What information do we collect?We collect information from you when you register on our site, place an order, subscribe to our newsletter, respond to a survey or fill out a form.When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your: name, e-mail address, mailing address or phone number. You may, however, visit our site anonymously.What do we use your information for?Any of the information we collect from you may be used in one of the following ways:To personalize your experience(your information helps us to better respond to your individual needs)To improve our website(we continually strive to improve our website offerings based on the information and feedback we receive from you)To improve customer service(your information helps us to more effectively respond to your customer service requests and support needs)To process transactionsYour information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested.To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site featureTo send periodic emailsThe email address you provide for order processing, may be used to send you information and updates pertaining to your order, in addition to receiving occasional company news, updates, related product or service information, etc.How do we protect your information?We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you place an order or enter, submit, or access your personal information.Do we use cookies?Yes (Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computers hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the sites or service providers systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain informationWe use cookies to compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.If you prefer, you can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies via your browser settings. Like most websites, if you turn your cookies off, some of our services may not function properly. However, you can still place orders by contacting customer service.Do we disclose any information to outside parties?We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.Third party linksOccasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party products or services on our website. These third party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act ComplianceWe are in compliance with the requirements of COPPA (Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act), we do not collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age. Our website, products and services are all directed to people who are at least 13 years old or older.Online Privacy Policy OnlyThis online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline.Your ConsentBy using our site, you consent to our websites privacy policy.Changes to our Privacy PolicyIf we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page.Contacting UsIf there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.Optic Communications224 S. Kansas Ave.Columbus, KS 66725Phone: 855.806.7325E-mail: support@optic-communications.com

Last Revised: December 12, 2015Personally Identifiable Information – What Do We Collect?Your Information – We limit the personal information we collect from you.In providing our services, we sometimes collect personally identifiable information, such as your name, physical address, telephone numbers, social security number, driver's license number, and email addresses ("Personally Identifiable Information"). We may also collect other non-personally identifiable information, such as information about premium services, general location, demographics, billing information, maintenance, repair, services, equipment, software, usage, settings and preferences to aid in customer support and in recommendations for you. If non-personally identifiable information is directly linked to Personally Identifiable Information, it will be considered personally identifiable information while it is linked. Aggregate and de-identified information is not considered Personally Identifiable Information.Our policy is to collect Personally Identifiable Information to help us provide the services we may offer with the quality you deserve. We take reasonable precautions to identify you or your authorized representative when we are contacted about your account. We sometimes ask for Personally Identifiable Information for special reasons, such as for research, in surveys or registering in apps or at our web sites. If so, we will tell you first how we will use it, and you may choose not to participate.Internet ServicesLike most Internet service providers, we automatically collect and store Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (an identifier given to your connection while online), the volume of data transmitted and received through your service, Internet connection performance, modem MAC addresses, and connection dates and times. We may also collect and store other usage statistics, such as the volume of data transmitted by protocols, devices and services, to help us understand how our network is used and to tailor the services we offer.Telephone ServicesIn providing telephone services, we receive usage information, including calls made and received and their duration. We treat this information as private and retain it in most jurisdictions for up to eighteen months. We do not share these records with others, unless required by law. Except when required by law, we do not listen to or record your calls to third parties.What Information Do We Use or Share?Personally Identifiable InformationWe consider Personally Identifiable Information confidential, and use it only in providing the services we, our affiliates, or our partners offer. Personally Identifiable Information is used, for example, for the following activities: sales, installation, training, operations, administration, advertising, marketing, support, development of new products and services, data usage, management, maintenance, customer care, communications with you, and billing and collection. We may combine Personally Identifiable Information with demographic and other information for purposes consistent with this Notice.Sharing RestrictionsIt is our policy not to disclose Personally Identifiable Information to persons outside of Optic, other than our affiliates, vendors and business partners, without your prior consent or as otherwise specified in this statement.Aggregate InformationWe use and share aggregate information about usage by groups of customers for a variety of purposes. Aggregate information does not identify individual customers. We use aggregate information along with demographic data from other sources and may share it with others.Outside Parties and VendorsWe sometimes use affiliates, vendors or partners in providing services to you and may share Personally Identifiable Information for these purposes. We require these parties to maintain at least the same level of confidentiality we maintain ourselves. We also prohibit them from using Personally Identifiable Information for any purpose other than providing the services.Telephone ServicesIf you call to discuss your telephone account, we will ask you to confirm your identity through security questions. At Optic offices, telephone customers must show a government-issued photo ID. If you, or anyone authorized by you, make significant changes to your telephone account, Optic will send you notice to confirm that you made these changes. If you suspect that someone may have made unauthorized changes to your account, contact Customer Care at the telephone number on your bill. If we discover any unauthorized access to your telephone account, we will send you notice promptly, in keeping with applicable law.Our telephone customers can designate their listings as non-published for print or electronic directories or for directory assistance services. We do not publish these directories and are not responsible for their content or accuracy. Because of the complexity of this process and the involvement of others, errors sometimes occur. Our telephone services are subject to tariff or contractual terms that limit our liability in the event of listing errors. For more information on telephone privacy, see the Customer Proprietary Network Information notice below.Internet ServicesUnless addressed to us, we do not read the content of your online communications, unless required by law or court order. We may however, retain and provide such communications if we are legally required to do so. We also monitor for malware and other threats that could harm your equipment, the network or other users.Special Exceptions – We reserve the right to disclose Personally Identifiable Information if we have a good faith belief it is necessary to: (1) comply with the law; (2) protect our network, rights or property or those of others; (3) respond to fraud, abuse or unauthorized reception; (4) enforce our Policies; or (5) act in an emergency to protect your safety or that of another person. We may also transfer Personally Identifiable Information as a part of a sale or transfer of business operations.Changes in Service or Prices – Subject to applicable law, we have the right to change our services and prices at any time. As an Optic customer, you will generally receive notice of changes in services or prices at least 30 days in advance or in compliance with applicable laws. The notice may be provided on or with your monthly bill, in a separate mailing on an information channel, as a newspaper legal notice, as part of this annual notice or some other written form. Additional information regarding such notices may also be found on the Optic website.Billing; Charges and Fees – Your monthly Optic bill provides the charges, due date, payments and credits for your account, and may also contain special customer messages. Fees and charges are payable in advance once service is initiated. If you initiate a change in your services, you are subject to the applicable installation and/or charge associated with your new service selection. There may be a nominal non-recurring administrative charge for service tier changes you request. A late fee is added to any bill amount unpaid after the due date. If your payment is made with a non-sufficient fund check or credit card, you may be charged a fee for handling. Additional information for your area regarding Optic billing may be found at http://www.optic-communications.com or you may call us at the telephone number listed on your bill.Disconnect Policy; Refunds/CreditsIf your request to disconnect service occurs before the end of a prepaid period, Optic will refund the prorated unused portion of the fees and charges (subject to the offsets referenced above and the return of Optic equipment). If the pro-rata unused portion is less than $5.00, Optic will make the refund on your request. If you are under a length of service contract and you are cancelling before the end of your term, you may owe an Early Termination Fee.Delinquent Accounts – If your service is disconnected for non-payment, we require full payment of the balance, a deposit, a reconnect fee, and a minimum of one month's service charge before reconnecting service.About this Notice – The information in this notice may change in the future. We will provide appropriate notice of any significant changes in advance so that you can make decisions about your future service needs. Customers receiving service as part of a commercial account, bulk rate or similar arrangement may be subject to separate policies or procedures than those outlined herein.– By ordering service, you agree to allow employees and agents of Optic access to your premises at reasonable times to inspect and maintain  equipment at your service address and, upon termination of service, to remove the equipment. Optic is not deemed to have abandoned equipment that it does not remove.Moving – Before you move, please call us on the phone number listed on your bill. This is the best way for us to arrange for your service to be disconnected and to schedule an installation at your new home if it is in our service area.Billing; Charges and Fees – Your monthly Optic bill provides the charges, due date, payments and credits for your account, and may also contain special customer messages. Fees and charges are payable in advance once service is initiated. If you initiate a change in your services, you are subject to the applicable installation and/or charge associated with your new service selection. There may be a nominal non-recurring administrative charge for service tier changes you request. A late fee is added to any bill amount unpaid after the due date. If your payment is made with a non-sufficient fund check or credit card, you may be charged a fee for handling. Additional information for your area regarding Optic billing may be found at http://www.optic-communications.com or you may call us at the telephone number listed on your bill.Disconnect Policy; Refunds/Credits – If your request to disconnect service occurs before the end of a prepaid period, Optic will refund the prorated unused portion of the fees and charges (subject to the offsets referenced above and the return of Optic equipment). If the pro-rata unused portion is less than $5.00, Optic will make the refund on your request. If you are under a length of service contract and you are cancelling before the end of your term, you may owe an Early Termination Fee.Delinquent Accounts – If your service is disconnected for non-payment, we require full payment of the balance, a deposit, a reconnect fee, and a minimum of one month's service charge before reconnecting service.

Last Revised:October 23, 2020Our customer's privacy is important to us.  For that reason, please take note of our privacy policy noted below.  This information also details our Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) policy associated with telephone and any other service classified as a “telecommunications service.”  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.CPNI PROTECTIONSAs a customer of our services, you have the right, and Optic Communications has a duty, under federal law, to protect the confidentiality of certain types of services, including: (1) information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, and amount of your use of your services, and (2) information contained on your telephone bill concerning your services you receive. That information, when matched to your name, address, and telephone number is known as “Customer Proprietary Network Information,” or “CPNI.”CPNI does not include things like customer name, address, or telephone number; aggregate information or data that is not specific to a single customer; customer premises equipment; and Internet access services.Customer proprietary network information (“CPNI”) is information related to the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, and the amount of telecommunications a customer uses that Optic Communications has access to by virtue of the customer-provider relationship. CPNI does not include the Customer name, address and telephone number, nor does it include Internet access services.APPROVALFrom time to time, Optic Communications would like to use the CPNI information it has on file to provide you with information about Optic Communications’ communications-related products and services or special promotions. Optic Communications’ use of CPNI may also enhance its ability to offer products and services tailored to your specific needs. Accordingly, Optic Communications would like your approval so that Optic Communications may use this CPNI to let you know about communications-related services other than those to which Customer currently subscribes that Optic Communications believes may be of interest to Customer. IF YOU APPROVE, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION.However, you do have the right to restrict our use of your CPNI. YOU MAY DENY OR WITHDRAW OPTIC COMMUNICATIONS’ RIGHT TO USE YOUR CPNI AT ANY TIME BY CALLING 855.806.7325.  If you deny or restrict your approval for Optic Communications to use your CPNI, you will suffer no effect, now or in the future, on how Optic Communications provides any services to which you subscribe. Any denial or restriction of your approval remains valid until your services are discontinued or you affirmatively revoke or limit such approval or denial.1)    by having the Customer answer an authentication question, or;2)    by calling the Customer back at the telephone number associated with the services purchasedPasswords and/or PINs may not be any portion of the Customer’s social security number, mother’s maiden name, amount, or telephone number associated with the Customer’s account or any pet name. In the event the Customer fails to remember their password and/or PIN, Optic Communications will ask the Customer a series of questions known only to the Customer and Optic Communications in order to authenticate the Customer. In such an instance, the Customer will then establish a new password/PIN associated with their account.NOTIFICATIONS OF CERTAIN ACCOUNT CHANGESOptic Communications will be notifying customers of certain account changes.  For example, whenever an online account is created or changed, or a password or other form of authentication (such as a “secret question and answer”) is created or changed, Optic Communications will notify the account holder.  Additionally, after an account has been established, when a customer’s address (whether postal or e-mail) changes or is added to an account, Optic Communciations will send a notification.  These notifications may be sent to a postal or e-mail address, or by telephone, voicemail or text message.DISCLOSURE OF CPNIOptic COmmunications may disclose CPNI in the following circumstances:When the Customer has approved use of their CPNI for Optic Communications or and its joint venture partners and independent contractors (as the case may be) sales or marketing purposes.When disclosure is required by law or court order.To protect the rights and property of Optic Communications or to protect Customers and other carriers from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of services.When a carrier requests to know whether a Customer has a preferred interexchange carrier (PIC) freeze on their account.For directory listing services.To provide the services to the Customer, including assisting the Customer with troubles associated with their services.To bill the Customer for services.PROTECTING CPNIOptic Communications uses numerous methods to protect your CPNI. This includes software enhancements that identify whether a Customer has approved use of its CPNI. Further, all Optic Communications employees are trained on the how CPNI is to be protected and when it may or may not be disclosed. All marketing campaigns are reviewed by an Optic Communications supervisory committee to ensure that all such campaigns comply with applicable CPNI rules.Optic Communications maintains records of its own and its joint venture partners and/or independent contractors (if applicable) sales and marketing campaigns that utilize Customer CPNI. Included in this, is a description of the specific CPNI that was used in such sales or marketing campaigns. Optic Communications also keeps records of all instances in which CPNI is disclosed to third parties or where third parties were allowed access to Customer CPNI.Optic Communications will not release CPNI during customer-initiated telephone contact without first authenticating the Customer’s identity in the manner set-forth herein. Violation of this CPNI policy by any Optic Communications employee will result in disciplinary action against that employee as set-forth in Optic Communications’ Employee Manual.BREACH OF CPNI PRIVACYIn the event Optic Communications experiences a privacy breach and CPNI is disclosed to unauthorized persons, federal rules require Optic Communications to report such breaches to law enforcement.  Specifically, Optic Communications will notify law enforcement no later than seven (7) business days after a reasonable determination that such breach has occurred by sending electronic notification through a central reporting facility to the United States Secret Service and the FBI. A link to the reporting facility can be found at: www.fcc.gov/eb/cpni. Optic Communications cannot inform its Customers of the CPNI breach until at least seven (7) days after notification has been sent to law enforcement, unless the law enforcement agent tells the carrier to postpone disclosure pending investigation.  Additionally, Optic Communications is required to maintain records of any discovered breaches, the date that Optic Communications discovered the breach, the date carriers notified law enforcement and copies of the notifications to law enforcement, a detailed description of the CPNI breach, including the circumstances of the breach, and law enforcement’s response (if any) to the reported breach. Optic Communications will retain these records for a period of not less than two (2) years.NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO THIS POLICYIf we change this CPNI Policy, we will post those changes on www.optic-communications.com or in other places we deem appropriate, so that you can be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If you decide to continue receiving your services after we make any changes to this the CPNI Policy, you shall be deemed to have given express consent to the changes in the revised policy.CUSTOMER AUTHENTICATIONFederal privacy rules require Optic Communications to authenticate the identity of its customer prior to disclosing CPNI.  Customers calling Optic Communications’ office can discuss their services and billings with an Optic Communications representative once that representative had verified the caller’s identity.

You may download a copy of our latest terms and conditions for broadband service by clicking here.

DMCA Policy

Columbus Telephone Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries respect the owners of copyrighted materials and their rights under federal law. We do not permit our service to be used to infringe copyrights. If one of our broadband subscribers is an infringer, we will take actions to attempt to stop such conduct, including and up to terminating the service of a repeat infringer in appropriate circumstances.Columbus Telephone Company, Inc. is registered under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"). If, as a copyright owner, you believe that a Columbus Telephone Company, Inc. subscriber has used material that infringes an exclusive right you have with respect to such material, you or your authorized agent may file a Notice of Claimed Infringement with us. The Notice of Claimed Infringement must be sent to our designated agent:Designated Agent: Patricia CarrollPostal Address: 224 S Kansas AveColumbus, KS 66725Fax: (620) 429-1704Telephone Number: (855) 806-7325E-Mail: notices@columbus-telephone.com

Open Internet Transparency Disclosure For Wireline Network ServicesThe following policies apply to mass market broadband Internet services offered by Optic Communications, Inc. and to customers of Columbus Communications Services LLC (shown below as “Optic”).It is Optic’s policy to provide robust and reliable access to the Internet for all of its mass market end user customers. Because network resources are shared by all users, Optic discloses and identifies the following policies govern its mass market Internet service. These policies are designed to:ensure that shared network resources are allocated fairly among all users;allow users and prospective users to understand service policies and any significant limitations on the service; andprovide a foundation that assures customers that they can rely on consistently receiving the level and quality of service to which they subscribe.Optic does not block access to, nor discriminate against, any lawful website or Internet application.Customers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following policies which are deemed part of their Service Agreement. By using Optic’s Internet service, the customer accepts, agrees to be bound by and to strictly adhere to, these policies. The customer also agrees to be responsible for compliance with these policies by third parties, such as friends, family members or guests that make use of the customer’s service accounts or equipment to access the network for any purpose, with or without the permission of the customer.A full list of Optic Terms of Service are available athttps://optic-communications.com/about-us/our-policies/,https://optic-communications.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/INTERNET_TERMS_CONDITIONS_2017.pdf andhttps://optic-communications.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/OPTIC-AGREEMENT1_FEB15.pdfINTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY (“AUP”)Included within:  https://optic-communications.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/INTERNET_TERMS_CONDITIONS_2017.pdf . NETWORK MANAGEMENT; RELATED DEVICE AND PRIVACY POLICIESDevice Attachment Rules. With respect to Optic’s fixed location broadband services, users may generally attach the devices of their choice and run the applications of their choice, subject to the limitations of the terms of their service agreement and AUP. Optic is not responsible for the compatibility, suitability or functionality of any equipment that is provided by the customer or any third party, and the customer remains fully responsible for ensuring that any such equipment does not cause any harm to the network or degrade the service of other users. All users are fully responsible for securing their equipment, including wireless routers, to prevent unauthorized access to the network by third parties and will be held fully responsible for the Actions of such third parties that gain unauthorized access to the network through unsecured end user equipmentPrivacy Policy. Optic collects personally identifiable information in order to provide fixed broadband service, and to bill for this service.  Optic does not collect any information concerning the customer’s visited websites, application usage or other Internet activity, in the normal course of business.As indicated above, the Company's network management practices do not generally entailinspection of network traffic.The Company retains and stores certain traffic information (such as the identity of the customer using a particular IP address during a specific period) for time periods that may be required by federal or state law. The Company would, for instance, retain, store and provide to law enforcement any traffic information requested pursuant to the procedures of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act ("CALEA"), the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ("FISA") or other applicable national security or criminal statutes.The Company does not collect, store or use traffic information to profile its customers in order to sell additional services to them.Additional information on our privacy policy are included in our Privacy Policy, https://optic-communications.com/privacy-policy/ .III. COMMERCIAL TERMSPricing. Please see https://optic-communications.com/internet/internet-rates/ and https://optic-communications.com/internet/business-internet-rates/.   These plans and pricing are subject to change without notice, and do not include special assemblies that may be necessary to meet unique customer situations.Redress Options. All end users and edge providers that have questions or complaints regarding broadband service should contact the Optic business office at 855-806-7325, or https://maccwebselfcare.maccnet.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f%3fCompNum%3d34&CompNum=34 .  (“Edge Provider” means any content, application, service, and device provider, which generally operates at the edge rather than the core of the network.)If a customer believes that these open Internet rules are not being met, the customer may file an informal complaint at the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC urges customers to submit any complaints via its website at the following address: http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. Customers may also file a formal complaint at the FCC using Part 76 of the Commission’s rules.ISP DisclosureThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued rules requiring ISPs to disclose network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of their broadband Internet access services.  Optic’s disclosure includes information required by paragraphs 218-223 of the Restoring Internet Freedom Order.No blocking. Optic does not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.Throttling. Optic does not degrade or impair access to lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, service, user, or use of a non-harmful device.Affiliated Prioritization.  Optic does not directly or indirectly favor some traffic over other traffic, including through use of techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, to benefit an affiliate.Paid Prioritization.  Optic does not directly or indirectly favor some traffic over other traffic, including through use of techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise.Congestion Management. Optic utilizes a redundant network architecture that is designed to provide users with true broadband speeds and reliability even during times of peak demand. The network has been constructed to meet projected traffic demands and is fully scalable to allow for capacity to be added to meet customer needs and to support newly developing and increasingly sophisticated applications well into the future. However, congestion can occur on any IP network, and, when it does, packets can be delayed or dropped, leading to service degradation and delays. Because core network resources are shared by all end users, Optic has implemented a traffic management policy that is designed to ensure that all users are able to utilize their fair share of network resources during periods of high demand.Optic has not currently implemented any network congestion management practices related to its customers’ bandwidth use. However, Optic reserves the right to implement such practices in order to deliver the best possible Internet service to its customers and to be able to otherwise reasonably manage its network. In the event such network management practices are implemented, Optic will update this Disclosure Statement.Application-Specific Behavior. Prioritization of packets can be used for other purposes as well, such as to ensure the reliability of applications that demand real time or near real time communications such as public safety communications and, in the context of mobile data services, E-911 communications. Generally, provisioned data speeds for Optic’s mass market services are sufficient to support such applications as Voice over IP (VoIP), gaming, web surfing, or most streaming video. However, because Optic’s residential, mass market broadband service generally does not prioritize such traffic; it is possible that certain applications requiring real time communications may perform at less than optimal levels, especially during periods of peak network demand.Optic operates secure data networks protected by industry standard firewall and password protection systems. Our security and privacy policies are periodically reviewed and enhanced as necessary and only authorized individuals have access to the information provided by our customers. In addition, Optic may identify spam and prevent its delivery to customer email accounts, detect malicious Internet traffic and prevent the distribution of viruses or other harmful code or content and use other tools and techniques that OC may be required to implement in order to meet its goal of delivering the best possible broadband Internet experience to all of its customersSpecialized Services – Optic currently does not provide any services that impact its Internet access service in terms of bandwidth or service quality. If, at some point in the future Optic begins providing such services, an update to this Disclosure Statement will be posted.Security. We employ remote administration address filtering & Network address translation on most Optic-owned Customer premise equipment to offer a minimal layer of security from hacking. No other end-user security measures are taken and all security related measures are the responsibility of the end-user. Public IP addresses may be requested and users of such are responsible for all anti-hacking security.Performance Characteristics. Optic provides residential and commercial mass market customers with a choice of data plans to meet their needs.  Optic also provides enterprise level services that are custom tailored to a specific project and individually priced based on the needs and criteria established by the Enterprise customer.   Optic’s Internet speeds were calculated based upon speed tests conducted to speed test servers on the Optic network.Speeds specified are configured as rate limits and are not in any way guaranteed. Latency from our customers to our network borders is expected to be 50ms or less.Actual access speed, as well as latency, are impacted by the length, capacity and congestion of Middle Mile transport facilities (between the Company's service area and Internet nodes) as well as the characteristic of the Company's own network. Because conditions on these facilities and routes can change frequently, the Company can provide estimated actual access speed and latency information only for specific recent time periods requested by a customer.The Company's service is suitable for real-time applications, including VoIP.  The speed tier a customer subscribes to will impact the efficiency of the real-time applications.Internet speeds within the Optic network may be measured by performing speed tests at the following URL: http://speedtest.optic-communications.com/ .While Optic provisions its network and equipment to ensure that its customers can enjoy the speeds to which they subscribe, Internet speeds generally result from a “best effort” service and are dependent on a number of variables, many of which are outside the control of an Internet Service Provider.  Due to these variables, Optic is not responsible for Internet speeds beyond its own network.  Such variables include: the age and processing capability of the user’s terminal device or computer;  the number of applications running simultaneously;  the presence of viruses or malware; whether the terminal equipment is connected to the network by wire or by wireless; the distance the data packets must travel between  the user and the website; the presence of congestion on and technical configuration of any intervening networks; any gating or congestion management schemes employed by websites to limit download or upload speeds in cases where multiple users are served simultaneously.  Optic does not guarantee that a customer will achieve the speeds set forth above at all times. Rather, the foregoing data speeds represent the best information available to Optic of the typical speeds a customer can expect to experience under normal operating conditions.Speed tests that allow customers to test the upload, download and latency performance of their broadband data services are available free of charge from a number of sources. Generally, these tests are influenced by the same variables that affect Internet speed set forth above.  Accordingly, the speed results would not be expected to match a test of Optic’s network conducted under laboratory conditions.  Please note, however, that all speed tests use different methodologies to calculate Internet connection speed so each of the tests would be expected to yield different results.  Accordingly, each of these tests should be viewed as a helpful guide rather than as a definitive measurement of performance.Impact of Non-broadband Internet Access Specialized Services. Optic may offer an Internet Protocol-voice based service or Hosted PBX service to customers with Optic broadband service which, due to the product’s sensitivity to latency, receives quality of service treatment on the network where it is available. This treatment of VoIP traffic should have no material impact on capacity or bandwidth availability for Broadband Internet Access.Customers purchasing a Hosted PBX or similar VoIP service may experience a higher quality of service through improved latency for upstream voice packets carried over the Internet network. This higher quality of service is enabled through Type of Service and Differentiated Service capabilities at the customer modem and in limited network equipment deployed across the Optic high-speed Internet network. The setting established at the modem may be modified by our customers.Updated September 2018