AN UPDATE FROM PRESIDENT & CEO JULIE LAULIS REGARDING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
March 24, 2020
To Our Valued Customers,
We are in unprecedented times. With the rapidly evolving nature of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the speed at which things are changing around us, Sparklight is continuing to adapt our operations and business in order to best serve our customers and communities.
Providing communities the connectivity that enriches their world continues to be our top priority, and our associates are working tirelessly across 21 states to ensure that you remain connected to family, work, school and information.
We greatly appreciate your patience as we manage through these challenging times and I wanted to take a moment to share some of the ways Sparklight is working to serve you.
Supporting Our Communities
We will continue to evaluate and reassess the following measures based on the continued impact and evolving nature of the virus:
- On March 13 we announced that we are offering unlimited data to all of our customers for 30 days. That means no overage fees while customers are home using more data to keep connected to family, school, work and information.
- Also on March 13 we announced that for 60 days we are waiving late fees and will not disconnect customers experiencing financial strain as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
- We have opened free Wi-Fi hotspots in our local office parking lots for any community member who needs connectivity and we will work to open additional WiFi hotspots in other public areas in the coming days and weeks.
- On March 19 we began offering a low-cost 15Mbps residential internet plan for $10 per month for 60 days to help low-income families and those impacted from coronavirus challenges, such as seniors and college students. No documentation is required to sign up for this plan.
Our Local Offices
- Local offices in some markets may be closed to the public due to state-mandated Shelter in Place orders and as we allow our associates at higher risk to work from home in order to protect their health and safety as well. In these situations, we ask that you do business with us online through our customer portal at www.Sparklight.com or over the phone: 877-692-2253.
- Local offices that remain open will continue to serve customers, while still adhering to social distancing guidelines.
- We remain vigilant in cleaning high-touch spaces within our local offices to ensure the safety of both our customers and our associates.
Our Call Centers
- We have adjusted our call center staffing levels and shifts to ensure proper social distancing, while still being able to respond to our customer calls.
- We are making work-from-home accommodations for associates who are who are at higher risk due to the coronavirus, as well as parents of children whose schools have closed.
- We appreciate your patience as you may experience longer than normal hold times as a result of staffing adjustments due to the pandemic. Due to decreased resources, we are prioritizing calls to handle the most critical first. We are working diligently to answer your calls as quickly as possible.
Our Field Technicians
Our technicians are essential to keeping our customers connected, but we also recognize that there is a balance between providing service and keeping our technicians safe. To that end:
- Our technicians are following strict guidelines in order to protect their own health and safety as well as that of our customers. Additionally, they are working under new policies and procedures, so they feel comfortable serving customers at their businesses and in their homes, while delivering on our commitment to service.
- In areas with a community outbreak or state-mandated Shelter in Place orders, our technicians are prohibited from entering customer homes in order to protect their health and safety. Where possible, customers will have the option of taking advantage of our self-install kits in order to set up internet service.
- Our technicians' first priority is taking care of the needs of our existing internet customers. Our second priority is broadband installation for new customers, with health care providers, first responders, government and other essential business and service providers receiving top priority. All other installations will be performed as resources allow. We encourage customers to take advantage of our online resources at www.sparklight.com as well as our self-install options for broadband services. More information on self-install is available at www.sparklight.com/self-install.
Our Network
Rest assured, we've invested heavily in building a robust and reliable network that can handle the increased capacity needed by our communities – especially in a crisis.
- Our networks are engineered with significant reserve capacity to handle spikes and shifts in usage patterns.
- We continuously test, monitor and enhance our systems and network to ensure they are ready to support customer usage for a seamless online experience.
- Our engineers and technicians will continue to staff our network operations centers 24/7 to ensure optimal network performance and reliability.
Being a local connectivity provider means we are there for our communities in difficult times like these, and we remain committed to keeping our customers connected and supporting them through this crisis. Please visit our blog, One to One, for our latest updates.
Best,
Julie Laulis,
President & CEO