President
Hello Residents,
The HOA Board signed the 5-year bulk internet-only agreement with Frontier on July 31, 2020. The install is estimated to begin on November 1, 2020 and will take about 4 months to complete. According to the agreement all 3450 homes will be installed by March 1, 2021 and that is when the 5-year term will begin.
To recap the basic provisions of the Frontier plan:
- It is a 5-year internet-only plan.
- It is $12 per month (with a 5% increase per year). This will be included in your HOA monthly dues amount.
- All residents will have to participate and pay the $12 per month. There are no opt-out provisions for any resident even if they do not use the Frontier internet service.
- The internet speed is 500 upload and 500 download. This is the fastest speed available.
- Contract includes a wireless router/modem and there is no install fee to the resident.
- You may install at a later date at no charge.
- TV plans are available if residents want to purchase TV plans directly from Frontier.
- Phone line is available and is purchased directly from Frontier.
- Resident may purchase any TV plan from any provider. It is not required to purchase TV plans from Frontier.
I would like to answer the most frequently asked questions:
- When can I install the Frontier service? Everyone will be sent an install schedule so each home will be scheduled to call for an appointment between November 1, 2020 and February 2021. You will call for your install appointment on the date listed in the schedule. You may call after this date, but not before.
- When will the install schedule be sent out? We estimate the install schedule to be sent out on October 1 by regular mail, email, and posted on the website.
- If I already have Frontier service will I need to have an installation appointment? Yes. Most homes do not have the equipment to handle the faster speed of 500/500. It is estimated that 90% of Frontier customers will need new equipment installed.
- I already have Frontier installed so can I convert to the new HOA contract price right away without having to wait for an appointment? No. All residents will be on a schedule for install based on geography in the complex. Frontier will start at one end of the complex and keep installing until complete at the other end. Even if you have Frontier equipment now you will have to wait for your scheduled time to make an appointment for install and at the time of install you will be converted to the new pricing.
- When will the $12 per month fee go into effect? We anticipate the monthly increase will begin on January 1, 2021.
- If I am not installed by January 1, why are my dues being increased on January 1,2021? Assuming Frontier completes the install by March 1 here is the calculation for monthly dues to cover your monthly Frontier internet service. You will notice that you are not paying any more money than if we started billing on March 1:
- If we start billing on March 1, that will mean $12 per month for 10 months, March through December. That totals $120 for the year.
- If we start billing in January at a rate of $10 per month that equals $10 x 12 which equals $120 for the year. Notice that this is exactly the same amount of money.
- We also need to add in installation charges and notification charges which total about $1.13 per home per month.
- Since we don’t know for sure when Frontier will finish the install, if Frontier finishes installation early, by February 1 instead of February 28, there will be an additional increase per month of $1 per month per home.
- Total of all combined costs is between $11.13 per month to $12.13 per month.
- Given these costs it is anticipated increasing HOA dues starting January 1 by $12 per month to cover all costs and possibilities.
- It will mean some homes will be installed before the dues increase begins and some homes will be installed after the dues increase on January 1, 2021. This was the only way to finalize the terms of the contract given the limitations of our governing documents in not charging different prices to different homes. So, to have a smooth transition all year no matter what happens, starting the dues increase in January is exactly the same cost no matter when a person is installed.
- Can I keep my existing TV service if I want? Yes. The HOA Frontier contract is for internet service only. Each resident will decide on their own what TV service they would like, and you may purchase TV service from any company you wish. You are not required to buy TV service from Frontier. So, you could have Frontier internet service and Spectrum TV service as an example.
- Am I required to install the Frontier internet service? No.
- If I do not install the Frontier internet service do I still have to pay the monthly fee of $12? Yes. All residents will pay the monthly fee of $12 per month which will be part of your HOA monthly dues even if you don’t install the service.
- If I order TV service from Frontier, will I pay the HOA for the TV service? No. Any extra services for TV or phone will be billed to you directly by the company. The HOA monthly dues amount will only include the $12 for internet service.
- If I am unavailable for my scheduled appointment what happens? You may call any time after your scheduled appointment to make an appointment for installation. There is no charge to install the Frontier internet no matter when it is installed.
- I am in Canada and might not be able to be in the area for one year. What happens? The same answer as #11, you may call any time after your originally schedule appointment to make a new appointment. This could be done one, two, three years later and there would still be no charge to install the Frontier internet when you want.
- I have heard the Frontier TV plans have gone up in price, is this correct? Yes. As we stated in the Town Hall meetings, pricing on TV packages was not guaranteed. We will hopefully send out the TV package pricing for Frontier when we send out the schedule for appointments. Some of the packages currently don’t exist and some of the packages have doubled in price. We suggest you investigate all companies and their TV service before making a decision on which TV package and service to purchase.
- Am I required to purchase a TV plan from Frontier? No. You may buy TV service from any company you want, or you may choose not to buy TV service at all.
Thank you.
Stay safe and healthy.
Kim Fuller
President