Rural Connect LLC

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Last Updated on 07/29/2019.

Questions regarding this policy and complaints of violations of this policy by Rural Connect users can be filed using our contact form here.

Introduction
Rural Connect, LLC. ("Rural Connet") provides a variety of Internet services ("the Service"). Rural Connect Service allows subscribers to connect to the Company's high-speed backbone network and the Internet. Use of the Service is subject to following the rules and guidelines. Each customer of Rural Connect is responsible for ensuring that the use of all services provided to such customer complies with this policy. ANY USER WHO DOES NOT AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY STOP USE OF THE SERVICES AND NOTIFY THE RURAL CONNECT TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF SO THAT THE USER'S ACCOUNT MAY BE CLOSED.

Illegal Activity
The use of the Service for any activity that violates any local, state, federal or international law, order, or regulation is a violation of this Policy.
Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:
- Posting or disseminating material that is unlawful, such as child pornography or obscene material.
- Disseminating material, which violates the copyright or other intellectual property rights of others. You assume all risks regarding the determination of whether material is in the public domain.
- Pyramid or other illegal soliciting schemes.
- Any fraudulent activities, including impersonating any person or entity or forging anyone else's digital or manual signature.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), copyright owners have the right to notify Rural Connect register agent if they believe that a Rural Connect customer has infringed on their work(s). When Rural Connect receives a complaint notice from a copyright owner, Rural Connect will notify the customer of the alleged infringement by providing them a copy of the submitted DMCA notice. As required by law, Rural Connect enforces a graduated response policy to complaints that may lead to suspension or termination of service. Rural Connect’s policy is to cancel the internet services with no refunds, but still responsible for the monies owed for the remainder of the contract for any customer receiving multiple complaints.

Security
You are responsible for any misuse of the Service that you have contracted for, even if a friend, family member, guest, employee, or customer committed the inappropriate activity with access to your account. Therefore, you must take steps to ensure that others do not gain unauthorized access to the Service.
You are solely responsible for the security of any device you choose to connect to the Service, including any data stored on that device. In particular, Rural Connect recommends against enabling file or printer sharing of any sort. Rural Connect recommends that any files or services you do choose to make available for remote access be protected with a strong password or as otherwise appropriate. As with any always-on broadband connection to the Internet, Rural Connect recommends installation of a firewall (software or hardware).
The Service may not be used to breach the security of another user or to attempt to gain access to any other person's computer, software, or data without the knowledge and consent of such person. They also may not be used in any attempt to circumvent the user authentication or security of any host, network, or account. This includes, but is not limited to, accessing data not intended for you, logging into or making use of a server or account you are not expressly authorized to access, or probing the security of other networks. Use or distribution of tools designed for compromising security, such as password guessing programs, cracking tools, packet-sniffers, or network probing tools, is prohibited.

You may not disrupt the Service.
The Service also may not be used to interfere with computer networking or telecommunications services to any user, host or network, including, without limitation, denial of service attacks, flooding of a network, overloading a service, improper seizing and abuse of operator privileges and attempts to "crash" a host.
The transmission or dissemination of any information or software, which contains a virus or other harmful feature, also is prohibited.

Inappropriate Content
There may be content on the Internet or otherwise available through the Service which may be offensive to some individuals, or which may not be in compliance with all local laws, regulations, and other rules. For example, it is possible to obtain access to content that is pornographic or offensive, particularly for children. Rural Connect does not assume any responsibility for the content contained on the Internet. You must assume the risk of accessing content through the Service, and Rural Connect shall not have any liability for any claims, losses, actions, damages, suits or proceedings arising out of or otherwise relating to access to such content.
You are solely responsible for any information that you publish on the web or other Internet services. You must ensure that the recipient of the content is appropriate. For example, you must take appropriate precautions to prevent minors from receiving inappropriate content. Rural Connect reserves the right to refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be offensive, indecent, or otherwise inappropriate regardless of whether such material or its dissemination is unlawful.
Rural Connect does not have any obligation to monitor transmissions made on the Service. However, Rural Connect does have the right to monitor such transmissions from time to time and to disclose the information obtained in accordance with your subscriber agreement.
By using the Service to reproduce, publish, display, transmit, and distribute content, a user is warranting that the content complies with this policy and authorizing Rural Connect to reproduce, publish, display, transmit, and distribute such content as necessary for Rural Connect to deliver the content in a timely manner.

Electronic Mail ***NOTICE*** YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE TERMINATED IF VIOLATIONS ARE FOUND. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE OR REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE!!!
The Service may not be used to send unsolicited bulk or commercial messages. This includes, but is not limited to, bulk mailing of commercial advertising, informational announcements, charity requests, petitions for signatures and political or religious messages. Such messages may only be sent to those who have explicitly requested it. The service may not be used to send messages to any individual who has indicated that he/she does not wish to receive messages from you.
The Service may not be used to collect responses from unsolicited email sent from accounts on other Internet hosts or email services which violates this policy or the acceptable use policy of any other Internet service provider. Moreover, unsolicited email may not direct the recipient to any web site or other resource that uses the Service. Forging, altering, or removing electronic mail headers is prohibited.
You may not reference the Rural Connect network in any unsolicited email even if that email is not sent through the Rural Connect network.
You may not send numerous copies of the same or substantially similar messages, nor may you send very large messages or files to a recipient with the intent to disrupt a server or account. The propagation of chain letters is similarly prohibited, whether or not the recipient wishes to receive such mailings.
The Rural Connect network is not responsible for the forwarding of email sent to any account that has been suspended or terminated. Such email will be returned to sender or deleted.

Online Chat Sessions
The Service may be used to participate in "chat" discussions. These discussions may be hosted by Rural Connect network servers, by third party servers, or may not involve any servers at all. In all cases, the Rural Connect network does not normally monitor the contents of the discussion and is not liable for the contents of any communications made via Internet chat.
The Service may not be used to perform chat "flooding." Flooding is defined as deliberately repeating actions in quick succession in order to fill the screens of other Internet users with text. The service may not be used to send messages that disrupt another Internet user's equipment, including software, hardware, and user display.
The Service may not be used to access any chat server in violation of the acceptable use policy of that server.
The Service may not be used to manipulate any chat server in order to harass or disconnect other Internet users, or to gain privileges that have not been authorized.
A customer may not use the Service to connect to chat servers or channels from which they have been previously banned.
The Service may not be used to continue to send chat messages to an Internet user who has indicated their desire to not receive such messages.

Other Limitations
Users must ensure that their activity does not improperly restrict, inhibit, or degrade any other user's use of the Service, nor represent (in the sole judgment of Rural Connect) an unusually large burden on the network itself. In addition, users must ensure that their activity does not improperly restrict, inhibit, disrupt, degrade, or impede Rural Connect’s ability to deliver the Service and monitor the Service, backbone, network nodes, and/or other network services.
Rural Connect customers may not resell, share, or otherwise distribute the service or any portion thereof to any third party without the written consent of Rural Connect..

Violation Of This Policy
Rural Connect does not routinely monitor the activity of accounts for violation of this policy. However, in our efforts to promote good citizenship within the Internet community, we will respond appropriately if we become aware of inappropriate use of the Service. Although Rural Connect has no obligation to monitor the Service and/or the network, Rural Connect reserves the right to monitor bandwidth, usage, and content from time to time to operate the Service; to identify violations of this policy; and/or to protect the network and Rural Connect users.
Rural Connect prefers to advise customers of inappropriate behavior and any necessary corrective action. However, if the Service is used in a way, which Rural Connect believes violates this policy, Rural Connect may take any responsive actions it deems appropriate. Such actions include, but are not limited to, temporary or permanent removal of content, filtering of Internet transmissions, and the immediate suspension or termination of all or any portion of the Service. Rural Connect will not have any liability for any such responsive actions. The above-described actions are not exclusive remedies and Rural Connect may take any other legal or technical action it deems appropriate.
Rural Connect reserves the right to investigate suspected violations of this policy, including the gathering of information from the user or users involved and the complaining party, if any, and examination of material on Rural Connect servers and network. During an investigation, Rural Connect may suspend the account or accounts involved and/or remove material, which potentially violates this policy. You hereby authorize Rural Connect to cooperate with law enforcement authorities in the investigation of suspected criminal violations, and system administrators at other Internet service providers or other network or computing facilities in order to enforce this policy. Such cooperation may include Rural Connect providing the name, IP address, or other identifying information about a subscriber. Upon termination of an account, Rural Connect is authorized to delete any files, programs, data, and email messages associated with such account.
The failure of Rural Connect to enforce this policy, for whatever reason, shall not be construed as a waiver of any right to do so at any time. You agree that, if any portion of this policy is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion will be construed consistent with applicable law as nearly as possible, and the remaining portions will remain in full force and effect. Federal and Tennessee State law shall exclusively govern this policy.
Modifications
Rural Connect may modify these terms and conditions upon written notice published on its web site. Client’s continued use of the Service after such notice shall constitute Client's acceptance of the modification of this Agreement.