LAN & Internet

LAN & Internet Terms Of Service

Thank you for choosing Technical Innovation Center at HCC for your Internet service needs. Technical Innovation Center at HCC has developed a local area network within the center in order to make your access to the Internet fast, reliable and user friendly. While the Technical Innovation Center at HCC attempts to encourage quality and accuracy of information available through its system, we exercise no control over the content on the Internet, and therefore, Technical Innovation Center at HCC cannot be held responsible for incorrect information.

By registering for any Technical Innovation Center at HCC service, the user agrees to the terms and conditions specified in this document and to the Terms of Service agreement that the TIC is bound to by its provider (currently Expedient).

The Technical Innovation Center at HCC reserves the right to make changes and supplement this document at any time, with the condition that changes will be published in the tenant handbook and on the Technical Innovation Center at HCC Web Site, (http://www.technicalinnovationcenter.com). Users will be notified via electronic mail ("email"), of changes affecting the services to which they subscribe.
The Technical Innovation Center at HCC provides only the following service(s)

Gateway access to the Internet via our LAN.
Initial setup.
Monitoring status of network on a best efforts basis.

The Technical Innovation Center at HCC DOES NOT provide:

Firewall protection or other other security for the customer's server(s).
E-mail services, except the use of the SMPT services provided through ExPedient or other provider to the TIC.
Uninterruptible power supplies.

LAWFUL USE

Technical Innovation Center at HCC's service may only be used for lawful purposes and consistent with all rights of other parties. Without limiting the foregoing, Technical Innovation Center at HCC's service shall not be used in a manner which would violate any law or infringe any copyright, trademark, trade secret, right of publicity, privacy right or any other right of any person or entity or for the purpose of transmitting or storing of material which is obscene, libelous or defamatory.

Use and access to other networks through Technical Innovation Center at HCC must comply with the rules, regulations, terms, policies and/or conditions for such other networks. For purposes of tracking security breaches as well as general system administration, Technical Innovation Center at HCC users agree to be subject to random monitoring of activity while logged on to any of its systems.

No current or former Technical Innovation Center at HCC customer, employee, contractor or affiliate may use programs or methods intended to, or as a possible side-effect of their use, compromise the security of any system or device on our network or any external network, or attempt to bring about, or allow to continue, a denial of any form of service on our network or any external network.

The Technical Innovation Center reserves the right to immediately suspend service on any local area network port that is suspected of causing a failure of the system as a whole, or substantial degradation of service throughout the network. It is the responsibility of each customer to protect its connected equipment from unauthorized access and to take reasonable steps to minimize vulnerabilities that can result in secondary disruptions to the network as a whole. It is the responsibility of the user to notify the TIC Management Office of contact information of the person(s) responsible for administering their internal networks. Failure on the part of the user to provide up-to-date contact information may result in unnecessary extended suspension of service in an emergency.

Routers & Publishing Guide

ROUTERS/WIRELESS NETWORKS

Due to configuration difficulties experienced by customers attempting to utilize these devices and their impact on the system as a whole, new installations of routers and wireless networks are expressly prohibited from being installed after March 31, 2004 without the express written consent of the Technical Innovation Center. Firms granted permission to deploy routers and wireless networks shall be billed at the equivalent rate of five IP addresses.
Applications to use such devices must seek approval from TIC management by first filing an outline of the scope of the use, security provisions - including frequency range, capabilities of installation personnel and reasons why the existing hardware is insufficient to meet the customer’s network needs before any device is deployed. Any device installed that consumes excessive bandwidth or causes a noticeable degradation of overall service, whether approved or not shall be removed from the network interface.

PUBLISHING GUIDELINES

Users wishing to publish pages of a business orientation, must publish them on an owned server or with a third party provider. All servers connected to the TIC network must be registered and identified with their machine ID # as a server with the TIC The TIC does not generally make web-hosting services available to any for profit venture. A business oriented page is described as any page that advertises, promotes, markets or disseminates information about products or services including, but not limited to, the use of phone numbers, addresses, product descriptions, etc. for the purpose of generating a product inquiry.

The Technical Innovation Center at HCC, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to suspend or cancel, without notice, user accounts for misuse related to the above. In addition, any user publishing a business-oriented page on any equipment owned by the Technical Innovation Center without authorization shall be assessed a fee of $100.00 per month or fraction thereof. User agrees that Technical Innovation Center at HCC is authorized to charge the user for such costs without notice to user.

Mail & News Group

MAIL AND NEWS GROUP USAGE

In order to maintain an efficient environment for the exchange of information and opinions, Technical Innovation Center at HCC will not facilitate the transmission of harassing or mass unsolicited email in any form, and therefore such activity is strictly prohibited. Using or storing programs or methods designed to conceal the author's identity by forging header information is also prohibited. Technical Innovation Center at HCC users may use anonymous re-mailers so long as they are used legally and in accordance with the policies and procedures of Technical Innovation Center at HCC set forth from time to time, in Technical Innovation Center at HCC's sole discretion.

Using programs to collect email addresses from mailing lists, newsgroups or Web sites ("address harvesters" or "extractors") is strictly prohibited. Additionally, the use of any form of bulk emailer system to deliver unsolicited mail in any amount, except as permitted by law, is strictly prohibited

Opt-Out Mail Distribution.

The use of "opt-out" mail distribution techniques is strictly prohibited. "Opt-out" techniques require users to do something not to receive future emails from a source they never originally requested to receive email from. This includes requiring users to send email to "remove" addresses in such cases. Users are permitted to distribute mass mailings as permitted by State and Federal Laws. "Opt-in" lists, where users specifically elect to receive your mailings, are permitted, provided ample proof exists that users actually elected to receive mail from you.

News Postings

Technical Innovation Center at HCC does not restrict news postings on the basis of content with the exceptions that postings do not contain illegal information or violate Technical Innovation Center at HCC's terms and conditions of service. Posting ten (10) or more separate copies of the same message ("spamming" or "excessive multi-posting") or cross-posting a message to 10 or more newsgroups ("excessive cross-posting") may also be prohibited. Users who violate these rules may be subject to additional charges for resources spent responding to complaints, deleting unsolicited correspondence and account cancellation.

Evidence that the user is participating in any referenced prohibited activities may result in the immediate cancellation or suspension of the user's account in Technical Innovation Center at HCC's sole discretion.

Technical Innovation Center at HCC reserves the right to communicate information of a commercial or non-commercial nature to its users that it believes will enhance the benefits of the Technical Innovation Center at HCC service.

Non-Solicitation, Changes, and Payment

NON-SOLICITATION

The user agrees that it will not directly or indirectly solicit the trade of, or trade with, any other Technical Innovation Center at HCC user for a business purpose that would compete with any of the services provided by Technical Innovation Center at HCC where such solicitation is made possible only through the use of information gained by virtue of being a Technical Innovation Center at HCC customer without the express written consent of the by Technical Innovation Center at HCC.

CHANGES TO SERVICE

The services provided by Technical Innovation Center at HCC are expected to change from time to time as technology changes and systems are upgraded. Technical Innovation Center at HCC reserves the right to change any service offered or the features of any service offered on its network without notice, including changes to access and use procedures such as idle connections, bandwidth usage, simultaneous user connections, and all system hardware and software.

PAYMENT TERMS

Unless otherwise specified as part of a promotional offering, an activation fee may be charged to user immediately upon creating an account with Technical Innovation Center at HCC. For users who are billed monthly, the first monthly charge will also be billed the day of the account creation. The first day of the month will become the regular billing date in each subsequent month thereafter. Rate changes will be effective when published on-line via Technical Innovation Center at HCC's web site www.technicalinnovationcenter.com and/or otherwise provided to users (by electronic mail to their respective accounts). Technical Innovation Center at HCC will attempt to notify user of a service rate increase at least thirty (30) days in advance of such change. If payment is not received within ten (10) days of the billing date, due to any reason including, but not limited to inaccurate billing address, inaccurate credit card number, expired credit card, unauthorized credit card, and/or insufficient funds, Technical Innovation Center at HCC may suspend and/or cancel all user privileges.

Cancellation, Termination, and File Transfers

TECHNICAL INNOVATION CENTER SERVICE CANCELLATION POLICY

A customer may cancel their account by providing thirty (30) days written notice to Technical Innovation Center at HCC.
The Technical Innovation Center at HCC also does not accept email cancellations.
We must have written confirmation of the cancellation and of the account information, particularly access codes, before a cancellation request can be processed.
If the customer chooses to close their account, and then reopens it after it has been closed, the customer is only eligible for the rate occurring when they reopen their account, not for rates or promotions they may have been on when they closed their account.
Non-use of a Technical Innovation Center at HCC account is not considered to be equivalent to cancellation.
Notice must be provided to Technical Innovation Center at HCC to terminate billing.

TERMINATION AND SUSPENSION

The Technical Innovation Center at HCC may, in its sole discretion, terminate the user's account at any time with or without reason. Technical Innovation Center at HCC also may, at its sole discretion, suspend a user's account at any time with or without reason. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION DOES NOT RELEASE THE USER FROM LIABILITY FOR CHARGES DUE AND OWING. The user is responsible for any and all fees and costs (including but not limited to legal and court costs) required for collection of the user's past due account. Should any customer's data be maintained on any electronic storage device owned, leased or otherwise under the legal control of the Technical Innovation Center at HCC, the Technical Innovation Center may delete all data, files or other information that is stored in user's account upon termination. Accounts suspended for nonpayment will be "held" for a thirty (30) day period. During the thirty (30) day suspension period, Technical Innovation Center at HCC will preserve any assigned user name and account storage space if any. If payment has not been made within 30 days, Technical Innovation Center at HCC will exercise it's right to delete data files stored in the user's account. Once an account has been deleted the username for that account becomes available to any new user. Furthermore, the user will be obligated to pay all unpaid balances and an activation fee to have service reinstated. Technical Innovation Center at HCC may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend the user's account in order to satisfy the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

FILE TRANSFERS

It is expected that file transfers will occur on a usual basis. However, the Technical Innovation Center reserves the right to suspend or terminate service to clients that engage in practice of swapping large video and audio files. In these circumstances, Technical Innovation Center at HCC will proactively discontinue the connection without notice. If such activity continues, Technical Innovation Center at HCC will terminate service in accordance with the Termination and Suspension policy outlined above.

Problem Resolution

PROBLEM RESOLUTION

The Technical Innovation Center at HCC offers a Problem Resolution Service to customers who encounter difficulties using Technical Innovation Center at HCC Internet Services in conjunction with third-party-provided hardware and software or where the customer desires technical assistance with the configuration or troubleshooting of common third party hardware and/or software.
Problem Resolution Services are delivered on Pay Per Incident ("PPI") basis. Each problem resolution "incident" is defined as a unique, single support issue and the reasonable effort needed to resolve it. A unique, single support issue is a problem that cannot be broken down into other distinct unrelated issues. If a problem consists of other distinct issues, each issue may be considered a separate incident subject to the PPI fee. If a reported problem is determined by Technical Innovation Center at HCC to be the result of a known interruption to a Technical Innovation Center at HCC-provided service, the customer will not be charged for that incident. Additionally, the customer will have 72 hours or 3 business days, whichever is longer, to call Technical Innovation Center at HCC back about the same incident without incurring an additional PPI charge.