Network FAQ

What is network management?

Network management is the reasonable and nondiscriminatory enforcement of network usage policies and the management of bandwidth use and capacity. Network management includes congestion- and security-protocol-management. While maintaining its network, WCTEL is also promoting the dynamic benefits of an open and accessible Internet. So, the broadband experience of WCTEL’s customers will generally not be impacted by the industry-standard network management techniques used by WCTEL.

Which parts of the network does WCTEL manage?

WCTEL manages only the portion of the network that begins on the outside of the customer’s home up to the point where the internet traffic is handed off to the public network. WCTEL does not control the equipment inside the customer premise such as routers, computers, application software, and inside wire, which can affect the performance of the broadband service. WCTEL also does not control the operation of specific websites that may slow down during busy periods or the overall performance of the public internet.

Why does WCTEL manage its network?

WCTEL manages its network in order to provide the ultimate broadband Internet service to its customers. WCTEL acknowledges that bandwidth and network resources are not infinite and must be reasonably confined. In order to bring you the best possible broadband Internet experience, WCTEL enforces network management policies that limit network congestion and delay while ensuring that all Internet content is treated equally and is not unlawfully blocked or degraded. WCTEL’s network management practices are intended to protect the network, and WCTEL’s customers, from network congestion, threats to the network, security attacks, viruses and spam. WCTEL manages its network in a way that is transparent and nondiscriminatory.

How does WCTEL manage its network?

WCTEL has policies in place to ensure that customers are able to access the lawful Internet content of their choice, run the Internet applications of their choice and to promote the continued development of the Internet. WCTEL’s network management practices are nondiscriminatory, application-neutral, and minimally intrusive. WCTEL may use one or more of the following industry standard techniques to manage its network. This list is not exhaustive:

  1. Monitoring the network to identify congestion, security breaches, malware or damage to the network;
  2. Rerouting Internet traffic to relieve congestion;
  3. Additions or upgrades to increase network capacity;
  4. Enforcement of Acceptable Use Policy, Terms and Conditions of Service, and/or Service Agreements against customers abusing the network;
  5. Using security protocols to ensure authentication of customers;
  6. Providing resources to customer’s for identifying and reporting spam, viruses, firewall issues, and phishing schemes;
  7. Filtering spam;
  8. Preventing viruses from harming the network; and
  9. Thwarting denial of service attacks

Network management practices are a necessity to guard against harmful threats to the network such as network congestion, security attacks, excessive spam, and viruses. Reasonable network management practices ensure that you will have the best possible broadband Internet experience.

Will WCTEL’s network management impact my online experience?

WCTEL uses reasonable network management tools and practices that are minimally intrusive to its customers and are consistent with industry standards. In accordance with WCTEL’s policies, Terms and Conditions for Service, Broadband Internet Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”), and the Internet Service Agreement, Customers have agreed to comply with all current bandwidth, data storage, and other limitations on WCTEL’s Broadband Internet services. Thus, WCTEL’s tools and practices will generally impact only users that have violated the terms of WCTEL’s policies, AUP, Terms and Conditions for Service, or the Internet Service Agreement.

What can I expect if I am in violation of WCTEL’s policies, Terms and Conditions of Service, the Broadband Internet AUP or the Internet Service Agreement?

If you, the customer, are in violation of any of the foregoing, the impact to your online experience may include, but will not necessarily be limited to, any one or all of the following:

  1. notification by WCTEL that you are in violation of the company’s policies, terms and conditions or agreement and given a reasonable timeframe in which to take corrective action;
  2. removal or blockage of material that has resulted in the violation including, but not limited to, illegal content;
  3. suspension or delay of the delivery of email if deemed excessive;
  4. filtering of Internet transmissions; and
  5. suspension or termination of your Broadband Internet service account; Customers could also experience longer download or upload times or slower web surfing.

Will I be suspended from the network if I use certain applications?

WCTEL’s reasonable network management tools and practices do not discriminate between applications. They are application-agnostic. Thus, WCTEL will not manage its network congestion or security protocols based on applications being used by its customers on the WCTEL’s broadband Internet service. WCTEL’s network management is based on current network conditions and the aggregate amount of bandwidth being used by customers.

How will I know if my account is suspended because of a violation of WCTEL’s policies, Broadband Internet AUP, Terms and Conditions of Service or Service Agreement?

Generally, you will have received a notification from WCTEL that you have committed a violation and would have been given a period of time during which to take corrective action. If, however, your violation persists, you will discover that you are unable to access the Internet through WCTEL’s Broadband Internet service. You will be unable to surf the web or conduct online activities.

What should I do if my account is suspended?

If your account is suspended, you should contact WCTEL and follow WCTEL’s instructions for reinstating service.

Does WCTEL discriminate against particular types of applications or content?

No. WCTEL does not manage its network based on protocols, activities or applications that a customer uses. Rather, WCTEL’s network management practices focus on current network conditions and the aggregate amount of bandwidth being used by customers.