SEI Communications, Inc.

Network Management - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is network management?

Network management is the reasonable and nondiscriminatory enforcement of network usage policies and the management of bandwidth use and capacity. Network management includes congestion- and security-protocol-management. While maintaining its network, SEI Communications is also promoting the dynamic benefits of an open and accessible Internet. So, the broadband experience of SEI Communications' customers will generally not be impacted by the industry-standard network management techniques used by SEI Communications.

Which parts of the network does SEI Communications manage?

SEI Communications manages only the portion of the network that begins on the outside of the customer's home up to the point where the internet traffic is handed off to the public network. SEI Communications does not control the equipment inside the customer premise such as routers, computers, application software, and inside wire, which can affect the performance of the broadband service. SEI Communications also does not control the operation of specific websites that may slow down during busy periods or the overall performance of the public internet.

Why does SEI Communications manage its network?

SEI Communications manages its network in order to provide the ultimate broadband Internet service to its customers. SEI Communications acknowledges that bandwidth and network resources are not infinite and must be reasonably confined. In order to bring you the best possible broadband Internet experience, SEI Communications enforces network management policies that limit network congestion and delay while ensuring that all Internet content is treated equally and is not unlawfully blocked or degraded. SEI Communications' network management practices are intended to protect the network, and SEI Communications' customers, from network congestion, threats to the network, security attacks, viruses and spam. SEI Communications manages its network in a way that is transparent and nondiscriminatory.

How does SEI Communications manage its network?

SEI Communications has policies in place to ensure that customers are able to access the lawful Internet content of their choice, run the Internet applications of their choice and to promote the continued development of the Internet. SEI Communications' network management practices are nondiscriminatory, application-neutral, and minimally intrusive. SEI Communications may use one or more of the following industry standard techniques to manage its network. This list is not exhaustive:

1. Monitoring the network to identify congestion, security breaches, malware or damage to the network;

2. Rerouting Internet traffic to relieve congestion;

3. Port Filtering;

4. Additions or upgrades to increase network capacity;

5. Enforcement of Acceptable Use Policy, Terms and Conditions of Service, and/or Service Agreements against customers abusing the network;

6. Using security protocols to ensure authentication of customers;

7. Providing resources to customer's for identifying and reporting spam, viruses, firewall issues, and phishing schemes;

8. Filtering spam;

9. Preventing viruses from harming the network; and

10. Thwarting denial of service attacks

Network management practices are a necessity to guard against harmful threats to the network such as network congestion, security attacks, excessive spam, and viruses. Reasonable network management practices ensure that you will have the best possible broadband Internet experience.

Will SEI Communications' network management impact my online experience?

SEI Communications uses reasonable network management tools and practices that are minimally intrusive to its customers and are consistent with industry standards. In accordance with SEI Communications' policies, Terms and Conditions for Service, Broadband Internet Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP"), and the Internet Service Agreement, Customers have agreed to comply with all current bandwidth, data storage, and other limitations on SEI Communications' Broadband Internet services. Thus, SEI Communications' tools and practices will generally impact only users that have violated the terms of SEI Communications' policies, AUP, Terms and Conditions for Service, or the Internet Service Agreement. Users are also more likely to experience an impact on online experience during peak periods where congestion is prevalent.

What can I expect if I am in violation of SEI Communications' policies, Terms and Conditions of Service, the Broadband Internet AUP or the Internet Service Agreement?

If you, the customer, are in violation of any of the foregoing, the impact to your online experience may include, but will not necessarily be limited to, any one or all of the following:

1. notification by SEI Communications that you are in violation of the company's policies, terms and conditions or agreement and given a reasonable timeframe in which to take corrective action;

2. removal or blockage of material that has resulted in the violation including, but not limited to, illegal content;

3. suspension or delay of the delivery of email if deemed excessive;

4. filtering of Internet transmissions; and

5. suspension or termination of your Broadband Internet service account;

Customers could also experience longer download or upload times or slower web surfing.

Will I be suspended from the network if I use certain applications?

SEI Communications' reasonable network management tools and practices do not discriminate between applications. They are application-agnostic. Thus, SEI Communications will not manage its network congestion or security protocols based on applications being used by its customers on the SEI Communications' broadband Internet service. SEI Communications' network management is based on current network conditions and the aggregate amount of bandwidth being used by customers.

How will I know if my account is suspended because of a violation of SEI Communications' policies, Broadband Internet AUP, Terms and Conditions of Service or Service Agreement?

Generally, you will have received a notification from SEI Communications that you have committed a violation and would have been given a period of time during which to take corrective action. If, however, your violation persists, you will discover that you are unable to access the Internet through SEI Communications' Broadband Internet service. You will be unable to surf the web or conduct online activities.

What should I do if my account is suspended?

If your account is suspended, you should contact SEI Communications and follow SEI Communications' instructions for reinstating service.

Does SEI Communications discriminate against particular types of applications or content?

No. SEI Communications does not manage its network based on online protocols, activities or applications that a customer uses. Rather, SEI Communications' network management practices focus on current network conditions and the aggregate amount of bandwidth being used by customers.