RESUMING IN-HOME INSTALLATIONS

June 23, 2020 | 11:30AM

Big news here at West Carolina Tel! We’re resuming visits to homes immediately. We are so excited to get back to connecting our neighbors and our communities to our nationally recognized fiber optic services! Rest assured that we will take every precaution before stepping inside your home. First, we will conduct a daily self-health check. Next, we will sanitize all equipment, tools and applicable surfaces between appointments and before bringing anything into your home. Our technicians will wear protective foot coverings, gloves and a mask inside your home at all times and properly dispose of them when finished. We know the importance of a reliable internet connection. The employees at WCTEL take great care in delivering the best in technology to our friends and neighbors. Give us a call today to get connected to the best internet connection for working, learning and playing from home. We look forward to seeing you soon!

KEEPING AMERICA CONNECTED

May 4, 2020 | 11:26AM

WCTEL’s FCC pledge to Keep America Connected has now extended to the end of June. To read more about the pledge, go to: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-364090A1.pdf

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

April 15, 2020 | 11:03AM

Are you working on any projects in your yard this summer? Be sure to call 811 several days before any digging project. Hitting an underground utility line while digging can cause serious injuries, disrupt service to entire neighborhoods, and will result in a minimum repair charge of $100. Beginning May 1st, WCTEL Fiber cuts will result in a minimum repair charge of $100 assessed to the homeowner or contractor when 811 isn’t called prior to the project. For more information on 811, go to: https://call811.com/. We appreciate your cooperation!

INCREASED BANDWIDTH AT NO CHARGE

March 26, 2020 | 9:43AM

We know that, as people do the important work of staying at home to prevent the spread of the corona virus, the need for internet-related services will increase. If you have a student (K-12 or College) in the home or work-from-home and need to upgrade, please call 864-446-2111.

 

AAMC ON STOPPING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

March 23, 2020 | 9:32AM

Abbeville Area Medical Center has had an influx of patients due to the Coronavirus outbreak. They have tested over 40 patients with only 1 being positive as of March 21st. AAMC has provided detailed information on what to do if you suspect you may have COVID-19 or if you think you may have come in contact with someone with Coronavirus. **If you are having mild symptoms, self-quarantine and do not come to the hospital or your doctor’s office. Not everyone who comes to the hospital will be screened for COVID-19. There are testing requirements that must be met.** Click here for information on who to see if you think you have been exposed, and what to do to prevent catching the virus https://www.abbevilleareamc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID-19-Document-web-03-20-2020-hyperlinks.pdf.

WATCH OUT FOR CORONAVIRUS SCAMS

March 20, 2020 | 10:17AM

Criminals are opportunists. They will often capitalize on major news events to create scams to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a perfect example. The fear evoked by the coronavirus creates the perfect opportunity for criminals to prey upon individuals with phishing, social engineering scams and more.
Some of the potential scams to watch out for include:
Phishing: The fraudulent practice of sending emails disguised as coming from reputable companies in order to entice people to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.
Social Engineering:  The use of social media to seek donations for fake charitable causes.
Nondelivery Scams: Fake advertisements for in-demand medical supplies that can be used to prevent/protect against the coronavirus. The criminals will demand upfront payment or initial deposits then keep your money and never complete delivery of the ordered products.
The U.S. Secret Service Agency offers the following advice regarding the above scams:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the World Health Organization say individuals are already using the coronavirus to impersonate WHO officials to steal money or sensitive information. If you are contacted by a person or organization that appears to be from WHO, verify their authenticity before responding.
The World Health Organization will never:  

To learn more, visit information provided by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Secret Service.

 

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS REQUESTS

March 19, 2020 | 10:03 AM

In order to maintain the wellbeing of our employees and technicians: prior to a visit from a WCTEL representative, please read through the below special precautions requests.

Customers are asked to:

  1. Use a disinfecting agent to wipe down door handles, equipment and any surfaces our technicians may come in contact with during the service call.
  2. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between themselves and our technicians at all times.
  3. Direct anyone else present in the home to relocate to a separate room from where our technicians will be working.
  4. Be prepared to cover their mouth and nose in the event of a cough or sneeze.

Employees are asked to:

  1. Use hand sanitizer prior to entering the home, and possibly while working on equipment or service.
  2. Cover his or her mouth and nose in the event of a cough or sneeze.
  3. Avoid touching as many surfaces as possible.
  4. End the service call at any time during the visit if, according to their judgment, their health or the customer’s health is at risk.

 

SERVICE CALL POLICY

March 18, 2020 | 2:16 PM

At WCTEL, the only thing greater than our commitment to customer service is our commitment to the safety and well-being of our members, employees, and community at large. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies, we have developed a simple set of questions to guide how we interact with customers in their homes.

Before any employee will be dispatched to a customer’s home for a service call, we will ask the customer a series of questions to determine the risk of exposure to our employee. If our team believes that any risk exists, the service call will be rescheduled if possible. If the service call is an emergency, special precautions must be taken by our employees and our customers before a visit can be made.

Questions Asked:

  1. Has anyone exhibited any flu or COVID 19 (Coronavirus) like symptoms?
  2. Has anyone been exposed to the flu or COVID 19?
  3. Has anyone been out of the country in the last 14 days?

Our employees will use their best judgment before scheduling a service call and after arriving at a customer’s home to determine the best approach for protecting everyone involved. Again, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our members, employees and community at large, and this policy is in keeping with that commitment.

We continue to monitor updates from federal, state and local officials regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, and we may make adjustments to this screening policy as appropriate. Thank you for helping us keep our community safe!