Terms Of Service
Important information about your cable service
OVERVIEW OF VIDEO SERVICES
Basic Cable
The Basic Cable service tier, where available, is our lowest level of cable service. Basic Cable
includes off air broadcast stations and may include any franchise required public, educational
and government access channels. All such programming varies on a community-by-community
basis and is subject to change at any time, subject to applicable law. Pursuant to federal law,
cable customers must subscribe to Basic Cable in order to subscribe to any other cable video
service. Please contact us at 620-326-8989 for the current pricing for the Basic Cable service in
your area.
Expanded Cable
The Expanded Cable service tier, where available, is an optional level of service above and
beyond Basic Cable and is billed separately from Basic Cable Service. A customer must receive
USA Connections Basic Cable service tier in order to be eligible to receive Expanded Cable
service. Expanded Cable service may include many of the non-premium cable channels such as
the Discovery Channel®, Lifetime®, ESPN®, A&E®, the USA Network®, TNT® and, where
available, regional sports services. All such programming varies on a community-by-community
basis and is subject to change at any time, subject to applicable law.
Digital Basic
There are various Digital TV packages and options for a customer to choose including the
Digital Basic service, Sports Tier, Spanish Tier and/or Digital Music. Where available, these
packages provide an optional level of service that requires a receiver and provides access to an
array of movies and other programming in crisp digital-quality picture and sound.
Premium Services
Premium Services are available on a per channel or per service basis. Premium Channels
generally include Home Box Office®, Cinemax®, Starz®, Encore®, and The Movie
Channel™. There is a separate monthly charge for premium channels.
Other Optional Services
In addition to these programming services, USA Connections may also offer its customers,
for an additional monthly charge, the rental of receivers or remotes, and the following services
where available: HD, DVR, High Speed Internet, and Digital Voice. For some optional services
you must have a compatible addressable converter or a cable modem.
HD Receiver $8.00/$12.00 each per month
DVR Receiver $10.00/$15.00 each per month
CHANNEL LINE-UP
Please visit our website for a full channel line-up for your area.
PRICING
USA Connections offers a variety of service plans in its operating regions, which are subject
to change, and which include pricing for Internet Services that may vary depending upon the
plan and whether the Internet Services are bundled with USA Connections’ other service
offerings. Please call 620-326-8989 to talk to one of our customer service representatives for
current pricing and information about our products and services.
A NOTE ABOUT PROGRAMMING
USA Connections receives programming from various broadcast and cable networks. USA
Connections is not responsible for the content or schedule aired by these networks. Please
contact specific cable or broadcast networks directly with your programming complaints or
questions.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OUR SERVICES
In return for the timely payment of a monthly fee and other applicable service charges, USA
Connections will provide to you the services that you select from the programming
packages we offer. As required by federal law, you must first subscribe to our Basic Cable
service to buy other optional cable television services. Subject to applicable law, we have the
right at any time to change the services and equipment that we offer to you, as well as prices
and fees for such services and equipment. We also may rearrange, delete, add to, or otherwise
change the programming services provided by us. If the change directly affects the services you
are receiving from us, we will provide you notice of the change and the effective date. The
notice may be provided on your monthly bill, as a bill insert, in a newspaper or by any other
permitted communication. If you find the change unacceptable, you have the right to cancel or
change your service; however, if you continue to receive the service after the effective date of
the change, we will consider this acceptance of the change.
FCC WAIVER REGARDING AUDIBLY ACCESSIBLE ON-SCREEN GUIDES AND MENUS
USA Connections qualifies for a waiver from the FCC that relieves USA Connections of
the requirement to ensure that on-screen text menus and guides for the display or selection of
multichannel video programming provided by navigation devices that it leases or sells are
audibly accessible in real-time upon request by individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Therefore, customers who are blind or visually impaired using USA Connections will not be
able to audibly access any of the functions in the display or selection of multichannel video
programming via on-screen text menus and guides. Other television providers in your area may
offer navigation devices with audibly accessible features. For more information, contact USA
Connections at contactus@connectwithusa.com.
TERMINATION BY YOU
Unless you have signed a minimum term addendum, you may terminate this Agreement for any
reason at any time by notifying USA Connections in one of three ways: (1) send a written
notice to the postal address of your local USA Connections business office; (2) send an
electronic notice to the email address specified at on our website or (3) call our customer
service line during normal business hours. Subject to applicable law or the terms of any
agreements with governmental authorities, all applicable fees and charges for the Service(s) will
accrue until this Agreement has terminated, the Service(s) have been disconnected, and all
Equipment has been returned. We will refund all prepaid monthly service fees charged for
Service(s) after the date of termination (less any outstanding amounts due USA
Connections for the Service(s), affiliate services, Equipment, or other applicable fees and
charges).
SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION BY USA CONNECTIONS
Under the conditions listed below, USA Connections reserves the right, subject to
applicable law, to act immediately and without notice to terminate or suspend the Service(s)
and/or to remove from the Service(s) any information transmitted by or to any authorized users
(e.g., email or voicemail). USA Connections may take these actions if it: (1) determines that
your use of the Service(s) does not conform with the requirements set forth in this Agreement,
(2) determines that your use of the Service(s) interferes with USA Connections’ ability to
provide the Service(s) to you or others, (3) reasonably believes that your use of the Service(s)
may violate any laws, regulations, or written and electronic instructions for use, or (4)
reasonably believes that your use of the Service(s) interferes with or endangers the health
and/or safety of our personnel or third parties. USA Connections’ action or inaction under
this Section shall not constitute review or approval of your or any other users’ use of the
Service(s) or information transmitted by or to what is you or users.
YOUR OBLIGATIONS UPON TERMINATION
You agree that upon termination of this Agreement you will do the following: You will
immediately cease all use of the Service(s) and all Equipment; You will pay in full for your use of
the Service(s) up to the date that this Agreement has been terminated and the Service(s) are
disconnected; and Within ten (10) days of the date on which Service(s) are disconnected, you
will return all Equipment to us at our local business office or to our designee in working order,
normal wear and tear excepted. Otherwise, you will be charged the amount set forth in the
current pricing lists for such Equipment, or the revised amount for which you receive notice; if no
amount has been specified for the particular model of Equipment, you will be charged the retail
price for a new replacement. You may also be charged incidental costs that we incur in
replacing the Equipment. Upon our request during regular business hours at a time agreed upon
by you and us, you will permit us and our employees, agents, contractors, and representatives
to access the Premises during regular business hours to remove all Equipment and other
material provided by USA Connections.
INSTALLATION & SERVICE MAINTENANCE POLICIES
Absent unusual circumstances, our cable system will deliver a video and audio signal meeting
all required standards to at least two television sets in your home. In addition, the installation
and/or maintenance work we perform and the materials we use will be free from defects for a
period of 30 days after such work is completed. If any defects in workmanship or materials are
reported to us within 30 days of when the work is completed, we shall correct such defects
without charge to you. Correction of such defects shall constitute our sole obligation, however.
This obligation will not apply to defects resulting from abuse, misuse, tampering, acts of God, or
repairs performed by unauthorized persons. We provide free service calls for any interruption of
service resulting from the failure of our equipment, such as digital set-top boxes, that we install
and continue to own, or from weather or other conditions clearly beyond the control of the
customer. Other service calls including cable installation, repairs (such as failure of your
equipment and cable home wiring that is not covered by the free service policy), and calls
related to changes in the level of cable service will be billed at our standard rate.
New Installation $40.00/$65.00
Installation of new outlets $10.00 each
Activation of existing outlets $15.00 each
30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
New customers will be completely satisfied within 30 days of installation or we’ll refund your
money – guaranteed. Some restrictions may apply.
ACCESS TO YOUR PREMISES AND CUSTOMER EQUIPMENT
Premises
You agree to allow us and our agents the right to enter your property at which the Service and/or
Equipment will be provided (the “Premises”) at reasonable times, for purposes of installing,
configuring, maintaining, inspecting, upgrading, replacing and removing the Service and/or
Equipment used to receive any of the Service. You warrant that you are either the owner of the
Premises or that you have the authority to give us access to the Premises. If you are not the
owner of the Premises, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary approval from the
owner to allow us and our agents into the Premises to perform the activities specified above. In
addition, you agree to supply us or our agent, if we ask, the owner’s name, address, and phone
number, and/or evidence that the owner has authorized you to grant access to us and our
agents to the Premises.
Customer Equipment
Customer Equipment means software, hardware or services that you elect to use in connection
with the Service or USA Connections Equipment. You agree to allow us and our agents the
rights to insert cable cards and other hardware in the Customer Equipment, send software,
firmware, and/or other programs to the Customer Equipment and install, configure, maintain,
inspect and upgrade the Customer Equipment and USA Connections Equipment. You
warrant you are either the owner of the Customer Equipment or that you have the authority to
give us access to the Customer Equipment. If you are not the owner of the Customer
Equipment, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary approval from the owner to allow
us and our agents access to the Customer Equipment to perform the activities specified above.
In addition, you agree to supply us or our agents, if we ask, the owner’s name, address and
phone number, and/or evidence that the owner has authorized you to grant access to us and
our agents to the Customer Equipment to perform the activities specified above.
CABLE HOME WIRING
Federal law defines “cable home wiring” as the internal wiring contained within your premises,
which begins at the demarcation point. The “demarcation point” is defined by federal law as the
point at (or about) 12 inches outside of where the wire enters the outside wall of your single
family home or, in the case of an apartment building, 12 inches outside of where the cable wire
enters the outside wall of your individual unit. Cable home wiring does not include any active
elements such as amplifiers, digital set-top boxes, or remote control units that may be located
within your premises. Cable home wiring is your property and its maintenance, repair, and
replacement is your sole responsibility unless we specifically assume such responsibility in a
written agreement with you.
SERVICE CHANGES AND INSTALLATION
Standard installations are generally completed within 7 business days. If you initiate a change in
the services you receive, you may be subject to the applicable installation or change of service
charge. You may obtain additional information about our current services, fees and prices by
calling us during normal business hours.
Address Transfer Fee $40.00
Outlet Relocation Fee $10.00 each
Non-Cable Problem Service Call $25.00
“ADULT AT HOME” POLICY
Our company’s policy is that our installers and technicians will not enter your home to perform
work if a responsible adult (aged 18 or over) is not present. We recognize that this may cause
inconveniences for some of our customers, but we feel strongly that this policy is essential to
protect both you and our employees.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE CABLE SERVICE
Our cable television service is delivered by a broadband RF signal. We encode this signal with
multiple visual, audio and text information. Our cable television signal may be split using
conventional broadband splitters available through us or competitive sources. Directional
switches or A/B switches also may be used to alternate between our RF signal and other
broadband RF signals provided by competitors. Customer-owned equipment, such as
cable-ready digital television sets with QAM capable tuners or cable-ready digital video
recorders (DVRs) generally are capable of directly receiving the non-scrambled portions of our
broadband signal. You can receive these unscrambled signals typically by selecting the
appropriate channel number on a cable-ready digital television, DVR or digital set-top box. We
also scramble a portion of our broadband signal, including our non-basic service tiers, premium
and pay-per-view channels and our high definition and other digital video, audio, and text
services, to secure it from unauthorized use. Our scrambled programming can be received with
equipment that is leased from us or through equipment purchased from retail sources; however,
if you purchase the equipment from a retail source, you will need to make sure that it will be
capable of using a “CableCARD” security device that is leased from us to decode our scrambled
broadband signal.
CHANNEL POSITIONS OF BROADCAST PROGRAMMING CARRIED ON OUR SYSTEM
Federal law requires us to inform you of any broadcast stations that cannot be viewed without a
digital set-top box. The specific broadcast stations that we carry on our cable system are listed
in the Basic Cable service portion of our channel line-up and each can be viewed without the
use of a digital set-top box if you subscribe to the Basic Cable service.
PARENTAL LOCKS AND VIDEO/SOUND BLOCKS
A digital set-top box provided by us offers you the ability to limit viewing of certain channels
through parental control options. Such options allow you to select which channels should not be
viewed in your absence, through use of a customer created code, which can be enabled or
disabled at your discretion. Please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives for
additional details and assistance.
CHARGES AND BILLING
HOW WE WILL BILL YOU
Service is provided to you on a month-to-month basis. You will generally be billed monthly, in
advance, for recurring service charges, equipment charges and fees. YOU MUST PAY, ON OR
BEFORE THE DAY WE INSTALL ANY OR ALL OF THE SERVICE, THE FIRST MONTH’S
SERVICE CHARGES, EQUIPMENT CHARGES, ANY DEPOSITS AND ANY INSTALLATION
CHARGES. Your first bill may include pro-rated charges from the date you first begin receiving
Service, as well as monthly recurring charges for the next month and charges for non-recurring
services you have received. You may be billed for some Service individually after they have
been provided to you; these include measured and per-call charges and charges for
pay-per-view movies or events, and interactive television. If you receive Service under a
promotion, after the promotional period ends, regular charges for the Service will apply. We do
not waive our rights to collect the full balance owed to us by accepting partial payment. We will
apply the partial payment to the outstanding charges in the amounts and proportions that we
determine. For Voice Customers If you pay a flat monthly fee for your calling plan, that fee may
not cover certain types of calls. You will be billed for these excluded call types on a per-call
basis (e.g., operator services) or a measured basis (e.g., international calls). Our paper bills for
Voice contain only a summary of charges. Detailed information is available for a limited period at
a password-protected portion of our website.
CHARGES, FEES, AND TAXES YOU MUST PAY
You agree to pay all charges associated with the Service, including, but not limited to,
installation/service call charges, monthly service charges, Equipment charges, measured and
per call charges, applicable federal, state, and local taxes and fees (however designated),
broadcaster retransmission fees, regulatory recovery fees for municipal, state and federal
government fees or assessments imposed on USA Connections, permitted fees and cost
recovery charges, or any programs in which USA Connections participates, including, but
not limited to, public, educational and governmental access, universal service, telecom relay
services for the visually/hearing impaired, rights-of-way access and programs supporting the
911/E911 system, and any fees or payment obligations imposed by governmental or
quasi-governmental bodies for the sale, installation, use or provision of the Service. YOU WILL
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ANY GOVERNMENT IMPOSED FEES AND TAXES THAT
BECOME APPLICABLE RETROACTIVELY. We will provide you with notice and an effective
date of any change in our prices or fees, unless the change in price is related to a change in
governmental or quasi-governmental taxes, fees or assessments, in which case we may elect
not to provide notice except where required by applicable law. Not all fees apply to all Service.
PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD OR CHECK
If you use a credit card to pay for the Service, use of the card is governed by the card issuer
agreement and you must refer to that agreement for your rights and liabilities as a cardholder. If
USA Connections does not receive payment from your credit card issuer or its agents, you
agree to pay all amounts due upon demand. If you make payment by check, you authorize USA
Connections to collect your check electronically. You agree that you may not amend or
modify this Agreement with any restrictive endorsements (such as “paid in full”), or other
statements or releases on or accompanying checks or other payments accepted by USA
Connections and any such notations shall have no legal effect.
OUR REMEDIES IF YOU PAY LATE OR FAIL TO PAY
Late or Non-Payments
You may be billed fees, charges, and assessments related to late or non-payments if for any
reason (a) USA Connections does not receive payment for the Service by the payment due
date or (b) you pay less than the full amount due for the Service. YOU WILL BE ASSESSED A
LATE FEE OF $15 PER MONTH FOR EACH ACCOUNT THAT HAS NOT BEEN PAID IN
FULL AFTER 20 DAYS FROM THE INVOICE DATE.
Late Payment Fee $15.00
Return Payment Fee $30.00
Fees Not Considered Interest or Penalties
USA Connections does not anticipate that you will fail to pay for the Service on a timely
basis, and we do not extend credit to customers. Any fees, charges, and assessments due to
late payment or nonpayment are liquidated damages intended to be a reasonable advance
estimate of our costs resulting from late payments and non-payments. These costs will be
difficult to calculate or to predict when we set such fees, charges and assessments, because we
cannot know in advance: (a) whether you will pay for the Service on a timely basis, if ever; (b) if
you do pay late, when you will actually pay; and (c) what costs we will incur because of your late
payment or non-payment.
Collection Costs
If we use a collection agency or attorney to collect money owed by you, you agree to pay the
reasonable costs of collection. These costs include, but are not limited to, any collection
agency’s fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and arbitration or court costs.
Suspension/Disconnect
If you fail to pay the full amount due for any or all of the Service then USA Connections, at
its sole discretion in accordance with and subject to applicable law, may suspend or disconnect
any or all the Service you receive.
Reconnection Fees and Related Charges
If you resume Service after any suspension, we may require you to pay a reconnection fee. If
you reinstate any or all Service after disconnection, we may require you to pay an installation
fee and/or service activation fee. These fees are in addition to all past due charges and other
fees. Reconnection of the Service is subject to our credit policies, this Agreement, and
applicable law.
Delinquent Payment Hard Reconnect Fee $50.00
Delinquent Payment Soft Reconnect Fee $25.00
Delinquent Payment Tech Collection Fee $15.00
Equipment
In the event your service is terminated, the converter, remote control and any other equipment
provided by us should be returned to our local business office within ten (10) days of the date on
which Service is disconnected. You will continue to be billed for the equipment until it is
returned. If you have lost or are otherwise unable to return the equipment you will be billed for
the equipment. The following charges will be assessed for each piece of unreturned
equipment**:
$25 for each M card, smart card, power supply, remote, standard digital receiver
$100 for each cable modem, wireless modem
$100 for each wireless router
$130 for each phone device
$150 for each DVR
$300 for each transceiver (outdoor antenna)
$350 for each HD receiver and/or TiVo DVR.
No refunds will be issued for credit balances on account until all equipment has been returned.
** or other damage, fees, cost, charges, and expenses designated by the USA Connections.
OUR RIGHT TO MAKE CREDIT INQUIRIES
YOU AUTHORIZE USA CONNECTIONS TO MAKE INQUIRIES AND TO RECEIVE
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CREDIT EXPERIENCE FROM OTHERS, TO ENTER THIS
INFORMATION IN YOUR FILE AND TO DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION CONCERNING YOU
TO APPROPRIATE THIRD PARTIES FOR REASONABLE BUSINESS PURPOSES.
REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT
We may require you to pay a refundable deposit when you activate the Service, if you add
Equipment and/or Service. If we disconnect your Service or are otherwise required under
applicable law to refund the deposit, we shall within forty-five (45) days or as otherwise specified
by applicable law return a sum equal to the deposit you paid (without interest unless otherwise
required by law) minus any amounts due on your account (including without limitation, any
amounts owed for the Service or for any Equipment that is damaged, altered or not returned).
PAPER BILL PROCESSING FEE
Customers will be accessed $1.00 per month paper bill processing fee. Customers have a
choice to receive their invoice in electronic form via e-mail to avoid the fee. Please contact us at
620-326-8989 to sign up for Paperless Billing.
MOVING
Before you move, please call 620-326-8989. 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 your new home
is in our service area.
RESPONSIBILITIES CONCERNING BILLING QUESTIONS
Subject to applicable law, if you intend to dispute a charge or request a billing credit, you must
contact USA Connections within thirty (30) days of the date on the bill. You waive any
disputes or credits that you do not report within thirty (30) days.
A WORD ABOUT CABLE THEFT
Federal law contains both civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized use or theft of cable
services and for manufacturers, suppliers and users of unauthorized devices that facilitate the
theft or unauthorized use of cable services. This federal theft-of-service law supplements any
existing state or local laws, and provides a remedy against any person who, without
authorization, intercepts or receives any communication service which is provided over a cable
system. This would include the theft of audio, video, textual data, or other service, including data
transmitted to or from a customer over a system that has interactive capability. Cable theft
increases our costs in delivering quality service to our customers. We prohibit tampering with
our equipment or the use of any equipment to receive unauthorized broadband or other
communications services. We will take action to deter theft of service, including service
termination, restitution, civil actions for legal damages and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.
CUSTOMER COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
If you have a complaint regarding your cable television service or your bill, please call our
toll-free telephone number, 620-326-8989, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
(After-hours calls are routed to an answering service.) You can also visit the local business
office at the address listed in the Contact Us section on our website. Alternatively, if you wish to
put your comments in writing, your letter should be addressed to USA Connections, 117 W
Harvey Avenue, Wellington, KS 67152. We will promptly try to resolve your complaint. If we
are unable to resolve your complaint, we will notify you that we are unable to do so and explain
the reason why. If you are dissatisfied with our resolution of your complaint, or we are unable to
resolve your complaint, you may contact the local franchising authority to discuss your
complaint. Please refer to the local franchising authority posted on our website or call
620-326-8989 for the name and address of your local franchising authority.
SERVICE PROBLEMS
If you experience a problem with picture or signal quality, you should review your television
and/or VCR owner’s manual for proper adjustment. If the problem does not clear up, you should
call customer service at 620-326-8989. In order to correct the problem, we may need access to
your premises. If required, a service call will be scheduled at a time convenient to you. We will
make all reasonable efforts to resolve any complaints you have concerning the quality of our
signals promptly and efficiently. Excluding conditions beyond our control, we will respond to a
service interruption no later than 24 hours after receipt of notification. We respond to other
service problems no later than the next business day after notification. If our service technician
is unable to correct the problem to your satisfaction we will, at your request, schedule a second
service appointment. If we remain unable to correct the problem you will be notified of this fact
and the reason why. If you are dissatisfied with our resolution of your service problem, you may
contact the local franchising authority to discuss the problem with your service. Please refer to
the local franchising authority posted on our website or call 620-326-8989 for the name and
address of your local franchising authority.
EQUIPMENT COMPATIBILITY
TELEVISIONS AND VCR COMPATIBILITY
Many newer television sets and videocassette recorders (“VCRs”) are labeled “cable-ready”.
Typically, a cable-ready television or VCR is one which, when connected directly to cable
service, can receive all unscrambled, non-premium channels (premium channels include such
channels as HBO and Showtime). Older televisions and VCRs are more likely to be
non-cable-ready, which means they generally receive only some numbered channels (usually
channels 2-13). Even if you have an older television or VCR that was advertised as being
“cable-ready” or “cable compatible,” the equipment may not perform as you expected when
connected directly to our cable system. This is because there previously were no standards
applicable to television set manufactures governing the reception of cable channels. According
to new federal regulations, televisions and VCRs sold in the United States as of July 1997
cannot be called “cable-ready” or “cable compatible” unless they comply with the new technical
requirements adopted by the FCC, including the ability to properly tune cable channels. Existing
equipment may meet some but not all of these standards and connecting our cable service
directly to such equipment may cause signal degradation or interference. If you are not sure
whether your television or VCR is “cable-ready”, you should review the equipment manual and
instructions or contact the manufacturer. If your equipment is not fully cable-ready, you can still
receive all standard cable channels offering non-scrambled or non-encrypted programming by
renting or purchasing a single set-top converter without descrambling or decryption capabilities.
For a low monthly fee, we rent set-top converters to our customers that will be compatible with
the services you purchase from us. You may also purchase set-top converters at electronic
stores or other retail outlets in your area.
HD Receiver $8.00/$12.00 each per month
DVR Receiver $10.00/$15.00 each per month
COMPATIBILITY OF SET-TOP CONVERTERS AND CABLECARDS
Many subscribers currently rent or own set-top converters to receive our cable services.
Because a set-top converter functions as the channel tuner on your television or VCR, it may
prevent you from using some of the special features and functions of your television or VCR.
For example, you may not be able to view one program while recording another, record two or
more consecutive programs that appear on different channels, use advanced picture generation
and display features such as “picture-in-picture,” channel review or use other features that
necessitate channel selection by the television set or VCR. Some of these problems may be
resolved by the use of A/B switches, signal splitters, and/or other supplemental equipment that
can be purchased from USA Connections or at electronic stores. Please call us if you would
like to discuss the type of special equipment needed to resolve individual compatibility problems
or if you have any questions regarding other equipment compatibility issues. In order to enable
you to utilize special features, which your television and VCR may have, we will make available,
upon your request, equipment which will allow for simultaneous reception of two or more
scrambled or encrypted signals and for tuning to alternative channels on a pre-programmed
schedule. This equipment could include, for example, set-top converters and multiple
descrambler/ decoders and/or timers (or if such devices are not available, multiple set-top
devices will be provided) and signal bypass switches. If you plan to purchase cable services that
we scramble or encrypt, such as premium, pay-per-view or digital services, you should make
sure that any set-top converter, navigation device or digital-cable-ready television (which can
receive digital cable services using a device that we must provide called a CableCARD in place
of a converter) that you purchase from a retail outlet is compatible with our system. Due to
device limitations, digital cable-ready retail devices using CableCARD technology only receive
what is known as “one-way” cable services. Such devices cannot receive “two-way” cable
services, such as USA Connections’ electronic program guide, pay-per-view, or switched
digital video services. Customers with a TiVo digital cable-ready DVR can access switched
digital video services by obtaining a “tuning adapter” device from USA Connections.
Customers with the TiVo DVR or other digital cable-ready devices will need a digital set-top box
from USA Connections to access switched digital video and other two-way cable services.
Two-way digital cable-ready devices are not yet commercially available, but are expected to be
available in the near future. Upon your request, we will provide you with the necessary technical
parameters necessary for any set-top converter rented or acquired from retail outlets to operate
with our cable system. If you see advertisements for set-top converters that have descramblers
in them, you should understand that these devices may be illegal to use. Because of the need to
protect our scrambled services, we will not authorize the use of any converter/descrambler that
does not conform to a required signal security specifications. People who use illegal
converters/descramblers may be subject to prosecution for theft of cable service. It is unlawful
to alter or tamper with any device belonging to a cable operator in order to receive, intercept, or
assist in receiving or intercepting any communications service offered over a cable system.
People who take such actions may be subject to fines or imprisonment.
REMOTE CONTROL UNITS
We provide remote control units to subscribers to access set-top converter features remotely.
Currently, we provide subscribers with set-top converters with compatible remote control units.
Although we provide remote control units, subscribers may purchase compatible remotes at
local electronic stores or other retail outlets. A representative list of compatible remote control
models currently available from local retailers includes: MOTOROLA DRC800 4 IN 1, UR4-DCT,
UR3-SR3M, UR4-DSR, UR3LSR4M, UR3SR3MMT. Although these remote control units are
compatible with the set-top converters that we currently offer, these remotes may not be
functional if we change the type of set-top converters we offer to subscribers. If you have any
questions regarding whether a particular remote control unit would be compatible with our
equipment, please contact us by calling customer service 620-326-8989.
SUBSCRIBER PRIVACY POLICY
This is a summary of the subscriber privacy policy for USA Connections for cable, Internet, and voice
services (the “Service”). It is provided to you pursuant to federal law which generally protects
personally identifiable information that you have provided to us or that we have collected about
you using our cable system. We consider the privacy of our customers to be very important, and
we are committed to keeping nonpublic personal information about our customers secure and
confidential. This privacy policy describes the information that USA Connections collects
and how we protect it, how long we keep the information and your right to review it, to correct
errors in it and to enforce your rights, as well as the steps that USA Connections takes to
protect against unauthorized disclosure of Your information. With respect to our internal security
procedures, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your
nonpublic personal information and we take reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized
access to this information.
CUSTOMER INFORMATION WE COLLECT
There are two types of information that USA Connections may collect in connection with
your use of the Service — personally identifiable information and non-personal information,
each of which are discussed in greater detail below. Personally identifiable information We keep
regular business records that contain your personally identifiable information which may include:
name, address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, social security number, driver’s license
number, bank account number, credit card number, other billing, payment and credit information
service records; payment and deposit history, customer correspondence and complaint, and
maintenance records. If you rent your residence, we may have a record of whether landlord
permission was required prior to installing our service as well as your landlord’s name, address,
and telephone number. For Cable Service Users: USA Connections may also collect the
following information: the number of television sets and other devices you may have connected
to our cable system and service options you subscribe to and use. For Internet Service Users:
USA Connections also collects customer-provided customization settings and preferences.
By using the Internet service, Customer consents to our collection of this information and other
information communicated to USA Connections such as e-mails, responses to surveys or
e-mails, information provided in chat sessions with us, registration information or participation in
promotions or contests.
Non-personal information
Non-personal information, including aggregate information about our Customers obtained from
other sources, does not identify individual Customers. Examples of non-personal information
are log files, which include IP addresses, MAC addresses or other equipment identifiers, among
other data. These are used by USA Connections’ website servers to record aggregate
information about site usage for network administration and for aggregate tracking of site usage
and to gather broad demographic information. Only anonymous and aggregated Internet usage
data, which may be combined with aggregate demographic data, is provided to third parties.
However, USA Connections may provide site usage information linked to your personally
identifiable information to law enforcement agencies or others in response to appropriate legal
processes USA Connections, or our contractors or agents, may from time to time share
aggregate (non-personally identifiable) information such as the number of Service subscribers
who match certain statistical profiles (for example, the number of subscribers in various parts of
the country) with our advertisers, content providers, or other third parties with whom we have a
relationship. In addition, we may collect anonymous and/or aggregate information using set-top
boxes and other equipment. When you use our interactive or other transactional services such
as pay-per-view, our systems may automatically collect certain information about your use of
these services. Most of this information is not personally identifiable information, and is used, by
way of example, to carry out a particular request you make using your remote control, set-top
box, or other equipment. We may maintain records of research concerning customer satisfaction
and viewing habits which are obtained from customer interviews and questionnaires. We may
combine the personally identifiable information that we collect as part of our regular business
records with personally identifiable information obtained from third parties for the purpose of
creating an enhanced customer database and records. We may use aggregate and/or
personally identifiable information to better understand how the Service is being used, to
improve it, and for network management, bandwidth usage, maintenance, performance
measurement, and security purposes, including to determine whether there are violations of any
applicable policies and terms of service. USA Connections may combine this data with our
business records as necessary to better serve our Customers. USA Connections transmits
personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information about you over the Service
when you send and receive e-mail, video mail, and instant messages; transfer and share files,
make files accessible, visit Websites, or otherwise use the Service and its features. Our
transmission of this information is necessary to render the Service and allow you to use the
Service as you have chosen.
HOW WE USE CUSTOMER INFORMATION
We use the personally identifiable information we collect about you primarily to conduct
business activities related to providing you with accurate and high quality customer service,
properly deliver Your services, for billing, invoicing, and collections, to better understand how the
service is being used, to improve the service, to help us detect and prosecute theft of service, to
determine whether there are violations of any applicable policies and terms of service, for fraud
prevention, to manage the Service network, and to configure, maintain and/or repair cable
modems and/or other cable and Internet service-related devices. USA Connections retains
the right to monitor its Internet service for these purposes. Generally we use this information for
billing and collections, administration, customer surveys, marketing of our products and
services, service delivery and customization, maintenance and operations, fraud prevention,
disconnect and reconnect services, and our own tax and accounting records, statistics and
demographic studies, and to otherwise comply with law. We also use this information to inform
you when inquiries or changes are made with respect to your account or the services that you
receive. We also collect this information so we may provide updates, upgrades, repairs, or
replacements for any of the Internet service-related devices or software used in providing or
receiving high-speed Internet services. We also may use this information to improve our cable
television service and other services and to make programming and advertising more relevant
to you without disclosing personally identifiable information about you to programmers or
advertisers. Additional information also allows USA Connections to tailor our services, as
well as develop and market new services, to better fit Customer’s needs.
DISCLOSURE OF CUSTOMER INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES
We may disclose personally identifiable information about you to a third party if (a) you consent
in advance in writing or electronically; (b) disclosure is necessary to conduct a legitimate
business activity related to the cable service and other services we provide to you; (c)
disclosure is required by law, legal process or court order; or (d) disclosure is made to a
governmental entity as authorized under Chapters 119, 121, or 206 of Title 18, United States
Code, except that such disclosure shall not include records revealing subscriber selection of
video programming. Disclosure necessary to conduct a legitimate business activity related to
the services we provide includes, but is not limited to, the release of personally identifiable
information to employees, contractors, and other agents of the company to install, market,
provide and audit cable service; billing and collection services, program guide distributors,
software vendors, program and other service suppliers for audit purposes, our attorneys and
accountants, and strategic partners offering or providing products or services jointly or on behalf
of USA Connections to a third-party purchaser of our cable system assets and/or law
enforcement agencies if necessary for the detection and prosecution of theft of services or other
unauthorized or illegal activities. The frequency of any disclosure of personally identifiable
information varies in accordance with our business needs and activities. Unless you object, from
time to time, we may also disclose your name and address for cable-related mailing lists and
other purposes. We may also provide certain anonymous or aggregated information to third
parties for programming, advertising, and similar purposes. We will not disclose the extent of
your viewing or use of a particular service or the nature of any transaction you may make over
the cable system except on an anonymous or aggregated basis. If you wish to remove your
name from such lists or limit the use of your name at any time, please contact us in writing. If
you have previously notified us, in writing, to remove your name from any mailing list, it is NOT
necessary to notify us again. Please note, USA Connections does not release the names
and addresses of its customers to any third party except as it relates to providing legitimate
cable-related services to our customers. USA Connections may use third parties to deliver
some features and functions of the Service and those third parties may collect or transmit
personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information about you. These third parties
may also have access to preferences you provide to USA Connections to personalize your
service. USA Connections restricts third parties’ use of Your information to the purposes for
which it is disclosed and prohibits third parties from further disclosure or use of Your personally
identifiable information obtained from us whether for that third party’s own marketing purposes
or otherwise. However, some of the third parties that USA Connections contracts with
provide particular services, such as Internet content or software, when you use such services.
You may be providing your name, specific service-related information, and other personally
identifiable information directly to the third party service provider. In such instances, you may
become a customer of a third party directly and accordingly be subject to such third party’s
terms of service and privacy policies and USA Connections will have no control of such
third party’s use of your personally identifiable information. This may occur, for example, when
you link to other websites from our website. Although some of these other sites may be
co-branded with USA Connections and look like USA Connections’ service offerings,
USA Connections is not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. We
encourage You to be aware when You leave our website and read the privacy policies of every
Website that collects personally identifiable information about You, whether the site is
co-branded with USA Connections or not. As noted above, USA Connections also may
disclose your personally identifiable information to governmental agencies or to comply with
valid legal process. Such disclosures may be made pursuant to an administrative subpoena,
warrant, court order, or in our reasonable discretion, in the event of an emergency giving rise to
the threat of serious physical injury. In these situations, USA Connections may be required
to disclose personally identifiable information about a Customer without Customer’s consent
and without notice to the Customer. In response to a subpoena, we may be required to disclose
to the government the following records: Your name and address, records of Your Internet
sessions (including session times and duration), how long You have subscribed to our service
(including start date and the type of service utilized), Your telephone number or other subscriber
account identifying number, including any Internet or network address(es) assigned to You by
our network; and the means and source of Your payment including any credit card or bank
account number. In addition, if we receive a Federal or State search warrant or court order we
may be required to disclose to law enforcement agencies the content of, and other records
relating to, e-mail messages (including attachments to e-mail messages and records relating to
Your e-mail and Internet use), without notice to You. Law enforcement agencies may, by Federal
or State court order, and without notice to you, obtain the right to install a device that monitors
Your Internet and e-mail use, including addresses of mail sent and received. USA
Connections may also use or disclose personally identifiable information about You without
Your consent to protect our customers, employees, or property, in emergency situations, to
enforce our rights in court or elsewhere or directly with You, and for detection of and
enforcement against violations of the Service’s terms of service and policies (including our
Acceptable Use Policy).
USA Connections may also disclose personally identifying
information about you and/or your account at its sole discretion in order to comply with the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act or any other laws, to enforce its Acceptable Use Policy, to
protect the integrity of USA Connections’ network or to protect our other Customers. In such
circumstances, USA Connections may disclose your personal information to private
individuals or to government entities. In some instances where there are valid legal requests for
or orders for disclosure of Your information, we may notify You of the requests or orders, in
which case it may be incumbent upon You to object to or take specific action to prevent or limit
such disclosures.
HOW WE PROTECT THE INFORMATION
We follow standard industry practices and take such actions as are reasonably necessary to
prevent unauthorized access to customers’ personally identifiable information by a person other
than the customer or us. We cannot guarantee, however, that these practices will prevent every
unauthorized attempt to access, use, or disclose personally identifiable information. USA
Connections takes the security of our Customers’ personally identifiable information
seriously. USA Connections takes such actions as are reasonably necessary to prevent
unauthorized access by entities other than USA Connections to personally identifiable
information. USA Connections uses security and/or encryption technology to secure certain
sensitive personally identifiable information when it collects such information over the system.
USA Connections restricts access to its customer database and secures the content by use
of firewalls and other security methods. USA Connections limits access to databases
containing Customers’ personally identifiable information to authorized employees and agents of
USA Connections and other parties identified in the disclosure section above. However, we
cannot guarantee that these practices will prevent every unauthorized attempt to access, use, or
disclose personally identifiable information. Customer Proprietary Network Information
Certification Statement USA Connections enforces the following procedure regarding
protection for our phone customers: Customer Service Representatives are required to verify
the following account information to protect the customer’s CPNI: account holder name,
authorized user names, phone number, address and bill to address, last 4 digits of the account
owner and authorized user’s social security number, and password verification. USA
Connections also enforces the additional standards for our phone customers: We do not sell
or provide any unrelated third party information regarding our customers. All customers are
automatically ‘opted-out’ for consent to disclose CPNI to these unrelated third parties or to any
joint venture partner or independent contractors. On-line access to CPNI is protected by a
password pin number established by the customers and maintained by our carrier. The
password is also setup in our billing system for each phone customer and is required before
providing any information or making any change to the individual’s phone service. Notification to
our customers and law enforcement is provided in instances of breaches of confidentiality. All
Customer Service Representatives and Technical Support staff are trained on the above
requirements. The billing manager audits our phone customers on a routine basis to determine
that all phone customers have a password pin number on file. The CSR and Technical Support
managers routinely listen to staff calls with customers to ensure the above procedures are
maintained. All information kept on our servers are protected by our network firewalls and
maintained by our Information Technology Officer. We also provide internal network security
mechanisms.
HOW LONG INFORMATION IS KEPT
We will maintain information about you for as long as we provide service to you and for a longer
time if necessary for related business activities. Ordinarily, we will keep records for at least
seven (7) years for tax reasons. When information is no longer necessary for our purposes, we
will destroy the information unless there is a court order or a pending legitimate request or
governmental order to inspect or maintain the information.
USE OF “COOKIES”
Cookies are small files stored on a computer’s hard drive to simplify and improve a user’s Web
experience. A website may store information in a cookie about your computer configuration, or
your browser may save a cookie with your user name and password. These allow for more
efficient provision of information to you when you revisit a site and easier access to a website’s
contents. USA Connections also uses cookies to ensure the efficient use of its network.
Some of our business relationships are with vendors who may use cookies (for example, search
engines) or in connection with their own advertisers and other business partners; however, we
have no access to or control over these cookies. Please refer to each of the vendors’ websites
to determine how they utilize cookies. You may access or delete cookies that may be on your
individual computer system. You may also be able to prevent or disable any new cookies on
your computer, but certain websites may not let You visit or perform other functions if cookies
are disabled or prevented. USA Connections has no control over those websites or that
process. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN’S PRIVACY USA Connections is concerned about
Children’s privacy and does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from
anyone under the age of 13 through the Service without verifiable parental consent. At those
specific web pages at which USA Connections collects such information, USA
Connections will provide a special notice or other information describing the additional
privacy protections that may apply. USA Connections urges children to always obtain a
parent or legal guardian’s permission before sending any information about themselves over the
Internet and urges parents and legal guardian’s to be vigilant regarding children’s Internet
usage. Other services or web pages accessed through USA Connections’ Service may
have different policies on collection of information pertaining to children and You should consult
their privacy policies and read their notices if You have any concerns about the collection or use
of such information by those entities.
RIGHT TO REVIEW AND CORRECT THE INFORMATION
You have the right to inspect our records that contain information specifically about you, correct
any error in our information, and enforce your rights under federal law. We will correct our
records if you make a reasonable showing that any of the personally identifiable information we
have collected about you is incorrect. Except for disclosures to a governmental entity as
authorized under Chapters 119, 121, or 206 of Title 18, United States Code or when we are
prohibited from notifying you by a court or administrative order, you generally have a right to
advance notice and an opportunity to participate in a proceeding in which the government seeks
to obtain your personally identifiable information from us. If you wish to inspect the records
pertaining to you at our system office or review your statutory rights, please contact us to set up
an appointment during regular business hours. Federal law limits our collection and disclosure
of personally identifiable information as described above, and an aggrieved party may bring a
private action in a United States District Court to enforce his/her federal rights, including
recovery of statutory damages and costs.
HOW TO PROHIBIT OR LIMIT USE AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
If you do not want your name, address or level of service disclosed to unaffiliated third parties as
explained above, please register this preference by calling 620-326-8989.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING YOUR PRIVACY
You need to help protect the privacy of your own information. You and others who use Your
equipment must not give identifying information to strangers or others whom You are not certain
have a right or need to the information. You also must take precautions to protect the security of
any personally identifiable information that you may transmit over any home networks, wireless
routers, wireless fidelity (WiFi) networks, or similar devices by using encryption and other
techniques to prevent unauthorized persons from intercepting or receiving any of your
personally identifiable information. You are responsible for the security of your information when
using unencrypted, open access or otherwise unsecured networks in your home. USA
Connections will never ask you to provide account sign-in passwords, credit card numbers,
or other sensitive information through unsolicited email. If we request such information from you,
we will always direct you to USA Connections’ website. You should, however, be aware of
imposter websites pretending to be USA Connections’. If you have received email
requesting that you sign in or provide information that you suspect was not sent by USA
Connections, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK IN THE EMAIL, but use your own browser to
go to USA Connections’ site. If you are directed to a website that you do not believe is USA
Connections’, please contact USA Connections at 620-326-8989. USA
Connections will also not ask for your Internet account password over the telephone except
for technical support troubleshooting purposes for which the customer initiates the call.
VIOLATED RIGHTS The Cable Act provides you with a civil cause of action for damages,
attorneys’ fees and costs in Federal District Court should You believe that USA Connections
has violated any of the Cable Act’s limitations on the collection, disclosure, and retention of
personally identifiable information. You may have recourse under other applicable laws as well.
VOICE SERVICE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
USA Connections is dedicated to providing its users with the best voice service available.
As part of its efforts to accomplish that objective, USA Connections has implemented this
Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”), pursuant to which USA Connections may utilize measures
intended to secure its network against unauthorized access and/or abuse, while at the same
time making the network accessible for authorized and legitimate users to the greatest extent
possible. As a USA Connections user, you agree to be bound by the terms of this AUP. The
terms and conditions set forth in this AUP apply in addition to the terms and conditions set forth
in the USA Connections Service Agreement and the USA Connections Privacy Policy.
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this AUP shall have the meanings ascribed to them in
the USA Connections Service Agreement. USA Connections, in its sole and absolute
discretion, may suspend or terminate a user’s access to USA Connections’ network in the
event such user violates or attempts to violate the provisions of this AUP. USA Connections
may act based on any evidence, including usage patterns and previous customer activity, that it
reasonably believes indicates a violation of this AUP. The users of USA Connections’
network are responsible for complying with all applicable local, state, federal, and international
laws, rules, and regulations. Use of USA Connections’ systems or service in connection
with any attempt to break any such laws, rules, or regulations constitutes a violation of this AUP
and may result in prosecution against the offender by the proper authorities. If such an event
should occur, USA Connections will cooperate with the authorities to the fullest extent
permitted in providing information and assisting with the prosecution process.
USA CONNECTIONS MAY REFUSE, DISCONTINUE, OR TERMINATE
VOICE SERVICE UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
For non-compliance with and/or violation of any State or municipal law, ordinance, or regulation
pertaining to the voice service. For the use of voice service for any other location or purpose
than described in the USA Connections Service Agreement, including use of services
intended for residential use for commercial purposes. For use of any equipment or service for
autodialing, continuous or extensive call forwarding, or to connect to any device that permits the
services to be used as an outbound trunk by more than one individual. For use of the service for
telemarketing, fax broadcasting, spam or junk email. For neglect or refusal to provide
reasonable access to USA Connections for the purpose of inspection and maintenance of
equipment owned by USA Connections. For use of equipment for a purpose other than that
for which it is provided, or when its use interferes with or impairs or would interfere with or
impair any other service provided by USA Connections, or in such manner as to adversely
affect USA Connections’ equipment or USA Connections’ service to others. For
tampering with the equipment furnished and owned by USA Connections. In the event of
unauthorized or fraudulent use of service. Whenever service is discontinued for fraudulent use
of service, USA Connections may, before restoring service, require the customer to make,
at his or her own expense, all changes in facilities or equipment necessary to eliminate illegal
use and to pay an amount reasonably estimated as the loss in revenues resulting from such
fraudulent use. For using or permitting the use of obscene, profane, or grossly abusive
language or making or permitting others to make harassing calls over or by means of USA
Connections’ facilities. USA Connections considers Acceptable use to be 3,000
residential minutes per month. Whenever service is discontinued or terminated for violation of
this policy, USA Connections shall notify the customer in writing of the reason for such
refusal, discontinuance, or termination of service. Upon such discontinuance or termination, the
customer shall be responsible for the payment of all charges due, which includes all charges
due for the period service has been rendered plus any unexpired portion of an initial service
period or applicable termination charges, or both. Service shall be initiated or restored when
cause for refusal or discontinuance has been satisfactorily adjusted.
POLICY CHANGES
We regularly review our services, policies, and practices as part of our commitment to improve
the quality of services we provide to our subscribers. We may change these services, policies,
and practices in the future and, if that occurs, we will notify you of any material changes and the
effective date of those changes through written, electronic or other appropriate means as
permitted by law. If you find the change unacceptable, you have the right to cancel your service;
however, if you continue to receive services after the effective date of any change, we will
consider that your acceptance of the change. You may review our current privacy policy at any
time on our website.
PLEASE CONTACT US
If you have a questions or concerns, please call our toll-free telephone number, 620-326-8989,
which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (After-hours calls are routed to an answering
service.) You can also visit the local business office at the address listed in the Contact Us
section on our website. Alternatively, if you wish to put your comments in writing, your letter
should be addressed to USA Connections, 117 W Harvey Avenue, Wellington, Ks 67152.
Or visit our website at www.connectwithusa.com for more information.620-326620.
Our technical support specialists are always ready to help! Please contact us at the first sign of a problem with your internet at 620-326-8989.