Riviera Utilities residential cable and internet customers are now with Point Broadband!

Riviera Utilities is a public utility company headquartered in Foley, Alabama, providing electric, water, wastewater, and natural gas to the Eastern Shore, central, and south Baldwin County communities. Riviera’s core purpose is to improve the quality of life for our customers and communities by serving as an excellent public utility provider, employer, and corporate citizen.

Point Broadband, headquartered in Opelika, Alabama, was founded in 2017 with the mission of delivering a superior broadband solution to consumers and businesses in small-town USA and rural America. Point Broadband currently operates in ten (10) states across the U.S. and continues to expand its network with a vision of improving lives through fiber technology and providing best-in-class customer care. For additional information, visit point-broadband.com.

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By acquiring Riviera’s broadband branch, Point Broadband is able to upgrade Riviera’s customers’ internet speeds and experience by building fiber to the home and business. Point Broadband will be densifying their network and doubling its footprint in the area to bring fiber internet to more residents, in more communities.

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Point Broadband will have ‘shovels in the ground’ immediately to build-out the fiber network to current customers in Baldwin County, and will ultimately be able to connect adjacent communities to Point’s existing network.

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Similar to our Gulf Coast community, advancements in connectivity and networking have progressed at lightning speeds. Staying competitive while making necessary upgrades in this market can be challenging. Riviera's highest priority is providing excellent, cutting-edge services to its customers, and it became clear that to maintain our standard of excellence, we had to explore additional avenues.

Point Broadband will continue Riviera's reputation of excellence, but also add value for customers through increased speeds and dedicated customer service on a fully fiber network. The sale of broadband will allow Riviera to focus on other core branches of our business.

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Since the company’s inception in 2017, Point Broadband has been on a mission to deliver a superior broadband solution to consumers and businesses in small-town USA and rural America. Following the integration of several companies, Point Broadband   operates in ten states and is excited to expand its network in their home state of Alabama, with a vision of improving lives through fiber technology and providing best-in-class customer care.

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Today, nothing changes for current Riviera customers. With construction immediately underway, Point Broadband will reach out to customers to educate them on the benefits of fiber, provide an overview of streaming options, and walk them through the transition process. Ultimately, customers will be switched over in phases to Point Broadband as service becomes available in their area. Again, customers will be contacted regarding their individual address transition dates to establish service with Point Broadband.

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Yes. Point Broadband is only acquiring the broadband branch. Current Riviera utility customers will continue to be Riviera customers.

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Point Broadband will start communicating with Riviera customers once the sale is final. Customers will be switched over to Point Broadband service once cabinets are operational. We will keep you posted as construction progresses.

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Customers will continue to pay Riviera until their service is converted over to Point Broadband.

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No. Customers will pay the same rate for internet service as they do today. Many will receive an upgrade after transition to the Point Broadband fiber network, as customers currently with 100 mbps of service will be upgraded to 300 mbps at the same rate. Point Broadband is also going to provide its PointGuard and Smart Home solution free for the first year. More information will be provided on that later. 

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Point Broadband will not offer television service in the same way as Riviera, but there will be streaming options available. Cable boxes will no longer be utilized. Point Broadband has partnerships with streaming video partners and will help guide customers through the transition. Educational classes for the public will be conducted.

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Point Broadband will begin converting customers over to fiber broadband as the cabinets are built out this Fall. Commitment deadlines will vary based on customer location and Point’s buildout process.

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Cable boxes and modems will become property of Point Broadband, and Point will retrieve this equipment during the installation process. If a customer chooses not to transfer service to Point, they can turn their equipment into the Riviera office or dispose of it of their own accord. The current video service will get turned down and go dark on December 31, 2024.

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The Point Broadband scheduling team will contact each customer to arrange an appointment to transition to fiber.

- Tech will arrive and spend about 90 minutes turning up the new service on fiber.

- Tech will assist with loading the Point app onto the customer’s mobile phone.

- Tech will also assist with setting up streaming service 

- Tech will connect up to 3 devices to POINT SMART home for the customer

For easier and faster setup, customers should have already secured and set up their streaming service account(s).

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Engineering inspections were conducted, and permits were obtained following approval of the sale to ensure that Point Broadband could provide a smooth transition of service to existing customers.

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