MACC's Spring 2025 eMessage

The latest news from your friends at MACC

MACC News

Save the Date: MBTC 2025! ✨

Week One: September 3–5
Week Two: September 8–10

Mark your calendars!! MBTC 2025 is going to be a special one.

Join us for two packed weeks of learning, sharing, and connecting with peers from across the industry as we celebrate a major milestone: MACC’s 50th anniversary.

It’s everything you value about the MACC Billing Technology Conference, with a little extra sparkle this year.✨

Details coming soon—we can’t wait to see you there!
Please feel free to email MBTC@maccnet.com with any questions.

p.s. Are you following us on LinkedIn?
It’s the easiest way to stay in the loop on MACC updates and events:  LinkedIn

Cybersecurity in a Rural World

By: Richard Smith | Technical Support Manager at PhoenixSoft

In today’s digital age, it’s almost impossible to go a day without hearing about a company in the US being breached, having data stolen, or systems locked up with ransomware. With everything online, protecting the data gathered for business operations is more crucial than ever. Rural telecommunications companies (telcos) are no exception. Complacency is exactly what attackers hope for, and with estimates of up to 4,000 attacks a day or one attack every 14 seconds, keeping up with the myriad ways hackers can exploit a company can seem overwhelming[1].

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, but it is also becoming one of the costliest business expenses. The rising costs of hiring lawyers and obtaining insurance to protect your business in the event of an incident make it challenging to remain profitable[2].

Key Challenges for Rural Telcos

  1. Limited Resources: Rural telcos often operate with smaller budgets and fewer resources compared to their urban counterparts. This can lead to outdated systems and limited access to advanced security measures[3].
  2. Lack of Awareness: Many rural businesses may not perceive themselves as targets, leading to a lack of awareness and preparedness against cyber threats[2].
  3. High Costs: Implementing comprehensive cybersecurity measures and obtaining insurance can be prohibitively expensive. Legal fees and regulatory fines add to the financial burden[4].

Best Practices for Rural Telcos

  1. Invest in Cybersecurity Training: Regular training for employees to recognize and respond to cyber threats is crucial. Awareness is a key defense against attacks[3].
  2. Implement Strong Access Controls: Limit access to sensitive information based on the principle of least privilege. Ensure only authorized personnel have access to critical data[3].
  3. Use Managed Security Services: Consider using managed security services to get access to cybersecurity expertise, 24/7 monitoring, and rapid response to incidents[5].
  4. Regularly Update Systems: Keep all software, including operating systems and applications, up to date to protect against known vulnerabilities[3].
  5. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more verification methods to access accounts. This could include something you know (password), something you have (smartphone), or something you are (fingerprint).
  6. Develop an Incident Response Plan: Prepare for potential cyber incidents with a response plan that outlines steps to take in the event of a breach, including communication strategies and recovery procedures[3].

By implementing these best practices, rural telcos can enhance their cybersecurity posture and better protect their digital assets. Staying informed and proactive is essential in the fight against cyber threats.

[1]: Boise State Online [2]: LegalClarity [3]: NRTC [4]: Forbes Advisor [5]: NTCA

Come see the progress on our modernization project!!!

By: Ben Heise | Strategic Account Executive

Join us monthly for a 30 min sneak peek at how the modernization is going. We will be having our first presentation to all customers in March and will continue this on the second Wednesday of the month at 11AM CST.

If you want to join and see the solution please let your CSM AM know and they will send you the Teams invite. For sake of expediency please know that the presentation is not an open forum so we can stay on schedule but you are more than welcome to ask your question in the Teams chat. The questions will be gathered, answered and compiled to an FAQ document which will be available on Client Central for your review. Each month we will do another 30 minute demonstration of the solutions progress. All sessions will be recorded and made available for review on Client Central in case you miss an episode.

Learn More!
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Training News

Jump Start training dates for 2025

By: Tim Carlson | Team Lead, Professional Services

The schedule for our 2025 Customer Master Jump Start Trainings is now available. If you or any members of your team are interested in registering for these sessions, you can sign up at www.maccclientcentral.com/macc-u-schedule.

Should these dates not be convenient, we can arrange company-specific Jump Start Trainings. Please contact your Client Solutions Manager to coordinate alternative dates that work for you.

In addition to Jump Start Training, our MACC Trainers are equipped to provide any web trainings listed on the Client Pages. We will work with you to schedule these as requested. We also offer customized training outside of these topics, including onsite training. Simply reach out to your Client Solutions Manager to discuss your needs further.

CABS my 2024

Product News

Have you heard of Aha!?

For those who have already signed up, here’s the link: macc.ideas.aha.io and for those who can’t wait to sign up, please e-mail maccproddevl@maccnet.com to get registered to submit your ideas!

 

Transmit Day
May’s transmit day for first of the month billing is April 22nd. Follow this link for the complete 2025 schedule. 

MACC’s Monthly Recipes

Maintenance Sunday – April 13th
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Central) on Sunday, April 13th, our technicians will conduct maintenance on our network. During this time, web-based services from MACC may be unavailable. This affects MSaaS and all MACC websites (Web Reporting, TMS, FTP, etc.) as well as online access to customer statements. Going forward, MACC will be scheduling network maintenance during the same timeframe on the second Sunday of each month.

MACC is involved in the industry
Click to see a list of events we’ll be attending.

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