BCT (Beaver Creek Cooperative Telephone Company)

Congratulations and well wishes to all of our local students graduating today! You did it!

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor those that gave their lives for their country.

The BCT office will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. 24/7 Tech Support is still available if needed at 503.632.3113.

Have you ever received an email with file type .exe attached to it and wondered what is was? Or maybe you've downloaded an app or program to your computer that ran a .exe file to initiate the download and setup?

Like a .jpg, .png, .mp4, .mp3, or .doc, .exe is a naming extension that denotes a file's type. .exe files are Executable Files that contains an encoded sequence of instructions that can run immediately when the user clicks on the file icon to open it. Some Executable Files can run on any compatible system without requiring another program to already be installed. These types of files are considered to be high security risks because they could contain various kinds of malicious code designed to harm the user's computer or steal personal information.

If you ever receive an email that tells you to open an attachment, and that attachment is a .exe file, it is likely a scam. Always verify file types and make sure you only download files from trusted sources.

We have received multiple calls and emails from members inquiring about a suspicious email message they received claiming to be from 'BCT E-Mail Support.' THIS IS A SCAM. Do not open the attachment or click on any links. It is also good practice to mark the message as Spam or Phishing Attempt in your email provider's portal.

Below is a screenshot of the scam email. Here are a few of the red flags that show this message is a scam:

1. The 'From' email does not match the sender's name and does not come from a BCT email. We send messages to our members from a .com domain.
2. The subject line of the email contains vague details. When we send messages to our members, we do our best to be clear and thorough.
3. The content of the email message itself is short and does not give any details about the supposed 'important security message.'
4. The content of the email says to 'See Attached.' We will never tell our members to open or download an attachment to read important details in this manner.
5. The email conveys a sense of urgency to try and get recipients to take an action, in this case, to download an attachment that may contain harmful malware or a link to a bogus website designed to steal personal information.

Thank you to all of our vigilant members that notified us of this scam. Stay safe out there!

Did you know that we post helpful articles on our website to educate our members about scams to watch out for?

Visit www.BCTelco.com/support/scams to learn more!

If you've ever connected a pair of wireless earbuds or headphones to your smartphone, laptop, or TV, then you've used Bluetooth technology before. Bluetooth is a short-range wireless connection method used for exchanging data between devices, generally limited to about 10 meters (~33 feet) apart.

Fun fact: the name "Bluetooth" dates back more than 1,000 years to King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson who was well-known for two things: uniting Denmark and Norway in 958, and for his dead tooth, which was a dark blue & grey color, earning him the nickname Bluetooth.

When Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia began collaborating in 1996 on the short-range connection technology, Jim Kardach from Intel suggested "Bluetooth" as a temporary code name for the project. He was quoted saying "King Harald Bluetooth was famous for uniting Scandinavia just as we intended to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link." When it came time to bring the technology to market and implement it, the name stuck.

Have you ever called into the BCT office and had to answer a couple of security questions from our Member Services Team? We take our members' privacy very seriously and have these procedures in place to protect your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep our members' personal information secure.

Did you miss the BCT iPhone Basics Community Class yesterday? Check out the recording on our YouTube channel!

Interested in seeing more Community Classes from BCT? Leave a comment below with a topic you'd like to see us cover in the future!

BCT Community Class: iPhone Basics - April 10, 2024 Thank you for watching this recording of the BCT iPhone Basics Community Class from April 10, 2024. In this class, we discuss basics tips and tricks for gett...

SCAM ALERT!
Many BCT members have reported receiving an email like the one below recently. This is a scam and NOT from BCT. DO NOT CLICK on the provided link. Delete the email. These are bad actors trying to phish your personal information.
How can you tell? Look at the highlights below:
1. Return email address is not from a bctelco.com email address
2. The to email address is suspicious
3. Punctuation and grammar is incorrect
4. They create a sense of urgency to "click now" to update your information on a vague post link name
5. They use bctonline as the company name. This is not the name we use to communicate with our members. We use BCT or BCTtelco.com when referring to the website or company emails.

Happy April Fools' Day! Were you fooled by this AI-generated image? Probably not, because the human eye is incredibly good at spotting when something seems off or fake. Here are a couple telltale signs of what to look for with AI images:

- Images tend to look ‘soft’ and smooth and too perfect to be real
- AI has a hard time getting details right – you’ll often see people with 6 fingers or other weird features
- Watch how shadows from light sources fall – unnatural shadows are usually easy spot

Do you have the photos on your phone backed up to a secondary location? What about important financial or medical documents? If not, use World Backup Day today as a reminder to make sure any photos and files you don't want to lose are backed up. This essentially means that you have an extra version of the file in a secondary location in case something were to happen to the device that the file is originally from. For example, if you take a photo on your smartphone camera, it's a good idea to enable backing up to the cloud, that way if your phone gets lost or broken, you'll still have your photos.

You can back up to a cloud storage service like Apple iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive, or Google Drive, or to a physical storage device like a USB thumb drive or an external hard drive. Many cloud services have free storage included with other services - Microsoft OneDrive, for example, provides 5GB of cloud storage if you have an outlook.com email account, while Google Drive provides 15GB of storage with a Gmail account.

We're so excited to announce the first-ever BCT Community Class, iPhone Basics!

Could you or someone you know use a little help with your iPhone? In this upcoming class, our team will discuss some useful shortcuts to help you get the most out of your iPhone. We'll go over important settings to know, customizing your home screen, how to download and delete apps, useful camera settings, and more.

📅 Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2024
⏰ Time: 12PM-1PM
📍 Location: Virtual through Zoom

Learn more and register for the class here:
https://www.bctelco.com/news?id=18657-1711549143

You hear about it all the time, but what exactly is 'the cloud?' A shorthand name for 'cloud computing services,' the cloud is essentially a collection of servers that host software and computing infrastructure.

For example, when you upload a file or photo to the cloud, like Apple iCloud, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive, that document is not stored locally in one place, like a computer or smartphone. Instead, it's stored on multiple internet-connected servers. This creates an online backup of the file that can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

Our Member Services Team has been notified of a new text scam going around pretending to be from BCT. In this scam, the message threatens that the recipient’s services will be turned off if they do not click a link to update their expired payment information. This is a scam. BCT does not send threatening emails or text messages with vague web links to our members.

BCT will only send you a text message if you have opted in to receiving text messages through the SmartHub app. The message will ask you to log in to SmartHub to update your information and will include this link to the SmartHub website: https://Beavercreek.SmartHub.coop.

If you have not opted into text messages from BCT through SmartHub and your payment method has expired or is about to expire, we’ll send you an email or a letter with instructions.

If you’re ever suspicious of an email or text message that claims to be from BCT, please do not hesitate to contact us to verify the message’s legitimacy. You can reach the Member Services Team by phone at 503.632.3113 or by email at [email protected].

Can you believe spring is tomorrow? The flowers outside of our readerboard sure can!

This is a friendly reminder to please call 811 before any dig job for a free utility locate to help prevent service outages for you and your neighbors.

Learn more at www.DigSafelyOregon.com

Applications for the Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. are due tomorrow!

BCT is sending one student from our service area to the nation's capital for 5 days in June to learn about legislative and agency processes and the importance of reliable internet service in rural communities.

Learn more and apply here: www.BCTelco.com/scholarship/frs

Did you see that BCT is offering an opportunity for one student

Smartphone mirroring is when you wirelessly project the content displayed on your smartphone to another screen, like a television. It can be both a convenient time-saver as well as a security feature. For example, say you’re on vacation or a work trip and you want to stream a show from Netflix or Hulu, but you don’t want to spend time logging in with the TV remote or risk accidentally staying logged in after you leave. A good solution could be to open the streaming app on your phone and “cast” or mirror the show playing on your phone to playing on the TV.

Many modern TVs include built-in functionality for screen mirroring, and usually the only requirement is that both the TV and the device casting to it be connected to the same WiFi network. On Apple devices like iPhones and iPads, this technology is called AirPlay, while Chromecast is the predominant tech used in Android phones.

BCT is offering a unique opportunity for one student from the BCT service area to visit Washington, D.C. on an all-expenses paid trip on the Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour from June 3-7, 2024.

This annual trip is hosted by the philanthropic arm of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and brings together more than 100 high school students and chaperones from rural communities across the nation. For 5 days, students learn about legislative and agency processes and the important role of internet service in rural areas.

Learn more and apply at www.BCTelco.com/FRS-scholarship. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024.

There's still time to submit applications for a scholarship from BCT!

Your cooperative allocates funds every year toward scholarships for local students as part of our commitment to the community. Additional details and the link to download the application can be found on the BCT website at www.BCTelco.com/scholarship.

Applications must be mailed or delivered to the BCT office by 5PM on Thursday, February 29. If you have any questions, please give the Member Services Team a call at 503.632.3113.

What a journey for the telephone! Do you remember having any of the phones from the last couple of rows in your home growing up? What about those from even earlier?

Bookmark the BCT News Feed page to stay up-to-date on company news, scam alerts, and more!

Visit www.BCTelco.com/News.

Hey BCT members!

Did you know that your cooperative awards scholarships for local students looking to continue their education every year?

Learn more and apply at www.bctelco.com/scholarship. The deadline is February 29!

BCT is proud to support higher education for local students by awarding several scholarships every year. Additional details and the link to download the application can be found on the BCT website at www.BCTelco.com/scholarship.

Applications can be mailed or delivered to the BCT office. The deadline to apply is Thursday, February 29 at 5PM.

Have you ever used the “see it in your space” feature when shopping for furniture or other items online? Or maybe played the popular mobile game Pokémon Go? If so, then you’ve experienced augmented reality (AR) firsthand. AR is the result of using technology to superimpose computer-generated graphics or environments in which to interact with or become immersed.

Typically, smartphone and tablet cameras are the medium through which AR is used. For example, some shopping websites can access your device’s camera to show you what a piece of furniture or appliance would look like in your home. However, this tech isn’t limited to handheld device cameras – some modern cars have heads-up-displays (HUDs) that can project the vehicle’s speed, RPMs, and other information right onto the windshield above the dash, allowing drivers to see relevant information without taking their eyes off the road. Additionally, tech companies like Google and Meta continue to develop wearable AR devices, like glasses, that allow users to see certain information overlayed onto the world around them through the lenses, another example of a HUD.

Does it ever feel like you’re getting more robocalls than calls from actual humans? Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying — they’re also often scams. But you might be wondering — how did they get my number in the first place?

Via Federal Trade Commission

How Are Robocallers Getting Your Phone Number? Does it ever feel like you’re getting more robocalls than calls from actual humans? Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying — they’re also often scams. But you might be wondering — how did they get...

UPDATE Jan. 17: While we wait for temperatures to rise and thaw out the icy conditions, the BCT lobby will be closed on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 for the safety of our members and employees. Support remains available should you need it at 503.632.3113, or email us through bctelco.com/contact-form.

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UPDATE Jan. 16: With more freezing rain and below-freezing temperatures expected, the BCT lobby will be closed on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 for the safety of our members and employees. Support remains available should you need it at 503.632.3113, or email us through bctelco.com/contact-form.

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Due to adverse weather, the BCT office will be closed for the safety of both members and employees on Monday January 15th. However, our team remains available to assist you via telephone. Call 503.632.3113 or email us through bctelco.com/contact-form

Call now to connect with business.

BCT awards annual scholarships to local students looking to further their education. Applications are now open for a 2024-2025 scholarship at www.BCTelco.com/Scholarship 📓📚💻💵

Tax Day is coming up, and scammers are sure to increase their attempts to get folks to give up their personal or payment information with scams disguised as tax help.

With the free SmartHub app, you can set up AutoPay to make sure your bill is always paid on time. Plus, you can change or update payment methods, request changes to your services, and more.

Visit Beavercreek.SmartHub.coop to get started.