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CALLING CARDS—To request SoVer-PhoneCards just email accounts@sover.net or give us a call. The cards are usable for domestic long distance only (U.S.) and calls are billed to your primary account number.
Details: Business Phonecards | Residential PhoneCards | top
OVERSEAS ADVANTAGE PLAN—Save money on your International calls! This is a special group of most-commonly-called countries for which we can provide deeply discounted per-minute rates. Rates do not apply to cellular calls.
Details: Overseas Advantage for Business | Residential Overseas Advantage | top
Report a line outage
- (877) 877-2120, press 3 (available 24/7)
- email: repair@sover.net (available 24/7)
Contact a service representative (Calling Feature problems, billing issues, add/remove services, etc.)
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Troubleshooting ‘No Dialtone’
We are responsible for your phone access to the local phone network (dialtone and outside wiring). That is, we are responsible for everything fom the telephone company to the NID, the little gey box where the phone lines/service enters your house. You are responsible for your telephones, jacks, inside wiring—everything from the NID to your phone and/or computer equipment. Before calling for repair service, you need to determine whether the problem lies with the wiring or equipment inside the building, or with the external wiring.
- Try to isolate the problem to the inside or outside wiring—plug your phone into the plugs on the customer access side of the Network Interface Device. (The NID is the junction box, usually on the outside of your building, where the telephone line enters the building. There are 2 sections, one of which is accessible to you.)
If there is no dialtone at the NID, call our repair department (877) 877-2120, press 3.
If there is dialtone at the NID, the problem most likely lies with the inside wiring or jacks, and you will need to repair or replace your phone, or have someone in to test your inside wiring and jacks, and repair as necessary.
- To do some checking on your own, to identify the the problem:
- If you have a second phone, plug it into the jack used by the non-working phone and see if it works. Try the non-working phone in a known working jack, too.
- Try replacing the phone-to-jack line
- Unplug every extension, fax machine, modem, and try the problem phone on its own. If it works, plug in each extension or other piece of hardware, by itself until you find one that doesn't work.
- Check any outlet splitters in use by removing them and plugging in a known working phone.
- Common interior issues that disrupt phone service are:
- lines with claw or tooth holes from cats & dogs
- moisture collecting inside jacks
- cordless phones seem more susceptable to line surges or lightning strikes than corded phones—if one phone on a line is bad, the entire line may appear to be out.
- splitters that go bad
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Services for Those with Disabilities
- SoVerNet provides a 40% discount on in-state services to customers who are deaf, speech impaired or hearing impaired. The discount applies to all usage services including local usage and in-state toll usage.
- Directory Assistance is provided without charge to customers who are blind or visually impaired.
Please be sure to let us know if you wish to apply for the above discounts.
• VT Equipment Distribution Program
Discounts on TTY/TDD equipment and other disability aids.
Contact: VTEDP
11 East State St., Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 229-0501, 800-639-I522 (Voice & TTY)
Fax: 802-229-0503
• VT Relay Service
VTRS provides specially trained Communications Assistants who are available 24 hours a day at no charge to assist TTY/TDD users to communicate confidentially with those using traditional telephones. Inter-State, Intra-State, and outbound International calls may all be made using VTRS. VTRS also offers other relay calling options such as Voice Carryover and Hearing Carryover. For information call:
1 (800) 682-8786 (TTY) or
(800) 682-8706 (Voice).
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LIFELINE & LINKUP SERVICES
LD Cost Control for Low Income Residents
Lifeline Assistance and Linkup America promote Universal Service by reducing the monthly rate for basic service and/or initial connection charge for low-income or senior (over 65) telephone subscribers, as qualified by the Dept. of Social Services. The programs are managed by the State.
To get more information and the necessary applications:
• LifeLine
VT Department of Social Welfare—1-800-287-0589 (Voice/TTY)
• Linkup
VT Department of Social Welfare—1-800-287-0589 (Voice/TTY)
Additionally, Sovernet offers long distance cost control by means of our Toll Restriction services at no charge to those who qualify for the LifeLine/Linkup programs.
Toll Restriction Services, more info... | LifeLine/Linkup docs | top
Protecting Subscriber Information:
There are three types of caller information used by the phone switching networks to route calls, ensure proper billing, and provide various calling features like Caller ID.
“Automatic Number Identification” (ANI) is a type of signaling provided by a local exchange telephone company that automatically identifies the local exchange line from which a call originates. See Section 2.15 of our tariff for details on our use of ANI.
“Automatic Location Identification” (ALI) is the name and address associated with the calling party's telephone number (identified by ANI as defined above).
“Customer Proprietary Number Information” (CPNI). CPNI is about the technical characteristics, current charges, billing records, usage data, calling patterns and other similar information, and is useful for marketing services to you for which you do not already subscribe. You have the right to allow use of, disclosure of, and access to your CPNI, and we have a duty, under federal law, to protect the confidentiality of your CPNI.
If you wish us to disclose your CPNI to a third-party, you must tell us so in writing, and provide the name of the third-party who is to receive the information. We are compelled to disclose the information to any person upon affirmative written request by you. Any approval, or denial of approval for the use of CPNI, outside of the services to which you already subscribe from us, is valid until the you affirmatively revoke or limit such approval or denial.
SoVerNet does not use, sell or otherwise disclose your CPNI, except as needed for provision of your service, protection of our network, or compliance with applicable laws or legal process.
Tariff | top
What you can do to reduce telemarketing calls
1. Register your phone(s) with the FTC’s national “Do Not Call” list which carries heavy fines for telemarketers who violate its rules. Info at: www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html
Register your number(s) online at: http://donotcall.gov/, or toll-free by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236), from the number you wish to register
2. Upon receiving a call from a telemarketer, ask them to identify themselves clearly and then tell them that , per Federal law, you want to be put on their “Do Not Call” list. Do this even if you’re on the national list. (note: Nonprofit organizations, political groups, polls, and calls from companies you already do business with are exempt.)
If you continue to receive calls 90 days after registering with the Do Not Call list or asking a company to stop calling, you may file a complaint by writing the VT Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program, Morrill Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, phone 1-800-649-2424. Please provide your name, address and phone, the name of the unwanted caller's company and date of the unwanted call.
Before hanging up on an unwanted telemarketer, inform the caller you wish to be placed on their in-house Do Not Call list. They must do so, and Vermont’s law then prohibits them from calling you again.
Also see: Reduce Telemarketing Docs | top
Misc. Rates
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Public Service Board & other regulatory documents
Note: To view PDF files, you'll need either the PDF plug-in for your browser (to view in a browser window) or the PDF Reader (to view the downloaded PDF file). The Adobe PDF Reader is a free download from:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
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>Penalty for early termination of Term Agreements
We may assess a penalty on early termination of a term-of-service contract (after the 30-Day Money Back Guarantee period) per Section 4.3 of our Tariff.
Termination clause | full Tariff | top
Disconnection/Reconnection
Service which has been disconnected, per Sections 2.27 and 3.7.3 of our Tariff, may be subject to a reconnection fee. In a medical emergency, you can avoid disconnection for non-payment if you let us know and file the necesssary papers. You will be asked to have your doctor send us a report certifying the condition, within 7 days of your notification to us. The certification may be renewed after 30 days. Once the second 30-day period has elapsed, you must either pay the past due amount in full or enter into a payment agreement. Call (877)877-2120, ext. 4 for Accounts, and ask about this option if you are in such a situation.
full Tariff | current fees | top
When you need help...
Your first point-of-contact should be Support, Accounts, or Sales, depending on the nature of your need.
- Support is for problems of a technical nature, whether for Internet or telephone service.
- Accounts—to add or drop services, for questions about billing or start-up dates, just about anything of a non- technical nature.
- Sales is where you’ll find help for determining what services best fill your needs.
If you have attempted to get your problem resolved via the above departments, but have not had the issue resolved to your satisfaction, use the following guide to ensure proper escalation of your query:
Problem Resolution Guide:
- The first step is to contact the appropriate department, as indicated above, by phone or email. If you’ve been working with a particular person, try to get in touch with him or her.
- If you cannot make headway, ask to work with another rep, or ask for the Customer Care Center Supervisor.
If your problem remains unresolved, contact:
- Judy Eshelman, Dir. of Customer Service (802) 463-2111
- Tony Elliott, CEO (802) 463-2111
If you feel you have exhausted your dispute resolution options within SoVerNet or you wish to appeal, you may take your case to the Vermont Public Service Board. Your telephone service will not be interrupted during the appeal process, provided the undisputed portion of your bill is paid. Contact the PSB:
Vermont Public Service Department
Consumer Affairs And Public Information Division
112 State Street, Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620-2601
1-800-622-4496 (Toll Free Vermont), 1-802-828-2332,
1-800-734-8390 (TTY), vtdps@psd.state.vt.us.
In filing a complaint—If you contact the DPS, it is helpful if you provide as much of the following information as you can:
• The name on the account, and if you are the account holder.
• The address, phone number, and account number
associated with your service.
• A full description of your complaint.
• The name of the SoVerNet staff person with whom you discussed your complaint
• What you where asked to do to help resolve your complaint
• SoVerNet’s response to the problem
• What you would like the utility and/or the DPS to do
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