Policies & Information

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Sprout Fiber Internet Legal Policies

Cullman Electric Cooperative, DBA Sprout Fiber Internet, reserves the right to modify these policies at any time. We will notify you of any material changes via written, electronic, or other means permitted by law, including by posting it on our website. If you find the changes unacceptable, you have the right to cancel the Services. If you continue to use the Services after receiving notice of such changes, we will consider that as your acceptance of the changes.

Current as of 11-2025

This Service Agreement (“Agreement”) describes certain terms and conditions under which Cooperative Connection, LLC (dba “SPROUT FIBER INTERNET”) will provide fiber optic broadband services (the “Service”) to Subscribers. By accepting Service from Cooperative Connection, LLC d/b/a SPROUT FIBER INTERNET, you agree to these terms and conditions, and understand they are legally binding.

1. TERMS OF SERVICE AND COMPLIANCE. The Subscriber agrees to comply with all terms contained within this Agreement and to comply with SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s policies, rules, and price schedules related to the Service. This Agreement, along with SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s policies, rules, and price schedules, are collectively referred to herein as the “Terms of Service.” The Terms of Service are binding to the Subscriber. The Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Terms of Service may change from time to time, following the posting of such changes, and as amended, will remain binding. The Subscriber’s use of the Service shall be deemed acknowledgment that the Subscriber has read and agreed to all the Terms of Service, including all amendments.

2. OWNERSHIP OF THE SERVICE LOCATION. The Subscriber represents that they lawfully own the real property at which the Subscriber is to receive the Service (the “Service Location”) or that the Subscriber has the written permission of such owner(s) to enter into this Agreement.

3. BILLING AND PAYMENT. The Subscriber agrees to pay all current and future rates, fees, deposits, and other charges related to the Service, including installation fees (if applicable) covering non-standard installation for data connections, phone lines (if applicable), and Wi-Fi extenders (if applicable). Any taxes, fees, or other assessments imposed by cities, towns, counties, or other governmental entities shall be passed along to those Subscribers receiving services within those jurisdictions.

a) PAYMENT SCHEDULE. The Subscriber agrees that failure to pay all rates, fees, and charges may result in termination of the Service and SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s immediate collection of all amounts owed. One month’s service charges and installation fee (if applicable) are due upon scheduling of the installation. The first billing statement will include the upcoming month’s service plus the prorated amount for the bill for the month of installation. The initial payment shall be applied to the prorated portion of the month in which the Subscriber received service and the first full month of service. The billing period covers the first day through the last day of the month. The bill will be generated on the first business day of each month and will have a due date of the 15th of the same month. Payment is required even in the event the electronic or mailed statement is not received by the Subscriber. A late fee of 5% of the total due will be assessed if the account is not paid in full by the 20th of the same month. Accounts not paid in full on the 15th of the following month will be disconnected on the next business day. If the account is disconnected for non-payment, the account must be made current before services will be reconnected. Accounts not made current by the 20th of the month will be inactivated and charged for all unreturned equipment. Inactivate accounts with a balance due are subject to collection.

b) COLLECTIONS. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET uses a third-party agent to collect unpaid balances from subscribers. The Subscriber gives express written consent, by agreement of the Terms of Service, to be contacted by direct mail, email, text message, or telephone call, including wireless telephone numbers, associated with the account holder. Contact methods may include prerecorded or artificial voice messages and/or the use of an automatic dialing device, as applicable. Collection fees, if any, will be applied to the account subject to collection. CULLMAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (“CEC”) and SPROUT FIBER INTERNET reserve the right to use any and all information, including information collected by CEC, regarding the Subscriber’s accounts in the collection process.

c) MAILED STATEMENT. Subscribers who opt to receive their bill by postal mail will be assessed a $2 fee each month a statement is mailed. Subscribers may change their billing method at any time.

d) FAILURE OF PAYMENT. A $30 fee and penalties (if applicable) will be applied to accounts when a payment made by check, ACH, or credit/debit is returned or declined for insufficient funds, closed/invalid accounts, or any other reason. For returned check or ACH transactions, Subscribers must make an alternate payment by cash, credit card, cashier’s check, or money order. For declined credit/debit card transactions, Subscribers must pay with an alternate form of payment. If alternate payment is not received before the due date, the account will be subject to late fees and disconnection without further notice. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET reserves the right to require alternate forms of payment for accounts that have had a failure of payment.

e) ACCOUNT BALANCE. Accounts with a positive balance are eligible for a refund 10 days after inactivation. Refund checks over $10 will be automatically mailed to the Subscriber’s mailing address on record. Refund checks under $10 will be mailed to the Subscriber’s mailing address on record when requested by the Subscriber.

4. TERM OF AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION. The determination of whether a Subscriber is a residential Subscriber or a commercial Subscriber shall be solely within the discretion of SPROUT FIBER INTERNET. Said determination may be made based upon the location of the Service, the nature and character of the Service requirements, or the volume of internet activity requested or used. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET monitors accounts and reserves the right to change the type of account of individual Subscribers based upon the characteristics of the account. The Router/Gateway, wireless extender(s), if any, and Optical Network Terminal (“ONT”) on the Subscriber’s premises remain the property of SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and the CEC, respectively, and must be returned to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET upon cancellation or discontinuation of the Service in accordance with this Agreement. It is the Subscriber’s responsibility to return the equipment to CEC. A technician will not be sent to retrieve equipment when a Subscriber terminates the Service. Should the Subscriber fail to return all requested equipment in good working condition to CEC, then the value of the equipment, which was added to the Subscriber’s account at the time the account was inactivated, will also be subject to collection. It is the Subscriber’s responsibility to provide a forwarding address for final billing purposes.

a) RESIDENTIAL SUBSCRIBER. Residential Subscriber agreements for no fixed term, and the Subscriber can cancel the Service at any time.

b) COMMERCIAL SUBSCRIBER. Commercial Subscriber agreements are for a fixed term as outlined in the contract for service and may range from a twelve-month term up to a sixty-month term. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET may require some owners of business entities to execute guaranty agreements guaranteeing the payment of those accounts.

5. TERMINATION BY COOPERATIVE CONNECTION, LLC/SPROUT FIBER INTERNET. Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, SPROUT FIBER INTERNET may terminate or decline to provide the Service to the Subscriber at any time for non-payment or for any other breach of the Terms of Service within the discretion of SPROUT FIBER INTERNET or for any other reason. Should the Service be terminated by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET, the Subscriber shall be responsible for returning equipment and paying any outstanding balance on the account as provided in this Agreement.

6. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. The Subscriber agrees not to use the Service in a way prohibited by the Terms of Service or by local, state, or federal law, including but not limited to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property laws.

7. GRANT OF EASEMENT. As a condition of receiving the Service, and without financial compensation, the Subscriber grants to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and CEC (or, at SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s direction, to a third party) a perpetual commercial communications easement on and through the Service Location to provide data and voice services on transport fiber, distribution fiber, and service extension fiber, if applicable, for service to both the Subscriber and to other subscribers, and to perform necessary maintenance, service upgrades, and periodic right-of-way maintenance. If the electric utility facilities cross the Service Location, these easements will generally, but are not required to, follow those facilities. If SPROUT FIBER INTERNET needs, for any reason, to deviate from the path of power to provide proper installation and service, the Subscriber grants to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and CEC (or, at SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s direction, to a third party) an additional perpetual commercial communications easement.

8. INSTALLATION PROCESS. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET will use best practices when installing a fiber service drop to the Subscriber’s premises.

Standard residential installation is only for permanent residential dwellings that are climate-controlled and have hard-wired permanent power service. Service to campers, RVs, barns, sheds, docks, etc., is a non-standard installation. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET reserves the right to serve or not serve non-standard installation locations. Additional fees and charges may apply to any non-standard installation.

In some instances, the construction necessary to provide service exceeds standard installation expense. Examples include, but are not limited to, boring under roads and driveways, boring through rock, and span lengths over 1,500 feet. In such cases, an aid to construction fee may apply. The subscriber must pay the aid to construction cost prior to construction.

Proper installation may require drilling through interior and/or exterior walls to run wire and install both outside and interior equipment. The Subscriber consents to the installation process. To ensure optimal Wi-Fi coverage, additional equipment may be necessary, and additional charges will apply. A custom Wi-Fi solution may be required for homes over 3,500 sq. ft. or with non-standard configurations or construction.

Subscribers renting, leasing, or having permission to occupy the Service Location must have the Landlord/Manager or Property owner’s written permission for installation prior to the Service drop construction and the arrival of the SPROUT FIBER INTERNET installer for the installation.

No one is required to be present for the Service drop installation, so prior notification of this step will not be provided unless an issue is encountered. It shall be the Subscriber’s responsibility to notify SPROUT FIBER INTERNET if a desired route is requested. It is also the responsibility of the Subscriber to notify SPROUT FIBER INTERNET if easement equipment (i.e., sprinklers, underground pet fences, etc.) are installed on the Subscriber’s premises. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET, or its contractors, employees, and/or agents, may call 811 in attempting to locate underground obstructions. The Subscriber understands that not all underground obstructions or utilities may be detectable. The Subscriber understands that the search for and/or locating of underground obstructions can delay installation.

On the day of installation, an authorized adult over 18 years of age must be present for the entire installation process. If the Subscriber or an authorized adult over 18 years of age is not present at the time of installation, the installation appointment will be rescheduled. The account is subject to a rescheduling fee of $50 ($100 for Commercial Accounts).

Once the Service has been installed, it is the Subscriber’s responsibility to maintain and make accessible to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET service personnel the area where the equipment is installed. If damage to the equipment is caused by the Subscriber, either intentionally or unintentionally, the Subscriber is responsible for paying for repairs, replacement equipment, and may be subject to additional fees. Examples include, but are not limited to, pests/animals, water/fire, remodeling/construction, or landscaping/outdoor maintenance.

Once the Service has been installed, if the Subscriber requests the equipment be relocated or permanently removed, the Subscriber may be responsible for paying for such work.

9. SERVICE LEVEL GUARANTEES. The Subscriber understands and agrees that SPROUT FIBER INTERNET does not guarantee that any particular amount of bandwidth on the Service will be made available to the Subscriber or that any speed or throughput of the Subscriber’s connection to the Service will be available to the Subscriber. The Service is subject to both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance outages; however, SPROUT FIBER INTERNET will strive to minimize the impact of scheduled maintenance outages. The Subscriber understands that the Service requires electricity at the Service Location and, if an electrical outage occurs, the Service (which may include telephone) will not function.

The Subscriber’s SPROUT FIBER INTERNET Service is provided by a Gigabit Passive Optical Network (“GPON”/“XGSPON”) and an ONT, which is powered by plugging it into an electrical wall outlet. In the event of an electrical outage, the Router/Gateway will not receive power. If this were to happen, the Subscriber’s phone Service, including any medical or security alert systems, like E911, will not be available to the Subscriber unless the ONT and phone are powered by an Uninterruptible Power Supply (“UPS”). If the Subscriber has a medical alert system or security equipment, they are strongly encouraged to utilize and maintain a battery backup. It is the responsibility of the Subscriber to provide, maintain, monitor, and/or replace the battery backup.

10. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s equipment is designed to be used on the premises in which the Service is installed. The equipment that SPROUT FIBER INTERNET installs is the property of SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and CEC. In the event that the Subscriber relocates, or if the Service is disconnected or terminated for any reason, the Subscriber must return the Router/Gateway, ONT, and, if applicable, any wireless extender(s) or other equipment, including power cords, to the CEC offices. If the units are not returned or are damaged by the Subscriber at any point during service, a minimum of $100 per piece fee will be assessed to cover the cost of such equipment. The Subscriber assumes the risk of loss, theft, or damage to the equipment at all times prior to the removal of the units by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET or return of the units by the Subscriber.

11. SUBSCRIBER EQUIPMENT. The Subscriber is responsible for maintaining the wiring and all other applicable devices that the Service Location needs to utilize. The Subscriber is responsible for meeting and complying with the minimum computer, device, and system requirements established by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and contained herein.

If the Subscriber elects to use their own Wi-Fi router, the router model must be approved by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET. The Subscriber will be responsible for the Wi-Fi network. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET will only provide support for the ONT and will not provide Wi-Fi technical support in this application. If a SPROUT FIBER INTERNET technician is sent to the Subscriber’s home or business and the problem was caused by the Subscriber’s Wi-Fi equipment, then a $50 fee ($100 for Commercial accounts) will be applied to the Subscriber’s account.

12. RECONNECT FEE: Subscribers whose account has been voluntarily disconnected or involuntarily disconnected for non-payment or violations of the Terms of Service may be subject to a reconnection fee.

13. TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Subscribers have access to technical support by calling 256-737-3200, option 5, option 3. On-site technical support is limited to business hours and will be scheduled with the Subscriber. Unless otherwise provided by the Terms of Service, SPROUT FIBER INTERNET does not provide technical support or assistance with third-party hardware or software.

14. PRIVATE NETWORK. The Subscriber agrees and understands that SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and CEC may utilize the wireless component in the ONT or Router/Gateway in order to extend coverage of a private network for internal or external use, independent of the Subscriber’s network or services, which will not impede or restrict access to the Subscriber’s services.

15. SUBSCRIBER IDENTIFICATION. The Subscriber agrees to provide the Subscriber’s full legal name, date of birth, social security number, and a copy of the Subscriber’s Driver’s License to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET. Acceptable alternate forms of identification are state-issued ID cards or a United States Passport.

If applicable, the Subscriber agrees to provide a Federal Tax Identification Number for the associated entity and/or the guarantor’s full legal name, date of birth, and a copy of the guarantor’s Driver’s License to SPROUT FIBER INTERNET.

16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. The Subscriber agrees that in the event of a loss of service due to defective software or equipment provided by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET, the Subscriber’s sole remedy shall be the replacement and repair of any such defective software or equipment provided by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET. Except as expressly stated in the preceding sentence, SPROUT FIBER INTERNET, its officers, operating managers, owners, parent company, employees, affiliates, and agents (“SPROUT FIBER INTERNET Parties”) will not be liable for any interruptions in service or the effects therefrom, or liable for any delay or failure to perform, nor for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages that arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the Service provided hereunder, including without limitation business interruption, lost profits, computer failure or malfunction, any damages for loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries or service interruptions. In no event shall the SPROUT FIBER INTERNET Parties have any liability for special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages relating to the equipment or resulting from SPROUT FIBER INTERNET furnishing or failing to furnish any services or equipment to the Subscriber or from any fault, failure, deficiency or defect in services or equipment furnished to the Subscriber.

17. NO WARRANTY. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET DOES NOT WARRANT UNINTERRUPTED USE OF THE SERVICE, NOR DOES IT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR FREE OF ANY VIRUSES, WORMS, MALWARE, SPAM, POP-UP ADVERTISING, SPYWARE, ADWARE, DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACKS OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET DOES NOT WARRANT THAT ANY DATA OR FILES THE SUBSCRIBER SENDS OR RECEIVES VIA THE SERVICE WILL BE TRANSMITTED IN UNCORRUPTED FORM, WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME, OR FREE FROM UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS BY OTHERS OR THAT OTHER USERS WILL BE UNABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE SUBSCRIBER’S INFORMATION. THE SERVICE AND SPROUT FIBER INTERNET EQUIPMENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS-IS” BASIS AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, FOR THE SERVICE, EQUIPMENT, AND SOFTWARE SPROUT FIBER INTERNET PROVIDES, AND SPROUT FIBER INTERNET EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE REGARDING THE SPROUT FIBER INTERNET EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR ANY SERVICE FURNISHED TO THE SUBSCRIBER, ALL OF WHICH WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.

18. INDEMNITY. The Subscriber shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless SPROUT FIBER INTERNET and CEC, along with their directors, officers, employees, affiliates, and agents, from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, attorney’s fees, and expenses relating to or arising from the Subscriber’s breach of the Terms of Service.

19. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s rights and obligations under this Agreement shall accrue to and inure to the benefit of SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s corporate parent, affiliates, successors, and assigns. The Subscriber may not sell, transfer, or assign this Agreement to a third party without SPROUT FIBER INTERNET’s prior written consent.

20. JURISDICTION. The Subscriber agrees that exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or dispute with SPROUT FIBER INTERNET or CEC relating to this Agreement or any other Terms of Service shall be in the courts of Alabama and that this Agreement shall be governed by Alabama law. If legal action is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms of this Agreement or compel performance thereof, the substantially prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled.

21. CONSENT TO COMMUNICATIONS. The Subscriber consents to receive communications from SPROUT FIBER INTERNET relating to the Service by any commercially reasonable method, including regular U.S. mail, email, text messages, and phone calls. The Subscriber may opt out of non-emergency or non-billing communications by contacting the SPROUT FIBER INTERNET office. The Subscriber is responsible for maintaining accurate account information, including valid information such as 911 Service Location, USPS mailing address, telephone numbers, including opt-in/opt-out to text message notifications, and email addresses. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET will use the contact information on the account and is not responsible for any failure to receive communication due to inaccurate contact information or blocking methods imposed by the Subscriber.

22. SECURITY. The Subscriber agrees that using the Service presents certain security risks that may enable other Internet users to gain access to or use of the Subscriber’s equipment or information. The Subscriber is solely responsible for taking all appropriate security measures when using the Service and agrees that neither SPROUT FIBER INTERNET nor CEC, nor their officers, employees, affiliates, or agents, shall be responsible for security or information breaches. The Subscriber agrees that SPROUT FIBER INTERNET may block traffic to and from any source, including, without limitation, the deletion of any electronic mail, as it deems necessary to secure its network and/or eliminate spam.

When speaking to a representative for technical or billing support, Subscribers will be required to authenticate their identity by providing their account name, full service address, and six-digit account number. Subscribers may also be asked to provide a valid PIN (Personal Identification Number), Date of Birth, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number. Representatives will only discuss account details with the authenticated account holder and those persons listed on the account as authorized by the Subscriber, who are also subject to account authentication measures.

23. AMENDMENT OF TERMS OF SERVICE. SPROUT FIBER INTERNET reserves the right to modify the Terms of Service at any time by posting changes on the company website. The Subscriber’s continued use of the Service following online notice of such modification shall be deemed to be the Subscriber’s acceptance of any such modification. If the Subscriber does not agree to any modification of the Terms of Service, the Subscriber must immediately cease using the Service and notify SPROUT FIBER INTERNET that the Subscriber is terminating the Service.

24. ADDITIONAL POLICIES AND CONSUMER EDUCATION MATERIALS: Internet service accounts are also subject to other policies and conditions as mandated by law and as adopted by SPROUT FIBER INTERNET or CULLMAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE. These policies and consumer education materials will remain posted on the company website.

By accepting the Terms of Service, the Subscriber acknowledges these additional policies and notifications and agrees to adhere to the requirements as outlined.

This Agreement constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the Subscriber with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, with respect to such subject matter. If any term or provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement. This Agreement is binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Installers and the Subscriber and their respective successors and assigns. All matters arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Alabama without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule. Any claim or cause of action arising under this Agreement may be brought only in the state courts located in Cullman, Lawrence, Morgan, or Winston County, Alabama and the Subscriber hereby consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts.

The Service Agreement may be electronically signed by the Subscriber by checking a box on the SPROUT FIBER INTERNET registration website, verbal acknowledgment of said Agreement in the presence of a SPROUT FIBER INTERNET agent, or by signing the commercial service contract. The continued use of SROUT FIBER INTERNET is an acknowledgment that the Subscriber has read and agrees to all the Terms of Service in this Agreement.

Cullman Electric Cooperative and Sprout Fiber Internet are equal-opportunity providers and employers.

Current as of 11-2024

In keeping with our commitment to be your most trusted provider of voice communications and broadband services, herein referred to as “Services”, we are reminding you of how we protect your Customer Proprietary Network Information (“CPNI”) and how we may collect, use, and share your Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”) in connection with our Services. We are giving you clear, prior notice of how your data will be protected, used and shared. We encourage you to read other important customer education materials on our website https://www.sproutfiberinternet.com and to contact Customer Service at sprout@cullmanec.com or 256-737-3200 should you have any questions or concerns.

Information We Collect and Use
Generally, we collect and use your PII to provide the Services you subscribe to and to render invoices. We collect PII, such as subscriber name, service and mailing addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security number, driver’s license number, email address, billing and payment records, date of birth, or other information to identify, contact, or locate you. We may also collect demographic and usage information about you and other subscribers as a group to respond to industry regulatory compliance reporting and filing requirements.

Internet Services
Like most Internet service providers, we automatically collect and store Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (an identifier given to your connection while online), the volume of and types of data transmitted and received through your service, device types used, Internet connection performance, modem, gateway, and other device MAC addresses, and connection dates and times. We may also collect and store other usage statistics, such as the volume of data transmitted by certain protocols, devices, and services, to help us understand how our network is used, to provide users insight into your household Internet usage, and to improve the Services we offer. We monitor our network and collect telemetry and other data to measure the quality of our Internet service, and to help us troubleshoot and diagnose service issues. We also monitor our network for security, malware, and fraud prevention purposes.

We don’t share the contents of your online communications unless required by law or legal process. We may retain and provide such communications to others if we are legally required or compelled to do so.

Internet DNS Privacy
The Domain Name System is an integral part of the internet, providing a way to link host names to specific IP addresses. The DNS platform is optimized and configured to help you get the best possible experience from your Internet service. We do not share DNS data with any third party except in limited instances where anonymized or aggregated data is necessary for cybersecurity, DNS analytics, reporting, and research purposes. Following aggregation, the retained or transferred data does not contain any personally identifiable information or data that we believe could be combined or correlated to identify a user or their behavior.

Telephone Services
In procuring telephone services, we collect usage information, including calls made and received and their duration. We treat this information as private and access and/or disclosure is only made in compliance with Federal CPNI Regulations. We monitor and record calls with our customer care agents for quality, training, and analytics purposes. For more information on how we treat customer proprietary network information, see the Customer Proprietary Network Information Policy posted on our website.

Communicating with You
We may communicate with you online, including in-browser notifications, concerning maintenance, security, and fraud prevention issues, as well as information from us that you may be interested in. If you prefer, you may opt out of marketing emails to a specific address by notifying us in response to the email you receive, through the “unsubscribe” link found at the bottom of the email. We may send communications through text messages to the extent you have opted in or as permitted by law.

Special Exceptions
We reserve the right to disclose identifying information or data if we have a good faith belief it is necessary to: (1) comply with the law or legal process; (2) protect our network, rights, or property or those of others; (3) respond to fraud, abuse or unauthorized reception or access; (4) enforce our Policies; or (5) act in an emergency to protect your safety or that of another person.

Information We Must Disclose for Legal Purposes
We routinely receive legal requests in the form of a warrant or subpoena for customer information from government and law enforcement personnel. We also receive discovery requests in civil cases. We cooperate by providing the information required by law or as compelled by legal processes.

Child Pornography
We work closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other groups to eliminate child pornography on the Internet. The law requires us to report any evidence of apparent child pornography and we may share your protected Services data in connection therewith.

Third Party Security Precautions
Our Subscription Services may include or link to third-party websites, apps, ads, locations, platforms, code (e.g., plug-ins, application programming interfaces (“APIs”), and software development kits (“SDKs”), or other services (“Third-Party Service(s)”). These Third-Party Services may use their own cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technology to independently collect information about you and may solicit all manner of data from you.

Third-Party Services include third-party content provider apps and links that enable you to access Third-Party Services via our Subscription Services (“Content Services”). When you access those Third-Party Services in this manner, you are interacting directly with the Third-Party Service even if you have not closed out of our Subscription Services. These third-party data collections are not to be considered a disclosure by Sprout Fiber and when you use Third-Party Services, including Social Features, Content Services and Third-Party Networks, we are merely facilitating your access to those services, and you are subject to the data collection and use practices and privacy policies of the Third-Party Services and we are not responsible for their data practices. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with and consult their privacy policies and terms of use.

Taking Proper Security Precautions
Our Subscription Services are intended for use by a general audience and account holders must be of the age of majority or emancipated minors. We do not intend to or knowingly collect personal information (as the term is defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”)) from children under the age of 13. If you believe your child may have provided us with their personal information, you can contact us, and we will delete their personal information to the extent required by COPPA.

FCC Do Not Call List
The national Do Not Call list protects home voice or personal wireless phone numbers. You can register your numbers on the national Do Not Call list by phone or on the Internet at no cost.

To register via the Internet, go to https://www.donotcall.gov/
To register by phone, call 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). You must call from the phone number you wish to register.

1. POLICY

Sprout Fiber Internet complies with the laws and regulations applicable to copyright infringements.

Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), Copyright Owners may notify a Service Provider, such as Sprout Fiber Internet of alleged copyright infringement carried out on the Service Provider’s network.

As required by the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Act of 1998 (17 U.S.C. § 512), this policy reserves the right for Sprout Fiber Internet to terminate the internet service of subscribers who repeatedly infringe copyrights.

2. PROCEDURES

When Sprout Fiber Internet receives a notification of copyright infringement, the following steps will be taken:

A. First Warning

A letter will be sent to the Subscriber notifying them of their copyright infringement and violation of Sprout Fiber Internet’s Acceptable Use Policy. This letter will also inform the subscriber that Sprout Fiber Internet may suspend or terminate service if another violation occurs within a 12-month period (Attachment A).

B. Second Warning

If there is a second offense within a 12-month period, a second warning letter will be sent to the Subscriber notifying them of their copyright infringement and violation of Sprout Fiber Internet’s Acceptable Use Policy. This letter will also inform the Subscriber that Sprout Fiber Internet may suspend or terminate service if the violation continues (Attachment B).

C.Third Warning

If there is a third offense within a 12-month period, a third warning letter will be sent to the Subscriber notifying them of their copyright infringement and violation of Sprout Fiber Internet’sAcceptable Use Policy. This letter will also inform the Subscriber that should another violation occur, their service will be suspended (Attachment C).

D.Notice of Suspension

If there is a fourth offense within a 12-month period, a Notice of Suspension will be sent to the Subscriber (both mail & email) notifying them of their copyright infringement and violation of Sprout Fiber Internet’s Acceptable Use Policy, and that their service is being suspended for five (5) days. The Subscriber must immediately remove or disable the copyrighted material. (Attachment D).

E.Notice of Termination

If there is another violation within a 12-month period after the account was suspended, Sprout Fiber Internet will send a Notice of Termination to the Subscriber via Certified Mail, and to the Subscriber’s email address on file. This notice will inform the Subscriber that their service has been terminated effective the date of the letter and that all equipment is to be returned to Sprout Fiber Internet within ten business (10) days to avoid additional charges. The Subscriber may reapply for services after a period of six (6) months has expired (Attachment E)

Sprout Fiber Internet reserves the right to act immediately and with or without notice to suspend or terminate services in response to a court order or other legal requirement that certain conduct is stopped, or when Sprout Fiber Internet determines that the conduct may:

•Expose Sprout Fiber Internet to sanctions, prosecution or civil action;
•Cause harm to or interfere with the integrity of normal operations of Sprout Fiber Internet’s network or facilities;
•Interfere with another person’s use of Sprout Fiber Internet Services or the internet;
•Damage or disparage the reputation of Sprout Fiber Internet or its services; or
•Otherwise present a risk of harm to Sprout Fiber Internet or Sprout Fiber Internet’s subscribers, its employees, officers, directors, agents, or other representatives.

3. RECORDS RETENTION

All copyright infringement letters, notifications and supporting documentation shall be kept secured for a period of five (5) years. Data is to include the Subscriber’s account number, a notice of copyright infringement from the Copyright Owner, and date of notification to the Subscriber.

4. RESPONSIBILITY

Sprout Fiber Internet’s CPNI Compliance Officer shall be responsible for the Copyright Infringement Policy and Procedures and records retention.

Current as of 02/23/24

Backup Power for Home Phone Services during Power Outages

For many years, your home phone would allow you to stay connected to emergency voice services during a power outage. However, many of today’s advanced home phone services require backup battery power to continue functioning during an outage. To avoid a disruption of home voice service during an outage – and to maintain the ability to connect to 911 emergency services — we offer the option of purchasing backup power for your home phones.

What Your Battery Can – and Can’t – Do for You

Backup batteries for telephone modems allow you to continue to use your home voice services during a power outage. Without a backup battery or alternate backup source such as a generator, customers will not be able to make any calls, including emergency calls to 911. The only way to maintain the ability to use your phone is by using some form of backup power. Our backup battery does not provide power to any services other than voice. Home security systems, medical monitoring devices and other equipment will not run on a home phone backup battery.

Purchase and Replacement Options

If you are concerned about being able to contact 911 emergency serSprout Fiber Internet is approximately 6 pounds and is roughly 6” (H) x 7” (W) x 3” (D). This backup battery can be wall-mounted or sit stationary on your desktop.

Our 24-hour backup batteries are sold at retail cost (up to $200) and can be purchased directly through Sprout Fiber Internet. Once purchased, a Sprout Fiber Internet technician will come install it in your home for free. If you have any questions or simply want to purchase a backup battery through us, please call 256-737-3200.

Expected Backup Power Duration

Backup batteries are expected to last at least 24 hours on standby power and provide you 24 hours of talk time.

Instructions for Proper Care and Use of Your Battery

Please follow the more detailed instructions included with your battery for proper use, storage and care of your battery to ensure that it will function as needed during a power outage. If you do not store your battery correctly, it may shorten its useful life. Environmental factors such as temperature can shorten your battery’s useful life. We recommend that you store your battery above 22°F and below 110°F. These batteries are rechargeable with the provided power supply that comes standard with your battery backup kit and is part of the total cost. The batteries will not last forever and should be replaced every 5-7 years, or when your device starts to make a loud beeping sound. That sound means that the battery is depleted and must be replaced. See the instructions above for purchase and replacement options.

You should also periodically, as described in the instructions included with your battery, verify both the operation of the backup battery and its condition are working in a normal status as identified by the user’s manual provided with the installation of your battery backup or you can contact the manufacturer of the battery backup, Precision Power, at 270-776-9903 and a member of their team will be happy to help with any questions you may have.

Please read this information regarding 911 very carefully. By activating and paying for the service, you acknowledge and agree to Sprout Fiber Internet 911 emergency dialing service’s limitations and understand the distinctions between such service and traditional 911 or E911 calls.

911 service does not work if you fail to register or update the 911 service with your current location
911 service will not work if there is an electrical or internet service outage due to any cause
911 service will not work if your service has been canceled by you or terminated by Sprout Fiber Internet
You agree to hold Sprout Fiber Internet harmless for any failure in the 911 service

Most Sprout Fiber Internet subscribers in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, have access to basic 911 or Enhanced 911 (E911) service. Enhanced 911 (E911) service is available for all U.S. subscribers who register a valid E911 service address.

With E911 service, when you dial 911, your telephone number and registered address are simultaneously sent to the local emergency center assigned to your location, and emergency operators have access to the information they need to send help and call you back if necessary. If you live in locations where the emergency center is not equipped to receive your telephone number and address, you have basic 911. With basic 911, the local emergency operator answering the call will not have your call back number or your exact location, so you must be prepared to give them this information. Until you give the operator your phone number and location, he/she may not be able to call you back or dispatch help if the call is not completed or is not forwarded, is dropped or disconnected, or if you are unable to speak.

As additional local emergency centers become capable of receiving our subscribers’ telephone number and address information, subscribers will need to register a valid E911 service address to upgrade the service to E911. Sprout Fiber Internet will not inform you that new local emergency centers have been added. If your address is not covered by E911 service, Sprout Fiber Internet advises you to attempt to register your address periodically to determine if a new local emergency center has been added to your area.

Certain subscribers do not have access to either basic 911 or E911 because there are no local emergency centers in their area, or they did not register for an E911 service address. If you do not have access to basic 911 or E911, your 911 call will be sent to the national emergency call center. A trained agent at the emergency call center will ask for the name, telephone number, and location of the subscriber calling 911, then contact the local emergency center for such subscriber to send help.

Emergency personnel do not receive your phone number or physical location when your 911 call is routed to a national emergency call center. Therefore, you must be prepared to give the operator your phone number and location and any other information that the operator might request. You authorize the national emergency call center to disclose your name and address to the third party or parties involved with providing emergency services to you, including, without limitation, call routers, call centers, and local emergency centers.

Notify All Users

Subscribers are responsible for informing any household residents, guests, and other third persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the 911 service of the important differences in and limitations of 911 service as compared with traditional 911 landline or cell phone service.

The documentation that accompanies each piece of equipment you may purchase or lease will include a sticker concerning the potential non-availability of basic 911 or E911 (the “911 Sticker”). If you don’t purchase or lease equipment from us, we will send you one or more 911 Stickers. It is your responsibility to place the 911 sticker near each phone that you use with the service. If you did not receive a 911 sticker with your equipment, or you need more 911 stickers, please contact us for additional stickers at no cost.

Registration of Physical Location Required

For each primary phone number you use for the service, you must register with Sprout Fiber Internet the physical location to use the service with that phone number. When you move the device to another location, you must register your new location. If you do not register your new location, any 911 calls you make using the 911 service may be sent to an emergency center near your old address. You must register your initial location of use when you subscribe to the service.

After that, you may register a new location by following the instructions from the 911 registration link in your Sprout Fiber Internet Account Portal. For purposes of the 911 service, you may only register one location at a time for each primary phone line you use with the service.

Re-Registration Required if You Change Your Number or Add or Port New Numbers

911 service does not function if you change your phone number or add or port new phone numbers to your account unless you successfully register your location of use for each changed, newly added, or newly ported phone number and receive confirmation from Sprout Fiber Internet.

Service Outages

You acknowledge and understand that the service and 911 service does not function in the event of power failure. Should there be an interruption in the power supply, the service and 911 service will not function until power is restored. A power failure or disruption may require the subscriber to reset or reconfigure the device and other CPE equipment prior to using the service and 911. You also acknowledge and understand that the service and 911 service requires a fully functional broadband connection to the Internet (which is not provided by Sprout Fiber Internet) and that, accordingly, in the event of an outage of, or termination of broadband service with Sprout Fiber Internet, the service and 911 service will not function. If there is an interruption in the power supply and/or an ISP/broadband outage, the service and 911 service will not function until the power supply is restored and/or the ISP/broadband outage fixed. You acknowledge that Sprout Fiber Internet is not responsible for any service outage related to the loss of electrical power, connectivity, suspension or termination of your Sprout Fiber Internet account or any failures resulting from local or national disasters.

Disclaimer of Liability and Indemnification

You acknowledge and understand that Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers will not be liable for any service outage and/or inability to dial 911 using the Sprout Fiber Internet Service or to access emergency service personnel due to the characteristics and limitation of the Sprout Fiber Internet Service as set forth in this document. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers, its officers, directors, employees, affiliates and agents, and any other service provider who furnishes services to you in connection with the service, from any and all claims, losses, damages, fines, penalties, costs, and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorney fees) by, or on behalf of, you or any third-party user of the service relating to the failure or outage of the service, including those related to the 911 service.

Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers do not control whether or how calls using the 911 service are answered or addressed by any local emergency response center. Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers disclaim all responsibility for the conduct of local emergency response centers and the national emergency calling center. Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers rely on third parties to assist us in routing 911 service calls to local emergency response centers and to a national emergency calling center. Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers disclaim any and all liability or responsibility in the event such third party data used to route calls is incorrect or yields an erroneous result. Neither Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers, nor its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, and agents and any other service provider who furnishes services to you in connection with the service may be held liable for any claim, damage, or loss, and you hereby waive any and all such claims or causes of action, arising from or relating to the 911 service unless such claims or causes of action arose from Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers’ gross negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct. You shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers, its officers, directors, employees, affiliates and agents, and any other service provider who furnishes services to you in connection with the service, from any and all claims, losses, damages, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) by, or on behalf of, you or any third party relating to the absence, failure or outage of the service, including 911 service, incorrectly routed 911 service calls, and/or the inability of any user of the service to be able to use 911 service or access emergency service personnel.

Furthermore, you acknowledge that Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers do not offer Lifeline service. If you are not comfortable with the limitations of the 911 service, Sprout Fiber Internet and its suppliers strongly recommend you have an alternative means of accessing emergency service.

The Sprout Fiber Internet (“Company”) Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”) governs the use of internet-related services provided by Company. All contractual terms also apply.

This AUP supersedes all previous releases of this document.

I. INTRODUCTION

In this AUP, “Service(s)” refers to any internet-related service you (“Subscriber”) receive from Company or its affiliates, including but not limited to high-speed internet access, dedicated internet access, or managed service. By using any Service, Subscriber agrees to abide by and be bound by the terms and conditions set forth in this AUP. This AUP may be revised or modified by Company at any time. Updates to the AUP are immediately in effect once the changed AUP is posted on the Company website. Continued use of Services by Subscriber following the posting of AUP updates shall constitute acceptance of any changed or additional terms.

II. VIOLATION OF THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Violation of this AUP may result in Company taking actions ranging from a warning to a suspension of privileges or termination of Services. Company may but is under no obligation to: (i) provide Subscriber with advance notice of an AUP violation, via email or otherwise, and (ii) request that such violation be immediately corrected prior to taking action. Company reserves the right to act immediately and without notice to suspend or terminate Services. When Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the conduct may:

Expose Company to sanctions, prosecution, or civil action;

Cause harm to or interfere with the integrity or normal operations of Company’s Services, networks or facilities;

Interfere with another person’s use of Company Services or the Internet;

Damage or disparage the reputation of Company or its Services; or

Otherwise present a risk of harm to Company or Company’s Subscribers or their employees, officers, directors, agents, or other representatives.

Company(i) may refer potential violations of laws to the proper authorities, (ii) may cooperate in the investigation of any suspected criminal or civil wrong, and (iii) will cooperate with authorities when required to do so by law, subpoena, or when the public safety is at stake. Company assumes no obligation to inform Subscriber that your account related information has been provided to law enforcement authorities and, in some cases, may be prohibited by law from providing such notice. Company shall not be liable for any damages of any nature suffered by Subscriber or any other Subscriber, user, or third party resulting in whole or in part from Company exercise of its rights under this AUP.

III. PROHIBITED USES AND ACTIVITIES

General Use Policy

Subscriber is responsible for complying with the AUP. Subscriber is also responsible for the actions of others who may be using the Services under the subscriber’s o account. Subscriber must respond in a timely manner to complaints concerning the use of services. If Company is alerted to or otherwise becomes aware of violations or potential violations of this AUP, Company will take whatever measures it deems necessary and appropriate to stop or prevent those violations.

Abuse of email; Spamming

Mass emailing and “mail-bombing” (sending mass email or deliberately sending excessively large attachments to one recipient) are prohibited. Business-class accounts may have different volume limitations, and usage will be judged by the type of account and the use. Forging email headers (transmission information) is prohibited. Using another computer without authorization, sending email messages, or retransmit email messages for the purpose of misleading recipients as to the origin is prohibited. Use of email to harass or intimidate other users is prohibited.

Violation of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 or any state or federal law regulating email is a violation of this AUP. Company reserves the right to seek damages and other available relief against Subscriber and/or any third parties as applicable. For purposes of this AUP, such violations are determined by Company in its sole discretion.

No Resale/Sharing of Services

Subscriber is prohibited from reselling the Service or otherwise making the Service available to third parties (for example, through Wi-Fi or other methods of networking), in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, unless expressly permitted by your Business Services Agreement.

For residential accounts, Subscriber agrees that Services will not be made available to anyone other than your family and household guests. For business accounts, except as provided in an applicable Business Services Agreement, Subscriber agrees that the Service will not be made available to anyone other than your business or your business’s authorized employees.

IV. SUBSCRIBER CONDUCT

Facilitating a Violation of this AUP

Subscriber is prohibited from advertising, transmitting, or otherwise making available any software, program, product, or service that is designed to violate or facilitate a violation of this AUP and/or any law. This includes, but is not limited to, the facilitation of the means to spam, infringe on copyrights, and pirate software.

Illegal Activity; Tortious Conduct

Any use of the Services to violate any local, state, or federal law or regulation also violates this AUP. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

Transmitting any defamatory, libelous, fraudulent, deceptive, indecent, offensive, or obscene materials;

Using the Services to deliver spyware, or secretly or deceptively obtain the personal information of third parties (e.g., phishing);

Intentionally spreading computer viruses;

Exporting software or technical information in violation of U.S. export control laws;

Gaining unauthorized access to private networks;

Engaging in the transmission of pirated software;

Unauthorized copying, distribution, or display of copyrighted material;

Conducting or participating in illegal gambling;

Soliciting for illegal pyramid schemes through email or USENET postings;

Violating rules, regulations, and policies applicable to any network, server, computer database, web site, or ISP that you access through the Services;

Threatening, harassing, abusing, or intimidating others;

Engaging in activity, illegal or not, that Company determines in its sole discretion to be harmful to its Subscribers, operations, or networks;

Making fraudulent offers of products, items, or services; or

Creating or attempting to utilize a domain name that is defamatory, fraudulent, indecent, offensive, deceptive, threatening, abusive, harassing, or which damages the name or reputation of Company.

Third Party Rules

Subscriber may have access through the Services to search engines, subscription Web services, chat areas, bulletin boards, Web pages, USENET, social networking sites, or other services that promulgate rules, guidelines, or agreements to govern their use. Failure to adhere to any such rules, guidelines, or agreements shall be a violation of this AUP. Company reserves the right not to accept postings from newsgroups where we have actual knowledge that the content of the newsgroup violates the AUP.

Company complies with the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act of 1998. 17 USC 512 (“Act”). As required by the Act, Sprout Fiber Internet reserves the right to terminate services to Subscribers infringing upon copyrights. If we receive a determination that any Subscriber or account holder has infringed another’s copyright through the use of our System or network, we reserve the right to terminate Service to that Subscriber after receiving notice of any further copyright infringement by that Subscriber. Company accommodates and does not interfere with standard technical measures to identify and protect copyrighted works, subject to the limitations of the Act.

V. NETWORK MANAGEMENT

As permitted by law, Company may establish appropriate limitations on bandwidth, data storage, or other aspects of the Service by amending this AUP. Subscribers must comply with all such limitations prescribed by Company.

System or Network Security

It is Subscriber’s responsibility to ensure the security of Subscriber’s network and the equipment (“System”) which connects to the Services. Subscriber is required to take all necessary steps to secure and manage the use of the Services in such a way to assure that network abuse and/or fraudulent activity is prevented. Violations of System or network security may result in criminal and/or civil liability.

Failing to secure the System against abuse or fraudulent activity is a violation of this AUP. Subscriber is responsible for configuring and securing the System and the Services to prevent unauthorized access to the System and/or the Company network and related Services.

Subscriber is responsible for any fraudulent activity that may occur due to failure to secure Subscriber’s network and the Services. Subscriber is responsible if unknown third parties utilize the Services at any time for the purpose of illegally distributing licensed software, engaging in abusive behavior, infringing upon copyrights of others, or engaging in any type of fraudulent conduct. Subscriber may not, through action or inaction (e.g., failure to secure Subscriber’s network), allow others to use Services for illegal, fraudulent or inappropriate uses, and/or any other disruptive, provoking, or abusive behavior that is in violation of these guidelines.

Responsibility for Content

Subscriber is responsible for any content which is offered or received through the Service.

Password Security

If applicable, Subscriber’s password provides access to your individual account. It is Subscriber’s responsibility to keep the password secure. Subscribers are responsible for any and all access to or use of the Services through Subscriber’s account. Attempting to obtain another Subscriber’s account password is prohibited.

VI. CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact for Reporting Abuse

Any party seeking to report a violation of this AUP may contact us via email at sprout@cullmanec.com.

Contact for Copyright Infringement

Notices and counter-notices related to claimed copyright infringements should be directed to the following designated agent:

Cullman Electric Cooperative/Sprout Fiber Internet

PO Box 1168

Cullman, AL 35056

Email: sprout@cullmanec.com

Due to the substantial volume of notifications of claimed infringement that is received and processed by Company, we are unable to accept notices of alleged copyright infringement via this designated agent, or email address other than notifications of claimed infringement sent pursuant to Sections 512(b)-(d)

Sprout Fiber Internet is committed to providing the best service without restrictions on our subscribers’ interactions on the Internet. Sprout Fiber Internet was established to provide economic and quality-of-life benefits to the communities we serve. Sprout Fiber Internet will not block or limit any lawful content, applications, services, or use of any non-harmful devices. Lawful network traffic is not discriminated against except in extreme circumstances where we need to manage the traffic for the benefit of all customers and ensure that critical services are delivered without interruptions. If you have any questions or concerns, please call our office at 256-737-3200 or email sprout@cullmanec.com.

To view the available services and pricing, visit our website at www.cullmane c.com/sprout.

The Sprout Fiber Internet network has been built from the ground up for high capacity traffic. Advertised speeds are “up to” their respective speed since many factors affect speed on the Internet. They include:

The number of users who are using a website that you visit and the capabilities of that site
If using a wireless connection and the wireless signal strength
The service provider that the website uses, among other factors
Your computer and the software that is installed
Viruses and Malware
The number of connected devices in your home using our service simultaneously

Typically, you can expect our advertised speeds to be consistently delivered as long as the above factors do not limit the connection. The use of your wired telephone should not affect the performance of your Internet connection under normal circumstances. You can check your Internet connection against any of the speed test sites, such as www.speedtest.net, for informational purposes, but please be aware that several factors affect the speed, such as the ones listed above. If you feel your speed is less than expected, please call our office at 256-737-3200 or email sprout@cullmanec.com.

Current as of 1/12/24

Cooperative Connection, LLC dba Sprout Robocall Mitigation Plan FRN 0030900039

We have chosen to employ a multi-layered approach to address and mitigate illegal robocalling, and to participate in industry call trace back efforts. Company efforts will include the following:
• Incorporation of robocall mitigation language into our contracts, terms of service, acceptable use policy, tariffs and/or other documents as appropriate prohibiting use of our platforms to make or receive illegal calls.
• Specifically, with respect to caller-ID, to require that the caller-ID value be either a number assigned to the calling party, or one which the caller has the explicit permission of the assignee to use.
• When non-compliant calls come to our attention, through our own analysis or via our 3rd Party switch vendor and voice services provider we shall promptly investigate and take necessary action with the offending customer to mitigate ongoing illegal activity.
• Company shall provide a point-of-contact for traceback and takedown requests from bona fide sources, and respond within twenty-four (24) hours. For credible requests that include sufficient supporting detail, we will not require a subpoena or similar documentation.
• Company shall share as much information with industry forensics efforts and enforcement officials as is practical and legal, recognizing that users of our platform that are breaking the law need not be afforded the same privacy protections as those complying with the rules.
• Company shall insist that our service provider partners implement these same practices and impose this same requirement on their partners, or face restrictions on their use of our platform (including, if necessary, complete loss of access).
• Company abuse mitigation practices shall be applied in a non-discriminatory manner.
• If we discover that traffic originally flagged as illegal is in fact legitimate, we will share that information with other parties in the call chain.
• Company shall vet each customer thoroughly, with additional scrutiny on customers involved with auto-dialed traffic types. Anonymous test accounts will not be provided to auto-dialers.
• Company will employ real-time controls on traffic. All calls must have valid caller- ID values, and for auto-dialed calls, each value must be checked against the list of numbers that customer provided and that Company staff vetted before establishing service. Each customer must have a calls-per-second limit commensurate with the traffic description provided.
• Company shall monitor the traffic moving through its network. CDRs shall be analyzed regularly by our 3rd party switch vendor and voice service provider. Inspection of call durations to ensure that no auto-dialer traffic is being sent by customers that signed up for voice service. Company shall track call volumes and caller-ID utilization to spot changes indicative of illegal robocalls. Verify mostfrequent Caller-IDs to identify any that are being misused.
• We shall require our 3rd party switch vendor and voice services provider to check the Certificate Revocation List (CRL) as part of their routine compliance activities.
• Company has identified a single point of contact in charge of responding to traceback requests, and respond to traceback requests as soon as possible as well as work with, communicate and cooperate with state Attorneys General about recognized scams and trends in illegal robocalling. Update the state Attorneys General about potential additional solutions for combatting illegal robocalls. Also see bullet #4.
• For VoIP residential customers Company makes available free, easy-to-use call blocking and labeling tools and regularly engage in easily understandable outreach efforts to notify customers about these tools. For all types of customers, Company implements network-level call blocking at no charge. We use best efforts to ensure that all tools offered safeguard customers’ personal, proprietary, and location information.
• Company uses best efforts to confirm the identity of new commercial VoIP customers by collecting information such as physical business location, contact person(s), state or country of incorporation, federal tax ID, and understanding the nature of the customer’s business including if/how they will employ auto-dialers or other robocall style tools in the conduct of their business.
• We monitor, through our 3rd party Regulatory Compliance Consultant, the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communication Commission in regards to their robocall mitigation efforts, identification of industry trends, provision of consumer education materials, and other related information and alerts.

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT (CALEA) POLICY and LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST METHOD OF PROCEDURE

Effective: 05/10/2023

Introduction:
Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (“CALEA”) is intended to preserve the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct electronic surveillance while protecting the privacy of information outside the scope of the investigation. We will also require compliance with our Customer Protected Network Information (“CPNI”) Policy when responding to a request made under this CALEA Policy. Cooperative Connection, LLC DBA Sprout Fiber Internet is a VoIP service provider and internet service provider. As the entity facing the end user subscriber Sprout Fiber Internet is the entity that can best verify the identity of the end user subscriber and furthermore is the best source for records relating to both the telephone number in use and the end user subscriber.

Call Detail Records (“CDRs”):
To the extent we have CDRs they are accessible for approximately 45 days. Compliance with our CPNI Policy will be required when responding to any request for CDRs. If, after your review of our CPNI guidelines, you believe Sprout Fiber Internet is the appropriate source for providing CDRs, please contact our CPNI Officer.

Civil Subpoenas:
Subpoenas issued in matters of civil litigation in which Sprout Fiber Internet is a non-party must be served in accordance with our Civil Subpoena Guidelines, which also provides for methods of service, applicable fees, and requirement for a protective order when seeking CDR’s.

Civil Subpoena Guidelines:
Civil litigants will generally want to issue an initial request to Sprout Fiber Internet for the purpose of identifying our customer and thereafter, pursue CDRs through a legal subpoena directly to that customer. Sprout Fiber Internet will initially and conditionally provide an estimate of the Sprout Fiber Internet CDR Processing Fee applicable to all requests for CDRs.

Protective Order:
Where Sprout Fiber Internet is required to provide/produce CDRs, such production will only occur pursuant to a protective order issued by the court having jurisdiction in the case. Such orders will be limited in both access and use, specifically for purposes of litigation and appeal.

Trace Back Exception:
Call Trace Back is the exceptional, isolated circumstance in which Sprout Fiber Internet CDRs may contain some unique information. Call Trace Back is the telecom industry’s process of recreating the path of a telephone call in reverse (i.e., going from the called party’s service provider to one or more intermediate providers, and ultimately to the calling party’s service provider). If the calling name/number is spoofed/blocked that manipulation occurs prior to the network and therefore our records reflect only the spoofed/blocked details, the network-level details of a CDR will remain unaffected. By recreating the call path, the originating network can be determined, and thereby, the actual calling number and end user subscriber’s identity. Specific details will be required, by way of example “the call from NPA-NXX-1234 to NPA-NXX-5678 on MM/DD/YYYY at 12:23 pm ET for 45 seconds”. Allow at least five (5) business days for a Call Trace Back request for a call made within the prior forty-five (45) days. Call Trace Back requests for calls made more than forty-five (45) days prior will typically require archive retrieval and must allow at least fifteen (15) business days for processing and an ICB processing fee will apply. Fees may also apply for voluminous requests. Sprout Fiber Internet shall cooperate with Call Trace Back requests as may be applicable and in compliance with our STIR/SHAKEN and Robocall Mitigation Policy.
Submitting a Formal Lawful Request for Information:
All requests must include, at a minimum, the following information:

Full contact information with Agency name, physical address, E-mail address and direct contact telephone number.
Target telephone number(s) in the XXX-XXX-XXXX format.
Specific dates (To/From in MM/DD/YYYY format) for which information is being requested.
Brief description of the matter.

Email the request with a copy of your subpoena, court order, search warrant, or other formal legal documentation. If you have multiple requests, please submit only one legal document per Email to ensure individual tickets are created in our system. For requests involving ten (10) or more numbers please attach an Excel, or text file listing target telephone numbers in the XXX-XXX-XXXX format, one (1) telephone number per line.

Official Address for Service of Process:
Sprout Fiber Internet
Attn: Mark Freeman
Address: P.O. Box 1168, Cullman, AL 35056
Telephone: 256-737-3200
E-mail: arin@cullmanec.com

Faxed legal demands will NOT be processed. Submit Legal Demands via Email to
arin@cullmanec.com. We do NOT consent to fax transmission.

Normal Hours of Availability:
Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
Central Time.

Exigent Formal Lawful Requests:
If you have a declared exigent circumstance as established by your agency’s
guidelines, send an E-mail to arin@cullmanec.com with the word “Exigent” in the E-mail subject line.

Exigent Requests Outside Normal Business Hours:
If you have a declared exigent circumstance as established by your agency’s
guidelines, outside of our normal business hours contact arin@cullmanec.com
Written requests will be required; no action will be taken based on a verbal request.

Intercept Arrangements:
Sprout Fiber Internet is generally the optimal point for intercept arrangements as we carry all traffic relating to a telephone number across our network, but it may be necessary to engage our 3rd Party Voice provider. If you believe that we are the appropriate location for your register/intercept, please first contact arin@cullmanec.com for assistance. Upon receipt of an order or warrant directing Sprout Fiber Internet to establish an intercept arrangement and following verification of the Submitting Agency’s understanding of the limitations as described herein, Sprout Fiber Internet will notify applicable third-party vendors, who will then contact the Submitting Agency directly to arrange for implementation, where applicable. The applicable third-party vendor is NOT authorized to accept service of a Legal Demand on behalf of Sprout Fiber Internet.

Note: Sprout Fiber Internet is a VoIP Service Provider and not a wireless carrier; therefore, there is no pingable, GPS, or cell site location information native to our Service Provider customers numbers and therefore not available from us.

We reserve the right to modify this CALEA Policy at any time. We will notify you of any material changes via written, electronic, or other means permitted by law, including by posting it on our website. If you find the changes unacceptable, you have the right to cancel the Services. If you continue to use the Services after receiving notice of such changes, we will consider that as your acceptance of the changes.

Sprout Fiber Internet Consumer Education

At Sprout Fiber Internet, we believe informed customers grow stronger connections. Our consumer education resources are designed to help you understand fiber technology, compare options confidently, and make smart decisions that keep your home and community thriving online.

711 for Telecommunications Relay Service

Telecommunications Relay Services permit persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the telephone system via a text telephone (TTY) or other device to call persons with or without such disabilities.

To make using TRS as simple as possible, you can dial 711 to be automatically connected to a TRS operator. It’s fast, functional and free. Dialing 711, both voice and TRS users can initiate a call from any telephone, anywhere in the United States, without having to remember and dial a ten-digit access number.

Dial 711 using private branch exchanges and VoIP

FCC rules require all telephone companies that operate private branch exchanges (PBXs) – a private telephone system within an organization – to implement three-digit 711 dialing for access to TRS. This includes wireline, wireless and payphone providers. PBX operators are required to modify their equipment to enable 711 dialing to ensure everyone has easy access to TRS.

Callers from locations served by PBXs may be required to dial 9 or another prefix before entering the 711 code or placing an outside call.

Providers of interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service also must offer 711 dialing service.

911 calls

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that people with disabilities who use TTYs or other devices have direct, equal access to emergency response services. In the event of an emergency, TTY users should call 911 directly and not make a TRS call via 711.

Video and Internet-based relay services

711 dialing access does not work for Video Relay Service (VRS), Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) or IP Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) calls, because such calls are initiated through the Internet. Hearing persons initiating a VRS, IP Relay, or IP CTS call should call their party directly, and a communications assistant will be automatically connected to the call.

More information on TRS

For more information about the various types of TRS, see the FCC’s consumer guide
(fcc.gov/guides/telecommunications-relay-service-trs) or visit the website of our Disability Rights Office (fcc.gov/accessibility).

Filing a complaint

You have multiple options for filing a complaint with the FCC:

File a complaint online at https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov
By phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322); ASL:1-844-432-2275
By mail (please include your name, address, contact information and as much detail about your complaint as possible):

Federal Communications Commission Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC 20554

Alternate formats
To request this article in an alternate format – braille, large print, Word or text document or audio – write or call us at the address or phone number at the bottom of the page, or send an email to
fcc504@fcc.gov.

Closed captioning is the visual display of the audio portion of video programming. Captioning provides access to individuals who are deaf or have hearing loss and is often used in places where it is difficult to hear a TV program, such as restaurants and exercise facilities. FCC rules require captioned programs shown on TV to be captioned when re-shown on the internet.

Video programming rules

The internet closed captioning rules only apply if the video programming was shown on TV in the U.S. with captions.
“Full-length video programming” is video programming that is shown on TV and is distributed to end users, substantially in its entirety, through the internet.
“Video clips” are excerpts of full-length video programming that are posted online. The rules require video programming distributors that show programming on TV to post captioned clips of their programming on their own websites or applications (“apps”). At this time, the video clips rules do not apply to third party websites or apps.
Consumer-generated media (e.g., home videos) shown on the internet are not required to be captioned, unless they were shown on TV with captions.
Movies shown on the internet are not required to be captioned unless they have been previously shown on TV with captions.

Implementation schedule for captioning internet video programming

The following deadlines apply to video programming that is not in a distributor’s internet online library before it is shown on TV with captions.

Full-length internet video programming

Full-length internet video programming must be captioned if the programming is shown on TV in the U.S. with captions on or after the following dates:

September 30, 2012, for prerecorded programming that is not “edited for internet distribution.” “Edited for internet distribution” means the TV version has been substantially edited. Examples of substantial edits are deleting scenes or altering musical scores. Changing the number or duration of commercials is not considered substantial editing.
March 30, 2013, for live and near-live programming.
- “Live programming” is defined as programming that is shown on TV substantially simultaneously with its performance.
- “Near-live programming” is defined as programming that is performed and recorded less than 24 hours before it was first shown on TV.
September 30, 2013, for prerecorded programming that is substantially edited for internet distribution.

Internet video clips

Internet video clips must be captioned if the associated programming is shown on TV in the U.S. with captions on or after the following dates:

January 1, 2016, where the video clip contains a single excerpt of a captioned TV program with the same video and audio that was shown on TV (“straight lift” clips).
January 1, 2017, where a single file contains multiple straight lift video clips (“montages”).
July 1, 2017, for video clips of live and near-live TV programming (such as news or sporting events).
For clips of live programming, up to a 12-hour delay is permitted in posting a captioned clip after the programming has been shown on TV.
For clips of near-live programming, up to an 8-hour delay is permitted in posting a captioned clip after the programming has been shown on TV.

Archival internet video programming

The following deadlines apply to video programming that a distributor already shows on the internet. Distributors have extra time to add captions to video programming that they already show on the internet and that is later shown on TV with captions, as follows:

Within 45 days after the date it is shown on TV with captions on or after March 30, 2014 and before March 30, 2015;
Within 30 days after the date it is shown on TV with captions on or after March 30, 2015 and before March 30, 2016; and
Within 15 days after the date it is shown on TV with captions on or after March 30, 2016.

Filing a complaint or seeking assistance

If you experience a captioning problem after the implementation dates, you may file a written complaint with either the FCC or the video programming distributor or provider. If you choose to file your written complaint with the video programming distributor or provider, you may be able to find the contact information on the distributor’s or provider’s website. If you file your complaint with the FCC, the FCC will forward the complaint to the video programming distributor or provider.

Your written complaint must be filed within 60 days of the captioning problem. After receiving a complaint, either directly from you or from the FCC, the video programming distributor or provider will have 30 days to respond to the complaint. If you chose to first file your complaint with the video programming distributor or provider and it does not respond within 30 days, or if a dispute remains, you can still send your complaint to the FCC.

You have multiple options to contact the FCC if you wish to file a complaint or seek assistance:

File a complaint online: fcc.gov/accessibilitycomplaints
By phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322); Videophone for ASL: 1-844-432-2275
By email: dro@fcc.gov
By mail:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC 20554

Please include your name, address, contact information, and as much detail about your complaint as possible.

What to include in your complaint

Your complaint should include the following information:

The name and postal address, website, or email address of the video programming distributor, provider and/or owner
The video program or show with the captioning problem, including the name of the program or show
The device and/or software used to view the program or show
The date and time when you experienced the captioning problem
A detailed description of the captioning problem, including specifics about the frequency and type of problem (e.g., captions cut off, captions missing)
Any additional information that may assist in processing your complaint
Resolution of your complaint may be delayed if the information above is incomplete.

You can also provide the FCC with any additional information you think appropriate (e.g., screen shots of the web page, written-out examples of garbled captions, video recordings you made of the captioning problem, etc.).

For more information

For more information about FCC programs to promote access to telecommunications services for people with disabilities, visit the FCC’s Disability Rights Office website at fcc.gov/general/disability-rights-office.

The FCC’s National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program provides equipment needed to make telecommunications, advanced communications and the Internet accessible for people who have significant combined vision and hearing loss. Through the program, also known as iCanConnect, qualified low-income deaf-blind residents of all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam can receive free accessible communications equipment. Installation, training and other technical support, including individual assessments of each consumer’s specific accessibility needs, are also available.

Who is eligible to receive equipment?

Low-income individuals who are deaf-blind are eligible to receive equipment. Applicants must provide verification of their status as low-income and deaf-blind.

Under the Helen Keller National Center Act, a “deaf-blind” individual must have a vision loss and a hearing loss that, combined, cause extreme difficulty in attaining independence in daily life activities, achieving psychosocial adjustment or getting a job.

Income eligibility requirements – not more than 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines – are outlined in the following chart:

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines)

What type of equipment is available?

The equipment distributed through the program is designed to make communication accessible using: wireline and wireless telephones; internet-based voice communication; e-mail; instant messaging; interoperable video conferencing services; and internet information services. The equipment may be mainstream or specialized hardware, software or applications and must meet the needs of the deaf-blind individual to achieve access. Equipment warranties, maintenance and repairs may also be provided if funding is available.

How else does a certified program help?

In addition to distributing equipment, certified programs:

Inform their communities about the program.
Verify that applicants are eligible to receive equipment.
Assess each applicant’s communications equipment needs.

Certified programs may also help install and provide training for distributed equipment.

How do I find the certified program that serves my state?

To find the NDBEDP certified program in your state call the FCC:

Give us your feedback

We want to hear from you. Tell us how the NDBEDP helped you or someone you know. Also, let us know how you think the program can be improved or what new types of technologies should be included for distribution. Send email to dro@fcc.gov.

Accessible formats

To request this article in an accessible format – braille, large print, Word or text document or audio – write or call us at the address or phone number at the bottom of the page, or send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov.

Recordkeeping Compliance Certification and Contact Information Registry.

SPROUT FIBER INTERNET must maintain records of the efforts we take to implement the CVAA accessibility requirements and submit recordkeeping compliance certifications and contact information to the FCC annually by April 1 in accordance with the FCC’s rules. 47 C.F.R. § 14.31. Contact information must be updated within 30 days of any material change. Our annual recordkeeping certifications are entered at Recordkeeping Compliance Certification and Contact Information Registry (fcc.gov). Consumers may search for contact information for a company’s accessibility customer care representative at https://apps.fcc.gov/rccci-search/search.action or call us directly at 256-737-3200.

Communications Accessibility Complaints. To implement the CVAA, the FCC established new procedures for filing complaints about accessibility problems, including with the following:

telephone services and equipment;
advanced communications services and equipment;
and Internet browsers built into mobile phones.

To learn more about resolving accessibility problems and filing informal complaints with the FCC contact https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/202939874-Take-Action-Options-for-Filing-an-Accessibility-Complaint.

Before an informal complaint can be filed, consumers with disabilities (or their representatives) must request assistance from the FCC Disability Rights Office. The Disability Rights Office will work with the consumer and the company for at least 30 days to try to resolve the accessibility problem.

The best way to provide the information that the Disability Rights Office needs to assist you, is to complete the Request for Dispute Assistance (RDA Form) online. You may also download or print the RDA Form. If you use the latter method, complete and submit your downloaded/printed request and any supporting documentation to the Disability Rights Office by email to dro@fcc.gov, by fax to 202-418-0037, or by mail to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
Disability Rights Office
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
(CVAA)

On October 8, 2010, President Obama signed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) into law. The CVAA updates federal communications law to increase the access of persons with disabilities to modern communications. The CVAA makes sure that accessibility laws enacted in the 1980s and 1990s are brought up to date with 21st century technologies, including new digital, broadband, and mobile innovations. The following are highlights of the law.

Title I – Telecommunications Access

Requires advanced communications services and products to be accessible by people with disabilities. Advanced communications services are defined as (1) interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service; (2) non-interconnected VoIP service; (3) electronic messaging service; and (4) interoperable video conferencing service. This includes, for example, text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and video communications.
Requires access to web browsers on mobile devices by people who are blind or visually impaired (a “ramp” to the Internet on mobile devices).
Creates industry recordkeeping obligations; requires changes to complaint and enforcement procedures; tightens deadlines for the FCC to respond to consumer complaints; requires biennial reporting by the FCC to Congress; and directs the Comptroller General to issue a five-year report on the FCC’s implementation.
Requires an FCC clearinghouse on accessible communications services and equipment.
Applies the hearing aid compatibility mandates to telephone-like equipment used with advanced communications services.
Updates the definition of telecommunications relay services (TRS) to include people who are deaf-blind and to allow communication between and among different types of relay users.
Requires interconnected and non-interconnected VoIP service providers to contribute to the Interstate TRS Fund.
Directs the allocation of up to $10 million per year from the Interstate TRS Fund for the distribution of specialized equipment to low-income people who are deaf-blind, to enable these individuals to access telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced communications.
Authorizes FCC action to ensure reliable and interoperable access to next generation 9-1-1 services by people with disabilities.

Title II – Video Programming

Restores video description rules promulgated by the FCC in 2000 and authorizes some expansion of those obligations over the next 10+ years.
Requires video programming that is closed captioned on TV to be closed captioned when distributed on the Internet (does not cover programs shown only on the Internet).
Establishes deadlines for the FCC to respond to requests for exemption from the closed captioning rules.
Requires video programming distributors, providers, and owners to convey emergency information in a manner that is accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Expands the requirement for video programming equipment (equipment that shows TV programs) to be capable of displaying closed captions, to devices with screens smaller than 13 inches (e.g., portable TVs, laptops, smart phones), and requires these devices to be able to pass through video descriptions and emergency information that is accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired, if technically feasible and achievable.
Requires devices designed to record TV programs to pass through closed captions, video description, and emergency information so viewers are able to turn on/off the closed captions and video description when the TV program is played back, if achievable.
Requires interconnection mechanisms (cables) to carry (from the source device to the consumer equipment – e.g., TV set) the information necessary to permit the display of closed captions and make video description and emergency information audible.
Requires user controls for TVs and other video programming devices to be accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired, and requires TVs and other video programming devices to have a button, key, icon, or comparable mechanism designated for activating closed captioning and video description.
Requires on-screen text menus and program guides displayed on TV by set-top boxes to be accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired and requires set-top boxes to have a button, key, icon, or comparable mechanism designated for activating closed captioning (when built-in to the set-top box).

For More Information

For more information about the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, you may visit the FCC’s Disability Rights Office website at www.fcc.gov/disability.

Consumer Help Center

For more information on consumer issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer Help Center at https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.

Accessible formats

FCC rules under Section 255 of the Communications Act require telecommunications equipment manufacturers and service providers to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities, if such access is readily achievable. Where access is not readily achievable, manufacturers and service providers must make their devices and services compatible with peripheral devices and specialized customer premises equipment that are commonly used by people with disabilities, if such compatibility is readily achievable.

Products and services covered under Section 255

FCC rules cover all hardware and software telephone network equipment and telecommunications equipment used in the home or office. Such equipment includes telephones, wireless handsets, fax machines, answering machines and pagers.

FCC rules cover basic and special telecommunications services, including regular telephone calls, call waiting, speed dialing, call forwarding, computer-provided directory assistance, call monitoring, caller identification, call tracing and repeat dialing, as well as voice mail and interactive voice response systems that provide callers with menus of choices.

Definitions

Accessible: A product or service is deemed accessible if it provides accessible input, control and mechanical functions, as well as accessible output, display and control functions. For example, a pager that has both audio and visual controls for inputting information, as well as both audio and visual methods for retrieving messages, would be accessible to a person who is blind or deaf.

Usable: For a product or service to be usable, people with disabilities must be able to learn about and operate the product’s or service’s features effectively. This requirement includes providing access to information and documentation for the product or service, including instructions and user guides. In addition, companies must provide functionally equivalent access to support services, such as technical support hotlines and databases, call centers, service centers, repair services and billing services.

Compatible: The FCC requires that, where accessibility is not readily achievable, a product or service must be made compatible with peripheral devices or specialized equipment, if compatibility is readily achievable. Peripheral devices are devices that help make telecommunications products and services accessible to individuals with disabilities. Examples are teletypewriters (TTYs), visual signaling devices and amplifiers. To achieve compatibility, the FCC rules require:

external electronic access to all information and control mechanisms
a connection point for external audio processing devices
the ability to connect with TTYs
the ability to use TTY signals

Identifying access needs

Companies should engage in a number of activities to identify barriers to accessibility and usability. For example:

When conducting market research, product design, testing, pilot demonstrations and product trials, companies should include individuals with disabilities in target groups for such activities.
Companies should work cooperatively with disability-related organizations.
Companies should undertake reasonable efforts to test access solutions with people with disabilities.

When must manufacturers and service providers evaluate access needs?

Manufacturers and service providers must evaluate the accessibility, usability and compatibility of their equipment and services as early and consistently as possible throughout their design, development and manufacture. In addition, companies must review their products for accessibility at every “natural opportunity,” including when they re-design products, upgrade services, or significantly change the way they group together product and service packages. Cosmetic changes that do not change the product’s actual design may not trigger the need to reevaluate access.

Do companies need to review all their products and services for accessibility and usability?

Yes. Accessibility and usability must be assessed for individual products and services. Accessibility features that can be incorporated into the design of products or services with very little or no difficulty or expense must be put in each and every product or service.

How will the FCC determine which actions are readily achievable?

The “readily achievable” standard requires companies to incorporate access features that are easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense. In determining what is readily achievable, companies must balance the costs and nature of the access required with their available resources. Companies that have great resources will need to do more to achieve access than companies with smaller budgets.

The FCC will make readily achievable determinations on a case-by-case basis.

Is network architecture covered by the FCC’s Section 255 rules?

In addition to covering equipment and services, the FCC’s rules require network architecture to be designed in a way that does not hinder access by people with disabilities. Network architecture covers the public switched telephone network, and includes hardware or software databases associated with routing telecommunications services.

How can I contact manufacturers and service providers about access concerns?

Although not required to do so, you may want to contact a manufacturer or service provider before filing a complaint with the FCC. Telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers must provide the FCC with the name and contact information of the person (or persons) in their companies who are authorized to resolve accessibility complaints. The FCC makes this information available to consumers who want to contact the company’s customer care representative directly about accessibility questions, concerns, or complaints. You can find this contact information on the FCC’s website at https://apps.fcc.gov/rccci-search/, by sending an email to dro@fcc.gov, or by calling 202-418-2517 (voice) or 202-418-2922 (TTY).

Filing a complaint with the FCC

To implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, the FCC changed the way it handles complaints about access to telecommunications services and equipment.

The best way to provide the information that the Disability Rights Office needs to assist you, is to complete the Request for Dispute Assistance (RDA Form) online at
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/RDAformEnglish. You may also download or print the RDA Form at http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/FormRDA.pdf. If you use the latter method, complete and submit your downloaded/printed request and any supporting documentation to the Disability Rights Office by email to dro@fcc.gov, by fax to 202-418-0037, or by mail to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
Disability Rights Office
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

If you are unable to obtain or use an RDA Form, your request for assistance should include the following:

your name, address, telephone number, and email address
if communication by telephone or email is not accessible to you, your preferred method of communication
the name of the manufacturer or service provider
the type of device, model number, and any software involved
when you purchased, acquired, or used (or tried to purchase, acquire, or use) the service or equipment
when you became aware of the accessibility problem
the way the service or equipment is not accessible to or usable by you
if you contacted the company about your accessibility problem, how the company responded
what you want the company to do to resolve your accessibility problem
any other information or documentation you think may help describe or resolve your accessibility problem

Your Request for Dispute Assistance will be assigned a case number. If your accessibility problem is not resolved in 30 days, you have two choices:

you may request an additional 30 days for assistance to try to resolve your accessibility problem; or
you may file an informal complaint about the accessibility problem with the FCC Enforcement Bureau.

To request an additional 30 days or file an informal complaint, contact the Disability Rights Office at 202-418-2517 (voice) or 202-418-2922 (TTY), by email to dro@fcc.gov, by fax to 202-418-0037, or by mail to the address above. You will need to provide your last name, zip code, and your Request for Dispute Assistance case number. If you take no action for 60 days after the 30-day time period ends, your case will be closed.

Accessible formats

To request this article in an accessible format – braille, large print, Word or text document or audio – write or call us at the address or phone number above, or send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov.

Please view PDF.

Sprout Fiber Internet is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities. We strive to ensure, where readily achievable, that our programs, services and activities are accessible to and useable by disabled persons, including persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or blind, or who have other sensory impairments. Some of our existing Access features include:

Convenient off-street parking designated specifically for disabled persons.
Curb cuts and ramps between parking areas and buildings.
Level access into our lobby.
Fully accessible bathrooms and public waiting area; access to pay your bill and speak with our Customer Service Representatives.
We work cooperatively with disabled-related organizations to identify barriers to accessibility and usability.
If assistance is required to use broadband and/or phone products and/or equipment, the FCC has an assistance program. Reference materials about the FCC’s programs can be found under the Customer Education/Disability Access section of our website.
A range of assistive and communication aids provided to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or blind, or with other sensory impairments. There is no additional charge for such aids. The aids include:
- Qualified sign language interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- A 24-hour telecommunication device (TTY/TDD) which can connect the caller to all extensions within the facility and/or portable (TTY/TDD) units, for use by persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired.
- Readers and taped material for the blind and large print materials or braille for the visually impaired.
- Assistive devices for persons with impaired motor skills.

If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to let an employee know or contact us at sprout@cullmanec.com or 256-737-3200.

Need additional information?

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Policies & Information

Important information should be easy to find and easy to understand. Explore our policies, privacy information, and helpful consumer notices all in one place.

Sprout Fiber Internet Legal Policies

Service Agreement

Privacy Policy

Copyright Infringement Policy and Procedures

Battery Backup

911 Disclaimer

Acceptable Use

Network Management Policy

Robocall Mitigation Prohibitive Action

CALEA Policy

Sprout Fiber Internet Consumer Education

711 For Telecommunications Relay Service

Closed Captioning of Internet Video Programming

National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program

FCC Disability Rights and the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (“CVAA”)

Telecommunications Access for People with Disabilities

Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook 5th Edition

Notice of Program Accessibility

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