Digital Phone plan customers have additional equipment needs that we can now meet. With the expansion of our product we’ve added a new wireless router with internal Digital Phone Adapter. Now customers with a need for an in home wireless network or just needing additional ports for the family can use our new Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router.

"This is a 4 in one product which will meet the needs of many customers. No longer do they need to shop for additional equipment to meet their needs. Citynet now has this new gear available and ready to ship to those customers needing more than just the Digital Phone Adapter. With this equipment, the Phone Adapter is built in. We set up the entire router to meet our exacting standards, our account settings, and when the customer receives it, it is pretty much Plug and Play," said Ben Randolph, Director of Digital Phone.

To check out this new equipment, visit:
http://www1.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=692

Welcome – Youngstown, Ohio

Citynet can now provide Digital Phone, Integrated T1 (iTone), and broadband services to customers in the Youngstown OH area. Due to our recent network expansion, Citynet can offer service in the following rate centers in the Youngstown LATA:

Youngstown, Canfield, Columbiana, Girard, Hubbard, Lowellville, Niles, North Jackson, North Lima, Sharon, and Warren, Ohio.

West Virginia – Our Home

"Citynet has been expanding tremendously over the past several years and the growth is expected to continue for years to come. Although we’ve added new markets, spread into new locales, and added new products and services, Citynet will never forget our roots in West Virginia," said Jim Martin President/CEO.

Citynet has worked in the past with many state agencies in West Virginia and continues to search for ways to help the state grow economically. "Citynet has grown from about 20 employees in 2001 to more than 160 today. In West Virginia we have more than 80 employees and look forward to adding 10 to 12 more prior to year’s end. Our commitment to West Virginia reflects strongly in our desire to add more than just new services, we need qualified and talented employees as well," said Bill Morgan, Director of Human Resources.

Today, Citynet is actively working with a number of agencies, municipalities, and counties to help provide the connectivity needed for economic growth.

Our People

Our most important assets are our wonderful and talented employees. This month we are featuring the manager of our Sales Support Group, and our General Council.

Carolyn Barr, Manager, Sales Support – Citynet Retail Operations. Carolyn has enjoyed a 30 year career in telecommunications having held various management positions with AT&T, MCI, and most recently, WV Fibernet. Her background in both sales and supporting technologies serves her well as she has managed many high-profile accounts including Federal Government, Department of Labor, Army Corps of Engineers and other government agencies.

At Citynet, Carolyn is responsible for the day-to-day sales support activities which includes extensive interaction with customers, our sales force, and manages the members of her department. Her responsibilities also include training of new employees, working with senior management on promotions, corporate campaigns, and the development of sales materials.

Carolyn is very active in her community and is an active member of several non-profit organizations for the Arts. Carolyn is based in Charleston, WV.
carolyn.barr@citynet.net

Jeff Ray, General Counsel. Jeff joined Citynet following a successful career as a trial and commercial attorney, most recently with the firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, PLLC in Morgantown, West Virginia. He received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University, where he also received his J.D. in 1993. His legal specialties have been commercial and complex litigation and business transactions.

Jeff is admitted to all courts in West Virginia as well as numerous Federal Courts including the 4th, 6th, 9th, and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals. While handing Citynet’s legal and regulatory issues including contract negotiations and Public Service filings, Jeff is also an Adjunct Professor at the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at WVU where he instructs an upper level class entitled Law of the Media.

In his personal time he is Co-chair of the WV Chapter of the Immune Deficiency Foundation and has been active with this organization since 1993. Jeff resides with his wife and family in the Morgantown, WV area.
jeff.ray@citynet.net