John Pearson will share why ISP’s need network intelligence and how it can improve their service provider business during ANPI’s November Customer Webinar.

John is founder and CEO of IP Networks, Inc. headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. IP Networks works with service providers nationwide to optimize, secure and monitor their network infrastructures. One of his company’s missions is to make ISP’s more profitable by helping them reduce their operational expenses, protect their networks from malicious traffic and attacks, and give them full visibility into what their subscribers are doing with the Internet.

The November Customer Webinar is scheduled for 10:30 AM CDT on November 17. If you are an ANPI customer and would like to register for the Webinar, please call your dedicated account representative at 877-FON-ANPI for more information.

A new set of ISP-related service offerings are now available from NewStreets, a division of ANPI. Based on our expanded partnership with SecurityCoverage, NewStreets will provide a complete array of value added services, including Internet security, parental controls, virtual advanced computer repair, technical help desk support, remote support and communication platform, online data backup and a robust community portal.

Computer Protection
NewStreets will continue to offer SecureIT Plus for customers looking to provide automatic virus protection, a secure firewall, spyware, pop-up blocker, online malware blocker, parental controls, content filtering and disk defragmentation. The service is further enhanced with 24×7 live support, reporting and supported fresh start remote installation.

Virtual Advanced Computer Repair
TotalTech is your dedicated provider of computer, networking and technology support that’s available wherever you are. Trained U.S. based technicians are on-call 24×7 to provide virtual PC repair.

Technical Help Desk Support
ISP subscribers can easily interact with technical support representatives who speak English first and industry jargon second. ISP Support is fully staffed 24×7x365, complete with the ability to provide web integrated chat support, branded call answering, a dedicated call queue, daily detailed reporting, and flexible ticket tracking system.

Remote Support and Communication Platform
Customers can use CleverAssist to connect technical support teams and users remotely in order to quickly troubleshoot and solve problems. The service features integrated chat and encryption for secure communication. Premium client features include an Internet connection repair tool plus malware scan and clean.

Online Data Backup
Online Backup provides easy, automatic and secure backup of data. End-users will never again worry about accidental deletion of files, hard drive failure, lost data from computer theft, or data loss from virus and spyware threats.

Community Portal
The new community portal offers a fully branded environment for live national news articles and videos, local news, sports, community events, community photos and videos, classifieds, stocks, financial information, detailed weather forecasts and radars, radio, single sign-on capability for email and e-billing, flexibility to add custom pages, personalized pages for registered users and more.

“Our customers rely on us to keep them competitive in today’s market. We are raising the bar for managed services by enabling companies to drive new revenue while increasing their customer satisfaction,” says Dave Lewis, ANPI’s president and CEO.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule a demo, please call 866-FON-NWST or email marketing@anpisolutions.com.

About SecurityCoverage, Inc.
SecurityCoverage provides fully managed, fully supported, corporate-style products and technical support services to individual users through a partnership group of Internet Service Providers, telecommunications and cable companies, and financial institutions across the nation. Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the privately owned company offers SecureIT, SecureIT Live, and SecureIT Plus, as well as Online Backup for seamless data backup and recovery. These products, combined with TotalTech virtual remote support and ISP Support Services, give individual users the same level of “hands-free” support, “hands-free” protection, and convenience large corporations provide their employees. Product and company information is available at www.securitycoverage.com.

About Associated Network Partners, Inc. (ANPI)
ANPI provides wholesale voice and data solutions to ILECs, CLECs and Wireless carriers. Voice services include switched and dedicated 1+ long distance, toll free 800 calling, calling cards, directory assistance and point-to-point/private line circuits. NewStreets, a division of ANPI, offers ISPs value added services including a robust community portal, computer protection, online data backup, spam and virus filter, technical support and Internet accelerator. For more information, visit www.anpisolutions.com.

On November 3, 2009 ANPI sponsored a marketing session at OPASTCO’s Marketing and Technical Symposium in Minneapolis. For a session titled “Social Media: What is it? Why Do It? How it will Change Your Life…or at Least Your Marketing Plan”, we knew we had to break out the big guns to live up to the expectations of attendees. ANPI tapped HubSpot’s vice president of inbound marketing, Mike Volpe, to lead this powerful session. He didn’t disappoint as a room filled with marketers and managers spent the next 2 hours drinking from the proverbial fire hose.

Topics included the importance of having a content strategy that feeds into search engine optimization, blogging, social media and landing pages, but the overarching message — and one that Mike would continually repeat is “Stop Thinking Like a Marketer and Think Like a Publisher”. This advice was key in David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of Marketing & PR” and is concurred by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah’s “Inbound Marketing“.

The fundamental step of a content strategy is often skipped by marketers eager to show they are on the cutting edge of marketing and communication. So how does a marketer retrain their brain and start thinking like a publisher? Luckily there are plenty of resources for marketers to turn to when figuring out what works best for them. Books like “Inbound Marketing” are a great starting point for all managers and marketers. As the title of chapter one states, “Shopping has changed… has your marketing?”.

ANPI provided a copy of “Inbound Marketing” to all conference attendees. We have a limited supply of extra copies — if you are a customer of ANPI’s, we’d be happy to send a copy your direction (as long as supplies last).

Thanks to ViodiTV for the video clip.

As ANPI’s newest employee, Dylan Bauer joins the customer support department as a technical support representative. In this role, he will provide first-tier response and diagnosis, contacting service providers and escalating further troubleshooting as necessary.

Dylan most recently served as a premises technician at AT&T where his duties included working with customers on support and installation of phone, video and Internet services. He earned a bachelor of art degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The number of US households experiencing problems with Internet Security, PC Hardware/Software and Home Networking are 41.3M, 21.7M and 10.8M respectively. The opportunity for enhancing your customers’ experience through services that personally protect their systems and data, also serves to protect and enhance their perception of your ISP network’s value and quality.

ISP partners find that the SecureIT Services not only increase their revenue, but decrease their expenses by reducing the number of virus and spyware related technical support calls.

ANPI/NewStreets invites you to a Webinar with SecurityCoverage to learn more about the value-added services available to your ISP.

• Internet Security
• Parental Controls
• Virtual Advanced Computer Repair
• Remote Support and Communication Platform
• Online Backup
• Community Portal

We are pleased to announce the addition of Shawn Brogan and Mal Diwakar to our network operations department. As operations engineers, Shawn and Mal will do in-depth network health checks on ANPI’s core network, ensuring the network’s ability to route around trouble issues.

Shawn most recently served as senior network engineer at Commpartners Connect where his duties included testing and implementing new software and maintenance releases for the Sonus platform, supporting the NOC in daily operations, and monitoring network performance to ensure peak performance.

Mal comes to ANPI from Sonus Networks where his duties as senior technical support engineer included support and resolution of various technical issues and upgrades plus maintenance of production networks.

Bob O’Dell, president and CEO of SecurityCoverage, will join ANPI’s October Customer Webinar to discuss the importance of enhancing your Internet customers’ experience with services like:

• Community Portals
• Computer Protection
• Online Data Backup
• Remote Support and Communication Platform
• Technical Support
• Virtual Advanced Computer Repair

As an expert in responding to consumer needs and the development of value-added services that increase your connection to your ISP customers, Bob will answer questions regarding trends that are important to customers, speak to how ISPs can be more responsive to supporting customers and share ideas for bundling offerings in a way that adds a personal connection to your ISP services.

The October Customer Webinar is scheduled for 10:30 AM CDT on October 27. If you are an ANPI customer and would like to register for the Webinar, please call your dedicated account representative at 877-FON-ANPI for more information.

It’s not everyday a rural telecommunications company receives national recognition as America’s most inspiring small business. Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. of Albuquerque, NM received this distinguished honor yesterday when they were announced the winner of the “Shine a Light” program, sponsored by American Express in partnership with NBC Universal.

“Our winning the award is an affirmation of our industry’s value in rural areas”, said John Badal, co-founder and CEO of Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. “Whether a rural telecom carrier or a supplier to such carriers, we bridge the IT divide on a daily basis with little to no fanfare. Sacred Wind’s team of dedicated employees is the main factor in the recognition we’ve received. Their “can do” attitude and their compassion for the many unserved customers in this remote area have transformed a business responsibility into a mission.”

Realizing a need in their area for connection to the rest of the world, Sacred Wind was established to provide basic phone service and high-speed Internet to the unserved on Navajo lands. Since opening in December 2006, Sacred Wind has built a telecommunications network to provide over 6,000 homes access to telephone service for the first time. Their mission to improve technologies for the Navajo Nation has enabled Navajo adults to find jobs and Navajo children access to the same online resources as classmates.

Over 4,000 small businesses were nominated as inspiring companies in the “Shine a Light” program. A judging panel consisting of fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg, entertainer Ellen Degeneres and host of MSNBC’s “Your Business” JJ Ramberg narrowed the selection to three finalists. HAPPYBABY of Brooklyn, NY and Beacon Paint and Hardware of New York, NY joined Sacred Wind in the final round, which opened for public voting on September 24.

“As the winner in the American Express/NBC Universal ‘Shine a Light’ contest, Sacred Wind will receive a cash award of $50,000 and an additional $50,000 in marketing support from American Express”, said John. “Sacred Wind intends to channel half of the cash award to its non-profit’s scholarship fund and will use the remainder of the cash award to complement the marketing assistance that American Express will offer to help achieve its service objectives.”

ANPI congratulates Sacred Wind for their dedication to improve the lives of people in their community by advancing the communications services available to them. We look forward to seeing Sacred Wind featured on MSNBC’s small business show, “Your Business”, on October 25.

Pamela White is on site at the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association’s Fall Conference and Exhibits in Green Bay, WI. The conference begins Monday, October 12 and continues through Wednesday, October 14 for Wisconsin ILECs, ISPs and wireless service providers.

Visit Pam in booth #34 to review opportunities ANPI has to protect your network from vicious spam and virus attacks, secure your customer’s computers, provide an affordable wireless broadband solution to your business and residential subscribers, as well as lower your wholesale rates for dedicated and switched long distance.

ANPI is a bronze sponsor of the WSTA Conference, providing lanyards for attendees and raffle prizes in the exhibit hall.

The COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2009 Convention and Expo, taking place October 11–14 in Orlando, FL, is your perfect time to find competitive wholesale long distance rates. ANPI representatives Gene Chohon, Dave Manfredo and Gena Barry can meet with you in booth #311 during the expo to explore how we can provide a custom LD solution for your customer base. ANPI’s services range from switched and dedicated long distance to private line transport and broadband access services.