Based upon our last update with Spectrum, we expect the fiber along the Town and County roads will be activated -- ready for customers -- by the end of August. Private roads are subject to easements, and will be completed as easement requests are completed by property owners and returned to the Spectrum subcontractors. Here are some important items and reminders:
Easements
If your property is along a Town or County road, you do not need to grant a utility easement to Spectrum. If your property is along a private road, you may need to grant an easement. If you have an easement agreement from Spectrum and have not yet returned it, please do so as soon as possible. Not granting an easement may cut off your neighbors from getting service. If you have questions about an easement, please contact one the persons below, depending upon where your easement agreement originated:
Tyler D. Thiry, PLS • Project Surveyor
635 Circle Drive • Iron Mountain, MI 49801
P: 906.774.3440 • F: 906.774.7776 • C: 906.295.0247
or
Jarred Kettenhoven
Project Manager
Momentum Design, LLC
Cell: (414)-940-5362
9000 W. Chester St. Suite 170
Milwaukee, WI 53214
How do I know when I can sign up for service?
The best way is to use the "Check Availability" tool on the spectrum.com home page. You enter the street address and zip code of the location where you want the service installed; the system then determines if that address can set up service. If nothing comes up -- that location is not yet ready..
My address shows up! What should I do next?
While you can order service online from the spectrum.com website, we have been advised that it is better to call Spectrum using this number: 855-860-9068 (on the spectrum.com "Contact Us" page) to set up new service. You will be able to order the services you want (internet, telephone, or television) and set up an install appointment.
You will need to inform Spectrum about any obstacles on your property, such as septic plumbing, buried electric lines between buildings, buried propane lines, etc. You will need to arrange for a locating contractor to mark any buried lines that are not part of a public utility (Xcel Energy, WPS, We Energies, etc.). We strongly suggest that you be on site when the installation crew does the work to avoid any last minute problems.
What should I expect when Spectrum installs service to my home?
Basically, the installation crew will run a fiber optic cable from a "pedestal" (the green boxes along the roads) to a new utility box placed on the side of your house. From there, the fiber will penetrate the wall and connect to a Spectrum supplied modem. The modem then connects to a router, which is also typically supplied by Spectrum. (A modem/router from Brightspeed will not work with Spectrum's service.) The router then connects to the devices in your home over ethernet cables or WiFi. Because every situation is going to be a bit different, you need to work with the installation crew to make sure you get what you need.
Spectrum will only bring the fiber to one building on your property. If you want internet service in other buildings, like a guest house, you will need to manage that yourself. For example, if you are using WiFi, that signal may reach another building within about 300 ft. If you need help with this, contact one of local computer services companies or that techie son/daughter/grandchild.
Most likely, the installation crew will leave the fiber cable running to your house on the ground rather than burying it right away. Within 15 days, another crew will bury the fiber. This is done so Spectrum can connect as many customers as possible without having to wait for equipment to bury the cable each time.
How do I hook up the devices in my house to Spectrum's service?
If you already have internet service to your house from Brightspeed using their modem/router, you connect your devices to the new Spectrum router in much the same way. The installation crew should be able to walk you through the process. Disclaimer: while we can answer general questions on the pibroadband.com website, we are not in a position to diagnose and fix technical issues you may encounter.
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