Hardy Telecommunications, Inc.

06/15/2026

Ahhh, camping. Unplugging from the world, warming yourself by the fire, enjoying your evenings lit only by the stars and the glow of the fireflies. Wonderful, just wonderf—

Wait. So, what if I need to make a call? Or use the GPS? Or watch the season finale of Survivor while blending margaritas?

If “roughing it” is not your idea of a perfect holiday, let us introduce you to glamping. An amalgam of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping combines the beauty of the outdoors with the conveniences of modern living, and the phenomenon is taking hikers, families, and adventurers by storm. Now, seeking peace, quiet, and a meaningful commune with nature doesn’t have to mean bug bites, reading in the dark, or missing an important call! A few of the more luxurious glamping must-haves include:

- Spacious shelters and premium bedding. Moldy tents and torn sleeping bags have been replaced with safari-style canvas tents (think Harry Potter getaway!) and ultra-comfy sleeping pads and air mattresses that ensure you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the morning’s hike.

- Portable power. Old generators were so heavy that hiking AND having access to power were not compatible. Now, portable battery packs and solar chargers ensure you’ll have ready access to electricity, even when you’re well off the grid. This means phones, digital cameras, lights, and even small heaters will be ready when you’re ready to plug back in.

- Mood lighting. Who needs romantic moonlight when you have programmable LED lights and battery powered fairy lights to light your way from firepit to tent?

- Chic Outdoor Living. Even when electrified, the whole point of camping is to enjoy the outdoors. Glamping fixtures like lightweight camp chairs, outdoor rugs, and cute dining and drinkware will make any outdoor space feel cozy and inviting.

- Gourmet food. Yes to s’mores (of course), but camping doesn’t have to be about franks and beans straight from the can anymore. Portable stoves, premium cookware, and even mini-fridges will ensure you’re not just fueling your body for your treks, you’re pampering yourself all vacation long.

With international travel and gas prices being through the roof these days, more and more people are choosing simpler outdoor trips for themselves and their families. And, even if you splurge a little bit on feather-soft beds, gourmet snacks, and TikTok-worthy lighting, you’ll probably still have some vacation budget left over for a day at the spa to wash all the adventure off.

For more helpful tech advice, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.

06/12/2026

Quick Tech Tip from Vantage Point Solutions: Watch for impersonation and fake profiles. Scammers may create fake profiles to impersonate people you know or trust. Always verify friend or connection requests before accepting. For more helpful tech advice, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.

06/05/2026

School is over! Vacations are upon us! Time to let down our hair and relaaaaaaax, right? In every facet except our Internet hygiene. As we kick off Internet Safety Month, just a few reminders:

- Use multifactor authentication.
- Update/patch phones, tablets, and computers regularly.
- Verify links before clicking and attachments before opening.
- Update your passwords and consider a password manager to stay organized.

Remember that just because you’ve traded in your business suit for your bathing suit doesn’t mean that hackers have done the same. Stay hydrated, stay sunscreened, and stay vigilant online.

For more helpful tech advice, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.

06/04/2026

Quick Tech Tip from Vantage Point Solutions :
Look for Urgent or Threatening Language
Phishers often create a false sense of urgency (e.g., “Your account will be locked!”) to push you into acting quickly. Take a moment to verify the request through official channels.

For more helpful tech advice, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.

Tech Tips May 28, 2026 How To Learn Something New In 1883, an article in THE ELECTRICIAN quoted an employee who was resigning from the Patent Office because “the inventive power of the human mind had reached its limits” and “there would be no further demand for new interventions.” Nailed it....

06/04/2026

We ask all customers to ensure that we have your updated contact information, including mobile phone number and email address, so that we can notify you in certain situations. We do not distribute this information to outside marketers… it is used for Hardy Telecommunications-related business only. We use this information to inform you of planned and unplanned service outages and other company announcements in accordance with West Virginia Public Service Commission regulations and other needs. If your information needs to be updated, please contact us at 304-530-5000 or 304-897-9911. We appreciate your help!

05/28/2026

In 1883, an article in THE ELECTRICIAN quoted an employee who was resigning from the Patent Office because “the inventive power of the human mind had reached its limits” and “there would be no further demand for new interventions.” Nailed it. Positively nailed it!

Just five years later, the ballpoint pen was invented, 80 years later the internet, and not quite 150 years later self-driving cars and a pocket-sized phone whose computing power could literally send astronauts to the moon. At the pace of invention and progress, how can we possibly stay ahead of things? Go back to school? Take a class online? Bribe our kids and grandkids with cotton candy (invented in 1888) to teach us what’s new?

You could start by visiting LearnFree at https://www.learnfree.org/, where the possibilities are endless. This site provides FREE access to over 300 topics including 6,000 lessons, videos, and games, all online and available whenever you’re ready to learn. Topics range from Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to AI, from skills that will help on the job hunt to teaching aides that will help teachers develop lessons their students will love. Topics range from specific and granular (like Algebra) to sweeping (how to start a freelance business). The site even provides online resources including videos, writing and editing tools, and bite-sized brain-boosting articles that make you think, question, and get your brain working in new and exciting ways.

While there seems to be unlimited content and sites purporting to teach you everything you need to know to survive in the modern world, VERY few of them are free. Sign up, take a class, design something great, learn geometry. Prove your 9th grade math teacher wrong and actually apply that geometry knowledge to a real-life problem!

05/28/2026

Quick Tech Tip: Keep software and devices updated. Regularly update your operating system, antivirus, and applications to patch known vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates whenever possible. For more helpful tech advice, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.

05/21/2026

In the category of “Worst Trips Down Memory Lane Possible,” a review of all the data breaches (visit https://www.upguard.com/blog/biggest-data-breaches-us) we consumers have been subjected to might be the worst. After all, from the earliest recognized data breach (thanks, Sears Roebuck for exposing 90 million consumers’ data – before we even know what password security meant!) to the nearly 4,000 breaches last year, we’ve been through it.

And, while these breaches contribute to global statistics and company-wide security shifts, each one also represents real damage done to real people. Of course, we have to change all our passwords, set up multi-factor authentication, and maybe even change banks/carriers/vendors, but we also have to live with the knowledge that our private info is OUT THERE somewhere. Despite credit monitoring and other efforts often provided by hacked companies, being a consumer in this day and age is an exercise in waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Still, if you read these posts, you are already doing the right things to protect yourself and know what to do if you think you (or companies you do business with) have been hacked. If you suspect you are one of those unlucky many, visit https://haveibeenpwned.com/, enter your email address, and see if you’ve been a victim. Some hits may be years (or decades!) old, but if any recent breaches are listed, you know what to do! Change your passwords, check your bank account, register for credit monitoring, reach out to the company to see if they’re offering help, etc. Rinse. Repeat. Disconnect and go enjoy the Memorial Day weather.

For more helpful tech tips, visit our Tech Tips webpage at https://hardynet.net/about/tech-tips/.