2025 Annual Customer Rights

Federal Access Charge Changes - The adjustment of a federally approved telephone Subscriber Line Charge and Access Recovery Charge take effect in July and October. 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.

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.

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.

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 to us at Brightspeed Chief Privacy Officer, P.O. Box 1330, 717 McGilvary Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301 to request a printed copy.

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.

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.

Telephone and Broadband Assistance - Brightspeed participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income 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 Do-Not-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.

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/.

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 pay-per-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-of-contact 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.