Access Recovery Charge
What is the Access Recovery Charge (ARC)?
The ARC is a monthly charge approved by the FCC and assessed by local telephone companies to recover some of the costs incurred in the provision and maintenance of telephone service. Even though this charge appears on your local bill, it is governed by the FCC.
Federal Universal Service Charge Notification
The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a system of telecommunications fees managed by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intended to promote universal access to telecommunications services in the United States. The FCC established the fund in 1997 in compliance with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The FCC is a government agency that implements and enforces telecommunications regulations across the U.S. and its territories. The fee is applied to services designated as interstate by the FCC, and is reviewed quarterly. The fee may increase or decrease based on the needs of the federal universal service fund.
The federal universal service fund was established and is maintained to ensure that all consumers, regardless of location, have access to essentially the same telecommunications services at affordable prices. The fund also assists schools, libraries, low-income consumers and rural health care consumers with assistance in obtaining telecommunications services.
Please call Southeast Nebraska Communications at 402-245-4451 with any questions you may have regarding this change.
National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do No Call Registry has been established to offer you a choice about receiving telemarketing calls at home. Registering will stop most telemarketing calls, however it will not stop calls from political organizations, charities, companies conducting surveys or companies with whom you have done business within the last 18 months.
Consumers can register their residential phone numbers, including wireless numbers, but business numbers are not covered by the Registry. The number will be on the Do Not Call list the day after registration; however, telemarketers have up to three months to remove the number from their call lists. Registration is effective for five years and a number can be removed from the list at any time. You may register up to three numbers at one time if registering on the Internet. If registering via telephone, you can register only one number at a time and you must call from the telephone number you are registering.
To register or remove a number from the Do Not Call Registry call 1.888.382.1222, for TTY call 1.866.290.4236 or register on the Internet at www.donotcall.gov.
Additional information can be obtained at www.donotcall.gov.
411 Directory Assistance
The Only Number you Need
For Southeast Nebraska Communications’s customers, 411 is now the number to call for local AND national directory assistance.
There is no need to dial 555-1212 for numbers outside Southeast Nebraska Communications’s local calling area. 411 is the only number you need to find any published listing in the country.
Each call to 411 will cost $.75. You will save money on national directory assistance as those calls currently range in price from $1.99 to $2.75 each.
If you have any questions, please contact our customer service center at 402-245-4451 or email snc@sentco.net.
Backup Power Information
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 at SNC provide, at no cost to our customers, an 8 hour battery backup. SNC also offers you the option of purchasing 24 hour backup power for your voice services.
What Your Battery Can and Can’t Do for You
SNC’s backup batteries for telephone 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 services during a power outage, an extended duration backup battery may be a good option for you. You can purchase an extended duration backup battery directly through SNC. If you have any questions or simply want to purchase an extended duration backup battery through us, please call 1-402-245-4451, or stop by our office. Our 24 hour backup batteries cost approximately $150 and can be ordered at our office. If you do not feel comfortable installing your own battery, please call us to make an appointment, and we would be happy to assist you. However, please note that there may be a charge for this service.
Expected Backup Power Duration
Backup batteries are expected to last at least 8 hours on standby power. The backup battery should give you 6 hours of talk time. If you feel that is not enough time, you may extend your standby power by purchasing a 24 hour battery backup.
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 41°F and below 104°F.
These batteries are rechargeable, but they will not last forever and should be replaced every 3 to 4 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, remove and test your battery to verify both the operation of the backup battery and its condition.
