Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Compliance

It is a policy of Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative to comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA").  Heart of Iowa Internet subscribers are prohibited from engaging in copyright infringement and/or infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others.  Please click on the document below to read how to file an infringement report. 

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

"What is the Subscriber Line Charge?"

In the early 1980's, with the breakup of the Bell companies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established the Subscriber Line Charge as a way for telephone companies to recover a portion of the costs of providing telephone service from central offices to a residence or business. This money maintains your lines to the highest quality of service available today.

“Why are some charges higher for business than for residential customers for the same service?”

Businesses have higher call volume and usage than residential subscribers. Most have several access lines and use various calling features multiple times during the day. Their long distance usage is also higher. If a business subscriber is out of service, their service will be restored before a residential subscriber. The average residential subscriber use their phone on a limited basis for long distance and features compared to a business.

“Why are connection fees and reconnect fees so high, when all you have to do is flip a switch?”

We wish that was all we had to do. When taking an application for service, we normally spend 15-20 minutes taking the application explaining different options. When completed the service order is then typed, sent to plant for switch work and plant records updates and returned for billing. Your information is sent to directory assistance, 911, the national database and long distance providers. This happens on all new installations and most disconnections for non-payment. If someone does a name change or address change the sequence is repeated.

“What is the difference between interLATA & intraLATA?”

This is a description of the types of calling areas for long distance. InterLATA calls are placed outside of our local calling area or lata...from one lata to another. IntraLATA calls are placed within our calling area...within the same lata. The lata definitions pre-date area codes, although for Heart of Iowa customers, their lata is roughly the same geographic as that of the 641 and 515 area codes combined.

“Why do some calls come through on the caller ID as "unavailable", while others show the name & number?”

Because of the different types of telephone company switches used during a long distance call, some information can be dropped such as telephone number or the name. Not all switches can pass the information. If a call starts on the west coast and passes through a switch that cannot pass the information, the information is stopped at that point. Also, subscribers can block their information from going out with a feature commonly called "Caller ID Blocking".

"What is CPNI?"

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order that impacts all Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative members.  The FCC has stepped up its efforts to prevent unauthorized disclosure of customer information by enacting the Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) rules which are scheduled to go into effect on December 8, 2007.

It is Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative's current policy and procedure to restrict what information we disclose on our customers.  We do not disclose information to unaffiliated companies.  These are just new rules that the FCC is imposing on all communications providers.

• What is CPNI?  CPNI is highly personal and confidential information that Heart of Iowa Communication Cooperative would not otherwise have access to that involves both the customer's purchasing and calling habits.  Examples of CPNI include phone numbers called by a customer; frequency, duration and timing of such calls; and services subscribed to such as caller id and call waiting.

• How does this affect you?  Effective December 8, 2007, obtaining information about your account will be handled differently.  When you call in or stop by one of our office locations we will ask that you create a password and answer a back-up question.  Before this password can be created we must authenticate you, to make sure we are indeed establishing a password with you.  In order to do this, we can all you back at the telephone number listed on the account or ask that you stop in one of our office locations and present current photo identification such as a driver's license.

• What if I do not wish to establish a password?  That option is available.  In these instances, we would not be able to disclose information to you if you called in.  We would have to hang up and call you back at the telephone number listed on the account or send the information to the address of record and /or ask you to stop in one of our office locations to present valid photo identification.

• Who decides the password?  The password will be up to you but it cannot contain "biographical information."  According to the rules, biographical information includes your Social Security Number or your last four digits of your Social Security Number; home address; mother's maiden name; date of birth; city of birth, etc.
  

• What if I already created a password?  You can keep the same password or establish a new one.  We are asking that each member answer a back-up question in the event you forget your password (to verify we are speaking to you.)

• Will this impact my eBill account?  For existing customers, the answer is no.  The only change that you will see is the back-up questions.  Mother's maiden name and city that you were born in will no longer be available options.

• What if only my spouse's name is listed on the account?  After December 8, 2007, in order to access any information on the account, you will have two options.  One option is to have your spouse add your name to the account.  By adding your name to the account, this does not mean it will be published in the directory unless you want it to be.  The second option available is to have your spouse give his/her permission for you to call/stop in about the account by completing an authorization form that is available at any Heart of Iowa office or by calling 486-2211.

• What about my directory information, is that biographical?  Referred to as Subscriber List Information in the order, if this information is published, it is not considered CPNI.

• Will I be notified of Account Changes?  We are now required to notify customers immediately following a change in address; password addition or change; when a back-up question is created or changed; or when an online account is created or changed.

If you have any questions that are not addressed above, please feel free to give our office a call.

"OPT-OUT" Procedure 

In the event that you no longer want Heart of Iowa to use your CPNI records for marketing purposes, please click on the link and complete the attached form.  The authorization remains valid until you contact us in writing or upon receipt of the next bi-annual CPNI Privacy Notice, whichever comes first.  Regardless of what you decide, the services and products you currently receive will not be affected.  By returning the consent form, you will continue to receive current and up-to-date information on the product and service offerings that you currently subscribe to.  If you decide to disconnect or cancel any product or service or become an inactive member/customer, we will continue to adhere to the privacy policies and practices described in this notice.

To read the full CPNI notification and complete an "OPT-OUT" form
please click here .