President’s Report – October 2020

As published in The View, October 2020:

Kim Fuller
President

Frontier Communications

As I reported last month, the HOA Board signed the five-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 four months to complete. According to the agreement, all 3,450 homes will be installed by March 1, 2021, and that is when the five-year term will begin.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the installation:

  1. 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.
  2. When will the install schedule be sent out? We estimate the install schedule will be sent out on October 1 by regular mail and email, and it will also be posted on the website.
  3. 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 Mbps. It is estimated that 90% of Frontier customers will need new equipment installed.
  4. 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 installation 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.
  5. When will the $12 per month fee go into effect? We anticipate the monthly increase will begin on January 1, 2021.
  6. If I am not installed by January 1, 2021, why are my dues being increased on January 1? Monthly dues will increase on January 1 so that the HOA does not incur additional expenses by increasing dues twice in one year. For a more detailed explanation, see last month’s President’s Report.
  7. 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, for example.
  8. Am I required to install the Frontier internet service? No, but see question 10.
  9. If I do not want to install the Frontier internet service, what do I do? You would simply not call for an appointment to install. Frontier will not install unless you call them first.
  10. 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.
  11. 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 Frontier. The HOA monthly dues amount will only include the $12 for the internet-only service.
  12. 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 service no matter when it is installed.
  13. I am in Canada and might not be able to be in the area for one year. What happens? The same answer as #12:  you may call any time after your originally scheduled appointment to make a new appointment. This could be done one, two, or three years later; and there would still be no charge to install the Frontier internet when you want.
  14. 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 about which TV package and service to purchase.
  15. 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.

We might not be at the end of the pandemic, but I would not want to be anywhere else. Living here at Sun City Shadow Hills always reminds me, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Thank you. Stay safe and healthy.

Contact the author at kim.fuller@scshca.com.