Category: News

Citizens In The News...

Carroll and Rockbridge counties receive millions in federal internet money

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Connect Program is providing $5 million to Citizens Telephone Cooperative to deliver high-speed broadband for 1,838 residents and 22 businesses in Carroll County."

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Warner & Kaine Announce Over $9 Million in Federal Funding to Expand Broadband in Carroll and Rockbridge Counties

“High-speed internet allows Virginians to access more educational, health care, and economic opportunities, which is why we’ve worked hard to expand internet access during our time as governors and senators,” said the senators. “We’re glad to see this federal funding headed to Carroll and Rockbridge counties to build broadband infrastructure. We will continue working to ensure families and businesses across the Commonwealth can access the internet.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

  • $5,000,000 for Citizens Telephone Cooperative in Carroll County to build a fiber-to-the-premises system that will benefit 1,838 residents and 22 businesses in the area. Residents will be able to access free internet for at least two years at the Dugspur Community Center.
  • $4,460,000 for BARC Electric Cooperative in Rockbridge County to build a fiber-to-the-premises system that will benefit 816 residents and four businesses in the area. Residents will be able to access free internet for at least two years at the Lake Robertson Recreational Area.

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Citizens Telephone Cooperative Marks Another Milestone in 2024

The 2024 Annual Meeting of Citizens Telephone Cooperative was held on Saturday, October 19th, at the Citizens’ office on Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. The meeting, led by President, Joe Italiano and General Manager, Donna Smith, marked another milestone for the Cooperative in completing the six-and-a-half-year construction project to bring fiber-to-the-home to 100% of residents in Floyd County.

President Joe Italiano opened the meeting, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and gave the President’s Report. Secretary, Shelby Quesenberry, read the minutes from the last meeting, and Director, Kevin Hubbard, presented the re-election of Board members Lynwood Allen (Floyd exchange) and Wesley Goff (Locust Grove exchange). President Italiano cited the Cooperative’s progress and commended the leadership and staff of the Cooperative for their commitment to reaching goals and remaining a leader in technology.

With over 120 members in attendance for the meeting, highlights of the Cooperative’s progressive year and milestones were shown through comments from Floyd County Community and Economic Development Director, Lydeana Martin, and a customer testimonial video. Smith summarized the year by stating ”Over the last six and a half years, we have learned so much from our community members. It’s amazing to hear the various uses and needs of the Internet. The Internet is a necessity for learning, working, and entertainment. The Internet is opening doors for entrepreneurs, keeping the youth of our community here while they attend college, and even allowing them to land jobs and remain in Floyd. She continued, “We hosted a Finish Line Party in August for our community to celebrate the end of construction. We are currently working in Ballard, the last area opened to connect. I could not be more pleased with our employees and their accomplishments,” stated Smith, referring to the fiber-to-the-home project. To date, 100% of Floyd County homes and businesses can connect to 1 Gbps Internet by using CitiZip Fiber.

Additionally, with the completion of the fiber build, over 1,800 customers have migrated to the SFN TV Now platform. “This economical TV service solution has allowed us to continue to offer local sports and events on CCTV Channel 20,” stated Smith. “I’m happy to say that customers of all ages tell us they are enjoying the experience.”

Traditions of the annual meeting continued with door prize drawings for members followed by a BBQ lunch. You can view the meeting and testimonial video below.

Testimonial Video

Annual Meeting 2024

Citizens Telephone Cooperative Announces the Launch of SmartBiz

An All-in-One Business Wi-Fi Solution

Citizens Telephone Cooperative (Citizens) announced the launch of SmartBiz, a new purpose-built solution for small businesses. SmartBiz moves beyond connectivity and provides an all-in-one managed Wi-Fi experience. It offers a new way for business owners to drive productivity by managing staff and business systems such as point-of-sale, securing their network, delivering Guest Wi-Fi to customers, and easily managing it all with an app.

“Citizens is always looking to meet the needs of our customers. Small Businesses often need more in a WiFi solution than offered with a residential class service, and commercial grade solutions are not within their budget,” says Lori Saltus, Sales & Marketing Manager at Citizens. “This is where SmartBiz comes in. It offers affordable WiFi features designed to meet the needs of Small Businesses with a convenient-to-use CommandWorx mobile app.”

“SmartBiz was created with our local business owners in mind. They deserve a robust solution that is simple to manage and frees up their time to focus on their business instead of managing their I.T. or networks,” says Donna Smith, General Manager of Citizens. “SmartBiz modernizes any network, saving valuable time and money and allows businesses to prosper with essential connectivity and business-grade features that promote their brand and keep their data and customers safe.”

Features and benefits of SmartBiz include:

  • Seamless wired and wireless Internet coverage throughout the business
  • Business-grade network security for the point-of-sale, staff, and business networks
  • Safe and secure customer Wi-Fi with a branded customer portal
  • Network resiliency with cellular backup capability
  • Self-service management for the business owner with the CommandWorx app

For more information on SmartBiz for Small Business, Press 5 when calling 540.745.2111 or 276.637.6485 to reach Joy Gardner or Elizabeth Dorsett and visit citizens.coop/smartbiz for more information.

Citizens Telephone First to Complete Fiber Build in Southwest VA

Citizens Telephone Cooperative is proud to announce the completion of its county-wide fiber-to-the-home construction project, marking a significant milestone in Southwest Virginia. In August 2024, Citizens will become the first company in the region to offer a 1 Gbps fiber connection to every home in Floyd County. This achievement underscores Citizens' commitment to providing cutting-edge internet services to its community.

Building
Workers 1

To celebrate this accomplishment, Citizens invites the public to join a community event on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd, Virginia. Festivities will kick off at 5 pm with axe throwing and yard games and food trucks offering a variety of meals, snacks, and drinks for purchase. The evening will culminate with live music by local lead singer Jerry Wimmer and The Worx starting at 6 pm.

Established in 1914, Citizens has grown from its roots to become a leader in telecommunications. The completion of this 10-year fiber project, initially launched in 2017 with over a $40 million investment, reflects Citizens' dedication to enhancing broadband access in underserved areas. By leveraging FCC, ACAM, and VATI funding, Citizens accelerated the project timeline, completing it ahead of schedule in six and a half years.

"We are thrilled to bring Gigabit fiber services to every resident of Floyd County," said Donna Smith, CEO & General Manager of Citizens. "This project is a testament to our ongoing commitment to technological advancement and community service."

Citizens was recognized as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider by NTCA in 2018 and has actively participated in state and federal initiatives such as VATI, CARES, and LECAP funding to expand broadband access. The cooperative's fiber project exceeded $40 million. The extensive network spans 715 miles across Floyd County, passing over 10,000 homes. Nearly 4,500 residents and businesses have connected to the 1 Gbps service.

"Our dedication extends beyond technology; it encompasses supporting education and healthcare initiatives in our community," Smith emphasized. "It is important to us that every home has sufficient broadband for their needs. We aim to provide reliable services that empower our customers and communities."

Citizens Local TV Channel Sponsorships Now Available

Subscribers who have television service through Citizens Telephone Cooperative (d.b.a. Citizens) have exclusive access to a local channel, CCTV Channel 20. Through the IPTV platform, SFN TV Now, CCTV Channel 20 is full of locally recorded and produced programming by the Cooperative’s Video Production team and other locally submitted content.

Customers can watch Floyd County High School home games; many of them live, which is great for residents who can’t make it to the school or no longer drive at night. Aside from the live games, Citizens supports the community by rebroadcasting FCHS football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball games each season. You can enjoy all FCHS sports seasons at 7 pm.

You can also watch FCHS academic matches and special events like FCHS Graduation on the local channel. Viewers can see the Local Origination Program on the on-screen guide or check out the guide on the CCTV page. Citizens also posts programming on the Bulletin Board, Channel 23, and the social media for Citizens Telephone Coop.

Floyd’s 4-H Extension Office has partnered with CCTV to produce “The Ag Show with Jon Vest”. The series covers all things agriculture from tree grafting to soil preparation, seed planting, harvesting, and preserving fruits and vegetables. The first episode of a new series called The Ag Show: Seed to Shelf Series will air on April 23, at 6:30 PM. In this first Seed to Shelf episode, Jon will go over how to prepare your seeds and soil for the ideal conditions to get your seeds germinating and plants growing strong throughout the season.

Another series exclusive to CCTV Channel 20 is “Looking Back” with "Floyd County Millers" and features the interviews of Roy Turpin, Gene Vaughn, and Cephas Dalton. This program will air on April 20, at 6:30 PM. In this series, you will learn how water-powered mills were once a vital part of Floyd's economy. To remember this important part of history, Quentin Horn interviews three former millers who share their stories in an era where purchasing flour and cornmeal at the supermarket was far less common.

Subscribers with television service through Citizens Telephone Cooperative (d.b.a. Citizens) have exclusive access to a local channel, CCTV Channel 20. Through the IPTV platform, SFN TV Now, CCTV Channel 20 is full of locally recorded and produced programming by the Cooperative’s Video Production team and other locally submitted content.

Citizens recently announced that Pulaski River Turtle Baseball would be shown on CCTV Channel 20. The Pulaski River Turtles will enter their fourth year of competition in the Appalachian League with new leadership as respected baseball veteran Bill Kinneberg joins the organization as manager for the 2024 season. The appointment marks Kinneberg’s second season in the Appalachian League.

Customers with access to SFN TV Now can watch recorded home games of Pulaski River Turtle Baseball on CCTV, Channel 20. Watch Citizens Facebook and Bulletin Board, Channel 23, for schedule.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMERS WITH VOICE SERVICE SERVED BY FIBER OR CABLE MODEM

For many years, your landline telephone would allow you to stay connected to emergency voice services during a power outage. However, if your residential voice telephone service is provided using fiber optics, fixed wireless, or coaxial cable, rather than the traditional twisted pair copper-based line, the residential voice telephone service requires backup battery power to continue functioning during a power outage. To avoid a disruption of home voice service during a power outage, and to maintain the ability to connect to 911 emergency services, Citizens offers an 8-hour power battery backup for purchase for your residential fiber optic or cable modem (VoIP) VOICE service. Citizens will install a backup battery at no additional cost if purchased at the time of service installation. Standard install fees apply if the battery backup unit is purchased after the initial install date. Additional stackable backup batteries can be purchased ($49.95) at any time for self-installation. To place your order to pick up an additional backup battery unit at our office located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd, call 540.745.2111 or 276.637.6485.

You can find more information about the battery backup unit here.

Important Notice Regarding Your
ACP Discount On Your Citizens Internet Service

The FCC recently announced that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) could run out of funds. The projected time is April 2024 (this date is an estimate and may change). As a result, the FCC has started taking steps to wind down the ACP. What this means for you:

  • ACP applications and enrollments/renewals will not be processed after 5:00 pm on February 6, 2024.
  • Households who have applied, been approved, and are receiving the monthly internet discount before February 8, 2024, will continue to receive their ACP monthly benefit until ACP funds run out, as long as the household remains enrolled in the program.
  • After the ACP funds run out (projected April 2024), households participating in the ACP will no longer receive the ACP discounts. This means the discount of up to $30 will be removed from your Citizens Internet bill.

While the projected end date is April 2024, this date could change. There is still a possibility that Congress could decide to increase their funding, or the funds they do have could last longer than expected. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM YOU AT THIS TIME.

As we learn more information from the FCC, we will communicate the changes to you and allow you to change your Internet plan to best suit your budget.

If you have questions, please contact our Discounted Services team by calling 540.745.9583.

Sincerely,
Discounted Services Team

The County of Floyd and Citizens Telephone Cooperative (Citizens) were recently nominated by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference (VAGHC) Innovation in Housing Award. Floyd County and Citizens were recognized for their collaboration on a Countywide Broadband Expansion project.

Each year, one of the conference's highlights is the VAGHC Housing Awards Luncheon, which recognizes innovative, effective efforts that address housing needs. The VAGHC Innovation in Housing Award recognizes innovation in housing that promotes affordable housing options through unique collaboration, advocacy, new technology, and utilization of innovative materials or deployment of a housing type not commonly utilized across Virginia. This collaboration between Citizens and the County of Floyd utilized federal and state-funded grants as well as LECAP (Line Extension Customer Assistance Program) to help offset construction costs of bringing broadband to rural areas of Floyd, Virginia. Accepting on behalf of the County of Floyd were Community and Economic Director, Lydeana Martin, and Chris Bond, CEO for Citizens, at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference held in Hampton Roads, VA.

Several weeks prior, a film crew visited the Floyd area to learn more from Lydeana Martin, Floyd County Administrator, Donna Smith, CEO & General Manager of Citizens, and residents in the area regarding the beneficial effects of fiber Internet. You can see the full segment on YouTube below:

“This three-phased project will provide broadband access to 1,570 previously unserved homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions through state-funded areas alone, achieving universal broadband access in Floyd. These efforts were complemented by Floyd County and Citizens Telephone Cooperative utilizing the Line Extension Customer Assistance Program (LECAP) to ensure affordability for low- and moderate-income residents. Because of this work, Floyd County will be the first of a handful of rural counties to achieve universal broadband in the Commonwealth.”

“The award is to all of you that have put in many many hours on our fiber project....it is truly a team effort!” stated Donna Smith as she presented the award to the company for their 6-year project.

Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens also offers symmetrical Ethernet and hosted phone service for businesses. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. Lobby hours are 8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday;
9 am - 1 pm on Saturday and 24/7 when calling 540.745.2111.

Citizens, a Smart Rural Community℠ Provider,
Expands Free Community WiFi within Floyd

Citizens Telephone Cooperative, (aka Citizens) was recently recognized as a Smart Rural Community Provider by the NTCA - Broadband Association. To expand connectivity throughout Floyd, Citizens recently completed the installation of two additional Free Public WiFi locations.

Free Public WiFi is now available at the Floyd Parks & Recreation just off Route 8 as well as the football field, tennis courts, track, and in the old and new gyms of Floyd County High School. In all areas, coverage is very good; giving more access to visitors to these locations. With WiFi accessible in and around the vicinity of Lineberry Park, it is only fitting to expand online access into other heavily populated areas.

Citizens installed a free WiFi access point at the Floyd Parks & Recreation to enable online access to visitors while they enjoy games on the baseball and softball fields. “We have regularly scheduled practices and sporting events. Having public WiFi enables Internet access when needed and will help when tournaments are taking place. The Free Public WiFi gives everyone access when they need it.” stated Jacob Agee, Director of Floyd County Parks & Recreation.

Fans and visitors to Floyd County High School can enjoy WiFi via a free connection at the football, baseball, and softball fields, and parking areas any day after school starting after 3 p.m. The community can also enjoy access at any time on weekends. “As a Smart Rural Community Provider, we (Citizens) wanted to make connecting simple. Users can enjoy a high-speed connection in several places throughout Floyd. Whether you
are enjoying the Town’s music venues, sporting events at the Parks & Recreation fields, or events at Floyd County High School, Citizens has a connection available. You can also stop by Citizens’ office parking lot for a quick upload/download” stated Donna Smith, Citizens’ CEO & General Manager. Signage is posted for easy accessibility at all of the WiFi locations.

“Floyd is full of events and the High School is used for a variety of them, both inside and outside. One example is the upcoming Arts & Craft Festival sponsored by the Greater Floyd Women’s Club on Saturday, October 7. WiFi access is important for the vendors and the visitors. The public WiFi ensures safety and does not infringe on the school’s network.” stated Barry Hollandsworth, FCHS Principal.

All WiFi access points work on a 1Gbps fiber connection -- the same connection that Citizens deploys to residential homes throughout the county as a part of their ACAM Fiber project. The project is slated for completion in 2024. To date, the Cooperative reports the project at 90%. To learn more, members are encouraged to attend Citizens Telephone Cooperative’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at Citizens Multi-Purpose Shelter located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd.

Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens’ Business Solutions provides symmetrical Ethernet, data transport, hosted phone services, and more. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. Lobby hours are 8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday; and 9 am - 1 pm on Saturday.

Sapp Announces Retirement at Citizens’ Annual Meeting

The 2022 Annual Meeting of Citizens Telephone Cooperative was held on Saturday, October 15th, at the Citizens’ office on Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. Over 160 members were in attendance for the meeting announcing new milestones for the company.

Members were greeted by Citizens employees and received member gifts. Attendees had the opportunity to see first-hand and learn about the company’s new IPTV product, SFN TV Now. Central Office Technician Jay Conner conducted an educational demonstration of the new TV platform for the attendees prior to the meeting. “We are here for our customers each step of the way as we transition from and close down our digital TV headend to the new SFN TV Now IPTV platform,” stated Conner.

Citizens CEO and General Manager, Greg Sapp began the meeting with a welcome to members for the second Annual Meeting held in Citizens’ multipurpose shelter which comfortably accommodated those in attendance. President Wesley Goff opened the meeting, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and gave the President’s Report. Secretary Shelby Quesenberry read the minutes from the last meeting and Director Jonathan Vest presented the re-election of Board members Kevin Hubbard (Ballard exchange), Daniel Grim (Floyd exchange), and Rhonda Turpin (Willis exchange).

Mr. Sapp returned to the podium to report on the Cooperative’s progress of the ACAM Fiber to the Home project. To date, only 27% of the project construction remains. When complete in 2023, Floyd County will be 100% covered with fiber optic Internet technology for current and future technology needs. Sapp also shared that through partial funding from the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative
(VATI) Citizens can now serve residents in Copper Hill with Gigabit (1Gbps) Internet. In conjunction with DSL to Fiber Internet conversions, Sapp reported that in just the last few months Citizens has connected over 600 customers with the new SFN TV Now IPTV platform. The new TV technology reportedly saves customers from paying additional on their monthly TV package for HD, PVR services, and set-top boxes.

Lastly in Sapp’s report, he announced that he would be retiring from Citizens Telephone Cooperative in November of 2022 after 29 years and that the Cooperative will be in good hands with newly selected Donna Hylton Smith as Citizens’ new General Manager. He thanked everyone for the opportunities over the years and for allowing him to serve them.

Smith is a Virginia Tech graduate and Floyd county resident whose family has generational roots in the company. Smith’s grandfather, Maynard Hylton, was Plant Manager at the time of his retirement in 1979. Smith’s father, Donald Hylton, was a contractor for the company prior to his retirement. Donna has been at Citizens for 21 years. In Smith’s statement, she commented “It is an honor to be selected for this position and continue the work started generations ago. I am excited to continue to serve the community where I was raised and now have my own family. Greg leaves big shoes to fill but with our team of dedicated employees, we will strive to make him proud and continue to bring our customers the best service around. Thank you, Greg, for your leadership. Thank you, Directors, for your support and confidence in me.” Donna resides in Floyd with her husband, Danny Smith, and children Jacob and Emma.

Traditions of the annual meeting continued with door prize drawings for members. Prizes awarded were: a Dewalt tool set, a Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum, a 13-piece cookware set, a smart clock, Armor All Car Kit, a 10” Fire HD tablet, a portable air compressor, and a 50” Roku TV. The meeting was followed by a catered meal by Blue Ridge Diner of Floyd.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be on the third Saturday of October 2023.

"FLOYD — This rural community, known for its beautiful upland landscapes and progressive attitudes, just got its first publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station.

Citizens Telephone Cooperative announced July 6 the modest yet notable arrival of a new era at its Webbs Mill Road office with the installation of a ‘CitiZap’ 240-volt charger with two outlets."

Read the full article at The Roanoke Times >>

Citizens Offers Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging to the Public

Citizens Telephone Cooperative (aka Citizens) prides itself on being a leader in technology. The Cooperative has one more year of construction in its fiber-to-the-home project deploying fiber optics throughout Floyd County. This project is making Gigabit (1Gbps) Internet available throughout the rural community. As a technology leader, the company added an electric car to the vehicle fleet. “A 2021 Chevy Bolt that never needs gas and never needs an oil change,” stated Greg Sapp, the General Manager of Citizens. “The Bolt has a range of around 259 miles making it a perfect choice for use in and around the New River Valley.” continued Sapp.

This is a totally different type of vehicle for the company and it is where the industry is headed. How would a company use such a vehicle? The WAN team takes it to work on equipment at a colocation site, Central Office can drive to work at a remote site, and our Business Development uses it to meet with commercial customers across our service territories.

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As more electric vehicles are passing through the Town daily, Citizens has installed an EV Charging Station calling it “CitiZap”. As with any new technology, there is a learning curve. There are multiple types of charging stations. Citizens installed a Level 2 Fast Charging Station with an SAE J1772 plug. This type of charging station will fully charge a battery such as in the Chevy Bolt in about 6 to 8 hours. It’s a 240-volt charger (like a clothes dryer connection) and yields roughly 25 miles per hour of charge.

“We want to make charging easy for our customers and guests in our area,” said WAN Technician, Dean Wood. The company’s charging station has two plugs. The EV, CitiZap, charging station has a QR Code on each charging plug. The customer will download the EvGateway App from Google Play or Apple App Store and scan or swipe an RFID to connect, charge, and pay for the EV charge at 20 cents per kWh.

Citizens held an unveiling on July 1, 2022, making the unit available for public use during the Independence Day holiday. Citizens is now listed on plugshare.com, chargehub.com, and other sites when searching online for an EV charging station.

For more information, visit www.citizens.coop or call 540.745.2111. Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens Business Solutions include customized hosted phone and symmetrical Ethernet offerings. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. Lobby hours are 8 am-6 pm Monday - Friday; 9 am - 1 pm on Saturday.

CitiZap Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing to Begin on May 14, 2022
for Customers with the Virginia 540 Area Code

All customers with the 540 area code should prepare for the start of 10-digit dialing and the introduction of the new 826 area code.

The 826 area code will be added as an overlay to the 540 region. An overlay is the addition of another area code (826) to the same geographic region
served by an existing area code (540). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but does require customers to dial the area code to complete local calls.

Beginning May 14, 2022, all local calls made within the VA 540 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). On and after this date, calls placed using just 7 digits will not be completed.

Beginning June 14, 2022, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 826 area code.

The key facts for consumers to know about the upcoming VA 540/826 area code overlay are:

  • Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
  • If you seek new phone service on and after June 14, 2022, you may be assigned a phone number with the 826 area code.
  • You will need to dial the area code + telephone number for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.
  • You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.
  • What is a local call now will remain a local call.
  • The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
  • You can still dial just three digits to reach 911. You can also dial three digits to reach 211 and 811, as well as 311 and 511, where available.

Please remember to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, and customers, etc.

Customers should ensure all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are programmed to dial just 7 digits and recognize the new 826 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, gates, ankle monitors, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions. Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number.

Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, alarms, and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use 7 digits. Please contact your medical alert or security provider if you are not sure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change to 10-digit local dialing. Any needed reprogramming of alarm and home security equipment must be done by May 14, 2022.

Remember that all local calls must be programmed using 10 digits, and add ‘1’ for all long-distance calls.

For additional information, please visit the Virginia State Corporation Commission at https://www.scc.virginia.gov or contact your local telephone service provider.

All Customers with a Virginia 540 Area Code Must Dial Area Code + Telephone Number for All Local Calls Beginning May 14, 2022

To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the Virginia State Corporation Commission approved the addition of the new 826 area code to the geographic region served by the 540 area code. This process is known as an area code overlay.

dialing-areas

What is an area code overlay?

An overlay is the addition of another area code (826) to the same geographic region as an existing area code (540). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code or telephone number but does require using a new dialing procedure to complete calls.

Who will be affected?

Anyone with a 540 area code telephone number will be affected. The 540 area code currently serves the northwestern and southwestern portions of Virginia. Some of the larger cities include Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Front Royal, Harrisonburg, Radford, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester. The new 826 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 540 area code.

What will be the new dialing procedure?

The new dialing procedure requires all calls in the 540 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits to be dialed using area code + telephone number. The same dialing procedure will apply to telephone numbers that are assigned with the new 826 area code.

When will the change begin?

Beginning May 14, 2022, you must dial the area code + telephone number on all calls, including calls within the same area code. On and after this date, if you do not dial the area code + telephone number, your calls will not complete and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again, including the area code.

Beginning June 14, 2022, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers with the new 826 area code. If you have an 826 area code, you must dial the area code + telephone number or the call will not complete.

What will you need to do?

In addition to dialing the area code + telephone number for all local calls, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to dial a 7-digit number will need to be reprogrammed to include the area code. Some examples are life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, fire or burglar alarm and security systems or gates, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions, etc. You should update your websites, personal and business stationery and checks, advertising materials, personal and pet ID tags, and other such items to ensure the area code is included.

What will remain the same?

  • Your telephone number, including the current area code, will not change.
  • The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
  • What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.
  • You can still dial just three digits to reach 911, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, or 811 if those are currently available in your community.

Who may you contact with questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information provided in this notice, please call Citizens Telephone Cooperative at 540.745.2111, or access the following websites for more information: citizens.coop/newdialing/ or the Virginia State Corporation Commission at www.scc.virginia.gov.

Citizens’ business hours are Monday thru Friday 8 am - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 am - 1 pm. Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County, portions of Ft. Chiswell, New Castle, and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens offers symmetrical business Ethernet and Hosted Phone Solutions, as well as Medical Alert. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd, VA currently assisting customers via Drive-thru only due to Covid restrictions. DCJS #11-9804

What better way to celebrate a New Year than by freshening up your company logo?
Citizens Telephone Cooperative is doing just that. Their motto for the logo reveal is “New Year. New Look. Same Dependable People. Same Reliable Service.”

“As the Cooperative continues to offer more fiber dependent technology, we thought it only right to exhibit that in our marketing presence,” stated Lori Saltus, EVP of Citizens’ Customer Relations and Marketing. “We hope our customers will like our new look, holding on to our heritage of the past, operating in the present, and preparing for the future as depicted by the three strands of fiber encircling the globe.  We remain devoted to our residential and business customers both near and far,” commented Greg Sapp, CEO & General Manager.

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For more information, visit www.citizens.coop or call 540.745.2111. Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County, portions of Ft. Chiswell, New Castle, and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens offers symmetrical business Ethernet and Hosted Phone Solutions, Security, Automation, and Access Control Systems as well as Medical Alert. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd currently serving customers via drive-thru Monday thru Friday 8 am - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 am - 1 pm; online assistance is available 24/7. DCJS #11-9804

The 2020 Annual Meeting of Citizens Telephone Cooperative was held on Saturday, October 17th, at Citizens’ office on Webbs Mill Road. Members of the Cooperative were greeted and directed to park by Citizens employees who wore masks and kept a physical distance of 6ft. Members were asked to tune their car radios to 87.9 FM while the Board of Directors and CEO of Citizens conducted the meeting outside of the building.

President Wesley Goff opened the meeting, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and gave the President’s Report.  Secretary Shelby Quesenberry read the minutes from the last meeting. Director Kevin Hubbard presented the re-election of Board members Joseph Italiano (Alum Ridge exchange), Jonathan Vest (Locust Grove exchange), and Shelby Quesenberry (Willis exchange).

CEO and General Manager Greg Sapp reported on the Cooperative’s progress during the COVID-19 pandemic and applauded Citizens employees for their readiness to handle the increase in demand and their willingness to assist customers working and schooling from home. During the pandemic, the company increased installs and performed in record time.

“We installed free WiFi hotspots at Check Elementary, Willis Elementary, and Floyd County High School to assist students, teachers, and staff meet their distance learning and teaching needs. We also put a free hotspot here in our front parking lot to assist our customers. We installed free WiFi hotspots at 3 Wythe County school locations as well,” stated Sapp.  Citizens’ offers a $10 per month Student Connect broadband service to qualifying families with school-age children in the home. To assist qualifying families who may not meet the criteria for the Student Connect program, Citizens offered a 50% discount. Citizens also provided discounts and credits to several local businesses when they were closed or experiencing significant declines in business. “We have worked with many customers during this time to provide options for paying their bills with us. We understand that these are difficult times and that we all must work together,” continued Sapp.

Citizens has taken many precautions during the pandemic to keep members and employees safe. The company closed the lobby to the public on March 24th, and it has been closed ever since. Fortunately, the drive-thru window has allowed for customer service and support needs during this time.

Sapp mentioned measures the company has taken to support the health and safety of Citizens employees, “We have made arrangements for employees to work from home and other off-site locations. The employees working from home rotate with those in the office to provide everyone this option and to prevent all employees from getting sick should we have an outbreak at the office. We have been very fortunate that an outbreak has not happened.”  He explained that all employees who enter the building have their temperatures checked each morning. If employees have to work close to each other, they have to rotate wearing masks. He continued by stating field technicians are taking precautions as well. “The technicians are taking their own temperatures if they are dispatching from home and are using an app to affirm that they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms and are including a picture of their temperature reading. The technicians are wearing masks if they need to enter a customer’s home.” Citizens is also using a questionnaire to screen customers for COVID-19 symptoms before a technician enters the home.

Citizens is taking the pandemic very seriously since telecommunications businesses are considered essential. The company has not been closed a single day and continues to meet the needs of the community during the pandemic.

Sapp also shared the company’s status on the ACAM fiber deployment throughout Floyd County and explained that Citizens obtained partial funding through the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI), enabling residents in the Copper Hill area to connect to fiber.  In just a few months Citizens has connected 49 out of 316 homes. “This type of grant had to be initiated by a locality, and I would like to give special thanks to Lydeana Martin for taking the lead with this grant,” stated Sapp.

The Cooperative will move into the final construction phase of the fiber project in 2021 and looks to launch a new streaming TV service. The streaming TV service will eliminate the cost of set-top boxes and will give the viewer more flexibility to watch programming on many types of devices including tablets, smartphones, and laptops.

Traditionally, the annual meeting ends with drawing the winners of door prizes and sitting down for a catered meal. To meet recommendations for gatherings during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Citizens opted not to give door prizes or serve a meal.

Sapp mentioned that the Cooperative will continue to hold Annual Meetings at the company’s office located at 220 Webbs Mill Road, Floyd. “We’ve made some enhancements that will allow us to hold the meetings here with ample room to accommodate our members,” stated Sapp.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

For more information about Citizens, visit www.citizens.coop or call 540.745.2111. Citizens is a member-owned Cooperative providing telephone, Internet, and TV to Floyd County and surrounding communities for over 100 years. Citizens also offers symmetrical business Ethernet, IT Solutions, Home Security Systems as well as Citizens Medical Alert and Web Services. Citizens is located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd. Lobby and drive-up hours are 8 am-6 pm Monday - Friday; 9 am - 1 pm on Saturday. DCJS #11-9804

Floyd 540-745-2111 Ft. Chiswell 276-637-6485 Toll Free 1-800-941-0426 Support 1-800-741-9525