Griggs County Telephone (doing business as MLGC) and/or MLGC, LLC hereinafter, referred to as (“MLGC” or “Company”) provides this Policy in order to disclose its network management practices in accordance with the FCC’s Open Internet Rules. Information about MLGC’s other policies and practices concerning broadband are available at www.mlgc.com (“MLGC Website”) under Policies & Disclaimers.
MLGC manages its network to ensure that all of its customers experience a safe and secure broadband Internet environment that is fast, reliable and affordable. MLGC wants its customers to indulge in all that the Internet has to offer, whether it is social networking, streaming videos and music, to communicating through email and videoconferencing.
MLGC manages its network for a number of reasons, including optimization, as well as congestion- and security-protocol-management. MLGC’s customers generally will not be impacted by the protocols and practices that MLGC uses to manage its network.
MLGC’s Network Management Practices
MLGC uses various tools and industry standard techniques to manage its network and deliver fast, secure and reliable Internet service. Such management tools and practices include the following:
- Managing Congestion
MLGC periodically monitors the connections on its network in the aggregate to determine the condition of the network. The company also monitors routers and switches for instances of congestion. Although congestion is highly unlikely, in the event that utilization approaches a certain threshold, MLGC will increase the bandwidth capacity.
On MLGC’s network, all customers have access to all legal services, applications and content online and, in the event of congestion, most Internet activities will be unaffected. Some customers, however, may experience longer download or upload times, or slower surf speeds on the web if instances of congestion do occur on MLGC’s network.
Customers using conduct that abuses or threatens the MLGC network or which violates the company’s Acceptable Use Policy, Internet service Terms and Conditions, or the Internet Service Agreement will be asked to stop any such use immediately. A failure to respond or to cease any such conduct could result in service suspension or termination.
MLGC’s network and congestion management practices are ‘application-agnostic’, based on current network conditions, and are not implemented on the basis of customers’ online activities, protocols or applications. MLGC’s network management practices do not relate to any particular customer’s aggregate monthly data usage.
II. Network Security
MLGC knows the importance of securing its network and customers from network threats and annoyances. The company promotes the security of its network and patrons by managing such threats as spam & viruses. MLGC also deploys spam filters in order to divert spam from an online customer’s email inbox into a quarantine file while allowing the customer to control which emails are identified as spam. Customers may access the spam files through the email.
As its normal practice, MLGC does not block any protocols, content or traffic for purposes of network management except that the company may block or limit such traffic as spam, viruses, malware, or denial of service attacks to protect network integrity and the security of our customers.
Except as may be provided elsewhere herein, MLGC does not currently engage in any application-specific behaviors nor does it employ any device attachment rules for its network.
III. Device Attachment Rules/Application Specific Behaviors
Customers may not run mail servers without authorization from MLGC. All outbound mail is authenticated.
Except as provided herein, MLGC does not currently engage in any application-specific behaviors, nor does it employ device attachment rules for its network. Customers may use any lawful applications or devices with MLGC.
IV. Monitoring Schedule
MLGC periodically checks its usage logs to determine utilization on its network. When utilization reaches a specified amount, MLGC may add capacity to relieve congestion. MLGC also checks for abnormal traffic flows, network security breaches, malware, loss, and damage to the network. If a breach is detected or high volume users are brought to light by complaint, MLGC provides notification to the customer via email or phone. If a violation of MLGC’s policies has occurred and such violation is not remedied, MLGC will seek to suspend or terminate that customer’s service.
V. Network Management Technology
MLGC employs a variety of industry-standard tools, applications and devices, to monitor, secure and maintain its network.
VI. Service Descriptions
MLGC offers broadband service over DSL, Fiber, and Cable Modem facilities. Information regarding MLGC’s service offerings and pricing can be found on MLGC’s website or by calling 1-877-893-6542.
VII. Network Performance
MLGC makes every effort to support advertised speeds and will dispatch repair technicians to customer sites to perform speed tests as needed to troubleshoot and resolve speed and application performance caused by MLGC’s network. MLGC measures availability, latency, and aggregate utilization on the network and strives to meet internal service level targets. However, customer’s service performance may also be affected by one or more of the following: (1) the particular websites being accessed; (2) capacity in the public Internet beyond MLGC’s network; (3) customer’s computer and equipment (including wireless router); and (4) inside wiring at customer’s premise.
MLGC is in the process of developing additional systems that will allow us to measure these indicators out to test points at each major network aggregation site on the edge of our last mile network. Once these systems are developed, MLGC will be able to measure system metrics on a network-wide basis and will disclose the results on its website.
Actual and sustained speeds are tested by speed test on the MLGC network. The typical latency measured on MLGC’s network from DSLAM to a DSL modem is 4 to 8ms, which is tested by a ping test. Measurement results are best approximations by MLGC.
Customers purchasing broadband service packages with speeds of at least 3Mbps will have the best results with real time applications such as video.
VIII. Specialized Services
MLGC provides Voice-over-the-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) and Internet-Protocol-Television (IPTV) services to end users. These services, also known as Specialized Services, are separated from the company’s best effort Internet services on the network. Therefore, there is not impact to customers’ broadband services.
IX. Commercial Terms
In addition to this Network Management Policy, patrons may also find the following documents under Policies & Disclaimers on MLGC’s website. For further questions, complaints, or additional information, contact MLGC at 701-437-3300 or via email at legal@mlgc.email
