OBJECTIVE

Ruddata Corporation, DBA VCI Internet Services (“VCI”), has provided Internet Services in Western Kentucky since 1995. We are a small company with one goal – to provide a quality service at an affordable price. In addition to dial-up Internet and Local Telephone Service, VCI offers broadband Internet Services utilizing transport facilities of AT&T and the Paducah Power Fiber Network. VCI supports the Federal Communication Commissions Open Internet Order published on December 23rd, 2010 and are publishing this document in accordance with the Order.

OPEN INTERNET ORDER

The 3 basic principles of the FCC’s “Open Internet Order” are

1. Transparency. Fixed and mobile broadband providers must disclose the network management practices, performance characteristics, and terms and conditions of their broadband services.
   
   VCI is publishing this document to satisfy the transparency principle.
   
   
2. No blocking. Fixed broadband providers may not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices; mobile broadband providers may not block lawful websites, or block applications that compete with their voice or video telephony services.
   
   VCI only blocks ports commonly known to transmit spam and viruses and exploit known Windows Operating System vulnerabilities. These ports have been blocked as a result of causing network congestion or outages.
   A list of blocked ports is provided at the end of this document.
   
   
3. No unreasonable discrimination. Fixed broadband providers may not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic.
   
   VCI does not discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT DEFINED

Wikipedia defines Network management as the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of networked systems.

• Operation deals with keeping the network (and the services that the network provides) up and running smoothly. It includes monitoring the network to spot problems as soon as possible- ideally before users are affected.
• Administration deals with keeping track of resources in the network and how they are assigned. It includes all the "housekeeping" that is necessary to keep the network under control.
• Maintenance is concerned with performing repairs and upgrades—for example, when equipment must be replaced, when a router needs a patch for an operating system image, when a new switch is added to a network. Maintenance also involves corrective and preventive measures to make the managed network run "better", such as adjusting device configuration parameters.

Provisioning is concerned with configuring resources in the network to support a given service. For example, this might include setting up the network so that a new customer can receive voice service.


VCI’s NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

VCI does not monitor or log the websites our customers visit.
VCI does not prohibit the use of attachment devices or block competitor sites.
VCI does not restrict or rate limit users bandwidth during periods of network congestion.
VCI does restrict public access to core network equipment such as routers and switches.

VCI utilizes many commonly used Network Management tools to assess current and future bandwidth usage of our customers as well as to protect customers from aggressive threats that can result from Internet usage. Our primary management tool is the use of simple graphing software that allows us to monitor bandwidth usage of individual customers and the aggregate usage of bandwidth. These graphs allow us to assess the customers needs as well as assist customers in troubleshooting their Internet Connections. Graphing Software also enables continuous monitoring of our Network and alerts Network Personnel when a security event or network outage occurs.

As stated above, some Internet traffic is blocked to ensure the safety of our customers and help reduce spam email. Any VCI customer who is adversely affected by any of these security measures can request an exclusion. An industry standard method of blocking spam email is to block outbound TCP port 25. This is accomplished by blocking IP traffic from our customers to IP addresses not on VCI. The block is performed on our edge router. Customers needing to send emails to a non-VCI mail server should use TCP port 587. Another security technique utilized on our edge routers is used to block spoofed Internet traffic. VCI edge routers block Internet traffic with invalid IP source or destination addresses.

If VCI network staff become aware of an issue where a customer is transmitting traffic that violates VCI’s terms of service, causes a network outage, or severe network congestion, VCI will attempt to contact the customer and request the customer correct the issue or work with VCI to correct the issue. If VCI is unable to contact the customer or the customer is unable to correct the issue, VCI will temporarily suspend the user’s access until the customer has corrected the issue.

VCI’S BROADBAND SERVICES

ADSL is offered to residential & businesses using AT&T copper facilities. More information can be found at http://www.vci.net/services/dsl.php

Paducah Power Fiber runs through the main business districts of McCracken County, KY and is only available to Business customers. More information can be found at http://www.vci.net/services/fttu.php

All customers should be aware that speeds actually achieved are subject to the customer’s internal network configuration as well as VCI’s network and the transport network. Configured speeds assume optimum network configuration. VCI relies on www.vci.net/speedtest for accurate bandwidth speeds.

VCI’s terms of service are explained in the VCI user agreement published at www.vci.net/agreement

VCI’s Privacy Policy is published at www.vci.net/privacy.php

VCI blocks the ports below. These ports are commonly associated with Microsoft Windows vulnerabilities and various viruses and have previously caused network congestion or outages on the VCI network.