Open Internet Policy

Congestion Management: Our Subscribers are subject to the maximum connection speeds set forth in the specific Columbia Energy Service they have purchased unless there is a need to make adjustments based on congestion management. In a manner consistent with the Columbia Energy Service Agreements, Columbia Energy monitors network traffic to ensure capacity is sufficient to maintain an efficient network load, to perform diagnostics and to otherwise manage and enhance our network. To help manage traffic on the Columbia Energy Network, Columbia Energy may give priority on an unpaid basis to interactive or critical classes of traffic such as VoIP, and traffic essential to the efficient operation of the Columbia Energy Networks. Columbia Energy’s congestion management practices are in place to ensure that all Subscribers experience high quality service. If Columbia Energy determines, in its sole and reasonable discretion, that the manner in which a Subscriber is using the Services negatively impacts other Subscribers or the Columbia Energy Networks, Columbia Energy reserves the right to apply additional congestion management techniques.

Columbia Energy’s network management is temporary and based on constantly changing and dynamic network conditions.

1. 1. Blocking: Other than reasonable network management practices disclosed below, we do not block or otherwise prevent a Subscriber from accessing lawful content, applications, services, or your use of non-harmful devices.
   2. Throttling: Other than reasonable network management practices disclosed below, we do not throttle or otherwise shape, slow, degrade or impair a Subscriber from accessing lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, service, user, or use of a non-harmful device. All lawful Internet use is handled identically.
   3. Affiliated Prioritization: We do not directly or indirectly favor some traffic over other traffic, including through use of techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, to benefit any of our affiliates, defined as an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Columbia Energy.
   4. Paid Prioritization: We do not directly or indirectly favor some traffic over other traffic, including through use of techniques such as traffic shaping, prioritization, or resource reservation, in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise.
   5. Congestion Management: Our Services are provided on a “best efforts” basis and our congestion management practices are in place to ensure that all Subscribers experience as high quality a service as possible. Our typical frequency of congestion is estimated at less than 10%. Subscribers select how much high-speed data they receive under a designated service plan. If a Satellite Subscriber exceeds his/her/its selected high-speed allotment during a service cycle, we may reduce the Subscriber’s data speed for the remainder of that service cycle. We do not impose any additional usage limits for the Services.
      

      In a manner consistent with our Service Agreements, we may monitor network traffic to ensure capacity is sufficient to maintain an efficient network load, to perform diagnostics, and to otherwise manage and enhance the Columbia Energy Networks. To help manage traffic on the Columbia Energy Network, during times of high demand, we may allocate available bandwidth among Subscribers on an equal basis, by plan level. In addition, we may prioritize certain applications, such as public safety and VoIP, over other traffic types.

      1. Columbia Energy may use fair-queueing, which allocates network resources evenly when the Columbia Energy Networks reach maximum capacity.
      2. Columbia Energy may also use specific traffic shaping software in order to better manage Subscribers’ data.
      3. Columbia Energy may also conduct deep packet inspection (“DPI”), which is a type of filtering that will examine the data and/or header part of Internet traffic for viruses, spam, intrusions, or protocol non-compliance that may harm a Columbia Energy Networks; to determine the routing of Internet traffic; for internal statistical and performance purposes; for lawful intercept capabilities, and/or enforcement of our Service Agreements. We do not use DPI to conduct data mining for targeted marketing or advertising, or anti-competitive purposes.
      4. If Columbia Energy determines, in our sole and reasonable discretion, that the manner in which a Subscriber is using the service negatively impacts other Subscribers or a Columbia Energy Network, we reserve the right to apply additional congestion management techniques
   6. Application-Specific Behavior: Subject to the qualification that Columbia Energy may reasonably limit or rate-control specific or classes of applications, or other specific protocols or protocol ports as set forth below, Columbia Energy generally treats all lawful applications identically. However, we reserve the right to block or limit access to any applications, ports, or protocols that we determine, in our sole and reasonable discretion, may expose any Columbia Energy Network to potential legal liability, harm any Columbia Energy Network or otherwise interfere with or impair the experience of other Subscribers on a Columbia Energy Network.

Subject to the qualification that Columbia Energy may reasonably limit peer-to-peer applications as set forth above, Columbia Energy generally treats all lawful applications identically; however, Columbia Energy reserves the right to block or limit access to any applications that Columbia Energy determines, in Columbia Energy’s sole and reasonable discretion, may expose Columbia Energy to potential legal liability, harm a Columbia Energy Network or otherwise interfere with or impair the experience of other Subscribers on a Columbia Energy Network.

The Columbia Energy Networks may not support certain high-bandwidth video and voice applications, or peer-to-peer applications that carry unlawful or harmful content/software.

1. 7. Device Attachment Rules: Generally, you do not need approval to connect a third-party device to the Columbia Energy Networks. Columbia Energy does not limit the types of devices that can be connected to the Columbia Energy Network, provided the devices are used for lawful purposes and do not harm a Columbia Energy Network, violate our Service Agreement, expose Columbia Energy to potential legal liability, or harm other users of Columbia Energy Networks. However, if we determine, in our sole and reasonable discretion, that the connection of a particular type of device to any Columbia Energy Network negatively impacts other users or the Columbia Energy Networks, or may expose us to potential legal liability or violates our Service Agreement, we reserve the right to limit or restrict Subscribers’ ability to connect such type of device to the Columbia Energy Networks. If you need technical support services to assist you in the installation and configuration of third party devices, please call us at 509-526-4041. Depending on your level of service and your specific Service Agreement, there may be an additional monthly fee for our IT support services.
   8. Security: Columbia Energy uses industry-standard tools and generally accepted best practices and policies to take reasonable physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect the integrity and operations of the Columbia Energy Network and our Subscribers from malicious and unwanted Internet traffic, as well as harmful online content and activities. However, Columbia Energy cannot and does not guarantee complete security. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors, may compromise the security of Personal Information at any time.

Subscriber’s account is protected by a password for Subscriber privacy and security. It is Subscriber’s responsibility to prevent unauthorized access to Subscriber’s account and Personal Information by selecting and protecting Subscriber password and/or other sign-on mechanism appropriately and limiting access to Subscriber computer, tablet or device and browser by signing off after Subscriber has finished accessing Subscriber’s account. Subscriber is required to notify us immediately if Subscriber’s password or account has been disclosed to a person whose name does not appear on Subscriber’s account, even if you have allowed such disclosure. Subscriber understands, acknowledges, and agrees that Subscriber is solely responsible for any use of Columbia Energy Services via Subscriber’s username and password.

We also monitor the Columbia Energy Networks for security threats and may prohibit certain activity on the Columbia Energy Networks that we may deem, in our sole and reasonable discretion, poses a potential risk to the Columbia Energy Networks and/or to other Subscribers. Triggering conditions include but are not limited to denial of service activity, IP address or port scanning, excessive account login failures; or certain Internet addresses that are disruptive, malicious and typically persistent. If we notice excessive Subscriber connections, including but not limited to Wi-Fi connections, that are harmful or are commonly used to disrupt the normal use of a Columbia Energy Network or use by other Subscribers, we will attempt to notify the Subscriber to work collaboratively to remedy the issue to the extent possible; however, we reserve the right as a reasonable security practice, without advance notice, to block any Subscriber traffic, ports, protocols, devices, or applications (such as peer-to-peer applications that may carry malicious software or are known to be problematic) that we determine, in our sole and reasonable discretion, may cause harm to the Columbia Energy Networks or to other Subscribers, or may expose us to potential legal liability. Please see our Internet Acceptable Use Policy for details.