Updated Friday March 27 2020
With financial constraints people are dealing with due to COVID-19, I'm sharing
this information regarding how telecom, electricity and natural gas providers
are implementing policies to help customers. Many thanks to Energy, Utilities &
Telecommunications Policy Analyst Blake Doss for gathering this information:
Snapping Shoals EMC will suspend disconnections for non-payment until further notice. A two-week notice will be provided before we return to normal disconnect procedures. Members are encouraged to pay what they can to avoid a larger bill later. Members may request a payment arrangement by calling our customer service line at 770-786-3484. We are here to help.
Atlanta Gas Light (AGL)
- AGL has suspended service disconnections for non-payment until April 13 for
both residential and commercial customers. Further energy assistance options are
available online. Southern Company Gas has instituted policies to allow
most of their employees, including AGL, to work from home.
SCANA
has posted - no shutoffs until April 13 - on their website; They will also be
working with customers individually on payment issues, including late payment
fees.
They have a helpful website notice here: https://www.scanaenergy.com/coronavirus/coronavirus-update/
Gas South,
the Cobb County-based natural gas marketer – You
may find important information regarding it in this AJC article:
https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/georgia-jobs-pushed-toward-home-employers-respond-coronavirus/4KjxCrWc8rVgCR2uzqqYEK/
Electric Cities of Georgia
- Many of the 52 electric city utility members have incorporated temporary
non-shutoff policies during the time of crisis. Moreover, most of the utilities
have applied limited staffing requirements for the next two weeks.
Georgia EMCs
- Many of the state's 41 electric membership corporations (EMC) have offered
temporary payment policies and alternative payment methods for customers during
the crisis. Moreover, they are modifying business procedures based on Centers of
Disease Control (CDC) and health care provider recommendations.
Georgia Power
– Georgia Power has temporarily suspended residential disconnections for the
next 30 days, after which they will reevaluate the policy and timeframe as the
situation develops. Employees who can perform duties remotely began doing so on
March 13 and will continue doing so until further notice. Plans and procedures
have been implemented to ensure a continuation of operations and service.
Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia
- Many of the municipal gas systems in the state have implemented a 30-day pause
on service shutoffs. There have been no interruptions to service and every
system is operating as normal as possible. A couple of metro Atlanta municipal
systems have implemented remote staging to respond to emergencies instead of
operating from a central location.
Several telecommunications providers have signed onto the Federal Communications
Commission's (FCC) "Keep Americans Connected" pledge, which reads as follows:
Given the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on American society, [[Company
Name]] pledges for the next 60 days to: (1) not terminate service to any
residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their
bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic: (2) waive any
late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of
their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and (3) open
its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.
AT&T signed the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge.
For the next 60 days, AT&T will not terminate service of any wireless, home
phone, or broadband residential or small business customer due to their
inability to pay their bill related to disruptions caused by the pandemic. They
will also waive any late payment fees for those customers and will keep public
Wi-Fi hotspots open for any American who needs them. Moreover, all consumer home
internet wireline customers and fixed wireless internet customers can use
unlimited internet data. AT&T will continue to offer internet access for
qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through the "Access from
AT&T" program. Lastly, AT&T is underwriting expenses for a "one-stop resource
center to support eLearning Days from the State Educational Technology Directors
Association available to all educators in schools to help them handle school
closures and the increase in virtual learning due to COVID-19.
Charter Communications Charter Communications has taken the "Keep Americans
Connected" pledge.
Additionally, Charter is providing free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for
those who are not already customers to K-12 and college students for the next 60
days. To enroll, call 18444888395 Installation fees will be waived for new
student households.
Comcast has taken the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge.
They have offered low income Internet Essentials' customers two months of free
internet, in addition to raising the speed of that program's service to 25/3
Megabits per second. Moreover, Xfinity Wi- Fi hotspots across the county will be
available for free to anyone who needs them, including non-Xfinity Internet
subscribers. Data plans have been paused for 60 days, giving customers unlimited
data for no additional charge and there will be no disconnections or late fees
if customers contact the company and let them know they are unable to pay their
bills during the 60-day period. More information and updates can be found at http://www.comcastcorporation.com/COVID-191.
Cox Communications has taken the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge.
Through May 15. Cox Communications is offering a $19.99 package for new Starter
Internet customers to help low-income customers and those impacted from
coronavirus challenges, such as seniors and college students. Moreover, the
company is eliminating data usage overages Lastly, the company is offering the
first month free to new customers of Connect2Compete, which is Cox's low-cost
internet product for families with school aged children who are enrolled in
low-income assistance programs to ensure digital equity for students without
internet at home. Schools are being asked to contact connectnow@cox.com with a
list of eligible low-income students that currently do not have an internet
connection.
Georgia Telecommunications Association
- Several members have signed the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge and are
suspending shutoffs and late fees for one months, after which policies will be
reassessed.
Several companies are continuing internet installations and internet outage
service repairs, in addition to waiving all internet installation fees and
working with school districts to open Wi-Fi hotspots. One member company is
providing internet and a Wi-Fi modem for free for 60 days to new customers who
are low-income or have families with children and college students. These
policies are aggregated based on what many companies are doing, but every
company is implementing some type of arrangement to ease the effect of the
coronavirus and maintain internet access for all.
Verizon has signed the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge
and has implemented several policies, including waiving late fees for
residential or small business customers incurred because of economic
circumstances related to the coronavirus. Additionally, Verizon will not
terminate service to any residential or small business customer because of their
inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus. More
information can be found at: https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizons-networks stand-ready-increases-data-traffic
and https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon help-customers-and-small-businesses.
Windstream has signed the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge.