News and Events

June 20, 2014 - Sioux Falls, SD:  Midcontinent Communications recently notified North Dakota state officials and Grand Forks Police Department about deceptive practices by a group of door-to-door sellers. The salespeople allege that they represent Midcontinent and need to enter customer homes in order to “check equipment” when they actually represent satellite companies and try to sell services.

According to Tom Simmons, Executive Vice President of Public Policy, “These sellers actually represent a company called Dish One Satellite, based out of Provo, Utah. They have absolutely no affiliation with Midcontinent. The sellers have had their “transient merchant” or “peddlers” license revoked in Grand Forks after several residents filed complaints with the police department. We have heard that these sellers have moved on to Bismarck and expect that they will go to other areas of North Dakota once their deceptive tactics come to light in Bismarck.”

Midcontinent field and sales representatives are required to wear company logo’d apparel and display Midcontinent photo identification at all times. If a resident is approached by someone stating that they represent Midcontinent and need to enter their home, customers should inspect the representative’s photo ID and if they wish to verify, they are encouraged to call Midcontinent at 800-888-1300.

“We take this as a very serious breach of trust, for our customers and for those who actually do represent Midcontinent in the field. We encourage customers to contact local authorities if they encounter salespeople using these unscrupulous tactics,” said Simmons.