privacy policy

I.Website Privacy Statement

This website is owned by CarolinaConnect Cooperative (CarolinaConnect). We respect your privacy and we trust that our Website Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) will underscore our commitment to you.

This Privacy Policy is designed to help you understand how we collect and use the information you decide to share, and help you make informed decisions when providing personal information to CarolinaConnect. Additionally, this Privacy Policy describes our use of personal information (as defined and described below), our commitment to information security, and how we may make changes to this Privacy Policy from time to time.

Please read the following information carefully because your continued use of our website and broadband services constitutes acceptance of our privacy practices.

II.Information We Collect

Except as otherwise provided in this Privacy Policy, we do not collect personal information about you through this website unless you voluntarily provide it. We may collect personal information when you create or make changes to your online account, respond to surveys, contact us via the web, or complete any transaction with us online. For example, if you choose to use online customer service, including account access, e-billing and product or service enrollment, you will be asked to provide personal information.

At any time, you may choose not to provide your personal information or you may choose to discontinue your use of our website. However, if you choose to “opt-out” of providing personal information, we may not be able to provide the information or services you desire. Note also that even if you choose not to have an online account with us, we will still store some of your personal information in our billing system if you are our customer. If you choose not to provide personal information to us, we may be unable to provide you service or complete your transaction.

Personal information is information that identifies you specifically. Examples of information you may voluntarily provide to us by using this website include:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Address
  • Phone number(s)
  • Customer account number
  • Bank account and/or credit/debit card numbers for online bill payment
  • Social security number (full or partial)
  • Other unique identifiers that you provide such as an account password

If you ask detailed questions or request specific information or services, you may be asked to supply personal information. This may include, for example, identifying topics of interest, providing home/office addresses, and filling out account information for billing questions.

As another example, you may request to receive text messages relating to your services. We will only use the mobile number you provide to transmit service information to you. Please remember that standard message and data rates may apply according to your specific cellular plan or prepaid conditions.

CarolinaConnect reserves the right in its sole discretion to discontinue providing any or all electronic services to users of our websites and broadband services.

III.Automatic Collection of Information

To improve our website and to ensure we continue to provide information useful to you, we collect, through the use of "cookies" and other technologies, information such as: the number of visits to our website, the amount of time visitors spend on the website, the number of pages viewed, and the domains from which users visit our website.

Most Web browsers can be set to inform you when a cookie has been sent to you and provide you with the opportunity to refuse that cookie. Additionally, if you have a Flash player installed on your computer, your Flash player can be set to reject or delete Flash cookies (technically known as Flash “local shared objects”). However, refusing a cookie may, in some cases, preclude you from using, or negatively impact the display or function of, the website or certain areas or features of the website.

IV.How We Use the Information We Collect

We use your information to provide the services you request and to support our business functions. For example, we may use your information to:

  • Fulfill your requests and communicate with you about those requests.
  • Help you quickly find and/or receive information about CarolinaConnect or one of its affiliated cooperatives.
  • Register and service your account.
  • Provide customer service.
  • Alert you to our updated information and services and provide more complete services and webpage content.
  • Improve the content of our website for your use.
  • Protect the security of our website and our business.

V.Information Sharing

CarolinaConnect does not sell or provide your personal information to unaffiliated companies for commercial purposes unrelated to CarolinaConnect’s business. We may, however, share personal information for legitimate business purposes, including without limitation, the following:

  • Sharing information with CarolinaConnect’s member or parent cooperatives, subsidiaries, or affiliates, unless prohibited by law or regulation.
  • Making information available to third parties and/or service providers who are providing the product(s), service(s), or information you requested. These third parties are not allowed to use the personal information except for the purpose of providing these product(s) and/or services.
  • Making information available to third parties who are providing service(s) to CarolinaConnect or its subsidiaries or affiliates (e.g., third-parties performing credit card processing, credit reporting agencies, electronic bill payment services, or debt collection services). These companies are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide these services to us.
  • Undergoing business transitions; in the event CarolinaConnect experiences a business transition, such as a merger or acquisition, or selling a portion of its assets, personal information will, in most instances, transfer as part of the assets.
  • Forming a good-faith belief that disclosure of information is necessary to protect the rights and property of CarolinaConnect, and/or its member cooperatives, subsidiaries, affiliates, or customers.
  • Disclosing information when allowed or required by law or regulation or when our legal counsel has a good-faith belief that a subpoena or court order requires the disclosure.

VI.Aggregate or Generic Information

This Privacy Policy does not apply to aggregate and/or generic information that does not identify you or any individual. Therefore, CarolinaConnect reserves the right to share non-personal information with third parties for any reason, unless prohibited by law or regulation.

VII.Information Security

We use reasonable information security safeguards and techniques to protect the information you provide. When users submit sensitive information via this website, the information is protected both during transmission and in storage. Your information is stored on secure servers protected inside controlled facilities.

Unfortunately, no information can be guaranteed to be 100 percent secure, accordingly we cannot give an absolute assurance the information you provide to us will be secure at all times.

CarolinaConnect does not have any responsibility whatsoever for the secure and effective operation of a) your computer systems (including but not limited to desktops, laptops, handheld devices, IOS devices, and networks), or b) any software installed on your computer systems that you use to access this website and our services. You are responsible for maintaining the strict confidentiality of your account password and any website login or user ID information, and you shall be responsible for any access to or use of the website by you or any person or entity using your password, login or user ID, whether or not such access or use has been authorized by or on behalf of you.

VIII.Managing Your Personal Information

Accessing and Correcting Information

You can access and review your contact information, and correct your contact information, by logging into the App and visiting the settings page. To access, review, or correct any other information please contact us at info@carolinaconnect.com or call 803-785-3455. **

Deleting Information

You can delete your App account information by logging into the App, visiting the settings page and editing your Account and Admins page. If you have questions, please contact us at info@carolinaconnect.com or call 803-785-3455. **

**For your protection, we will only implement requests with respect to Personal Information about you (not anyone else) and may need to verify your identity before implementing your request. We may need to retain certain information for recordkeeping purposes, as required under applicable legal obligations. Some of your information may remain within our systems and other records or archives, in compliance with applicable law.

IX.Social Media Platforms

CarolinaConnect may interact with registered users of various social media platforms, including Facebook® and Twitter®. Please note that any content you post to such social media platforms (e.g., pictures, information or opinions), as well as any personal information that you otherwise make available to users (e.g., your profile), is subject to the applicable social media platform’s terms of use and privacy policies. We recommend that you review this information carefully in order to better understand your rights and obligations with regard to such content.

X.Children's Privacy

While our website contains broadband related information and entertainment that may be of educational value to children, no personal information has to be entered in order for you to use those features. We do not knowingly permit persons under the age of 13 to register or provide personally identifiable information (or any other personal information) through our website or other services, and the provision of personal information by children through our website or other services is strictly prohibited. We encourage parents to supervise and participate in their children's Internet activities, and we urge children to exercise caution and consult their parents before providing any personally identifiable information to any website on the internet.

XI.Privacy Policy Changes

We may change this Privacy Policy without notice and changes will be posted to this website accordingly. Please visit this website periodically to review the current Privacy Policy. Use of our website or broadband services after the posting of a revised Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of our privacy practices.

XII.Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to contact us concerning personal information you provided through the use of our website, please contact us at the following:

Email: privacy@carolinaconnect.com

CarolinaConnect
P.O Box 1667
Lexington, South Carolina 29071
Attention: Privacy Office Administrator