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Cutting the Cord Just Make Cents

Let’s face it … change is hard sometimes. We all get comfortable in our everyday routines and life seems easier if we just go with the flow – you know, status quo! “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” right? But what if that “old way” is costing us more money? If you’re still paying for cable TV each month, you’ve seen rapid and frequent rate increases for cable service over the last few years. Between 2009 and 2019, rates for cable TV have increased by over 53%!

Why Are Cable Prices Rising?

The reason that cable prices continue to increase is that video providers (networks, media companies, etc.) continue to increase the fees that they charge service providers to offer their programming. One key factor is that networks have their own rising expenses, like paying sports leagues for the right to air their programming. This affects you, the consumer, as the price you pay for TV services must be adjusted to align with these rising costs. The bad news is, cable prices will continue to rise no matter what provider you have. The good news is, YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE HOW YOU WATCH TV.

Stream the TV Programming You Want

How many times have you caught yourself scrolling through the hundreds of channels offered by your cable company and there are only a handful of channels you find interesting? Networks and TV stations charge your cable company a fee whether you watch them or not. This means you are paying for a lot of channels that you don’t want.

When the choice is yours, you save money over cable prices because you customize the viewing options for your family and your budget. Want to watch live TV? Want more sports options? What about content for kids? There is a streaming service for you. Having the ability to customize and control your programming means that you only pay for what you want and you free yourself from the rising cost of cable.

Ready to Make the Switch to Streaming?

There are three easy steps:

  1. Choose a fast, reliable Internet service. A fiber-based network – like Point Broadband with speeds up to 1 Gig – makes it easy to stream video to your Smart TV or streaming device.
  2. Use a Smart TV or streaming device. Smart TVs are ready to stream out of the box OR you can purchase a streaming device for an older television. Streaming services also give you the convenience of streaming through your computer, tablet or smart phone so you can watch TV programming anywhere!
  3. Choose your streaming providers. Most stations and channels are streaming now, from HBO and NFL Network to the Food Network. Some of these platforms are free, and others have a monthly subscription fee. However, even the fee-based providers are typically cheaper than most cable subscriptions.

With perpetually rising cable bills and more streaming options than ever before, cutting the cord has never been easier. Enhance your entertainment and your budget. The experts at Point Broadband can provide  Internet service, speed, and consistency that your new cordless life needs.

You can find more information on cutting the cord and streaming your TV programming at https://point-broadband.com/streaming/

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Whole Home WiFi: The Advantages of Parental Controls and Guest Access

Access to the Internet has changed every aspect of our lives. It is literally always at our fingertips. It has changed how we communicate, conduct business and entertain ourselves. And while the Internet provides more convenience and options to connect more than ever before, it also poses challenges for parents. Children have never known a time where they couldn’t be instantly online. This can create safety concerns about what they may see, hear or read, as well as who they may encounter. Parents also face the responsibility of limited screen time, which can be a major challenge. Fortunately, there are measures in place with Point Broadband’s SmartHome platform to help you overcome some of these parenting challenges. 

 

What Can Point SmartHome Parental Controls Do?

 

Beyond providing you with consistent Internet everywhere in your home, Point SmartHome powered by Plume has a variety of parental control options that address everything from safety to access. You can control every device connected to your home’s WiFi. With AI Security, online content can be filtered and restricted based on the settings you customize. Each member of your family can have a profile with unique settings. By default, each profile will be set to “no limits.” However, parameters can be adjusted based on the amount of time and access you’d like each profile to have. For younger children, only G-rated content can be accessed. For older children, like teenagers, a PG-13 filter can be applied. And adult content can be restricted from any profile or device. You can also create a custom approved/block list that can be configured for any location, device or person. 

 

Limiting time and data is another useful feature that is available. You can isolate and limit or restrict each individual device. This can be done in terms of a daily time allotment or freezing access during or after certain hours. This takes the much of the guesswork out of when and what your children are doing online. 

 

What is AI Security?

 

As cyber threats continue to evolve, AI security provided by Point SmartHome keeps you protected. By filtering out potentially suspicious content and sources, your network remains secure. Real-time threats like phishing, malware, viruses, ransomware and more are mitigated before they can become an issue. AI security also makes it possible to filter content and sites for each device and person in your home, limiting the amount of exposure you have on and for each one. With advanced IoT protection, all your connected devices are also secure. This includes baby monitors, thermostats and any other connected device. Lastly, Anomaly Detection allows SmartHome to learn about the usage habits and trends for each device, allowing it to recognize when something is out of the ordinary and possibly posing a threat.

 

With Point SmartHome powered by Plume, you can take back control of your home’s WiFi with enhanced, consistent performance, and state-of-the-art security and oversight.

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Wireless Broadband Service for Your Home: Understanding How Speed is Shared

Everybody loves pizza, right? There’s nothing worse than wanting a slice and realizing all the slices are gone and you’re left with only crumbs. Did you know your home’s WiFi is like that? Just like that delicious pizza, there are only so many slices to go around. Once those slices are gone, you get buffering, latency, slow downloads and poor online performance.

If you think of your in-home WiFi network like a pizza, each slice provides the data a device needs to execute a certain function. Of course, the more speed your network has, the more pizza there is to go around. The size of the slice each device takes is based on activity. If you’re just scrolling through Facebook or checking email on your phone, it may only take a pepperoni off of the top. But if you are streaming a movie in 4K from Netflix, it could take half of your pizza or more. If your multiple devices are doing multiple things at the same time, your pizza will be gone quick! If your movie is buffering or an attachment won’t download quickly, it means that something else is taking most of the pizza!

Are you having trouble with WiFi performance at your home? Sounds like you need to upgrade your network – or order a bigger pizza if you will. If you have the largest pizza on the menu and there’s still not enough to go around, here are a few tips to enhance your network’s performance.

  • Directly hardwire your devices: By using an ethernet cable to connect your computers, TVs, gaming systems and more, you will get the best speeds your network can provide.
  • Location, location, location: Be sure to position your router in a spot that will provide the best coverage for your home. The farther your devices are from this area, the weaker the signal becomes, resulting in reduced speed. It should be at least a few feet off the ground, and in a central location.
  • Test your speed: Do you know what kind of “pizza” you’re serving up at your house? Test your network’s speed to find out. Your internet provider may have a way to test your download and upload speeds. You can also Google “test my internet speed” and perform a quick test. An additional note about speed tests – if you find you’re getting lower speeds than expected, do a test on a hardwired device. If the speed looks good when directly connected, consider a Whole Home Wifi System like Point Broadband’s SmartHome powered by Plume, which will provide consistent Internet speeds throughout your home.

Being online and having access to WiFi is less of a luxury and more a necessity. It’s how we work, play, communicate and more, so it’s important that you have fast and reliable connectivity. The experts at Point Broadband have the products and services to ensure you have the pizza you want, when you want it!

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Whole Home WiFi Systems: What is Point SmartHome?

Sixty percent of smart home product buyers are interested in enhancing their ability to monitor their homes. This includes everything from surveillance and security devices like cameras, locks and garage door openers to lighting, thermostats and carbon monoxide detectors. As more of these devices are added, your smarter home may not have the bandwidth to perform as the genius you expected.

So how do you leverage the convenience and comfort of these new connected devices without overwhelming your home’s Internet service? With Point Broadband’s Fiber Internet, the answer is through a whole home WiFi system.

What is a whole home WiFi System?

A whole home WiFi system is comprised of a series of satellite modules that carry your signal from your modem throughout your home. Many variables can inhibit the reach and strength of WiFi in certain areas of your home. Floors, doors, walls, and the materials they are made of, in addition to the overall design of your home can make it difficult for the signal to reach every space. The placement of these satellite platforms solves this problem.

What is Point SmartHome?

Point SmartHome powered by Plume is a tri-band, whole home, adaptive WiFi system. This self-optimizing, cloud-based WiFi system replaces the WiFi on your modem or router with a fast, consistent, reliable signal. A trained Point Broadband technician will conduct a site survey and install the system, which includes helping you install the Plume app on your smart phone and setting up your devices. Part of the set-up process will include placing the smaller PowerPods in high activity areas throughout your home. PowerPods are the satellite modules mentioned above that carry and relay your newer, faster, stronger signal where and when it’s needed.

As a self-optimizing WiFi system, Point SmartHome can adapt to real-time changes in your devices and apps that are being used. This means that more speed can be sent to more bandwidth-intensive areas of your home when it’s needed and spread to other applications when it’s not.

Point SmartHome also comes with advanced security and convenience features. AI-fueled security allows you to filter online content based on who is viewing. This means that you can block or allow specific websites from being accessed. There are also enhanced protection measures that prevent other cyber threats to your devices. HomePass is another useful feature that Point HomeSmart offers. Homepass allows you to create access for your guests. Each guest can have their own personalized sign-in information and corresponding levels of access and security.

Smarter homes require smarter WiFi, and that is precisely what Point Broadband’s Fiber Internet and Point SmartHome will provide.

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Smart Home Technology: How Does Point SmartHome Work?

Homes today are more connected than ever. With rapid developments in security and comfort technology, along with the growing number of communication and entertainment devices we have, strong, reliable and secure WiFi has never been more important. The market for smart home products is expected to exceed $40 billion next year. With more connectable devices than ever, it can be easy to overload your current bandwidth with these new demands. While you can opt for a bigger plan or add a WiFi extender in an attempt to improve speed and reliability, the real solution can be found in a whole home WIFI system.

What is a whole home WIFI system?

A whole home WiFi system is an enhanced Internet delivery platform. It replaces the WiFi that comes through your router and modem with a fast, reliable, consistent signal that is relayed through strategically placed pods. These pods allow the Internet to be moved throughout your home, where it is needed most. With advanced AI security and real-time optimization, you never have to worry about a lagging signal or drop in performance.

Plume Pods

Point SmartHome powered by Plume uses Plume Pods. While the advanced security features and performance optimization stem from the cloud, the pods provide reliable, fast, consistent WiFi in every corner of your home.

How does Point SmartHome work?

Point SmartHome, works through the cloud to adapt to real-life activity, in real-time. This ability to adjust and modify your WiFi ensures that every room and every device in your home receives a reliable, fast connection, not only today but into the future as well. Your new, faster, reliable WiFi will be delivered from the cloud to a SuperPod that connects to your Point Broadband Fiber Internet. From there, the signal is sent through a network of smaller PowerPods. Your Point Broadband Technician will test signal strength throughout your home and place these Powerpods in rooms where you frequently use WiFi. Two PowerPods, in addition to your SuperPod, is typically sufficient for a 3-4 bedroom home; however, additional pods can be added at any time.

As your home continues to evolve with WiFi enabled doorbells, locks, thermostats and streaming devices, your WiFi solution will need to evolve as well. Point Broadband Fiber Internet along with Point SmartHome powered by Plume will give your home the power it needs to operate efficiently now and into the future.

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POINT BROADBAND TO EXPAND SERVICES INTO AUBURN, ALA.

WEST POINT, GA. (Oct. 15, 2019) – Point Broadband, a leader in delivering world-class fiber optic broadband services to rural and small-town communities in the United States, will soon expand its Opelika, Ala. operations into Auburn.

The company purchased the fiber telecommunication network and assets from the City of Opelika in November 2018, and immediately applied for a cable franchise that would allow for expansion into Auburn. The franchise agreement was approved tonight during the Auburn City Council meeting.

“Since acquiring the OPS fiber assets from the City of Opelika, our goal was to expand into Auburn,” said Point Broadband General Manager Bruce Schoonover. “We are excited to finally reach this milestone of franchise approval so we can begin to develop a plan for the underserved residents and businesses in Auburn. Our service has been well received in Opelika, and we have enjoyed steady growth in that market. We are looking forward to becoming a more active member of the Auburn community as we expand our business there.”

More details will follow on Point Broadband’s expansion plan and the homes and businesses that will be the company’s service footprint.

 

About Point Broadband

Point Broadband, headquartered in West Point, Ga., is a subsidiary of ITC Capital Partners, LLC. ITC has a century long history of providing innovative communication solutions to its customers, with a focus on meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We’re committed to providing fast, reliable Internet, voice and video service to help our customers connect with friends and family, stream music and TV service, allow businesses to connect with more customers and just simply make life better.

For additional information: point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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POINT BROADBAND ADDS NEW ACC NETWORK TO TV LINEUP

WEST POINT, GA. (August 22, 2019) – Point Broadband announces a new carriage agreement with Disney Media Distribution to carry ESPN’s new ACC Network (ACCN) beginning on Monday, Aug. 26th. Owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference, ACC Network is a 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports.

Fans and followers of the ACC can now access the multiplatform network on the following channels:

  • Bristol/Abingdon (TN/VA) Region – Essential (Expanded Basic) Lineup – Channel 34 SD/1034 HD
  • Duffield, VA Region – Basic Lineup – Channel 28 SD/1028 HD
  • Opelika, AL Region – Ultra Channel Lineup – Channel 278 SD/78 HD

Anyone wanting to switch to Point Broadband TV service or upgrade their current service to have access to the ACC Network may call 844-407-6468 or visit point-broadband.com.

“We are very excited to offer the new ACC Network to our customers,” said Taylor Nipper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Point Broadband. “We know that many of our customers are ACC fans, and sports fans in general. We received a lot of positive feedback from customers who wanted this channel, and we’re thrilled we are able to provide ACC sports 24/7.”

Approximately 450 live contests including 40 regular-season football games, 150 men’s and women’s basketball games, and 200 other regular-season competitions and tournament games from across the conference’s 27 sponsored sports will be televised annually. Additionally, the network will broadcast a complement of news and information shows and original programming. Together, the ACCN and its digital platform, ACC Network Extra (ACCNE), will feature 1,350 ACC events in its first year. ESPN has been televising ACC content since 1979 and has exclusive rights to every conference-controlled game across all sports and championships.

All ACCN games will also be available on the ESPN app to authenticated cable subscribers. Fans interested in learning more about ACCN can visit www.GetACCN.com.

About Point Broadband

Point Broadband, headquartered in West Point, Ga., is a subsidiary of ITC Capital Partners, LLC. ITC has a century long history of providing innovative communication solutions to its customers, with a focus on meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We’re committed to providing fast, reliable Internet, voice and video service to help our customers connect with friends and family, stream music and TV service, allow businesses to connect with more customers and just simply make life better.

For additional information: point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Point Broadband Executives Share About Exciting Future for SW Virginia and NE Tennessee

BRISTOL, VA (May 10, 2019) – Point Broadband, a leader in delivering world-class fiber optic broadband services to rural and small town communities in the United States, hosted a media event May 7th to discuss the rebranding of its Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee operations, and to share the vision for future growth in the region.

Todd Holt, Point Broadband CEO, and Weldon Feightner, Point Broadband COO, participated in an open question- and-answer forum. The event was held at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, VA — both a famous local landmark and a customer of Point Broadband’s best-in-class high-speed fiber optic broadband service. The forum was moderated by WCYB (Bristol) news anchor Rebecca Pepin.

Customers, government officials and news media who attended the event had the opportunity to speak with members of the Point Broadband team, and to learn more about the company’s vision for the region. The attendees also heard how reliable high-speed fiber optic broadband will play a key role in the continued development and growth of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee communities

“Point Broadband, and all our team members, are driven by our company mission: ‘To deliver superior fiber-based broadband solutions to small town USA and rural America, with a focus on community, and best-in-class customer service,’” Holt said.  “The rebranding of Sunset Digital to Point Broadband will help us maximize efficiencies for our operations as we move forward, which ultimately results in us being able to provide better service to our customers. We enjoy being a local partner, and we encourage our team members to be engaged in the communities where we live, work and play.”

Holt added that he considers Point Broadband’s service to be unique in this area because its network is fiber all the way to the premise. “There continues to be more data consumption, more devices being connected and more Internet applications,” he said, “so it’s very important to have fiber all the way to premise for maximum performance in your home or business. It’s a real differentiator in the areas where we operate.”

Feightner noted that Point Broadband is excited to be serving the Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee region and is committed to partnering with communities in this area to promote growth for residents and local businesses.

“We are continuing to expand our network in underserved areas in an around this region, and will work with community leaders and the state representative to find funding to expand fiber into additional areas,” Feightner said. “We will be utilizing the local Bristol, Virginia facility as our company-wide customer service hub, so we’re excited about consolidating our services into one brand.”

Holt explained that the company will soon be offering a Whole Home Wi-Fi service that allows residents and businesses to maximize their fiber optic broadband throughout their home or office without loss of bandwidth.

“We view ourselves as pioneers in the area of innovative communications services, and we give credit to BVU and Sunset for bringing fiber to this region,” Holt said. “As a well-capitalized commercial firm with many years of successfully providing competitive fiber services, ITC Point Broadband is now in a position to expand the foundation of fiber to surrounding areas so residential consumers, businesses and communities can enjoy all the benefits of state-of-the art fast, reliable broadband.”

The event opened with a brief video covering the history of Point Broadband and its parent company ITC Capital Partners, LLC.  In the video, ITC Chairman Cam Lanier, shared the beginnings of the company as one of the first telephone providers in the South over 100 years ago.  The video presentation also included testimonials from customers in our region, like UVA Wise, that have depended on the Point Broadband’s directive to provide exceptional high-speed internet to small towns and rural areas.

To learn more about Point Broadband, visit www.point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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POINT BROADBAND CLOSES ON OPS ONE AND ANNOUNCES NEW OPELIKA GENERAL MANAGER

WEST POINT, GA. (Nov. 8, 2018) – Point Broadband closed on its transaction today to purchase the fiber telecommunication assets and operations, known as OPS ONE, from the City of Opelika, Ala. As part of the agreement, all OPS ONE employees will transfer to Point Broadband, and the company will lease part of the Opelika Power Services building at 600 Fox Run Parkway for their Opelika operations and customer service.

Additionally, Point Broadband has appointed Bruce Schoonover as General Manager for its Opelika region operations. Schoonover is a telecommunications industry veteran, with more than 28 years of experience in the internet, cable and phone industry. According to Todd Holt, CEO of Point Broadband, “Bruce’s experience and proven success in this industry will be vital as we grow our business in Opelika and surrounding area. We are thrilled to have him on board.”

“I am very excited to join the Point Broadband organization,” Schoonover said, “and especially happy to be a part of the excellent team in Opelika. OPS ONE has a reputation for extraordinary customer care, and I’m looking forward to continuing the great service and operations started by the City of Opelika.”

OPS ONE customers should experience a seamless transition, with no changes other than the name change to Point Broadband. All plans and rates will remain the same as a result of this agreement. In addition, there are no changes to programming or local channel coverage. Customers will be able to pay their bills and add or make changes to their service in the same location if they prefer to do this in person.

The company plans to expand fiber coverage beyond the city limits of Opelika in the near future – something OPS ONE was unable to do because current Alabama law does not allow municipal service providers to expand beyond their municipal jurisdiction. In addition, Point Broadband offers fiber-fed fixed wireless services to customers in underserved areas, currently including Beauregard, the Gold Hill Community and other parts of Lee County.

About Point Broadband

Point Broadband, headquartered in West Point, Ga., is a subsidiary of ITC Capital Partners, LLC. ITC has a century long history of providing innovative communication solutions to its customers, with a focus on meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We’re committed to providing fast, reliable Internet, voice and video service to help our customers connect with friends and family, stream music and TV service, allow businesses to connect with more customers and just simply make life better.

For additional information: point-broadband.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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