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INS APPRECIATES YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES.
In this Agreement (Agreement), "you" and "your" mean
the customer of INS Services defined below, and "INS," "we," "our," and "us" mean
Iowa Network Services, Inc.
THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS,
PLEASE CANCEL THE SERVICES IMMEDIATELY BY CALLING THE INS
1-800-469-4000 CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS.
Commission or State Regulatory Body prior to August 1, 2001;
and (2) any new or additional INS Intrastate, Interstate
and International consumer telecommunications services that
you enroll in, use, or pay for, after August 1, 2001.
This Agreement does not cover any local services. The Services
covered in this Agreement are subject to billing availability
and may not be available at all locations. The INS TARIFFS
ON THE INTERNET contain the specific prices and charges,
service descriptions and other terms and conditions not set
forth here that apply to each of your Services.
You can review the INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET at http://www.iowanetworkservices.com
or at the INS Corporate Office located at 4201 Corporate
Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50266-5906.
THIS AGREEMENT INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE THE PRICES, CHARGES,
TERMS, AND CONDITIONS
WHICH ARE IN THE INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET.
1. CHARGES AND PAYMENTS.
a. General. You agree to pay us for the Services at the
prices and charges listed in the INS TARIFFS ON THE
INTERNET. The prices and charges for any particular call
may depend on a number of factors listed in the INS TARIFFS
ON THE INTERNET, which include, for example, the duration
of a call, the time of day, the day of week, the distance
called, and the type of service. Service types include, for
example, direct-dialed, operator-assisted, or Travel Card
Service calls. The prices and charges for the Services may
also include, for example, monthly fees or connection charges.
b. Price Changes. We may change the prices and charges for
the Services from time to time. We may decrease prices without
providing advance notice. Increases to the prices or charges
for Services are effective no sooner than seven days after
we post them on our web site at http://www.iowanetworkservices.com,
except as stated in Section 1.e. following. We will provide
notices of increases to the prices and charges for the Services
included in the INS Intrastate Tariff on the Internet, INS
Interstate Tariff on the Internet and INS International Tariff
on the Internet, by bill message or other notice. You may
also call the INS Customer Care Number at 1-800-469-4000
for information on current prices.
c. Payments. You must pay all bills or invoices on time
(on or before the due date) and in U.S. money. We do not
waive our right to collect the full amount due if you pay
late or you pay part of the bill, even if you write the words "Paid
in Full" (or similar words) on any correspondence to
us. If you make any late payments we may charge you a late
fee as stated in the INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET (1.5% or
as allowed by governing law), which we apply to that period's
charges and any outstanding charges and late payment charges
that remain unpaid at the time of the next bill. If the state
law where you receive the Services requires a different rate,
we will apply that rate. If your check, bank draft, or electronic
funds transfer is returned for insufficient funds, we may
charge you additional charges as stated in the INS TARIFFS
ON THE INTERNET. These charges may include any reasonable
costs we incur, including attorneys' fees. If the state law
where you receive the Services requires a different fee,
we will charge you that amount. When payment is made by credit
card, payment will also be subject to terms and conditions
required by the credit card issuer.
d. Charges and Billing. Charges accrue through a full billing
period. We may prorate or adjust a bill if the billing period
covers less than or more than a full month. (For this purpose,
each month is considered to have 30 days.) To determine the
charge for each call, we round based on the terms of each
rate plan as found in the INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET. We
will determine the format of the bill and the billing period,
and we may change both the bill format and the billing period
from time to time. You are responsible for preventing the
unauthorized use of the Services, and you are responsible
for payment for any such unauthorized use.
e. Taxes and Other Charges. You must pay all taxes, fees,
surcharges and other charges that we bill you for the Services,
unless you can show documentation satisfactory to us that
you are exempt. Taxes and surcharges will be in the amounts
that federal, state and local authorities require us to bill
you. We will not provide advance notice of changes to taxes
and surcharges, except as required by applicable law.
f. Credit Check and Deposits. You give us permission to
obtain your credit information from consumer credit reporting
agencies at any time. If we determine that you may be a credit
risk due to: (1) unsatisfactory credit rating; (2) insufficient
credit history; (3) fraudulent or abusive use of any INS
services within the last five years; or (4) late payments
for current or prior bills, we may require a deposit to ensure
payment for the Services. The amount of the deposit will
be not more than any estimated one-time charges required
for the Services, plus three months of the estimated average
per-minute charges and/or monthly fees for the Services.
We will pay simple interest at the annual rate of 1% on the
deposit, subject to the state law where you receive the Services.
If you fail to pay for the Services when due, we may use
the deposit without giving notice to you. If you pay undisputed
bills by the due date for twelve consecutive billing months,
we will credit the deposit to your account. If a credit balance
remains on your account, we will refund or credit that amount.
g. Credit Limits. We may set a credit limit based on your
payment history or your credit score from consumer credit
reporting agencies. If we do this, we will notify you of
your initial credit limit and all changes to your credit
limit. If you exceed your credit limit, we may restrict your
access to the Services, including direct-dialed and operator-assisted
calls. Access to emergency services (911) will not be affected
by this restriction. If you fail to make timely payments,
we may also lower your credit limit.
2. SUSPENDING AND CANCELING THE SERVICES.
a. Fraudulent Use. You agree not to use the Services for
any unlawful, abusive, or fraudulent purpose, including,
for example, using the Services in a way that (1) interferes
with our ability to provide Services to you or other customers;
or (2) avoids your obligation to pay for the Services. If
INS has reason to believe that you or someone else is abusing
the Services or using them fraudulently or unlawfully, we
can immediately suspend, restrict, or cancel the Services
without advance notice.
b. Your Cancellation of the Services. If you use more than
one Service, you may change or cancel individual Services
by calling the INS customer care number on your INS bill,
subject to the applicable terms and conditions in the INS
TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET. This Agreement remains in effect
for any Services that you continue to be enrolled in, use,
or pay for. If you want to cancel all or some of the Services,
please discontinue your use of those Services and call us
toll free at the INS CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER at 1-800-469-4000
for further instructions.
c. Outstanding Charges. If Services are suspended, restricted,
or cancelled, any charges will accrue through the date that
INS fully processes the suspension, restriction or cancellation.
You must pay all outstanding charges for these Services,
including payment of any bills that remain due after the
date of cancellation. Subject to Section 7, you must reimburse
us for any reasonable costs we incur, including attorneys'
fees, to collect charges owed to us. If you want us to renew
the Services, we may require that you pay a deposit.
d. Other. INS may from time to time discontinue certain
Services, subject to applicable law and regulation.
e. Failure to Pay. Upon advance notice, we may suspend,
restrict, or cancel the Services and this Agreement, if you
do not make payments for current or prior bills by the required
due date, including payments for late fees or any other required
additional charges.
3. INDEMNIFICATION. You agree that we will not be responsible
for any third-party claims against us that arise from your
use of the Services. Further, you agree to reimburse us for
all costs and expenses related to the defense of any such
claims, including attorneys' fees, unless such claims are
based on our willful misconduct or gross negligence. This
provision will continue to apply after the agreement ends.
4. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. This section describes the
full extent of our responsibility for any claims you make
for damages caused by the failure of the Services, or any
other claims in connection with the Services or this agreement.
If our negligence causes damage to person or property, we
will be liable for no more than the amount of direct damages
to the person or property. For any other claims, we will
not be liable for more than the amount of our charges for
the Services during the affected period. For all claims,
we will not be liable for indirect or consequential damages,
including but not limited to lost profits or revenue or increased
costs of operation. We also will not be liable for punitive,
reliance, or special damages. These limitations apply even
if the damages were foreseeable or we were told they were
possible, and they apply whether the claim is based on contract,
tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal
or equitable theory. We will not be liable for any damages
if Services are interrupted, or there is a problem with the
interconnection of our Services with the Services or equipment
of some other party. This section will continue to apply
after the agreement ends.
5. WARRANTIES. Except as this agreement expressly states,
we make no express warranty regarding the Services and disclaim
any implied warranty, including any warranties of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. We also make no warranty
that the Services will be uninterrupted or error free. WE
DO NOT AUTHORIZE ANYONE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INS
EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES, TO MAKE A WARRANTY
OF ANY KIND ON OUR BEHALF AND YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON ANY
SUCH STATEMENT.
6. CREDIT ALLOWANCES FOR INTERRUPTIONS. If an interruption
or failure of Services is caused solely by INS and not by
you or a third party or other causes beyond our reasonable
control, you may be entitled to a credit allowance as specified
in the applicable INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET.
7. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. It is important that you read this
entire section carefully. This section provides for resolution
of disputes through final and binding arbitration before
a neutral arbitrator instead of in a court by a judge or
jury or through a class action. You continue to have certain
rights to obtain relief from a federal or state regulatory
agency.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED AN
EXCUSE TO DELAY OR WITHHOLD PAYMENTS OF ANY PART OF MONTHLY
BILLINGS. THE CUSTOMER IS REQUIRED TO PAY BOTH THE DISPUTED
AND UNDISPUTED PORTIONS OF THE BILL BY THE DUE DATE.
a. Binding Arbitration. The arbitration process established
by this section is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act
(FAA), 9 U.S.C. §§ 1–16. You have the right
to take any dispute that qualifies to small claims court
rather than arbitration.
All other disputes arising out of or related to this Agreement
(whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation
or any other legal or equitable theory) must be resolved
by final and binding arbitration. This includes any dispute
based on any product, Service or advertising having a connection
with this Agreement and any dispute not finally resolved
by a small claims court. The arbitration will be conducted
by one arbitrator using the procedures described in Section
7. If any portion of this Dispute Resolution Section is determined
to be unenforceable, then the remainder shall be given full
force and effect.
The arbitration of any dispute involving $10,000 or less
shall be conducted in accordance with the Consumer Arbitration
Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), as modified
by this Agreement, which are in effect on the date a dispute
is submitted to the AAA. The AAA's Commercial Arbitration
Rules and fee schedules will apply to any disputes in excess
of $10,000. You have the right to be represented by counsel
in an arbitration. In conducting the arbitration and making
any award, the arbitrator shall be bound by and strictly
enforce the terms of this Agreement and may not limit, expand,
or otherwise modify its terms.
NO DISPUTE MAY BE JOINED WITH ANOTHER LAWSUIT, OR IN AN
ARBITRATION WITH A DISPUTE OF ANY OTHER PERSON, OR RESOLVED
ON A CLASS-WIDE BASIS. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT AWARD DAMAGES
THAT ARE NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY THIS AGREEMENT AND MAY
NOT AWARD PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ATTORNEYS' FEES UNLESS SUCH
DAMAGES ARE EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY A STATUTE. YOU AND INS
BOTH WAIVE ANY CLAIMS FOR AN AWARD OF DAMAGES THAT ARE EXCLUDED
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
b. Arbitration Information and Filing Procedures. Before
you take a dispute to arbitration or to small claims court,
you must first contact our customer account representatives
at the Customer Care number on your INS bill for the Services,
or write to us at the INS Corporate Offices at 4201 Corporate
Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50266-5906, and give us an opportunity
to resolve the dispute. Similarly, before INS takes a dispute
to arbitration, we must first attempt to resolve it by contacting
you. If the dispute cannot be satisfactorily resolved within
sixty days from the date you or INS are notified by the other
of a dispute, then either party may then contact the AAA
in writing at AAA Service Center, 134555 Noel Road, Suite
1750, Dallas, TX 75240-6620 and request arbitration of the
dispute. Information about the arbitration process and the
AAA's Arbitration Rules and its fees are available from the
AAA on the Internet at www.adr.org, or by contacting us at
the INS Corporate Offices at 4201 Corporate Drive, West Des
Moines, IA 50266-5906. The arbitration will be based only
on the written submissions of the parties and the documents
submitted to the AAA relating to the dispute. No arbitration
other than desk arbitration is available. The Arbitrator
does not have the authority to: direct or allow introduction
of outside witnesses, authorize discovery, order document
production, issue subpoenas or allow depositions. Any arbitration
shall remain confidential. Neither you nor INS may disclose
the existence, content or results of any arbitration or award,
except as may be required by law, or to confirm and enforce
an award. ANY CLAIM OR DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT MUST BE BROUGHT WITHIN TWO YEARS AFTER
THE DATE THE BASIS FOR THE CLAIM OR DISPUTE FIRST ARISES.
c. Fees and Expenses of Arbitration. You must pay the applicable
AAA filing fee when you submit your written request for arbitration
to the AAA. The AAA's filing fee and administrative expenses
for a document arbitration will be allocated according to
the AAA's Rules, except that for claims of less than $1,000,
you will only be obligated to pay a filing fee of $20 and
we will pay all of the AAA's other costs and fees. Unless
applicable substantive law provides otherwise, each party
will pay its own expenses to participate in the arbitration,
including attorneys' fees and expenses.
8. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. Separability. If any part of this Agreement is found
invalid, the rest of the Agreement will remain valid and
enforceable.
b. Assignment. We can assign all or part of our rights or
duties under this Agreement without notifying you. If we
do that, we have no further obligations to you. You may not
assign this Agreement or the Services without our prior written
consent.
c. Acts Beyond Our Control. Neither you nor we will be responsible
to the other for any delay, failure in performance, loss
or damage due to fire, explosion, power blackout, earthquake,
volcanic action, flood, the weather elements, strike, embargo,
labor disputes, civil or military authority, war, acts of
God, acts or omissions of carriers or suppliers, acts of
regulatory or governmental agencies, or other causes beyond
our reasonable control, except that you must pay for any
Services used.
d. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (which incorporates
by reference the INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET) constitutes
the entire agreement between us and supersedes all prior
agreements, understandings, statements or proposals, and
representations, whether written or oral. This Agreement
can be amended only as provided in Section 9 below. No written
or oral statement, advertisement, or service description
not expressly contained in the Agreement will be allowed
to contradict, explain, or supplement it. Neither you nor
INS is relying on any representations or statements by the
other party or any other person that are not included in
this Agreement.
e. No Third Party Rights. This Agreement does not provide
any third party with a remedy, claim, or right of reimbursement.
f. Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by the
law of the State of Iowa, except that the arbitration provisions
in Section 7 will be governed by the Federal Arbitration
Act. This governing law provision applies no matter where
you reside, or where you use or pay for the Services.
g. Notices. Notices from you to INS must be provided as
specified in this Agreement. Notice from you to INS made
by calling INS is effective as of the date that our records
show that we received your call. INS's notice to you under
this Agreement will be provided by one or more of the following:
bill message, bill insert, newspaper ad, postcard, letter,
call to your billed telephone number, or e-mail to an address
provided by you.
9. CHANGES TO THIS AGREEMENT.
This Agreement may only be changed in the manner provided
for in this Section 9. We may change this Agreement, including
the incorporated INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET, from time to
time. If we make any changes to the prices or charges, we
will comply with our notice commitments described in Section
1 of this Agreement. All other changes to this Agreement
will be effective no sooner than seven days after we post
them at http://www.iowanetworkservices.com.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO BE ENROLLED IN, USE, OR PAY FOR THE SERVICES
AFTER ANY CHANGES IN THE PRICES, CHARGES, TERMS OR CONDITIONS,
YOU AGREE TO THE CHANGES.
10. ENROLLMENT IN ANOTHER INS SERVICE.
To enroll in an additional Service, or to switch from your
existing Service to a different Service, you must notify
us by: (1) returning an enrollment form provided by INS marketing;
(2) calling the INS Customer Care number on your INS bill;
(3) calling the INS Customer Care number provided in INS
marketing materials; or (4) going to our web site at http://www.iowanetworkservices.com
and following any further instructions provided. The terms
and conditions of this Agreement, including those in the
incorporated INS TARIFFS ON THE INTERNET, will apply to the
new or additional INS Service.
BY ENROLLING IN, USING, OR PAYING FOR THESE NEW OR ADDITIONAL
SERVICES, YOU AGREE TO THE PRICES, CHARGES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
IN THIS AGREEMENT.
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