Customer Agreements, Policies & Service Disclosures for
H&B Communications, Inc.
The FCC requires that H&B Communications, Inc. (H&B) and all providers of Broadband Internet Access services (or “BIAS”) disclose certain information regarding their Internet services. H&B strives to provide its customers with accessible, easy-to-understand information about the services we provide, so they can make informed decisions about which services best meet their needs.
In accordance with these rules, this disclosure provides information about three aspects of H&B’s residential and business broadband Internet Access Services:
- The network management practices we use to manage our broadband network;
- Key performance characteristics of our residential and business broadband services;
- Certain commercial terms that apply to these services.
The disclosure below explains the performance characteristics, commercial terms and network practices for the Broadband Internet Access Services provided by H&B.
For further information regarding the services offered by H&B in your area and the terms and conditions of H&B’s policies, please visit our website at http://www.hbcomm.net or call us at (785) 252-4000.
- Overview of Network Management Practices
The topics below provide a general overview of H&B’s network practices.
Congestion Management
H&B manages its network with one goal: To deliver the best possible broadband Internet experience to all of its customers. To further this effort, H&B uses network management practices that are consistent with industry standards, using various tools and techniques to manage its network and deliver its service and ensure compliance with the strictest tolerances. The Congestion Management System helps ensure that all customers have a fair share of access to the network.
Affiliate and Paid Prioritization
H&B provides its customers with full access to all the lawful content, services and applications that the Internet has to offer. H&B does not block or rate-control specific protocols, except to prevent malicious attacks and identity theft. Also, H&B does not practice Paid Prioritization, which includes techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise. Finally, H&B does not favor certain applications or classes of applications above others.
Network Security Measures
H&B actively seeks to address the threats posed by harmful and unwanted traffic and reserves the right to protect the security and integrity of its network and its customers by any lawful means deemed necessary. Malicious software (often referred to as “malware”), such as viruses, worms, spyware and distributed denial of service (“DDoS”) attacks, can not only adversely affect the network, but also can result in harm to customers’ computers and the quality of service they receive, compromise their data and harm third parties and advertisers as well. H&B employs a number of practices to help prevent unwanted disruptions and harmful traffic communications, such as spam and protect the security of H&B’s customers and network.
Application Specific Behavior – Device Attachment Rules
H&B does not use any network management practices that are specific to any application. H&B does not discriminate against or otherwise prevent users of its Internet service from sending and receiving the lawful content of their choice; running lawful applications and using lawful services and devices of their choice as long as the devices do not harm the network or the provision of broadband Internet access services, facilitate theft of service, or harm other users of the service. Similarly, H&B reserves the right to employ network management practices to prevent certain harmful or illegal activity, such as the distribution of viruses or other malicious code or the transfer of child pornography or other unlawful content.
2. Performance Characteristics
General
H&B offers residential and commercial customers their choice of a variety of packages or “tiers” of broadband Internet access service, each of which offers different maximum and average upload and download speeds, features and prices, allowing customers to select an option that is best suited for their online activities. The features, branding, pricing and other commercial terms of our service offerings can also be found on our website at www.hbcomm.net
Data Usage Allowances
H&B does not currently implement a usage allowance maximum. All broadband customers have unlimited usage allowance.
Blocking
H&B does not block or prevent end user access to lawful content, applications, service, or non-harmful devices as part of its current network congestion management technique.
Throttling
Bandwidth throttling is a purposeful slowing of available bandwidth. In other words, it’s an intentional lowering of the “speed” that’s typically available over an Internet connection. H&B does not practice any “throttling” techniques over its Internet bandwidth.
Service Description
H&B provides Internet services via fiber optic, wired and/or fixed wireless service using the network that H&B owns and manages (Fiber to the Home, Cable High-Speed Internet, Fixed Broadband Wireless). We provide a variety of Internet service offerings to residential and small business customers. The devices/equipment that the Subscriber needs will be provided at a cost which varies depending upon the type of device/equipment and the term of the Customer Agreement.
Commercial Terms
H&B currently offers multiple tiers of broadband Internet access service, each at various monthly rates. The chart below shows speeds and pricing we offer to our Residential customers. Business customers can reference our webpage at www.hbcomm.net and or call H&B for a customer quote as service varies case by case:
Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Service offering:
Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Usage Allowance Pricing
6 Mbps 1 Mbps 10 ms Unlimited $59.95
15 Mbps 5 Mbps 10 ms Unlimited $69.95
50 Mbps 10 Mbps 10 ms Unlimited $89.95
100 Mbps 50 Mbps 10 ms Unlimited $99.95
1 Gbps 100 Mbps 10 ms Unlimited $199.95
Cable High-Speed Internet Service offering:
Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Usage Allowance Pricing
3 Mbps 1 Mbps 16 ms Unlimited $49.95
6 Mbps 1 Mbps 16 ms Unlimited $59.95
15 Mbps 1 Mbps 16 ms Unlimited $69.95
Fixed Broadband Wireless (FBW) Service offering:
Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Usage Allowance Pricing
1.5 Mbps 5121Kbps 50 ms Unlimited $39.95
3 Mbps 1 Mbps 50 ms Unlimited $49.95
6 Mbps 3 Mbps 50 ms Unlimited $59.95
Latency
Network latency is an expression of how much time it takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to another. In some environments, latency is measured by sending a packet that is returned to the sender; the round-trip time is considered the latency. H&B prides itself in delivering the best in customer Internet experience, having latency times in the range of 1 ms to 50 ms.
Privacy Policies
H&B values the privacy of our Internet service customers and follows procedures to ensure that
information we collect is lawfully protected. As indicated above, in order to manage our network
performance, ensure that our network runs smoothly and deny malicious traffic to make our network safer, H&B inspects and analyzes all network traffic running on our system. H&B adheres to the strictest rules and regulations concerning CPNI disclosures and we do not collect, store or use traffic information to profile our customers in order to sell additional services to them or for similar non-network management purposes. All our employees are educated in the CPNI regulations and when to apply them.
Redress Options
H&B is always here to help you, our customer. If you have any questions, complaints or requests for additional information about H&B’s Broadband Internet Access Services or regarding any of the information set forth above, please contact our customer service representative at (785) 252-4000 or visit us at: https://www.hbcomm.net/contact-us/ for a variety of ways to get assistance.
The FCC has established procedure for addressing informal and formal complaints regarding broadband service. For information concerning these formal and informal complaint procedures, please refer to the FCC’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/guides/getting-broadband.