Natco E-Newsletter - November 2003

November 2003 NATCO Technologies E-News - Happy Thanksgiving!

ISDN Customers Get More
If you are an ISDN customer, we have good news to share with you. We have updated the current service we provide to include 3 e-mail accounts instead of only one. ISDN is still available for most customers within NATCO's telephone service area at the same rates of $40 per month for residential customers and $55 per month for businesses. NATCO may also provide Internet access to ISDN customers who reside outside NATCO's service area - call to confirm availability and for complete details...1-800-775-6682.
Virtual Tours and Demo Rooms Available
To get an insider's view of NATCO Technologies, check out our virtual tours at: http://www.natconet.com/tours.htm. Remember you can also stop by our demo room at the NATCO office in Flippin to test any of our services including, DSL, ISDN, or dialup connections. In Mountain Home, stop by the NATCO Technologies demo room at Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing to try DSL in Baxter County.

Super Tech: Mark V. Principato
Mark V. Principato joined NATCO Technologies as a computer specialist in 2003. Before joining NATCO Tech, Principato worked in the field of Information Technology for more than three years. He is a graduate of Mountain Home High School and holds a CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate - designation. He is now attending the University of Phoenix online, working toward a bachelor of science degree in Information Technology.

Principato is from Springfield, Mo., and has been in the area for about 14 years.
Make A Connection and Get One Month Free!
Many of the new Internet customers we sign up each month have been referred to NATCO Technologies from existing customers. We are proud that our customers speak highly of our service and we're now rewarding that loyalty.

NATCO Technologies is pleased to announce this special offer for our customers. For each new person you refer to NATCO Technologies for Internet service, you will receive one free month of Internet service (when your friend signs up for service). This is our way of thanking you for referring your friends and neighbors to NATCO Technologies.

This special offer applies only if your friend tells us your name and phone number during sign-up. To take advantage of this offer, call NATCO in Flippin at 1-800-775-6682 or Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing in Mountain Home at 425-8064.

Winning E-Story submitted by Tess McManus of Yellville, Dialup Customer

E-Story: Since October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I thought this might be a good time to share my story.

Now that my children are grown and on their own, I recently moved to the Ozarks from Hawaii. It was hard to move so far away from my daughter and her family, and my son, who has Down Syndrome. But they are both perfectly happy in their homes on the island of Maui, and I was restless to get back to four seasons and country living.

Before I left, I taught my son, who is 30, to use the Internet and e-mail. He loves checking out websites of his favorite wrestlers and superheroes. After I got settled here, I got a new computer and Internet access from NATCO. What a thrill to get my first email from my son in Hawaii! His
letters are short and of the "How are you, I am fine" variety, but this means more to me than I can say!

I use NATCO Internet for a variety of uses, but hearing from my kids is a real highlight. Thank you for helping us keep in touch!
Thanks to all of you who submitted your Internet E-Story this month. Tess McManus just earned two free months of NATCO Internet service. Submit your E-Story and get a chance to become our next winner! Remember that you can enter more than once so if you didn't win this time, try again! Just go to www.natcotech.com/estories.htm and tell us how using NATCO's Internet or e-mail service has made your life easier, helped you promote or run your business, or simply how much you enjoy using the Internet and e-mail. If your E-Story is chosen, you'll win two months free NATCO dial up Internet Service or an equivalent account credit!
Useful Web Sites
http://www.ozarkregionaldirectory.com/
Remember NATCO's Yellow Pages are now online so you can find the local businesses you need without leaving your computer.

Sick of Spam? NATCO Has a New Program to Help!
NATCO Technologies announces our new anti-spam filtering service available only to NATCO Tech customers. Although no program can totally eliminate spam, our filter will significantly reduce the amount of spam you receive. For an additional investment of only $1.99 a month, you can add this service to your current account. No set-up fee is required if you call before December 31, 2003. After that date, the normal $10.00 additional services fee will apply - so call today!
Tech Tips
Report Problems Right Away
We want to encourage all of our customers to report problems with their Internet or e-mail service as soon as possible. The quicker we are informed of a technical issue, the sooner we can resolve it. Last month, a customer reported a problem sending and receiving mail to and from AT&T servers. Thanks to that report, we were able to work with AT&T to resolve the issue quickly. We wouldn't have been aware of the problem if our customer had not reported it.

Although we are constantly observing our equipment and monitoring the services we provide, there are some issues - like the one mentioned above - that we cannot possibly know about unless the customers experiencing the problem inform us. Together, we can keep your NATCO Technologies service the best it can be.
!E-Mail Scam Alert:
An e-mail message that seems to be from eBay asks eBay members to reveal personal financial details including mother's maiden name, credit card information, bank account number, pin code and many other pieces of sensitive information. Make sure that you only provide this information to a secure, legitimate source.

Never reply to e-mail messages asking for financial or other personal information.
!E-Mail Virus Special Alert:
A mass-mailing virus masquerading as a security patch from Microsoft is sweeping through Internet e-mail and experts say it has the ability to steal account information and e-mail server details from infected systems.
The W32.Swen.A@mm or W32.Gibe.B@mm a.k.a Swen or Gibe virus which originated in Europe, has now infected e-mail inboxes in the U.S. The virus laden message arrives with an .EXE attachment and the subject line reads "Microsoft Critical Patch," "Microsoft Internet Update Pack," or "Newest Security Update."

Symantec Security Response warns that this worm uses its own SMTP engine to spread itself and attempts to kill anti-virus programs along with personal firewalls running on computers it infects. Swen or Gibe is also capable of exploiting a known Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerability to spread through peer-to-peer networks such as Kazaa and IRC.

Remember - Microsoft never sends updates or patches as e-mail attachments. To check for updates for your operating system, visit: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp or go to www.microsoft.com and then click Windows Update in the side bar.
Recent Virus Threats
- W32.Randex.S Learn More at norton.com...
- W32.HLLW.Franriv Learn More at norton.com...
- Trojan.Obsorb Learn More at norton.com...
If you determine that your computer is infected with a virus, visit your virus software's Web site for removal instructions or contact the technician at the store where you purchased your system.

Learn some great keyboard shortcuts and other helpful tips at our Technical Support Bulletin Board.
Maintenance Window: NATCO Technologies performs regular maintenance on Internet equipment every Wednesday morning, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Your Internet Service should not be affected but if you do experience an interruption in service during this time, please try again a few moments later. We try to minimize any "down time" by doing our maintenance at a regular time each week.
All users agree to the terms and guidelines published at www.natcotech.com/guidline.htm.