March/April Connection Magazine

 

Click here for the March/April 2025 issue of Colorado Valley’s Connection magazine featuring Fayette County 4-H and the Fayetteville ISD FFA Chapter! Don’t miss out on articles showcasing the positive impact these organizations have on the youth in our community.

The Connection Magazine is provided free to our customers and highlights current events in our community, our customers, and current topics in our industry. Customers should receive their copy in the mail soon.

Please enjoy!

 

Tips for Blocking Unwanted Calls

Are you tired of receiving too many unwanted calls? Scammers use a variety of tactics to trick consumers into giving out personal information or sending money, so it’s important to stay vigilant and use the resources provided by CVCTX as well as federal and state agencies to help you protect yourself.

The FCC website has several resources and tips on this topic, including information about filing a complaint against unwanted calls. You can access that information here. The Federal Trade Commission also has resources for recognizing phone scams and tips to stop calls from scammers here.

If you have not already, you should register for the National Do Not Call Registry and the Texas “No Call Lists”. There is no charge to register with either of these programs.

  • The National Do Not Call Registry can be reached at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the number that you wish to register.
  • The Texas “No Call Lists” may be reached at www.TexasNoCall.com. Questions about registration may also be directed to 1-888-309-0600.

While it’s recommended that you don’t answer calls from unknown callers, CVCTX also offers optional call blocking features that can help limit unwanted calls:

  • Selective Call Acceptance- to receive calls only from preselected numbers.
  • Selective Call Rejection- blocks calls from preselected numbers
  • Do Not Disturb- Telemarketing- an announcement states you do not accept calls from telemarketers. Others may dial 1 to complete the call.

Instructions on using calling features may be found in the front of our Telephone Directory or on our website here. Please contact us if you are interested in adding calling features.

CVCTX also complies with FCC call authentication rules designed to limit the number of spoofed robocalls. These rules are referred to as the STIR/SHAKEN framework, which is an industry standard caller ID authentication technology. While robocall mitigation plans such as the one provided under the STIR/SHAKEN rules don’t stop all unwanted calls, they can help reduce these calls and help consumers stay safe from phone scams.

 

Cybersecurity Coloring Book for Kids

Gizmo the Internet Guard Dog is a fun and engaging coloring book that helps kids learn the basics of staying safe online! The free educational book was created by NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and is perfect for young explorers to enjoy while learning about cybersecurity!

Click HERE to download your copy and learn how to #BeCyberWise.

 

Thank you! Colorado Valley voted the best ISP in Fayette County!

Thank you to the readers of The Fayette County Record for again voting Colorado Valley the best Internet Service Provider! We appreciate this support and also thank all the employees of Colorado Valley for their hard work and efforts to make our company the BEST!

We love serving this community and being your hometown provider. We’ll continue to work hard to remain the best Internet provider in the area for many years to come.

Scam Calls, Emails & Text Messages

Some customers have received calls, emails and text messages urging the recipient to reply confirming personal information, to open an attachment or to click on a link. Do not respond to these emails, or open attachments, or click on these links. These emails & text messages are spam and you should delete them immediately.

CVCTX will not send an email asking you to click a link to avoid the closing of your account, nor will we ask you for your password via email.

 

If you are not sure whether a message is spam, call our office during business hours at 979-242-5911 and one of our representatives can assist you.

Unplug Modems During Lightning Storms

Remember to unplug your high-speed modem and router during lightning storms.  A surge protector can’t always protect your equipment.  If your internet connection runs through the phone line, disconnect the cord from the jack because power surges can also travel through the phone line and damage your equipment.

 

Power Outages and Backup Power

For customers who don’t receive voice service over a copper line, a battery backup solution is needed to maintain voice service during a power outage. Without a battery backup solution or alternate power source such as a generator, voice customers on fiber or fixed wireless will not be able to make calls during a power outage, including emergency calls to 911.

Colorado Valley’s optional battery backup solution does not provide power to any services other than voice. Home security systems, medical monitoring devices and other equipment will not run on Colorado Valley’s backup battery. It’s important to note the battery backup doesn’t provide power to a cordless phone, instead a standard corded phone must be connected directly to the modem.

The standard battery from Colorado Valley is expected to last 8 hours on standby power, and additional batteries may be added for up to 24-hours standby time. Proper care and use should be followed as directed by the manufacturer. The batteries will not last forever and should be replaced as directed by the manufacturer.

For more information about the battery backup solution from Colorado Valley, please call 800-242-5911 or email [email protected]

CVCTX is a Gig-Certified Provider!

CVCTX has the official designation from NTCA- The Rural Broadband Association of being a “Gig-Certified Provider”. Previously designated as a Smart Rural Community provider, the Gig-Certification now distinguishes CVCTX as a rural provider who can provide Gigabit Internet service to our customers. Gigabit bandwidth will allow our customers  the increased capacity to  do more and connect more devices. This super-fast connection is best for homes with multiple smart devices and multiple users, or for users that spend a lot of time doing data-intensive activities online. Although Gigabit Internet is not currently available in our entire service area, we continue our multi-year fiber construction project to bring fiber service to as many customers as possible.

To learn more about Gigabit Internet, click here and to learn more about fiber service, click here.

 

Sign up for Customer Alert Information

 

Sign up for Colorado Valley’s Customer Alert email to receive notification before routine maintenance is scheduled or when there is a known outage.

We do try to minimize impacts to the network when performing maintenance, but it does occasionally require some downtime. Weather, power outages and fiber cuts can also affect network availability. With our Customer Alert email notifications, you’ll be informed when service will be interrupted, helping you to plan accordingly. If you are having trouble and have not received notice of an outage, contact our 24/7 Technical Support line at 877-452-9035.

Click here to sign up.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s (1-800-273-8255) network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the country.

988 is a direct connection to care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress including thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is funded by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and has been administered by Vibrant Emotional Health since it began in 2005. The Lifeline is a national network of over 200 local, independent crisis centers equipped to help people in mental health related distress or experiencing a suicidal crisis via call, chat, or text. The Lifeline provides free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the U.S.