2024 Annual Customer Rights

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

At Brightspeed, we strive to provide you with quality products at great values, and we want to be sure you understand your rights as a customer, as well as the various rates and charges that are included in your Brightspeed service. Please call us at the number located in the Manage Your Account section of the bill if you have questions about any of this information.

Federal Universal Service Fund Changes – The Federal Universal Service Fund (USF) rate is reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Consequently, you may see changes on your bills in January, April, July and/or October. Brightspeed will apply rate changes on all applicable Brightspeed charges, such as those for the local line, private line, interstate, long-distance interstate and international service. The Federal USF rate and charge are clearly identified on your bill. The effective rate can be found on

https://www.fcc.gov/general/contribution-factor-quarterly-filings-universal-service-fund-usf-management-support.

Federal Access Charge Changes - The annual adjustments of a federally approved telephone Subscriber Line Charge and Access Recovery Charge took effect July 1, 2024. These rates may be reviewed and adjusted in October, as well. These charges cover part of the cost for providing access to and maintenance of your local network. The effective rates can be found on your bill.

Brightspeed Customer Rights

Local Service – Your Brightspeed local telephone service includes dial-tone; access to the longdistance network; any call to 911 emergency services; one white page directory listing; and a telephone directory. As long as you pay all of your local telephone charges, your service cannot be disconnected or interrupted. Brightspeed may require a refundable deposit to establish service.

Local Toll Service – Local toll service (or intraLATA service, or local long-distance service) provides calling to numbers outside your local service calling area.

Toll Call Blocking – You can request that outgoing local toll and long-distance calls be disallowed from your phone. Simply request the services be blocked by Brightspeed (charges may apply).

Long-Distance Service – You have the right to choose your long-distance service (or intrastate and interstate service) provider, subject to availability. Brightspeed provides long-distance service.

Long-Distance Carrier Freeze – You can also request that Brightspeed “freeze” your long-distance carrier, meaning that the carrier cannot be changed without your express permission. If a change in carrier is made that you have not authorized, call Brightspeed or your preferred long-distance provider and report it. Brightspeed will correct the unauthorized change at no charge.

Slamming - Slamming is when one telephone company changes a customer’s telephone service - usually long distance service - to another telephone company without that customer’s permission. Brightspeed is here to offer some helpful tips on how to avoid being a victim of slamming. Initially, you should call your local telephone company and request a “PIC FREEZE” (Preferred Carrier), which will prohibit future changes to your carrier selection until further notice from you. If you receive a call from a telemarketer asking you to change your long distance service and you are happy with your current service, just say that you are not interested and hang up. Don’t verify your name, your spouse’s name, or your address and never give out your Social Security number. Always carefully read the fine print on everything, including any checks, offers for calling cards, sweepstakes, or drawings. If you are slammed, notify your local company to reconnect you to your preferred long distance company at no charge. If the rates charged are higher than your normal rates, you may be entitled to a refund.

Inside Wiring and Telephone Equipment - You are responsible for the maintenance of all telephone equipment and telephone wiring inside your home. Brightspeed offers wire maintenance plans (charges apply).

Payment Responsibility - Your name will appear on the bill for your service, and you are responsible for all charges related to the products, services and other items you have ordered. Partial payments will be allotted first to local telephone services and last to non-local telephone services, unless you direct otherwise.

Call Information Blocking - You may block the display of your telephone number to customers who use our CLASS services (such as Caller ID or Last Call Return). Per-call blocking is free and automatically available to all customers: Simply dial “*67” immediately before placing your call. You may also request free per-line blocking, which will block the display of your number for all calls.

Information About Caller ID “Number Spoofing” - Be aware: a variety of websites and vendors offer services that will let a person make it look like they are calling from any number they want. In this situation, the name or number that displays on the caller ID or similar equipment may not be the information of the calling party. This is often called “number spoofing.” Sometimes it is done for a legitimate purpose, sometimes it is not.

Harassing Phone Calls - If you receive harassing or obscene phone calls, you may call Brightspeed for assistance or consult your local police department. Where available, you may also automatically trace individual harassing or obscene calls by dialing “*57” immediately after receiving one. After you have completed three successful traces to the same number, simply call our Annoyance Call Bureau to let them know. We will send a letter to the address from which the calls were made and, at your request, forward the trace information to your local police department.

Your Rights Regarding Pay-Per-Call Information-Delivery Services - Brightspeed wants to be sure you are informed of your legal rights related to pay-per-call information-delivery services. These are services you generally access through dialing prefixes like “900” or “700” and that charge by the call or by the minute. Pay-per-call services can include recorded telephone messages, interactive programs or other information services. Brightspeed does not provide interstate payper-call services. But we do bill customers in our local service region on behalf of many third-party companies, including interexchange long-distance carriers and billing aggregators. A number of these companies, in turn, bill on behalf of pay-per-call service providers. You have specific rights and responsibilities regarding pay-per-call charges that may appear on any of these various companies’ bill pages within your Brightspeed bill. We are providing this notice in order to explain those rights as described in the federal Telephone Disclosure and Dispute Resolution Act (TDDRA).

To Report a Billing Error - If you believe you have been billed in error for any pay-per-call services, call the toll-free number listed on the bill page where the pay-per-call charge appears no later than 60 days after you receive the bill containing the charges; or 60 days after the goods you ordered were delivered or should have been delivered, whichever is later. When you call, be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your name and telephone number
• The date the disputed charges first appeared on your bill
• The amount of the disputed charges
• A brief explanation of why you believe you were billed in error

If you contact Brightspeed - either directly or because Brightspeed is acting as the first point-ofcontact for a pay-per-call billing entity - about a disputed charge, Brightspeed will credit your bill for the disputed amount and refer the matter and the charges back to the billing entity. That billing entity, or the pay-per-call service provider, may elect to pursue further action, so it is always good to follow-up with the entity billing the charges on behalf of the pay-per call provider to assure full resolution of your matter. 

Response from the Billing Company - In the event you contact the company whose name appears on the bill page where the pay-per-call charge appears, in a timely manner, they must acknowledge your claim in writing within 40 days if they haven’t resolved your claim within that time. This company must also acknowledge that you are not required to pay the disputed charge pending resolution of their investigation. You must still pay the undisputed portion of your bill; failure to pay may result in your access to pay-per-call services being involuntarily blocked and/or collections activity against you. If the disputed amount has already been sent to collections, the collection activity will be suspended. This same company must investigate, within 90 days of your initial complaint, whether or not the disputed charges are valid. If there was a billing error, the billing company will let you know and will adjust the charges as appropriate. If the charges have been referred to collections, the collections activity will stop. If the billing company determines the charges were not billed in error, you will receive a written explanation detailing how that conclusion was reached, how much you owe, and the date by which you must pay it. Failure to pay could lead to collection activity. If you continue to dispute the charges, the billing company should not report you as delinquent without also reporting that you continue to dispute the charges.

Compliance - Any long-distance carrier or billing aggregator acting as a billing agent for a pay-percall service provider that does not comply with the federal rules may not collect the first $50 of any disputed pay-per-call transaction - regardless of whether or not the disputed charges are discovered to be correct.

Additional Customer Rights - You have a right not to be billed for pay-per call services that do not comply with federal laws and regulations. Your local telephone service cannot be disconnected if you do not pay for pay-per-call services. You may request a block to prevent access to pay-percall services from your phone line. Brightspeed will provide the block, where feasible, at no charge to you.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

Dial 7-1-1 or Special Toll-Free Numbers Listed in Your Telephone Directory

Telecommunications Relay Service is a free telephone service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to place and receive telephone calls using standard telephone equipment or telephone equipment designed for individuals with disabilities. To use Relay dial one of the toll free numbers listed in your telephone directory, or simply dial 7-1-1. A specially trained Communications Assistant (CA) will answer your call and relay the telephone conversation between you and the party you are calling. All call information and conversations are confidential. Relay service is available 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Long-distance calls placed for you can be billed to your existing long-distance service calling plan, collect, or with the use of a pre-paid calling card, carrier calling card, or third-party billing.

Types of TRS Calls

Computer (ASCII): users can access Relay Service by setting the communications software to the following protocols: speeds ranging from 300 to 2400 baud: 8 Bits, No Parity; 1 Stop Bit; Full Duplex. For speeds at or below

300 baud, follow the above using Half Duplex.

Hearing-Carry-Over (HCO): HCO allows hearing individuals with very limited or no speech capability to type his or her conversation for the Communications Assistant to read aloud to the hearing person. The HCO user hears the other party’s response. HCO requires a specially designed telephone.

Internet Protocal (IP) Relay: Connect to the relay using your computer or other web device. The Communications Assistant handles the call the same as a traditional relay call - “voicing” or reading everything you type to the other party - and typing everything the other party says for you to read on your screen.

Spanish Relay: Spanish speaking persons with a hearing or speech disability are able to make relay calls. This is not a translation service – both parties must speak Spanish, and at least one party must have a hearing or speech disability.

Speech-to-Speech (STS): STS allows a person who has difficulty speaking or being understood on the phone to communicate using his or her own voice or voice synthesizer. The Communications Assistant revoices the words of the person with the speech disability so the person on the call can understand them. No special telephone is required.

Text Telephone (TTY): Allows anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled to use a TTY to communicate with anyone using a standard telephone.

Video Relay Service (VRS): Allows natural telephone communication between Sign Language and standard telephone users. This service requires high-speed internet service such as DSL, cable modem, or mobile broadband modem.

Voice-Carry-Over: VCO enables people who have difficulty hearing on the phone to voice their conversations directly to the hearing person. The CA then types the hearing person’s response to the VCO user. (Requires a special telephone with text display.)

Voice/Standard Telephone: A hearing person may use a standard telephone to place a relay call and easily converse with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP): VoIP customers can access the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) by dialing 7-1-1 or using the toll-free number listed in your telephone directory.

Captioned Telephone Relay

CapTel uses a telephone with a text display screen to allow a person who is hard of hearing to see word-for-word captions of what the other party on the call is saying, while also listening to what is being said using their residual hearing (much like TV captioning). The CapTel user speaks directly to the other person on the call, and the CA uses voice recognition technology to repeat what the other party says, which is then transmitted as text to the user’s specialized CapTel phone.

TTY Users and Emergency Assistance (“9-1-1”)

TTY callers should dial 9-1-1 directly. All 9-1-1 centers are equipped to handle TTY calls. Using Relay for 9-1-1 may result in a delay to getting your urgent message through. For more information about TRS, please go to the following URL: https://www.brightspeed.com/aboutus/community/programs-for-customers-with-disabilities/.

Monitoring and Recording of Calls with Brightspeed Business Offices and Other Brightspeed Representatives

Please remember, when you call Brightspeed for sales, service, or repair issues, Brightspeed may monitor or record those calls for quality assurance or training purposes. Additionally, when a Brightspeed customer service representative or repair technician calls you, those calls too may be monitored or recorded for the same purpose. Please inform all members of your household or business who may be in contact with Brightspeed of this information.

Privacy - Brightspeed is committed to maintaining our customers' privacy. Like most companies, we collect information about our customers and use it to provide our services. We also share it as needed to meet our business goals or fulfill our legal obligations. We protect the information we have about our customers, and we require those we share it with to protect it too. Our Privacy Notice describes the information we collect, how we use and share it, the choices you have about our use and sharing, and the steps we take to protect it. You can find our Privacy Notice here https://www.brightspeed.com/privacy-notice. If you are unable to access the Internet, write us at Brightspeed Chief Privacy Officer, P.O. Box 1330, 717 McGilvary Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301 to request a printed copy.

Telephone and Broadband Assistance - Brightspeed participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible lowincome individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.

A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs. If you live in a Brightspeed service area, visit

https://www.brightspeed.com/aboutus/community/lifeline/ for additional information about applying for these programs or call the customer service number on your bill with questions.

Annual Customer Do-Not-Call Notification - The federal government established a national DoNot-Call Registry where consumers can register their residential telephone number(s) (including wireless) for free and it will remain on the national Do-Not-Call Registry until you remove or discontinue it. Consumers can register their numbers from the phone number they wish to register by telephone at 1 888-382-1222 or through the Internet at www.donotcall.gov. TTY users should call 1-866-290-4236.

8-1-1 Call Before You Dig - Digging into underground telephone, electric, gas or water lines can disrupt service to your area or could cause serious injury and you could be charged substantial fines. For peace of mind, please call 8-1-1 at least two business days before digging up your property. This is a free service.