{"id":9974,"date":"2024-04-18T01:16:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T01:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vermontel.com\/?page_id=9974"},"modified":"2024-04-22T20:28:50","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T20:28:50","slug":"privacypolicy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vermontel.com\/?page_id=9974","title":{"rendered":"Privacy Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Privacy Policy<\/b><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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UPDATED: APRIL 17, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Introduction<\/b><\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Recognizing the importance you place on privacy and the safeguarding of your personal information, Vermont Telephone Company, Inc. \u00a0(\u201cVTel\u201d or \u201cCompany\u201d)\u00a0 acknowledges our obligation to offer transparency in our protective measures. With this in mind, we have formulated this Privacy Policy to fulfill precisely that objective. Within its contents, we delineate the various types of personal information we collect, as well as our methods for collection, utilization, maintenance, protection, and sharing of said information. Furthermore, this Privacy Policy outlines your rights and choices regarding your personal data.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrivacy for Web Visitors<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

One can visit our Web site with complete privacy. A Web site visitor can choose to provide customer-specific information by ordering a product or service, sending us e-mail or registering on a company Web site. Any information provided by a Web site visitor is held strictly confidential by Vermont Telephone Company, Inc. (VTel) or its authorized agent and will not be sold to any other organization or business.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrivacy for Internet Service Subscribers<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

VTel\u2019s affiliated Internet service \u2013 VTel Internet \u2013 collects information from Internet subscribers or users as necessary to provide Internet access service. For example, Web servers automatically recognize an Internet user\u2019s domain name (such as .com, .edu, etc.), the Web page from which a visitor enters our site and how much time a visitor spends on a Web page. This information is used \u2013 only in the aggregate \u2013 to improve our Internet services and sites.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTypes of Customer Information<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

On some Web pages users can order products, make requests or register to receive information. Such customer-specific information will be used to fulfill the specific request or purpose for which it was provided.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrivacy of Online Personal Information<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

No personal information obtained online is released outside of VTel or its authorized agent, except with the customer\u2019s permission, as required by law, for safety reasons, or to survey customer satisfaction, under nondisclosure protection. We use the information provided when placing an order to complete that order. We do not share that information with outside parties except as necessary to fulfill the online order (e.g., providing the \u201cship to\u201d address to our shipper). We may also use that information to offer other products or services of interest. We do not sell customer information to any outside party.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Information collected online, especially from those who place an order online, may be used within VTel or by an authorized agent to inform the user about services and products of potential interest. Customers might be contacted by telephone, direct mail or e-mail to keep them up-to-date on new products and services offered by VTel or an authorized agent.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPolicy for Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) & Personally Identifiable Information (PII)<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

It is the policy of Vermont Telephone Co., Inc, VTel Data Networks and VTel Wireless (collectively VTel) to comply with all state and federal rules\/guidelines\/statutes\/laws as they relate to customer privacy, including Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). <\/p>\n

To that end, VTel has implemented certain procedures to help ensure compliance and provide their consumers with as much privacy protection as practicable.  Although we take the responsibility of safeguarding customer personal information seriously, no security measures are 100% effective and we cannot guarantee that these practices will prevent every unauthorized attempt to access, use, or disclose customer information.<\/p>\n

Should any portion of this policy or procedure information be deemed to be in violation of state or federal rules\/guidelines\/statutes\/laws, that portion of the policy or procedure will be determined to be void, without impact to the rest of the policy or procedure.<\/p>\n

Procedure<\/b><\/p>\n

Employees and designated contractors will only access customer account information as needed to complete said customer\u2019s request; correct and maintain records; bill and collect for services and\/or products; protect VTel\u2019s property or rights or the safety of our employees, our customers, or other individuals; or when required by law or to respond to a legal process.  VTel will limit access to customer account information by employee or designated contractor to the extent that that individual needs access to complete their job requirements. <\/p>\n

Disclosing\/Changing non-CPNI protected customer information:<\/em><\/span><\/p>

Employees and designated contractors who are disclosing non-CPNI protected customer information at the customer\u2019s request will ensure that they are speaking with the account owner or an authorized individual on the account by asking the requestor\u2019s name AND verifying their identity through at least one of the following ways:
1. Verify pre-established CPNI password;
2. Verify the answer to a pre-established Alternate Security Question;
3. Verify their identity in-person with government issued photo identification;
4. Call the customer back at the telephone number of record (after verifying that the number has been on the account for at least 30 days);
5. Mail the customer the information requested at their pre-established mailing address;
6. Email the customer the information requested at the email address associated with the account (after verifying that the email address has been on the account for at least 30 days);
7. Email the customer the CPNI PIN\/Password at the email address associated with the account (after verifying that the email address has been on the account for at least 30 days) and ask them to recite it back to you;
8. Verify a recent billing amount AND payment amount AND date (from within the last 3 months);
9. Verify call detail record from a recent bill, including date, time, telephone number and duration (from within the last 3 months).<\/p>\n

Disclosing\/Changing CPNI protected customer information:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Employees and contractors who are disclosing CPNI-protected customer information (such as Call Detail Records, or changing the customer\u2019s mailing address, or establishing\/changing online account access) at the customer\u2019s request will ensure that they are speaking with the account owner or an authorized individual on the account by asking the requestor\u2019s name AND verifying their identity through at least one of the following ways:<\/p>\n

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  1. Verify pre-established CPNI password;<\/li>\n
  2. Verify the answer to a pre-established Alternate Security Question;<\/li>\n
  3. Verify their identity in-person with government issued photo identification;<\/li>\n
  4. Call the customer back at the telephone number of record (after verifying that the number has been on the account for at least 30 days);<\/li>\n
  5. Mail the customer the information requested at their pre-established mailing address;<\/li>\n
  6. Email the customer the information requested at the email address associated with the account (after verifying that the email address has been on the account for at least 30 days);<\/li>\n
  7. Email the customer the CPNI PIN\/Password at the email address associated with the account (after verifying that the email address has been on the account for at least 30 days) and ask them to recite it back to you;<\/li>\n
  8. If the customer can provide the date, time, duration and telephone number of an individual call, employees and contractors are permitted to provide information about that individual call without alternate identity verification methods.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Establishing new customers\/accounts:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    When establishing new customer accounts, employees and designated contractors ensure that they are speaking with the account holder or their legal representative.  They will gather the name(s) of additional authorized individuals, mailing address, email address, alternate telephone number, 4-digit CPNI PIN (which will also be used for the IVR payment PIN), and at least one alternate security question\/answer for every new customer. Exceptions will be made for email address if the customer indicates that they don\u2019t have one. <\/p>\n

    CPNI PIN requirements:<\/p>\n

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    1. Can not be repeating or sequential digits (ex. 5555, 1234, 9876);<\/li>\n
    2. Can not be part of the VTel telephone number (ex. phone number is 802-885-7716, PIN cannot be 7716);<\/li>\n
    3. Can not be the last 4 of the customer\u2019s SSN;<\/li>\n
    4. Can not be part of customer\u2019s birth date (ex. DOB is 2\/5\/96, cannot be 2596 or 0205 or 1996).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Remote Work and Work Product<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

      VTel recognizes the unique challenges posed by remote work environments and emphasizes the need for proactive measures to maintain the confidentiality of customer information.  By addressing both active use and disposal phases, these guidelines aim to ensure a comprehensive approach to data protection even in decentralized work settings.<\/p>\n

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      1. Privacy During remote work<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n