Service Agreement

Terms of Service

RESIDENTIAL SERVICE AGREEMENT

All services offered under this contract are subject to Socket’s Acceptable Use Policy, which can be found on Socket’s website at: https://www.socket.net/acceptable-use-policy/

The residential service agreement is between Socket and any customer. Your activation and use of our service and/or equipment constitutes your acceptance of this agreement and charges described through the ordering process. If you do not accept Socket’s terms of service, do not use the service or equipment and notify Socket immediately so we can cancel the service agreement.

This service is intended for residential use only. If this service is established for a business, pricing is subject to change. When you apply or pay for service you agree to the prices, terms and conditions set forth in this agreement and any changes which may occur from time to time. 

BILLING AND PAYMENT

Billing for any Service shall commence immediately following delivery of the Service to Customer’s service address(es) or as otherwise provided in the Agreement.  Customer will receive a bill on or about the 1st day of each month. Your account will be invoiced from the date your service goes active. All bills are due and payable upon receipt.  If customer’s bill is not paid within twenty (20) days after the billing date listed on the bill (the “Due Date”), Customer shall pay Socket, in addition to the amount of the bill, a monthly late charge of $10 for Residential services (Commercial Late Fees listed below).  If bill is unpaid by the end of the month, disconnection may occur. Customer must provide Socket with written notice of any disputed charges within thirty (30) days after the invoice date listed on the bill or shall be deemed to have waived its rights to dispute the charges. Customer shall pay the invoiced amount by the Due Date, provided that payment of an invoice shall not be deemed a waiver of Customer’s rights to later dispute an invoice within the time period allowed under Applicable Law. The dispute notice shall set forth in writing in reasonable detail the information concerning the disputed charges and reasons for the dispute. Socket and Customer shall attempt in good faith to promptly resolve any objection to the invoiced amount. If the dispute is subsequently resolved in favor of Customer, Socket shall issue a credit on Customer’s subsequent invoice for the disputed amount. If Socket initiates legal proceedings to collect any amount due hereunder and Socket substantially prevails in such proceedings, then Customer shall pay the reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Socket in prosecuting such proceedings and any appeals therefrom. In the event Customer fails to pay any invoice when due, or provide Socket with a notice of dispute, Socket shall notify Customer regarding its failure to pay such invoice. If, after Socket has provided such notice, Customer continues to fail to pay such invoice(s) within five (5) days after such notice, Socket may, in addition to any other rights and remedies available to Socket, suspend service under this Agreement until all outstanding invoice(s) are paid in full. In addition, in such case Socket may elect to terminate this Agreement, and shall be entitled to seek and exercise such rights and remedies that may otherwise be permitted hereunder or at law or in equity.

Socket offers the option of setting up recurring payments via credit or debit cards, or via automatic bank withdrawal, if the customer authorizes. Recurring payments will renew automatically via these methods chosen, unless you notify Socket otherwise. Socket reserves the right to assign any delinquent accounts to an outside agency for collections. Account maintenance must be done prior to the next billing period. This includes changes to the account, billing options and cancellations.

All accounts are non-refundable unless sufficient documentation of technical difficulties on Socket Telecom’s network exists. The last month of service is a payment in full and is not prorated if the customer chooses to cancel service.

Additional fees may include the following:

  • Reconnection Fee after nonpayment: $60.00
  • Residential Late Payment Fee: $10
  • Commercial Late Payment Fee: 1.5% per month with a minimum $10 charge
  • Collections Charge: $10.00
  • Rejected Check or ACH Draft Charge: $25.00 
  • ONT Replacement Charge: $100.00
  • Wireless Router Replacement Fee Per Device: $100 per device plus sales tax
  • Early Termination Fee for Non-Hosted Phone:  75% of the monthly payments remaining on the term period

Early Termination Fee for Hosted Phone:  100% of the monthly payments remaining on the term period

TAXES AND SURCHARGES 

In addition to the rates and charges for the Service(s), Customer shall be responsible for payment of all local, state and federal taxes, fees and surcharges, however designated, imposed on or based upon the provision, sale, or use of the Services and any Equipment, excluding taxes based on Socket’s net income. Customer shall be responsible for the payment of all surcharges in effect from time to time, including but not limited to USF, PICC, and payphone surcharges, as required or permitted by applicable law, regulation or tariff and/or as specified on the Socket website at www.socket.net.

SERVICE QUALITY

Many things outside Socket’s control can affect Internet speeds, which will vary and are not guaranteed. In order to improve reliability and performance, some lines may be provisioned at less than the maximum speed capable, but within the range of speed purchased.

Socket’s equipment is configured so that our agents may remotely access them for troubleshooting and maintenance. Any changes to equipment by anyone other than Socket personnel are prohibited. Failure to return equipment in good condition will require that you pay for its replacement.

ACCESS TO PREMISE

As part of this agreement, the customer agrees to allow Socket employees and representatives on and into the customer’s premises to install, maintain, repair, or upgrade our services and equipment. Additionally, the customer shall ensure a safe working environment while Socket employees and representatives are on the premise. Socket employees and representatives reserve the right to leave the premises at any time due to unsafe or unsuitable working conditions.

If the customer does not own the property, they represent that they have acquired the necessary permission from the property owner to allow construction/installation of equipment and will hold the company harmless from any legal action taken by the property owner. Likewise for new homeowners who have not yet closed on a new home purchase; they must obtain access/permission from the current property owner to allow Socket to begin construction/installation before closing.

EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION

Socket may choose to install an Optical Network Terminal either outside or inside your home. You agree to allow Socket to keep the ONT on your home in the event you should disconnect service. Rented equipment must be returned to Socket within 30 days or additional charges may apply.

Socket’s standard installation allows for Socket installers to determine the appropriate location of the fiber line and point of entry into the home. Standard installation does not include installations over 400 feet in length from our line, boring under driveways and/or sidewalks, configuring customers’ computers, networking ethernet cables, fishing walls, nor any internal wiring through the house. Special installation requests and installs that do not classify as a standard installation may be subject to additional charges. 

Socket’s service cables may be buried and may cause some disturbance to your property. Socket will use reasonable precaution and attempt to restore the property to its previous condition. Likewise, please exercise caution while cable is prepped for burial and after it has been buried. You also expressly release defend and indemnify Socket and its owners, subsidiaries, successors, officers, directors, agents, assigns, and insurers from any and all indirect liability arising from the fiber line’s presence on your property.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS 

Socket services are ordered to a specific address and do not automatically move should the customer change their address or telephone number. The customer is required to give Socket adequate notification prior to the date of move in order to ensure there are no interruptions in service.

OTHER CHARGES

Failure to return the following equipment in good condition within 30 days of discontinuing service will require that you pay for its replacement, plus sales tax. Those fees are as follows:

  • Streaming device, power cord and cables: $30.00

GENERAL PHONE TERMS OF SERVICE

Your package entitles you to unlimited local calling within your local calling area. Local calling scopes vary between areas.

Your package also includes unlimited long distance within the continental United States. Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and countries abroad may be found at www.socket.net/home/international-rates.

FIBER PHONE TERMS OF SERVICE

Since your phone service will run over Socket’s fiber network and not traditional copper phone lines, the service will be susceptible to power outages, like any other electronic device. If you wish to maintain landline phone service and 911 access in the event of a power outage, you’ll need a backup battery or generator. Socket offers a backup battery option for a $100 one-time purchase, or you can purchase your own backup battery online or at many retailers.

REFUND POLICY

When you buy our products/services, your purchase is covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are, for any reason, not entirely happy with your service, we will cheerfully issue a full refund. Refund checks may be issued to customers for various circumstances including: disconnection of service, moved, deceased, credit balance, etc.

To request a refund, simply contact us at 1-800-762-5383. Please include your account information from your invoice and tell us why you’re requesting a refund – we take customer feedback very seriously and use it to constantly improve our products and quality of service.

All Refund Requests are subject to approval by the regional manager or customer service manager.   All Refund Requests must then be submitted to Accounts Payable for further approval and issuance of a refund check. Note: refunds are not being provided for services delivered in full such as installation service. Refunds will be processed within 4 weeks after final approval.

CPNI Policy

CPNI Defined: CPNI is information that relates to the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, and amount of use of a telecommunications (telephone) service subscribed by a customer. It is information made available to Socket by virtue of the customer-carrier relationship and includes:

  • The identity of a customer’s Primary Interexchange Carrier (PIC)
  • The volume of calls made by a customer
  • The amount a customer has been billed by a long-distance carrier
  • The types of service offerings to which the customer subscribes
  • Information on a customer’s bill, such as:
    • Call detail records
    • Phone numbers called/received
    • Time/duration of calls
    • Charges associated with calls

 CPNI does not include public directory listing information of subscribers, nor does it include internet related services or any of the following: 

  • Aggregate customer information including data from a group of customers, which could be CPNI, that has been removed from any customer identifiers
  • Subscriber list information with customers’ names, telephone numbers, addresses, or primary advertising classifications that the carrier or an affiliate has published or accepted for publication in any directory form (e.g. local phone book or other public directory)
  • Subscriber list information, including unlisted and non-published numbers
  • Carriers may contact all existing and former customers for marketing purposes using a list containing the customers’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers if it does not use CPNI
  • A marketing campaign sent to all customers

Collection and use of CPNI

CPNI will be used by Socket to make sure you are billed properly for your services, to send you pertinent information about Socket services, to improve quality of service, to answer questions that may involve troubleshooting, to ensure compliance with relevant contractual and legal obligations, and for tax and accounting purposes. More generally, applicable regulations allow Socket to use, disclose, or permit access to CPNI for the following purposes without customer approval: (1) to provide or market service offerings, or alternate versions of existing service, which may include additional or related offerings, within the category of service (i.e., local, interexchange) to which the customer already subscribes; (2) to provide optional extended area calling plans; (3) to market services formerly known as adjunct-to-basic services, such as, but not limited to, speed dialing, computer-provided directory assistance, call monitoring, call tracing, call blocking, call return, repeat dialing, call tracking, call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, and certain features; (4) to provide inside wiring installation, maintenance, or repair services; (5) to initiate, render, bill for, or collect for customer-authorized telecommunications services; (6) to protect the rights or property of Socket; (7) to protect users of those services and other carriers from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of, or subscription to, such services; or (8) to market services other than those to which a customer already subscribes, or alternate versions of existing service, which may include additional or related offerings, if such customer contacts Socket to inquire about such service offerings.

Customers’ Rights

Under federal law, Customer has the right, and Socket has a duty, to protect the confidentiality of information about the amount, type, and destination of Customer’s telephone service usage (CPNI).  Customer hereby consents to the sharing of Customer’s CPNI or other personal information with Socket and its affiliates, agents, and contractors, solely for the purpose of developing or bringing to Customer’s attention any products and services, or in the event of any merger, sales of some or all of the company assets or acquisition as well as in any insolvency, bankruptcy or receivership proceeding in which CPNI or other personal information would be transferred as one of the business assets of the company.  This consent survives the termination of Customer’s Service and is valid until revoked by Customer.  To remove this consent at any time, Customer must notify Socket in writing at 2703 Clark Lane, Columbia, MO  65202, ATTN:  Regulatory and provide the following information:  (1) Customer name, (2) Service billing address, (3) Telephone number, and (4) Service account number.  Removing consent will not affect the Customer’s current Service.

 COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

In the event that a service or billing issue occurs, you should call us at the telephone number listed on this notice. A fully trained Customer Service Representative can often resolve your problem over the telephone at 1-800-762-5383. If this cannot be done, we will set up an appointment for a skilled technician to come to your home. If, in your opinion, the service technician fails to correct the reception problem, you should call us again and we will review the actions taken. Should we continue to be unable to resolve the problem to your satisfaction, we will explain the reasons we cannot solve the problem. If you believe Socket has not properly resolved your issue, you have the right to contact your local  franchise authority.

CONTACT INFORMATION AND HELP CENTER LINKS