Network Management Policy

Pulaski White Rural Telephone Cooperative (d/b/a LightStream) provides consumers with accessible, easy-to-understand information about our services to help them decide what services best suit their needs. Consistent with this practice, we provide this Network Transparency Statement in accordance with Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) requirements to disclose certain network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms.

Network Practices

LightStream will not unjustly or unreasonably discriminate against lawful Internet content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.

LightStream engages in network management practices that are tailored and appropriate for achieving optimization on its network considering the particular network architecture and technology of its broadband Internet access service. LightStream’s goal is to ensure that all its customers experience a safe and secure broadband Internet environment that is fast, reliable, and affordable.

Network Management Disclosures

LightStream’s network practices include congestion- and security-protocol-management. Such protocols and practices generally will not impact our customers’ user experience. LightStream uses various tools and industry-standard techniques to manage its network to ensure fast, secure, and reliable Internet service. LightStream provides the following overview of its network management practices:

1. Blocking: LightStream does not block or discriminate against lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices. We conduct only reasonable network management.
2. Throttling: LightStream does not throttle, impair, or degrade lawful Internet traffic based on content, application, service, user, or use of a non-harmful device. We engage in only reasonable network management practices.
3. Affiliated Prioritization: LightStream does not favor any Internet traffic over others, including through the use of techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, to benefit an affiliate, and we have no plans to do so.
4. Paid Prioritization: LightStream does not favor or prioritize any Internet traffic over others. We do not prioritize Internet websites over others in exchange for any consideration to benefit any content, applications, services, or devices.

Network Management Practices

LightStream’s network management practices are intended to ensure that we provide the best possible Internet access to our customers. To achieve this goal, we employ network management techniques such as identifying spam and preventing its delivery to customer email accounts, detecting malicious Internet traffic, and preventing the distribution of, or inadvertent access to, malware, phishing, viruses, or other harmful code or content.

1. Congestion Management: LightStream applies sound network management principles to alleviate and prevent traffic congestion for all Customers. LightStream continuously monitors the connections on its network in the aggregate for all types of traffic to determine the utilization rate. Where feasible, LightStream will address congestion issues through improvements to its network or the capacity purchased from other providers needed to connect to the Internet. Such processes take time to implement and may not be feasible in all situations. Therefore, LightStream may take appropriate measures to relieve undue congestion if it occurs on the network.

LightStream’s network and congestion management practices do not discriminate based on the type of application being used. Nor are they based on any particular customer’s aggregate monthly data usage. We examine only current network conditions, not our customers’ online activities.

Customer conduct that abuses or threatens the LightStream network or violates our Acceptable Use Policy, Internet Service Terms and Conditions, or the Internet Service Agreement will be asked to stop immediately. If a customer fails to respond or cease such conduct, we may suspend service or terminate the user’s account.

LightStream 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, we notify the customer via email or phone. If a customer violates the Acceptable Use Policy or other policies and such a violation is not remedied, LightStream will seek to suspend or terminate that customer’s service.

Congestion events may occur related to the service capacity from third parties used by LightStream to provide the customer with access to the Internet. Such service capacity is outside the control of LightStream.

In the event we take any congestion management actions, the vast majority of our users’ Internet activities will be unaffected. Some customers may, however, experience more extended download or upload times or slower surf speeds.

1. Application-Specific Behavior: Except as may be provided elsewhere herein, LightStream does not normally engage in any application-specific network management activities on its network and undertakes no obligation to monitor or investigate the lawfulness of any specific application used by a customer. Customers may use any lawful application as part of their Internet usage. LightStream will only take steps regarding an application-specific behavior by a customer if there is a reasonable belief that the application will cause harm to LightStream’s network or is unlawful, including, but not limited to, violating intellectual property rights.
2. Device Attachment Rules: For best results, modems, wireless modems, or other proprietary network gateways used on the LightStream broadband network should be provided by LightStream. Customers may, however, attach their own devices to their modems, including wired or wireless routers, laptops, desktop computers, video game systems, televisions, or other network-enabled electronics equipment. Customers are responsible for ensuring that their equipment does not harm LightStream’s network or impair the service of other customers. LightStream is not responsible for the functionality or compatibility of any equipment its customers provide. Customers are responsible for securing their own equipment to prevent unauthorized access to LightStream’s broadband network by third parties and will be held responsible for the actions of such third parties who gain unauthorized access through unsecured customer equipment.
3. Network Security: LightStream undertakes no obligation to monitor or protect customer traffic from spam, viruses, denial of service attacks, or other malicious, unlawful, or unwarranted activities. LightStream does not guarantee that it can protect customers from any or all security breaches. The customer is using this service at its own risk. Customers are cautioned to purchase spam filtering and antivirus software from commercial vendors to meet their needs. However, a customer subject to spam, virus, denial of service attacks, or similar malicious, unlawful, or unwarranted activities is urged to contact LightStream immediately.

LightStream will work with the customer on how the customer can make appropriate and economically reasonable efforts to address the matter.

Network Performance

1. Service Description
   LightStream deploys hardwired broadband Internet access to its subscribers via Fiber to the Home (“FTTH”).
2. Network Performance
   The length, capacity, and congestion of transport facilities purchased by LightStream from third-party providers impact actual access speeds, delay times, or latency. Significant use of specialized services such as Internet-based video services can also have an effect. LightStream cannot guarantee that it will be able to obtain capacity from these third-party providers at commercially reasonable prices if additional third-party capacity is needed to reach Internet nodes.

Additional factors may impact download or upload speeds for a particular distant website or other Internet resources that are beyond LightStream’s control, including the speed of the connection from a distant web server to the Internet, congestion on intermediate networks, and limitations on your computer equipment like your wireless router. In addition, your inside-premises wiring could affect service performance. Accordingly, consumers should consider the capabilities of their own equipment when choosing broadband service. You may need to upgrade your computers and other networks in your home or office to take full advantage of the chosen broadband plan.

LightStream tests each service for actual and expected access speeds during network installation to demonstrate that the service can support the advertised speed. These speeds are calculated based on internal testing to the edge of our network using internal speed test tools.

Customers may also test their actual speeds using the speed test on various speed testing websites and request assistance by calling our business office at (574) 278-7121 or emailing csr@lightstream.coop.

Download & Upload Speeds

Advertised Connection Speeds are as follows and effective 10/1/2024:

Residential Speeds

Business Speeds

1. Impact of Non-BIAS Data Services
   LightStream offers Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) to end-users. For our VoIP service, because these services use relatively little bandwidth, they will not adversely affect the last-mile capacity available for, or the performance of, our broadband internet access service.

Commercial Terms

1. Pricing
   LightStream offers multiple levels of internet service, all available with no monthly data cap. The pricing and other terms for our different service offerings can be found at www.lightstream.coop. Prices do not include applicable federal, state, or local taxes and regulatory fees. Prices and packages are subject to change.
2. Privacy Policies
   LightStream values the privacy of our internet service customers. Like most companies, we collect certain information about our customers and use it to provide our services. We collect information when you interact with us, when you use our internet service, and when you visit our website. This information is used to deliver, provide, and repair our services, and to establish and maintain customer records and billing accounts.

As a general statement, LightStream does not usually inspect network traffic. LightStream retains and stores certain traffic information for periods required by federal and state law, including, but not limited to, the customer’s identity using a particular IP address during a specific period. LightStream assists law enforcement and provides traffic information that it may have available when requested pursuant to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and other applicable national and state security and criminal statutes.

LIGHTSTREAM DOES NOT COLLECT, STORE, OR USE TRAFFIC INFORMATION TO PROFILE ITS CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO SELL ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO THEM OR FOR NON-NETWORK MANAGEMENT PURPOSES.

We protect the information we have about our customers and require those we share it with to protect it as well. LightStream does not sell, license, or share information that individually identifies our customers with others, without your consent, except as necessary when working with vendors and partners for business purposes and when necessary for them to do work on our behalf. Additional details about our privacy policy can be found here.

1. Redress Options.
   We strive to provide excellent customer service and resolve any issues promptly. If you have any questions or complaints regarding LightStream’s internet service, call (574) 278-7121 or email us at csr@lightstream.coop. LightStream takes all such questions and complaints seriously.

LightStream may add, delete, or modify certain practices, performance characteristics, and terms and conditions from time to time at its discretion. In addition to this Network Management Policy, patrons may also find the following links to other policies on the LightStream website.