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May 24, 2005 — Pacific States Communications, the leader in providing Northern Nevada businesses with voice and data applications, announced today that the company received ShoreTel’s “Excellence in Customer Satisfaction Award.” ShoreTel is the innovation leader in delivering IP telephony to the enterprise and has shipped groundbreaking solutions since 1998. Pacific States Communications, a ShoreTel authorized partner, was recognized as a leader in quality based on an extensive survey of the company’s Northern Nevada customers.

As part of ShoreTel’s Customer Satisfaction Program, only those partners meeting the most stringent world class customer satisfaction criteria received recognition for the award. Every new ShoreTel customer is given the opportunity to rate their satisfaction with the company and their authorized partner’s performance during the initial installation process and annually thereafter. An independent organization conducts the interviews and provides confidential reports on each customer’s satisfaction. Each interview probes all areas relating to customer satisfaction including product performance and end user support. It also records the customer’s willingness to recommend the agent to potential customers.

Pacific States Communications achieved a score above 90, which is considered a world class customer satisfaction rating. This score places the company at a very select group among ShoreTel’s hundreds of partners. Examples of the types of industries with organizations praising Pacific States Communications for their exceptional service included real estate, accounting, academia, and sales consulting.

“This is definitely a great honor for our company, our team of professionals, and the organizations we serve, “stated Steve Kiser, vice president of Pacific States Communications. “The ShoreTel award reflects our continued commitment to providing customers with superior service that exceeds their expectations. This phenomenal accomplishment illustrates our dedication to complete customer satisfaction.”

ABOUT SHORETEL, INC.:
ShoreTel is the innovation leader in delivering IP telephony to the enterprise. The company has shipped its groundbreaking solutions since 1998 and continues to outpace the rapidly expanding VoIP market with technological advances and more than 85% year-over-year growth. ShoreTel voice systems are designed to make businesses smarter, setting new standards for usability and manageability while reducing telecommunications costs. A uniquely distributed architecture extends enterprise-class voice services to every office and outpost, keeping employees fully connected wherever they go. A select, worldwide group of channel partners provide top-notch service and support. For more information, visit http://www.shoretel.com or call 1-877-80SHORE.
 

"We understand the power of GoToAssist and how it can help our technicians get to the root of a problem fast," added Mr. Kiser. "Our ability to take control of a customer’s desktop to diagnose and propose solutions, gives us a competitive advantage in the Northern Nevada marketplace. GoToAssist will give organizations one more reason to select Pacific States Communications for all of their communications needs."

JAN 2005 — HOW TO SELECT A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS PROVIDER  By Steve Kiser, Vice President, Pacific States Communications, Inc.

Today's business environment has never been more competitive. Companies in virtually every industry are working overtime to increase profits and outperform the competition. To aid them in their efforts, they are looking at a variety of ways to enable their employees to increase customer service. One such way is to take advantage of the quantum leaps in technology being offered by today's telecommunications systems.
 
Ignoring your company's rapidly becoming obsolete telecommunications system can mean lost revenue and wasted time for your staff and employers. It is imperative that your company make every effort to control costs and increase productivity. And a state-of-the-art telecommunications system, over the long-term, can pay for itself.

One thing to remember — a telecommunications system is a major investment that should be able to grow with the company. Furthermore, your system should be purchased from a reputable provider who will consult with you to select the right system for your company, install the system, provide training and long-term assistance with any problems and install future system upgrades.

The following is a list of considerations to take to heart when selecting a telecommunications systems provider:

• Manufacturer Authorized or Accredited. Is the telecommunications provider authorized or accredited by the system's manufacturer? Beware of providers that say they are authorized by the manufacturer, and are not. The firm may be able to install the system, but will not be able to provide the ongoing support, including upgrades to the system and correcting any software problems. Because the provider does not have access to the manufacturer for the resolution of these problems, it places you, the customer, at a high risk. To determine if the provider is authorized or accredited, start by asking for a comfort letter from the manufacturer or call to the manufacturer's regional office for a provider reference. It is also a good idea to visit the vendor's office to take a look at the inventory, facility and day-to-day business operations.

• Voice and Data Experience. In today's rapidly evolving telecommunications marketplace, you will need to select a provider that has a significant amount of both voice and data experience. This is critically important, because the convergence of voice and data has happened. Your company needs to work with a provider that has the technical expertise in computer telephony integration (CTI).         

• Full-Service Telecom Provider. The company should provide a single point of contact for consultation, design, installation, implementation, training and maintenance of voice, data and video communications cabling and equipment. A wide range of top-quality, reasonably priced products and services should also be available to you. Is the provider simply going to sell you a piece of equipment, or provide your company with a solution with an application orientation to it.

• Provider Reputation. The provider's reputation is as significant as the product you buy. In addition to checking with other business associates about the companies and systems they selected, check with the Better Business Bureau for references. You should ask the provider for a least five customer referrals. Then call each one of those referrals. Ask how long have you have you had the system? How is the providers' ongoing support? Has the company demonstrated an ability to resolve any problems as they arose?

• Understanding Of Your Business. Does the company have an understanding of your business? Are they able to translate that understanding into adapting the technology to most benefit your company? For example, a mortgage banking firm is going to have a different system application from a manufacturing company. You need to select a provider that has a full-scope of a business knowledge and understanding.

• Entrepreneurial Approach. In today's business environment you need to select a provider that brings an entrepreneurial approach to conducting business. The most significant aspect of a telecommunications system purchase decision is that a dynamic partnership will be formed between your company and the provider. Therefore, it is vital that the two understand each other and that the provider be responsive, flexible and competent to effectively handle your needs. Many large telecom providers have not adapted quickly to technology changes in the marketplace, and have limited local support if you have a problem with the your system. In addition, entrepreneurial providers empower their customers with new systems and features needed today, ahead of expectations, then show them how these can be applied in their business.

• Purchase Options. Does the provider offer you options of leasing, financing or buying the new system. Even with the demise of the investment tax credit, there are still plenty of good reasons to lease equipment. The financial records related to your current system can be used as a reference point. You will need to factor in the initial cost of the system, potential enhancements and repair costs.

• System Warranty. What type of warranty does the company offer? It is critical that you understand your warranty options and determine whether they cover parts and labor which provides large and small businesses with a combination of security, comfort, value, dependability and peace of mind.

• Remote System Access. Make sure you are given the option for remote system access. Remote access enables your provider to make adds, moves or changes to your telecom system from off-site. This feature can reduce costs over the long-term.

• Local Support and Service. Does the telecom system provider have a local technical assistance center staffed by highly-trained, certified technicians? Will the company come back to your business after time has passed, assess what has changed, and make recommendations to improve your system? Your previous telecom provider may have recommended a technology that was great for your business five years ago, but the environment has changed, there are better solutions today, and there will be tomorrow.

• Customer Employee Certification. To some providers the less the customer knows, the better. Reality is the more you know about your system, the better off you will be over the long-term. Will your telecom provider send your designated employees to a certification school for training on the system? Once they have been trained, they can have access to your system switch to do add, moves and changes. This will enable you to control service costs and enhance flexibility. In addition, a trained employee will be able to "talk the talk" with a certified technician if a problem ever arises.

Remember that you are shopping for a solution, not a product. Many companies make the mistake of simply buying the equipment rather than solving their telecom problems. It is important that the provider you select performs an audit of your exiting system and either design a totally new system or integrate more efficient equipment into the current system.

The technology must, first of all, increase your profitability and, secondly, give your company a competitive advantage. The bottom line is to save money with cost-effective ways to improve the communications capabilities of your company. 

DEC. 2004 — Pacific States Communications, an industry leader in telecommunications, announced today that the company has formed a strategic partnership with Headworks, a provider of telephone headsets and accessories, to provide Reno businesses with the latest technology in professional phone headsets. The partnership makes Pacific States Communications the sole distributor of Headworks’ innovative products in the area.

Nearly all call centers and telemarketing firms use phone headsets exclusively. However, over the past few years, more and more businesses are realizing the power and profitability of equipping their staff with this technology. All personnel, regardless of their position, who switch to phone headsets experience a dramatic difference in the caliber of their conversations. People feel more relaxed and more focused during their conversations when their hands are free. They also find it extremely helpful to be able to use both hands to gather documents, access literature, take notes, author e-mails and organize files.

SEPT. 2004 — Disruptive Technology Is Sweeping Through the Telecommunications Industry  Steve Kiser of Pacific States Communications Illustrates How Companies Can Take Advantage of VoIP Networks

Disruptive technologies are those that dramatically change the way we live and the way we conduct business. Recent examples include the Internet, wireless communications, handheld devices, and GPS tracking systems. Now, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is on the verge of having a similar impact in the business world. VoIP is sweeping through the telecommunications industry at an astonishing rate and in order for companies to prepare for the future it’s critical for them to take a hard look at this technology today.

Unlike regular phone service, VoIP conversations are transformed into digital information and sent over a broadband data network. For example, VoIP calls connect to a server where voice information is truncated into packets and sent across the Internet bypassing the long distance carrier altogether. This essentially means that VoIP callers do not use traditional phone lines and can avoid expensive long-distance charges.

In addition to substantial cost savings, VoIP networks provide companies with extensive flexibility. Traditional phone service simply doesn't match the advanced features offered by VoIP. Unlike early versions of the technology, today's VoIP service offers much greater voice clarity and advanced features such as conferencing, dialing the phone from a PC, and video chat. Furthermore, employees who use VoIP are more productive regardless if they’re at home or on the road. They can place and answer calls from any location using a VoIP handset. Features such as follow-me messaging enable employees to forward messages to several numbers, and it's easy to access e-mail and voicemail from their PCs.

Growth expectations are extremely positive for VoIP. According to the Telecommunications Industry Association and Wilkofsky Gruen and Associates, VoIP access in the US will rise from 6.5 million lines this year to 19.2 million by the end of 2007.
 

The crucial decision in making the move to VoIP is selecting the right network. It’s an extremely difficult task for IT departments to purchase equipment and simply plug into the Internet. Just because one can turn voice into data and connect to the Internet does not mean the call will be a success. In order to communicate using VoIP from any location whether in the US or overseas, companies have to use a private network to ensure proper connection. A provider’s coverage is of particular importance. For example, if coverage is not available in specific areas employees may not be able to make calls to customers and vice versa.

Small to mid sized companies have a couple of options. For instance, they can directly tap into leading network providers such as Vancouver, Washington-based New Edge Networks and Santa Rosa, California-based Advanced TelCom. These providers offer a wide range of solutions with broadband coverage that spans the entire US. Their role is to analyze a company’s needs and identify the right network solution to match those needs.

VoIP is here and companies are tackling this important decision today to ensure their communications tomorrow. This disruptive technology has the awesome capability of increasing profitability and giving companies a competitive advantage in their marketplace. Soon, operating a business without VoIP will be like trying to market without a web site. The time is now and the future is VoIP.

ABOUT PACIFIC STATES COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

Pacific States Communications is Northern Nevada's most customer-oriented business telephone and data communications company. Now in its 18th year in business, the company is committed to maximum customer satisfaction through total customer service. Pacific States provides its customers with industry leading products, which are serviced by Factory Certified technicians. Customers are thoroughly trained in every component of their system by Pacific States highly experienced customer service team.

The company’s local dispatch center delivers round-the clock service to ensure system reliability. Pacific States also offers comprehensive service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and emergency service guaranteed within 2 hours. For more information on Pacific States Communications, call (775) 828-2020 or visit www.psc-reno.com.
 

July 2004: Pacific States Communications Illustrates the Power of Contact Centers

RENO, NV — July 16, 2004 — Each day companies across the nation struggle with identifying new ways to satisfy their most important asset, their customers. Retaining them is crucial for the survival of any business, especially in an era when it costs seven times more to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one. Few companies realize that greater margin may exist in their customer base than they commonly sell to the outside world.  More importantly, the cost of acquiring this revenue is significantly less than acquisition of revenue from new clients. This is a great approach to increasing customer satisfaction by continuing to deliver value to clients.   Development of a Contact Center is one example of how businesses are tapping into their voice and data system to increase customer satisfaction.

A Contact Center is a combination of technologies, which includes Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), and Multimedia Integration (MMI). CRM is an enterprise software program that ties a firm’s processes together internally, and maintains its most important information about their clients in a readily accessible application on the desktop. CRM is a business strategy that unites all external interaction with internal processes in support of clients.  It is a strategy for ensuring retention and increased revenue from the client base by deploying tools for staff to efficiently and effectively handle their customers and prospects. CRM enables communication with the outside world independent of medium.  Whether clients are surfing the web, calling directly, using chat, or sending emails, a company can communicate with them in a reasonable way and store the information that is crucial to business development. CRM is used to manage sales activities and funnels, integrate sales with service and operations better, and maintain detailed client information to better manage and deepen the relationship with clients.

Multimedia Integration (MMI) is the unification of the computer network, telephone system and Web site. Long gone are the days of having multiple telephones and telephone numbers. MMI allows PDA’s, cell phones, computers, and telephone systems to work as one device. MMI takes the communication richness of voice and the intelligence of computers and allows remote workers to listen to emails, return phone messages, and dial out of contacts while on their cell phone as they travel. The technology helps ensure clients can reach a company, all from dialing one number or having one email address. A user can store, upload, download customer files, record conversations, all the while giving the customer the attention to detail they deserve.

Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) is an incoming call solution that systematically directs customer calls by routing them to specific representatives based on the customer’s needs. The technology is designed to send a caller to individuals that have the necessary skills to effectively handle the specific customer inquiry.  The flow of an ACD system is built to match a company’s business objectives and their philosophy of servicing their customer base. ACD is also not just limited to specific business functions. Multiple ACD queues can be arranged for a variety of areas including customer service, sales, and billing.

While this is good technology, the key question is “what can this do for my business?” Important capabilities of ACD include;

• insure that customers are handled in the correct order

• eliminate trapping customers in an on-hold dungeon

• provide reports on call volume, wait times, answer times, and abandoned calls

• measure service quality, agent productivity, and performance

• monitor staffing levels to meet customer demand and insure agent workload is evenly distributed, particularly during spikes in call volume

• save unproductive payroll investment in underutilized agents and increase profitability

 “The features that ACD offers can be an incredible help to any organization. For example, by analyzing call reports, determining how to staff at certain times of the day, and strategically routing incoming calls, customers are connected to appropriate agents in a timely manner,” said Steve Kiser, vice president of Pacific States Communications. “Using ACD technology reduces follow up phone calls, which is typically very costly and prevents frustration among customers by getting them to the right location so their needs can be met.”

Basically, any company that receives calls from customers on a regular basis is a candidate for ACD, especially those who sell products or provide services over the phone. The popularity of ACD has increased rapidly, as the cost has been driven down to the point that most firms can readily afford it. Mr. Kiser stated, “Technology has to do two things for a business, increase its profitability and give it a competitive advantage. Implementing an ACD solution does both.”

Some organizations have now taken ACD to the next level by combining it with Converged Technology Integration (CTI). As a call comes in and is routed accordingly, CTI immediately identifies the caller, opens a database with his historical information, and presents the agent with a screen pop containing a personalized greeting. The agent now can interact and proactively assist the customer by providing an even greater level of service. This can have a tremendous impact on the customer, giving the organization an advantage over its competition.

Aggressive firms have realized the power of a Contact Center in increasing customer satisfaction, driving down costs, and increasing revenue. These technologies help to improve customer experience and the perception of the company providing the product or service. Today’s customers are more demanding and largely comfortable with switching providers. The technologies that comprise a Contact Center (CRM, MMI, ACD, and CTI) give organizations the competitive advantage that is vital to winning in the marketplace.

March 2004::  PACIFIC STATES COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVES CUSTOMER SERVICE QUALITY AWARD FROM SBC COMMUNICATIONS
SBC Customers Acknowledge Exceptional Service From Northern Nevada Company

Pacific States Communications, the leader in providing Northern Nevada businesses with voice and data applications, announced today that the company received SBC Communications’ “Customer Service Quality Award.” Pacific States Communications, an SBC authorized sales agent, was recognized as a leader in quality based on an extensive survey of SBC customers.  

“Our corporate goal is to provide nothing less than excellent service to our customers and to ensure that they are very satisfied at every phase of their interaction with us and our sales agents,” said Tony Armijo, agency sales manager for SBC Communications. “Pacific States Communications exemplifies what quality service is all about and the proof is in the phenomenal response we received from our customers. They have a long history of providing this type of service and we’re proud to have such a highly respected organization as one of our partners.”  

Pacific States Communications, SBC Nevada’s top revenue contributor from 1998 to 2002, scored extremely high on all components of the customer survey. Question topics included: knowledge about telecommunications products and services, ability to provide solutions to meet customer needs, responsiveness to customer requests, and ability to keep customers informed regarding work in progress. The subject of each question directly related to the wide variety of services that Pacific States Communications offers SBC customers. 

“It is our mission to ensure that all of our customers receive exceptional quality service,” stated Steve Kiser, vice president of sales and marketing for Pacific States Communications. “As a company, we’ve made a commitment to provide a wealth of solutions to our customers. For example, Pacific States Communications is the only provider that has a 24x7 dispatch center located in Northern Nevada where customers receive an immediate response to their requests. Additionally, we're a single point of contact to coordinate SBC customers’ adds, moves and changes for local, data, internet and Long Distance services. Our dedication to service has definitely paid off and we’re thrilled to have received such a prestigious award.”

About SBC Communications:  SBC Communications Inc. (www.sbc.com) is a diversified communications company, owning several of the world's leading data, voice and Internet services providers. Through world-class networks, SBC companies provide a full range of voice, data, networking and e-business services, as well as directory advertising and publishing. A Fortune 30 company, SBC Communications Inc. owns America's leading high-speed DSL provider and one of the nation's leading Internet Service Providers. SBC companies currently serve 55 million access lines nationwide. In addition, SBC companies own 60 percent of America's second-largest wireless company, Cingular Wireless, which serves more than 24 million wireless customers. Internationally, SBC companies have telecommunications investments in 26 countries.

October 2003: PACIFIC STATES COMMUNICATIONS PARTNERS WITH ConferTel TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH COST EFFECTIVE TELECONFERENCING SOLUTIONS

Pacific States Communications, an industry leader in telecommunications, announced today that it has formed a strategic partnership with ConferTel, a provider of low-cost, enhanced teleconferencing services. The partnership enables Pacific States to add additional value to its customers by offering teleconferencing solutions in a cost effective and user-friendly manner.

“With businesses of all sizes focused on cost containment and reduced business travel, teleconferencing is playing an increasingly important role in corporate communications,” said Steve Kiser, president of Pacific States Communications. “We now have the unique ability to give our customers cutting edge teleconferencing solutions at a price that is 30 – 70% below the cost of most major telephone carriers.”

The majority of corporations today face conferencing charges of 30 – 65 cents per minute. ConferTel’s price is significantly lower at 20 cents a minute. As part of the agreement, ConferTel will also give 300 minutes of conference time free to Pacific State’s customers.

ExpressCall, ConferTel’s most popular product, offers on-demand, reservation- less conferencing that gives businesses the freedom to hold a conference anytime from any location. Users can register on-line to receive a permanent toll-free number and access code and in a matter of minutes they can begin holding meetings from multiple offices. Some of ExpressCall’s features include:  

•  web and phone-based user controls  

•  automated email reminders to participants  

•  moderator controls recording of the call  

• call summary via email immediately following each conference

In addition, the company also provides operator-assisted calling for larger or high profile conferences.

“The partnership is a win-win for Pacific States and its customers,” stated Leo McGill, vice president and CFO of ConferTel. “Having the ability to provide state-of-the-art teleconferencing services creates a competitive advantage for Pacific States and, more importantly, their customers will realize a significant savings to their bottom-line. We’re thrilled to align ourselves with such a reputable company and one that is at the forefront of the telecommunications industry.”

About ConferTel: ConferTel delivers easy-to-use, low-cost conferencing at your fingertips.  ExpressCall, ConferTel’s on-demand reservation less conferencing, gives users the freedom to hold conference calls anytime – anywhere, without a reservation. Customers sign-up online in a matter of minutes, and are given a permanent toll-free number, conference code and moderator PIN. They are then able to conference whenever, wherever they want. No reservations required – just notify participants and dial in.

December 2003: VOIP IS ONE OF THE HOTTEST BUZZ WORDS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS TODAY: IS YOUR COMPANY PREPARED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT?

Steve Kiser of Pacific States Communications Weighs the Benefits of VOIP

In today’s extremely competitive and rapidly changing business environment, decisions about adopting the latest technology and acquiring tools that will enable easy transition to future enhancements are critical to the survival of any business. Determining whether to invest in recent advancements in telecommunications is no different. One particular technology receiving significant attention is VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). VOIP is one of the hottest buzz words surrounding communications technology, because it has the potential of revolutionizing the way we communicate. As with the adoption of any technology, companies must take appropriate steps in order to successfully implement VOIP and reap its benefits.  

Simply put, VOIP is the process of converting voice signals into data packets, using Internet Protocol (IP) to transmit voice over a data network. There are a few distinct benefits that companies receive when utilizing IP telephony. 

The most widely publicized benefit of VOIP is the ability to save costs on long distance charges and to network multiple offices together. Businesses that have a data connection between their offices can utilize VOIP technology to bypass long distance networks and provide more efficient communications between offices. In a traditional setting, someone would have to dial the phone number to a branch office, possibly paying a long distance charge for the call, wait for a receptionist or automated system to answer and then become connected to the party they’re trying to reach. Using VOIP, a person can simply dial an extension number and be connected immediately to a party in another office, whether across town or around the world avoiding costly long distance charges.  

A second benefit is in the design of many telephone systems, often called IP based systems.  Rather than traditional phone systems with their own wiring infrastructure, IP based systems use a data network infrastructure. This convergence of voice and data into a single platform has tremendous advantages in simplifying the administration of the communications network. Plus, IP utilizes data infrastructure that most likely already exists in many companies.  

A third benefit is the ability to have remote phones with a single telephone number. For example, an employee could work out of their home in New York, utilizing a phone number with a California area code. This enables corporations to truly take advantage of having a virtual office and or remote agents working out of a variety of locations. 

VOIP is gaining acceptance into the corporate world, especially in small to medium sized companies looking to save costs and wanting an edge over their competitors. A recent report by In-Stat/MDR found that at the end of 2002, 2% of US firms were using some sort of IP telephony. By 2007, this number is expected to increase to 19%.  

Companies are now in the process of determining how this new technology will help their business and to what extent they need to deploy VOIP. They are asking themselves “How can I take advantage of IP telephony and when is it right for my business?” In order to help businesses make the right decisions, a few important steps should be taken.

• First, ask the important question, “What am I trying to accomplish?” 
  Make a point to tie your business objectives to the benefits of VOIP. Will this technology help you achieve your goals?

• Adopt the following technology mission statement:  “Technology should help my business become more profitable and gain a competitive edge.”
  Determine whether or not VOIP will do this for your company. If it does, it will probably justify your investment.

• Be as thorough as possible in understanding all the implications of utilizing the technology. 
  Truly understand what it will take to implement VOIP in your company. For example, will you have to upgrade your connection between sites? Will you have to enhance your network, server, or switches to handle the demands of the system? Understanding these types of questions will ensure successful implementation.

• Thoroughly analyze each VOIP manufactures’ products and obtain an understanding of their benefits.  
  Find a manufacturer that is willing to help you become more profitable and more competitive. Identifying the right solution can make a world of difference during installation and use.

• Determine whether to implement a system that will give you full VOIP capability today or have the ability to make the upgrade in the future. 
  Your company may not be ready to take advantage of IP telephony in the present time, however, it may make sense to install a system that will give you VOIP at the flick of a switch when you’re ready.

• Finally, select a telecommunications partner who is just as thorough in evaluating your needs as you are.  
  Identifying the right telecommunication provider is just as important as choosing the right product. A true partner will analyze your business, understand your needs, recommend the ideal solution, and get you up and running quickly. A qualified provider will guide you through the process making sure you’re taking full advantage of all that VOIP has to offer.

Adopting new technology can be both exciting and sometimes challenging at the same time. Whether you’re ready to make a full transition to VOIP or just want the capability for the future, this technology has the potential of reducing your costs, increasing profitability, and giving you a competitive advantage in your marketplace. By taking the appropriate steps and selecting the right telecommunications provider your company has a good chance of experiencing immediate returns. If not, you could be wasting valuable time and money.

September 23, 2003:  PACIFIC STATES COMMUNICATIONS IS NAMED RECIPIENT OF TAG NATIONAL’S DISTINGUISHED BETTER BUSINESS AND SERVICE AWARD

Pacific States Communications, a leading telecommunications provider, has become the recipient of the Technology Assurance Group National’s (TAG) distinguished Better Business and Service Award, according to Steve Kiser, vice president of marketing for Pacific States Communications. Pacific States is a member of TAG, the nation’s leading organization of independently owned telecommunications companies.

TAG’s Better Business and Service Award is presented annually to the organization’s member that demonstrates a pursuit of knowledge in the arena of business practices and training; representation of the finest products and services to ensure reliability and customer satisfaction; a commitment of upholding a Five Year Warranty on all products sold; employing a consultative approach to finding the best products and telecom carriers for each customer at no cost; demonstrating outstanding knowledge of voice and data products on the market; and dedication to the training of the management staff and technicians.

"We are very pleased to be recognized with TAG’s Better Business and Service Award because it affirms that our commitment to our customers is the most important aspect of how we do business today,” said Kiser. “As a member of TAG, we are able to combine the intellectual and economic capacity of other members to bring new technology products and services to our customers, and improve our best business practices, which results in an overall increase in our customers’ satisfaction."

TAG provides its members an array of cooperative programs and services designed to increase sales and profit margins. The organization has grown from eight to 75 members with offices in 95 cities in the U.S. within that past two years. Today, TAG members have combined revenues of more than $250 million. Through strategic partnerships with leading equipment manufacturers, TAG’s members can deliver to their business customers access to the latest voice and data technology from the some of the industries leading providers. Among some of TAG's strategic equipment partners include telephony and ASP products from such leading manufactures as IVoice, Confertel, Ultimate Call Accounting, GoBeam and Intelisys. TAG members also provide customers with long-distance service from among 14 carriers. In addition, TAG members can provide customers with service at the best possible price, monitor their activity year-after-year, and then re-bid the service when necessary to achieve the best possible savings.

July 21, 2003:  KEEPING YOUR PHONES RINGING DURING A BUSINESS RELOCATION OR EXPANSION
By Steve Kiser, Pacific States Communications

Moving or expanding your company office can be a source of tremendous stress and upheaval — but it also offers an opportunity to upgrade and improve a variety of office features, including your telecommunications system.

Many businesses find that they have outgrown their phone system long before they outgrow their office space. When planning a move to a new or expanded office, it is important to examine all aspects of your telecommunications needs — number and location of phones, voice mail, structured cabling, voice and data integration — to ensure that your new system responds favorably to your present needs, and will be able to expand to accommodate future growth.

There are a number of vital considerations to help you plan effectively for a phone system relocation or expansion with the most important being — selecting the right partner to guide you through the process. By choosing a leading telecommunications provider your company can turn a stressful situation into an easy transition eliminating any interruption to your business. However, selecting an inexperienced partner will cost your organization time, money, and possibly some of your customers. 

The following check list will help you through the relocation or expansion process so you can make sure you’ve identified the right company to keep your phones ringing with no interruption in service: 

• Select A Telecommunications Provider With Experience, and Rely On Their Expertise. 
  You should elect to work with a provider that has expertise at the installation, expansion and relocation of corporate phone systems. Does the provider design and install communications systems using the latest technology, including the integration of your office computers with your phone system. In addition to installing your phone system, will the provider consult with you on how your business can maximize your communications effectiveness.

• Communicate Your Expectations. 
  Ask your communications provider to assist you in thinking your plans through on paper first, ensuring that the proper phone configuration is agreed upon prior to installation. Make sure that the provider will work with you to effectively implement any needed changes to your existing system, including adding voice mail or upgrading the phone switch. Be sure to obtain an accurate indication of the time requirements needed to make changes to your system.

• Design Now and Save Later. 
  An experienced telecommunications partner will take the time to review your facility and electrical drawings, which will aide in developing a game plan. They should provide you with design input, space planning and a communications layout for your facilities’ entire structured cabling infrastructure. This should include drawings of specific technical components such as the equipment room, telephone system, voice mail, server configurations, overhead paging and music, wireless IP, and Internet access.
  
  The key is making sure your provider builds a compact, easy-to-manage, centralized equipment room, which acts as the hub for your business. Ideally, you should receive a design that is flexible and one that can expand as your business grows. Poor designs will cost you every time you call your provider when you need to make even a minor change to your system.
  
  Properly designed and implemented in the blueprint stage saves having to retrofit and issue change orders later, which can be extremely costly. Leading companies do not charge for consultative services or design input. This is something to think about as you select a partner.

•  Set A Realistic Move Date.
  If you want to eliminate headaches give yourself considerable time to plan ahead prior to your move or expansion date. Unexpected events almost always cause delays, and your business will function more smoothly if your move occurs when everyone is ready, instead of in the midst of a last-minute "scramble." You should work closely with a telecommunications systems provider to help you set a realistic schedule for your phone system implementation. This will allow you to alert your customers and vendors of any anticipated phone number changes well in advance of your move date.

• Prevent an Interruption in Service.
  For many businesses, the early installation of phone lines, Internet access and new equipment may be critical to having dual service and to providing your customers with uninterrupted service during the entire move. If your provider waits until the last minute to switchover and does not have a plan to provide redundant service then you know something is wrong. An interruption in service can have a lasting impact on any organization.

• Don’t Let Anything Fall Through the Cracks. 
  You should contact your communications system provider and give them advanced notice prior to your move to schedule a complete analysis of your present and future phone needs. Due to the highly competitive nature of local, long-distance, and Internet service, this additional "shopping" time can result in substantial savings. A reliable partner will walk you through this process identifying areas to save money, especially if you find yourself pressed for time.

• Finally, make sure you redirect all of your local, toll-free, and fax numbers. 
  Order this work to be done far in advance of your move, because it is vital that this important service be fully operational on Day One in your new facility.

Selecting the right telecommunications partner can make a world of difference when taking on the challenge of relocation or expanding your current facility. Choose an experienced provider that can set up a game plan for you and give you a sense of security that the transition will be a success. Leading providers will eliminate any unforeseen headaches and make what could be seen as a daunting task an easy one. If you don’t, your business could ultimately be in big trouble.

July 2003. Boys and Girls Club of the Truckee Meadows awards Pacific States Communications the state-of-the-art communications systems, paging system, and voice messaging application project as part of the $6.1 million dollar expansion of the facility on 9^th street granted by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. This new 40,000 square foot facility adds a 17,000 square foot gym, a new 4,800 square foot kitchen and new teen center to serve over 800 teen members. The finished facility will total 80,000 square feet for over 4,000 youth members ages 6-18. For more information visit www.bgctm.org.  

June 2003. Nevada Museum of Art opens its new, modern 55,000 square foot museum in downtown Reno . This four-story building includes a gallery, library, research and study, café, gift shop and 180-seat theater and classrooms.  
A pinnacle of the downtown Reno redevelopment, this new facility has a new NEC state-of-the-art communications and information system provided by Pacific States Communications. For more information visit nevadamuseumofart.org. 
 

May 2003. Sunwest Bank opens new Northern Nevada Regional Headquarters corporate banking facility equipped with high speed structured cabling, secure data center and VOIP enabled NEC communications system installed and supported by Pacific States Communications.  

March 11,2003. Adtran announces release of new NetVanta series Routers as an affordable WAN (Wide Area Network) device to support Multi-site Voice and Data network applications. The new device will allow more small businesses to take advantage of connecting multiple-offices, affordably.
 

March 09, 2003. Pacific States Communications partners with ArTown to provide a new ‘state-of-the-art’ communications system including built-in Automated Attendant and Voice Mail to better support and communicate the events of ArTown. ArTown is Reno’s Annual Summer Arts Festival featuring more than 200 performing and visual arts events. For more information go to www.renoisartown.com.
 

March 03, 2003. The new NEC Elite IPK Telephone System is released and ready for delivery! IP technology is now available for small business. With a choice of TDM telephones, IP telephones, IP Networking, and 4 different Voice Mail options including ViewMail, FaxMail and Centralized Voice Mail, this new IPK system brings all of the big business functionality and benefit to the small business user– affordably! 
 

February 3, 2003.  SBC/Nevada Bell recognizes and awards Pacific States Communications the “Top Revenue” Award for 2002. For over 6 Years Pacific States has been the leading producer of SBC/Nevada Bell services. By providing our customers with a singe contact for evaluation, cost analysis, order placement and coordination. These advanced services include Centrex, Business Line Service, Internet Service, T-1 Voice/Data Service, DSL and the complete offering of SBC/Nevada Bell services. 
 

January 9, 2003.  The OnHold Experience, a local, professional message on hold company providing custom tailored productions partners with Pacific States Communications to provide “60 Day Evaluation” for our customers with the purchase of a Premier Digital player.

 December 1, 2002. NEC America, Inc. announces move to second place as the #2 Selling phone in America! And further announces a historic pinnacle of success as Electra Elite surpasses 50,000 Communications systems sold! Congratulations!

 
June 12, 2002. Pacific States Communications hosts Technology Open House, over 225 local business professionals attend. Showcasing our newly automated Dispatch Call Center, and many new IP Technologies, including a remote worker phone utilizing public Internet VPN (virtual private network) technology to demonstrate support of a transparent ‘work at home’ application.  As more businesses employ part-time or work at home staff, these new technologies allow telephone and computer connectivity using DSL and ISDN connections.

March 22, 2002. Our new NEC NEAX2000 IPS system installation is complete.  This system is configured with the new Call Center WorX ACD package, Windows based programming interface, Call Accounting management system and several IP Telephones. This installation is designed to show the many options available with IP Network support including Peer-to-Peer Connectivity in a Converged LAN Infrastructure while supporting the full compliment of telephones features and functions. For a demonstration, please call us at 775-828-2020. 

February 1, 2002.  Nevada Bell awards Pacific States Communications the  “Top Revenue” Award for Year 2001. As the leading Agent in Northern Nevada, we are able to provide a single source solution for our client’s Network Services needs. This includes Internet Access, Business lines, Centrex, T-1 Services, Voice Mail, DSL and the complete offering of Nevada Bell services. 

December 13, 2001. Systems Training is a key element in the installation of any new telephone system. We continue to enhance our professional “on-site”  Training Program in order to provide concise and specific training for new users of our telephone and voice mail systems.  Most recently we’ve added CD ROM user training tools. These tools will allow for more convenient “refresher” training and can be used as part of a new employee orientation program. Stay tuned as we continue to add and improve our programs.

October 3, 2001. Wireless technologies continue to evolve. As the technologies continue to improve and costs come down, more and more businesses are seeing the benefits of wireless. Pacific States designs and installs a variety of wireless technologies. We can design and install simple point-to-point wireless Ethernet Bridges or more complex point-to-multipoint solutions. Call Pacific States Communications for all of your wireless needs!

September 7, 2001. Pacific States Communications announces strategic distribution agreement for sales and installation of Velocitus and UBwireless Broadband Wireless Services. Velocitus and Ubwireless provide business quality Broadband Wireless services for high speed internet access and data connectivity, a much-needed service for our area. Velocitus offers a full range of services from 384kbps to 20Mbps, with 24 hour monitoring and are backed by IDACORP, a NYSE (IDA) $2.6 billion publicly traded stock company. UBwireless also offers a complete range of services including ISP and VPN's, with speeds from 1Mbps to 11Mbps. The UBwireless and Velocitus access points are in different locations allowing virtually all Reno-Sparks area businesses to obtain line-of-sight connectivity to one network or the other.

August 28, 2001. The Carson City School District is back in session with their newly installed, district wide telecommunications system. Pacific States Communications was the successful bidder for this summer long design-build upgrade project which included a 12 location CCIS Voice Network, Centralized Voice Mail system with Unified Messaging and Centralized 911 notification.

June 13, 2001. Boys and Girls Club Neil Road Center opens. Pacific States was able to donate the telephone system installation, data cabling and paging/sound system installation for this new center. The Boys and Girls Club continues to expand and provide much needed services for the children of our community and we applaud their accomplishments.

April 26, 2001. Pacific States installs NEC ElectraMail CTI platform for Unified Messaging applications and ViewMail integration to Microsoft Messaging. This integration has been installed in our sales department in order to fully test and use this new functionality. Also included is Caller ID with ViewCall Plus integration and the ability to identify multiple incoming callers from the desktop PC. Soon to follow will be the FaxMail module, which will complete the centralized management of E-Mail, Voice Mail and Fax Mail all in one application.

January 24, 2001. Pacific States Communications again named Nevada Bell Top Sales Agent for year 2000. As an authorized agent, we are able to place orders, coordinate moves, and provide a single source solution for our clients. These services include all types of Business Lines, Centrex, ISDN, T-1 Services, Voice Mail, DSL and more.

November 29,2000. American Red Cross accepts state-of-art integrated Telephone and Voice Mail system for Reno office. Because many of the office staff are volunteers with flexible schedules, the addition of Voice Mail was a much needed tool for the local non-profit. We are very glad to be able to provide this system to them and to support the good work that they do.

October 18, 2000. Avaya BusinessPartner agreement complete. Avaya, the spin-off of Lucent Technologies has authorized Pacific States Communications as a BusinessPartner for Northern Nevada. Pacific States now has Avaya factory support to provide sales, installation and service for most Avaya products including Partner ACS, Merlin Magix, Merlin Legend and Definity.

June 7, 2000. NEC releases Info-Set™ 408 Small Business / Home Business system. This system is available on-line at the Pacific States website. The 408 is packed with features and value including Voice Mail, Cordless phones, Caller I.D. and more, and is easily expandable into the larger Electra Elite® systems for future growth.

June 6, 2000. Pacific States now offers Long Distance services and Data Circuits. This new  program is a "web-based" service which includes more than a dozen of the nations largest carriers including Sprint, Qwest, MCI, and AT&T. This new service allows us to include bill analysis, pricing, order placement, and installation coordination to our consultative sales process. This service is also available to our existing clients. There is no fee for this service. 

May 11, 2000. NEC releases Dterm® Analog EXTender. This powerful, yet affordable extender provides off-site employees with the full features of their NEC NEAX® and Electra Elite® Telephone system. It is great for a small office or home office and connects simply by using a local loop line. As long as you are in the local calling area, long distance calling charges do not apply.

April1, 2000.  Pacific States receives prestigious Gold Achievement Award from NEC America, Inc. For 1999 Sales Performance, this is the highest level of achievement in the U.S. and ranks Pacific states in the top 10% of NEC dealers nationally.

January 21, 2000.  Pacific States signs agreements with 3Com to become the Voice and data solutions provider for Northern Nevada. The foundation for this agreement is the 3Com NBX 100 Communications System. This system is designed to provide unique voice and data service for local and wide area networks. Included as standard features in the NBX 10 are IP phone (for work-at-home or small office), Voice Mail, Unified Messaging, and Call Reporting. All of this in a very flexible and affordable system.

November 10, 1999. Toll Fraud Alert.

October 12, 1999. Voice-Over IP connectivity now available for private networks. Both NEC and Inter-Tel have announced the introduction of VOIP products with the first introduction as standalone units and very shortly as "in-skin" cards for their systems. This technology allows calling between offices on existing data lines (i.e. T-1 and Frame Relay) without incurring separate long distance charges.

Two major issues in implementing this technology are latency and bandwidth. These newly released products use between 8kb and 12kb for each call and although it's near toll quality there is a noticeable difference as compared to a standard long distance call. Most businesses seem more willing to accept the trade-off where they already have established data connections between offices and can significantly reduce or eliminate long distance charges. Look for more information as this technology evolves.

September 21,1999. Every year in December, Pacific States selects and budgets for the events and charitable contributions for the coming year. Following is a listing of donations and contributions that have been provided through September.

• Mountain View MontessoriSchool. Installation of their new phone system. 

• Boys & Girls Club. Installation of paging system and Category 5 computer network cabling.

• Food Bank of Northern Nevada. Installation of their new phone system.

• WNCC. $5,000.00 Donation of computer cabling components for training classes.

• Ronald McDonald House. Upgrade and expansion of their phone system.

• Ronald McDonald House. Corporate sponsorship of Annual Golf Tournament.

• St. John's Presbyterian Church of Reno. $3,000.00 Donation towards purchase and installation of new phone system.

• Junior Acheivment. $1,300.00 For Data Cabling.

Pacific States primary goal is to support organizations that provide assistance and development to families and children here in Washoe County. It is a very worthwhile experience in knowing that we can share our success here at Pacific States in a way that helps our local community.

July 15, 1999. The ADTRAN TSU-120e with Router Module option is now being sold by Pacific States Communications. This combination allows for drop-and-insert voice + data connectivity over a single T-1 span. The base TSU-120 Smart TSU has full SNMP management capability, and the Router Module that plugs into the TSU has a standart 10 Base-T ethernet port plus an out-of-band management port. This Router is very flexible and offers the following basic features: LAN bridge, IP Router, IPX Router, Network Address Translation (NAT) for internet connectivity, and PPP or Frame Relay packet transfer.

May 21, 1999. Monthly "Technology Showings" continue through the end of 1999. These showings are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month from 4:00pm to 4:50pm. This is a specific demonstration of the technologies that we are using in our business today. These include PC Phone software with ACT! integration, NT Voice Mail with LAN integration, NT ACD reporting, System Administration, Computer and Telephone room design and much more.

This is a lot of information to cover in 50 minutes, however it's very insightful for businesses that are planning for the many changes in computer and telephone technology. For more information please call us at (775) 828-2020 or e-mail at skiser@psc-reno.com

April 4, 1999. NEC releases the new Electra Elite 48 Digital Key System. This latest addition to the Elite product line comes loaded with productivity-driven features that were once reserved for larger and more expensive systems. This system truly is for the small business on the move. The Electra Elite is the ideal choice as its very cost effective
and easy to expand as your business needs grow.

From Digitally Integrated Voice Mail to Built-in Battery Backup, from the FAX connection to Modem Dialing, this system comes fully equipped to handle the needs of today’s small business!

March 3, 1999. Pacific States Communications recognized as Nevada Bell’s 1998 Top Authorized Sales Agent for Northern Nevada. As a Sales Agent for Nevada Bell network products and services, Pacific States has again been recognized as the leading Nevada Bell Agent. These services include all types of business lines including Centrex and D.I.D., dedicated T-1 services, Voice Mail, ISDN, Frame Relay and more.

With each year, this program continues to grow and add new products and services to the benefit of our customers. The benefit to Pacific States partnership with Nevada Bell is in the custom integration of Nevada Bell network services and our equipment offerings to create applications to suit our customers needs. In effect, we have created "one stop shopping". Today this service and quality makes for an extremely smooth installation for customers in all types of applications.

February 23, 1999. ADTRAN® has signed a Strategic Partner Agreement with Pacific States Communications.We are pleased to be able to offer ADTRAN® products to our customers with the high level of factory support that the Partner Agreement provides. ADTRAN® is one of the only product manufactures to offer a network wide solution that spans from the corporate host site through the network cloud to the remote site. We can provide companies with the reliable WAN connectivity solutions that have brought ADTRAN® a leading market share position in T1, DDS, and ISDN over the past two years.

January 19, 1999. Pacific States completes facility expansion. We have expanded our Dispatch and Operations department to better serve our 3,000 local customers and have incorporated an in-house "Help Desk" and training facility. In order to accommodate increased demand in both Dispatch and Customer Service we have expanded the size and functionality of these departments. Dispatch now has a full functioning Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) package with M.I.S. reports and now emergency calls move right to the front of our priority.

Along with this we have added additional warehouse space to accommodate the increasing demand for pre-staging of installations and allow increased inventories of complete systems.

Also included in this expansion was the creation of a custom designed computer and communications room. A picture is below, which includes our in-house NT 4.0 server, our Internet Proxy server, our KRONEâ GigaSpeed structured cabling terminations, four complete phone and voice mail systems and a host of other Computer
Telephony applications!

December 22, 1998. NEC releases new Electra Elite 192 Digital Key Telephone System. Performance For Today; Power For Tomorrow. This new NEC system was built for small to medium size businesses on the move! The system starts with up to 64 Ports and is easily expandable to 192 ports. The Electra Elite System is very flexible as it allows a complete variety of telephone company line services to be connected such as Centrex, Direct-in Dial (D.I.D.), Digital T-1, and ISDN BRI. There are a complete variety of telephone sets including TAPI integration and fully integrated 900 Mhz Cordless phones.

With the addition of a Digitally Integrated Voice Mail System you get "Live Record" and "Soft Key" functionality along with Day and Night Automated Attendant and unlimited mailboxes for system users and off-site usage.

December 7, 1998. Pacific States Communications has become the only KRONE "SYMPHONY Cabling System Certifier" in Northern Nevada. We have started selling and installing the very unique and flexible KRONE cabling products. KRONE is second-to-none with their electrical performance, and they provide the highest quality data products in use today. Pacific States Communications can now install this superior cabling technology for your company and provide you with the industries best warranty on the end product.

November 18, 1998. Tim Madden, President of Pacific States Communications elected as President of Ronald McDonald House of Northern Nevada for 1999 term. The Ronald McDonald House provides much needed services and a home environment for families of critically ill children in our hospitals. This is a program that’s been supported by local business here in our community since 1986. "This is a very important service to our community and I am honored to be able to serve this cause" said Tim Madden at his inauguration dinner in December.

November 6, 1998. The Corporate Networks Group of NEC America, In. (NEC) announced today the sale of its 10,000th NEAX2000 IVS (integrated voice service). Introduced in June 1994, the NEAX2000 has proven its popularity as evidenced by the large number of sales since its introduction. Because the NEAX2000 has open architecture on a relatively small platform with extensive voice and data networking capability, growing companies can easily and inexpensively expand their systems. It is a true industry workhorse in that the NEAX2000 can be
expanded from as few as 48 port up to 512 ports.

October 13, 1998. We now have BICSI Certified "Technicians" on staff…… Pacific States Communications can now provide a BICSI Certified Technician for your project. This certification insures that the structured cabling Technician has a least five years experience installing high-end cabling solutions, and that formal training has been received on the latest technologies used in our industry. In addition this certification requires that the Technician pass a difficult test that requires both book and hands-on knowledge.

August 3, 1998. PSC installs PC Phone software in-house. We now have this tested and working with our Inter-Tel Axxess system on both Windows 95 and NT Workstation. This new PC Phone software is very versatile in interfacing with ACT! in our sales department for both inbound and outbound calling. We use Caller I.D., a complete personal Call Log and unlimited speed dial storage with name identification. Of the half dozen PC Phone programs we have evaluated, this one works.......reliably. Stay tuned for more information on our in-house CTI software evaluations.

Feb. 23, 1998 We’re now on-line at Pacific States Communications…

PSC now has a web site for customers to request service on their communications system by filling out a simple form that gets e-mailed directly to our dispatch center. This site also contains sections on new products, technology, and general company news. You can use the main page links to get the latest information from our strategic partners and then use the e-mail sales form to have our sales department follow-up on your request for product information.

We hope you find our new web-site to be of value, and we look forward to any suggestions regarding changes or enhancements that would benefit you or your company.

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