FAQ - Charlemont

Once you complete an application, you will be added to a queue and contacted for installation when it becomes available. Construction will begin in February 2021 and the first customers will be connected in July 2021, or earlier if possible. Construction will then proceed sequentially throughout town. Applications received after the deadline and before crews leave Charlemont will be accepted. You can apply online here or by calling customer service at the number listed at the bottom of this page.

If you apply for service before construction crews leave Charlemont then installation costs (per the engineering design we have to connect your premise) for existing structures will be eligible for a subsidy as outlined in our Drop Policy. Requests after crews leave town may result in substantial delay in installation and may require the homeowner to cover all or a portion of the network extension, service drop, and interior installation costs.

For locations where it is the first service activation, the town will give a $500 subsidy towards the cost of activation, provided the customer agrees to keep service for one year. A $200 early termination fee will apply. They can decline the subsidy if they want, in which case there is no early termination fee. See the Charlemont Drop Policy for full details. Detailed Drop Policy

Whip City Fiber is the internet service provider (ISP) for Charlemont Connect. It is owned and operated by Westfield Gas + Electric in Westfield, Massachusetts. Charlemont Connect has chosen to work with Whip City Fiber because, as a municipal utility, they are not a for-profit enterprise.

Whip City Fiber (WCF) is serving many of our neighboring towns and has been our partner through the design and construction of the municipal fiber network . Joining the WCF network gives us access to their customer service and tech support teams, and helps us keep costs low.

Charlemont Connect is a fiber network which is constructed of optical fibers instead of the traditional copper wire or coaxial cable. Optical fiber is a hair-thin piece of glass that is specially designed to transmit light impulses. One small fiber can carry multiple signals at once and the signal does not degrade over long distances. Unlike coaxial cable, performance is not affected by interference or shared bandwidth. The fiber optic network provides high-speed access that runs at the speed of light.

Each year the use of the internet for applications and services is increasing. As high-definition video, telemedicine, distance learning, telecommuting, and other applications continue to evolve, only fiber technology provides the bandwidth to carry the heavy data load we expect to see. We’re excited that our town can take advantage of this cutting-edge access which will support our community into the future.

It’s easy! Complete an application online or call 1-833-WCF-CALL (1-833-923-2255) and one of our customer service representatives can answer any questions and complete your application over the phone.

When installation appointments are available, the customer service team will contact you to review your application and schedule an appointment. If you wish to make any changes to your application, like adding phone service, customer service can do that for you during this time.

We are offering 1 gigabit service, which is up to 1,000 Mbps upload and download speed. Actual speeds may vary due to a number of factors including the age and speed of your equipment and which software and websites you are using. You will always get the best speeds when your computer or other device is using a hardwired connection.

Many customers take advantage of resources that require higher speeds and bandwidth, including streaming services (YouTube TV, Netflix, Hulu, and Sling), video calls, and ultra-high-definition (UHD) television. Whip City Fiber provides the speed for customers to use these services and other Internet resources without glitches or buffering.

A Wi-Fi router is included with residential service to provide wireless access to tablets, phones, gaming systems, and other devices in your home. You should expect speeds over a wireless connection to be approximately half that of the wired speed.

We are building a system that supports gigabit bandwidth. We expect you will receive up to 1,000 Mbps for both upload and download. A wired speed test should be around 960 Mbps and a wireless test approximately 440 Mbps. Your actual speed will be affected by the age and speed of your devices, the software you are using, the server of the site you are visiting, and the overall volume of internet traffic at any given moment. As usage increases, we can add more capacity without having to run new cables.

When you are connected to the network you will be able to check your speed with the speed test located in the very top menu on the homepage. The Whip City Tech Team is available at 1-833-WCF-HELP (1-833-923-4357) if you have any concerns about the speeds you are getting.

Whip City Fiber is available in Charlemont at $79.99/month for residential service and small business service which includes all interior equipment.

For larger businesses and those seeking to redistribute service, commercial pricing applies.

There are no contracts for Whip City Fiber residential service because we are providing a great service which we believe you’ll want to keep. However, if you have received a subsidy based on a 12-month service commitment and cancel service within the first 12 months, a $200 early termination fee will be assessed.

If you are having problems with your Whip City Fiber service, please call the Whip City Tech Team at 1-833-WCF-HELP (1-833-923-4357). They will provide free 24-hour phone support. If we cannot fix a problem remotely, we will dispatch a technician although some visits may incur an additional charge. Whip City Fiber equipment is supported at no charge.

Customers receive the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) [like a cable modem] and Wi-Fi router at no charge with each account. Authorized account users that are living in the same residence and their guests will be able to connect multiple devices to the service.

Commercial-grade internet service and internet service offerings that permits resale or redistribution will be available at an additional charge.

No. We certainly hope you’ll encourage your neighbors to sign up for their own service. Sharing WiFi outside of authorized account users that are living in the same residence and guests is a violation of the acceptable terms of use.

Internet service offerings for businesses that permit resale or redistribution are available for an additional charge.

Lifeline is a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone and internet for eligible low-income subscribers. Qualified customers will receive up to $9.25 applied directly towards their bill. You can use Lifeline for either phone or internet, but not both. FCC rules prohibit more than one Lifeline service per household.

You can sign up here.

To use this portal, you will need to be an active WCF customer. Otherwise, you can submit an application and choose to have the credit applied to your WCF service once you have been approved.

You can apply here if you are not a WCF customer yet.

Whip City Fiber provides internet service. We do not provide television programming, but we offer amazing access to all streaming service providers. Many customers will subscribe to one or more streaming services (YouTube TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.) for watching TV, movies, and sports over the internet.

You could save hundreds of dollars a year by transitioning from pay TV to online streaming video. This flier will help you get started.

Cutting the Cord: How to Stream Video with Whip City Fiber

Many local channels are available through a streaming service provider. Refer to each service’s website to review availability.

Whip City Fiber offers Premier Phone Service for $19.99/month plus required fees. This service provides phone calls over the internet and is not the same as a traditional landline. It is not appropriate for use with medical devices or alarm systems. Premier Phone Service includes free long-distance calling in the US, Canada, and Mexico, 911 service, call blocking, voicemail, and more. To view international rates, click here and scroll down to view the chart. You’ll want to look at the Premier Rates column for current cost per minute.

If you’re unsure about signing up for our phone service, that’s ok. You can add it on when customer service calls to schedule your installation appointment.

In many cases, you won’t have to do anything. If you have Gmail or another “forever” email you’ll continue to receive your email. If your email is through your previous ISP, such as Verizon or Crocker Communications, please check with the provider to see if you can keep using that email.

VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. This means that your phone signal and service are provided over the fiber network and internet rather than over the copper wires many of us grew up with. If you have ever used Zoom or Skype you have used this type of voice service.

In many parts of Western Mass, the landline provider has chosen not to continue support for the copper based service. With fiber optic internet, you have the option to add VOIP phone service to your account.

The VOIP service travels across the fiber optic network to the internet rather than over copper lines. This provides reliable and low-cost service with many bells and whistles including:

• You can keep your previous phone number or get a new one.

• Unlimited local and long distance including service to Mexico and Canada.

• Block pesky telemarketing calls and you can block other unwanted calls as well.

• Call forwarding

• Voicemail-to-email

• Caller ID

• Much, much more!

Premier phone service works best with cordless phones that have a main base station and additional units to place around the home. You will have the best performance if the phones are a newer model (less than 5 years old). In our experience, older phones may experience distortion, echos, and feedback which are alleviated by using a newer model.

Our technicians will not tie the Telo into any previous wiring in your home. For best performance, we recommend using phones with a main base handset with additional units (less than 5 years old).

Our technicians will work with you to transfer or "port" your phone number to our service. During this time, a temporary number will show up as your caller ID when you make outgoing calls. Your phone will remain connected to the original landline while your number is being ported.

• Please DO NOT cancel your previous phone service until you are certain that your number has successfully ported or you will lose your phone number.

• During this period it is VERY IMPORTANT that you watch your email for confirmation that the porting is complete or communications about any possible issues which need to be resolved.

• If you have a second stand-alone phone, you may want to plug it into the Telo device right away. When porting is complete, your calls will ring on that phone and you won't miss any incoming calls.

• When you receive an email confirming that your number has ported, your phone base will need to be plugged into your newly installed Telo device for you to receive calls.

• You can always reach out to the Whip City Tech Team for assistance at 413-485-1204.

Our VOIP system is not designed to work with medical devices. We encourage you to discuss other options with your provider.

You should discuss your alarm system with your alarm system company. Our VOIP system is not designed to work with these systems and Whip City Fiber is not able to support any alarm system issues.

There are two important things to know about 911 service with your VOIP service.

• You will register the 911 address when the device is installed. If you ever move the device to another address it is CRITICAL that you update the address for emergency response.

• If the power or internet is out, you will lose all phone function INCLUDING 911. Please review the information under Outages to make sure you are prepared.

Your internet service needs the fiber network and electricity to work. Your town's network has invested in a back up generator to keep the internet working even if power is out in town but you will still need a source of power at your home to use your internet and phone service including 911.

There are three devices which will all need power to keep things working during an outage:

• The ONT (generally in the basement)

• The router (often on the first floor)

• The Telo device and your phones

You should plan for these devices to be on a circuit which is served by your generator or power them each with a battery back up or uninterrupted power source (UPS) available online or at local big box stores.

In the event that the internet is down (either the drop to your home or a larger scale outage), you will not have phone or 911 service until it is restored.

Ideally, once power is restored, your internet service will come back up on its own. If not, there are a few things you can check.

• First, it may be that the fiber network has been damaged, either in your town or at your home. If we are aware of the outage, we do our best to post a banner at www.whipcityfiber.com on the homepage for your town.

• If there is damage at your home, please contact us at 413-485-1204 to report the issue.

• Please check that any power strips or GFCI outlets for your devices have been reset after your power outage.

• To get your service up and running, you may need to refresh the devices in your home. We recommend you begin by unplugging power from all devices and then powering them up in this order:

  • Starting with the ONT (white device, generally in the basement), leave unplugged for 60 seconds, then plug it back in.

  • Next, plug in your router (black device, generally on the first floor).

  • Finally, if you have VOIP phone service, plug in the Telo device (with the flower light). You may need to do the same with your phones as well.

You may want to check out our Help Center for additional information.

As always, we welcome your call to the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204, 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so we work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach us by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com which is monitored until 8 PM each day.

The reliability of VOIP services is dependent on a number of factors. No system is 100% reliable, due to planned provider service outages, weather, traffic accidents, etc. Power and internet access are both necessary for the phone to work. If power is out and you do not have a generator or other sufficient back up power, internet and phone service will not operate until the power is restored.

The Whip City Tech Team at 1-833-WCF-HELP (1-833-923-4357) is our front line when you need a little extra help. They are available for free phone support 24 hours a day. If we cannot fix a problem remotely, we will dispatch a technician, although some visits may incur an additional charge. We always support Whip City Fiber equipment at no charge. The Whip City Tech Team can provide phone support on issues including setting up devices, transferring email, and streaming video.

This fiber optic network is designed with reliability in mind. By design, the path that provides your service contains only a limited number of components that might break. That said, as with any outdoor facility, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Fiber optic cabling is similar to any wire that is run on a utility pole and therefore subject to some risk. If there is a problem, Whip City Fiber has dedicated teams to work on repairs.

The installers are trained to work with you to find the best placement for the inside the home electronics. Things like whether you have a basement, the size of your home, wall thickness, electrical outlet locations, and aesthetics for the location can be considered when you are working with your installer to decide where to locate the electronics.

Most customers plan to use Whip City Fiber to set up streaming video on their television. Many devices (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon FireStick) will allow you to watch TV and movies over the Internet. We encourage you to do some research and complete the initial set up before your installation. Our installers can help when they are at your appointment if you get stuck. You can also call the Whip City Tech Team at 1-833-WCF-HELP (1-833-923-4357) for additional support with setting up your devices.

If your electric service is already overhead your fiber will be too. If your service is underground, a DigSafe will be scheduled. When that has cleared, we will use a minimally invasive process to bring the wire from the street to the house. Our crews are professionals and will restore your lawn as is necessary. We want happy customers and we stand behind our restoration work.

Yes, we will need to have access to the inside of your home to install fiber. We will offer various times for appointments to accommodate the time that works best for you. There is a $200 charge for missed appointments.

Most likely. These holes are typically ½” or less. We will work with you to minimize the need for drilling and coordinate an agreed-upon route prior to beginning our work.

Whip City Fiber provides all the equipment you will need for service. You will receive an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) device, which is a fiber optic modem, and a router that will provide connection and WiFi for your home and devices. Both the ONT and router are provided at no charge and are supported and managed by Whip City Fiber.

Yes, but please be aware that there are benefits to having the Whip City Fiber router, which can be diagnosed and supported remotely. Using your own router will not decrease your monthly bill.

Using the provided router will allow for smoother customer service when troubleshooting connectivity issues. Charges may be incurred if support is requested for customer-owned equipment.

These days so many parts of our lives are linked to the digital world that it’s especially important to connect to the internet safely. We suggest you install an antivirus software on your computers, laptops, and tablets. One reputable option available for free download is available at www.avast.com.

Questions? Email us at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com or give us a call at 1-833-WCF-HELP (1-833-923-4357).

Our goal is excellent and reliable service but sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas. Any time your service is not working, for quickest response, we ask that you contact the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204, 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so we work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach us by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com which is monitored until 8 PM each day. Outages and other technical issues will be addressed most quickly when sent to the Tech Team and not Customer Service which does not have 24 hour coverage.

If there is a simultaneous power outage in your area, our technicians have to wait until that is resolved before we can address any internet outage. Rest assured that our teams are keeping tabs on the activity in the area and will respond as soon as it is safe. If it is only an internet issue, then our teams will address this in the office and in the field. We will do our best to provide updates to customers as we learn more information. When service has been restored, we know that some customer's service won't come back up on it's own. If you believe that an outage has been resolved but you are still having problems, we ask that you contact the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204, 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so we work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach us by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com which is monitored until 8 PM each day.

Ideally, once power is restored, your internet service will come back up on its own. If not, there are a few things you can check.

• First, it may be that the fiber network has been damaged, either in your town or at your home. If we are aware of the outage, we do our best to post a banner at www.whipcityfiber.com on the homepage for your town.

• If there is damage at your home, please contact us at 413-485-1204 to report the issue.

• Please check that any power strips or GFCI outlets for your devices have been reset after your power outage.

• To get your service up and running, you may need to refresh the devices in your home. We recommend you begin by unplugging power from all devices and then powering them up in this order:

  • Starting with the ONT (white device, generally in the basement), leave unplugged for 60 seconds, then plug it back in.

  • Next, plug in your router (black device, generally on the first floor).

  • Finally, if you have VOIP phone service, plug in the Telo device (with the flower light). You may need to do the same with your phones as well.

You may want to check out our Help Center for additional information.

As always, we welcome your call to the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204, 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so we work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach us by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com which is monitored until 8 PM each day.

First, we always want you to assume that a downed "wire" is dangerous. What you think is a fiber drop could be a hazardous electrical line so please stay away. For quickest response, please report your downed drop to the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204, 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so we work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach us by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com which is monitored until 8 PM each day.

Your phone from Whip City Fiber runs over the internet. If internet access is interrupted, your Voice-Over-IP-Phone (Ooma) will not work. If only the power is out and you can provide generator power or an uninterrupted power source (UPS) to the ONT, router, and Telo device then your phone will continue to work. We know that there is limited cell service in many hilltowns so we encourage you to plan for this limitation of your VOIP phone service.

Ideally, when there is an interruption of service it is brief. We are not able to offer a credit or refund for when your service is out because your network belongs to you and the taxpayers in your town. Offering a credit to customers would impair the town's ability to fund the debt on the project.

If you plan ahead, an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) can be a temporary solution to keep your service working during a power outage. Customers can purchase a UPS battery online or at retail stores where other computer/office supplies are sold. When looking for the right UPS for you, it's important to note that both the ONT and router will need to be powered by a UPS to continue service. In addition, if you are a VOIP phone customer, your Telo device and your phone base(s) will also need to be connected to power to maintain service during a power outage.

You can learn more about UPS batteries here.

With no paper bills, the customer portal is an easy and convenient way to manage your account online. With your first bill, you will receive an email to access your account portal. Here you can view and download bills, make a one-time-payment, or setup autopay, all in the comfort of your home. Watch our video to get you started!

No. Charlemont Broadband must pay to maintain and operate our network all year round, and it is not cost-effective for us to offer seasonal service.

You can cancel your service (but we hope you won't!) with a simple phone call to 833-WCF-CALL (833-923-2255). For most customers, we recommend keeping the equipment at your home. If you choose to return the equipment, you can mail it back to us. Please fill out the Equipment Return form and include it in your shipment.

If you have received a subsidy based on a 12-month service commitment and cancel service within the first 12 months, a $200 early termination fee will be assessed.