COVID19 – UPDATE #3
December 10, 2020
As the events surrounding COVID-19 continue to develop, we wanted to reach out and let you know how the GPNetworks team is responding. First and foremost, the health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority. While we cannot predict the impact of COVID-19 on our community, we have identified ways that we can be proactive during this time.
GPNetworks has already begun introducing the following internal strategies to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19:
GPNetworks Office
- Rigorous cleaning protocols,
- Increased sanitization of common surfaces,
- Use of hand sanitization stations and gloves.
Temporary Office Closure
Beginning December 14th, 2020, the GPNetworks office will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice. Our office corridor will be open for customers to drop off cheques, money, equipment, etc. We will have a designated area for items and instructions for each. Access to the office beyond the corridor is not permitted under any circumstance. We understand that this may cause some inconvenience for some customers, as such, we will be providing additional support to accommodate our customers’ needs. Please see Q&A below for additional information.
Customer Accommodation Strategy
We understand that anyone can be impacted by this pandemic, whether directly and indirectly. We know that if people are required to isolate or take care of loved ones who are, they may be impacted
financially. We also know the importance of having internet during these times and not having to worry about that. As such, for the next 60 days, GPNetworks is committed to the following accommodation strategies for our customers:
- We will 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 COVID-19 pandemic;
- We will evaluate every situation on a case by case basis that results in unfortunate circumstances related to COVID-19 lasting longer than 60 days.
To ensure we can be as effective as possible, we ask that you reach out to us via a phone call or email stating that you are impacted in some way by COVID-19 so we can keep your account up-to-date.
We also understand that there may be an increase in usage during this time, so to avoid any unnecessary overage fees, please inquire with us regarding an unlimited data add-on.
We want to sincerely thank you for your understanding during this sensitive time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call our office and we will assist you as best as possible.
Take care and be well,
- GPNetworks
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Q: I normally pay my bill in person using the debit machine. How will I pay my bill now?
A: GPN accepts many forms of payments that can be done outside of our office including auto-debit, over the phone credit card payments and interac e-transfers.
Q: What if I want to pay my bill by cheque or cash?
A: Our drop box so cash or cheque can be dropped into a secure location. This is checked and emptied daily.
Q: What kind of precautions will a field technician be taking when they come to my home?
A: GPN is requiring all staff who complete a home visit to wear the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) which includes gloves. This is to ensure the safety of both you and the employee.
Q: How do I know that the employee coming to my home is not sick?
A: GPN is implementing a strict “stay home if sick” policy for all our employees, so if a GPN employee is at your home, they should not be sick. As noted above, we will be using PPE as an extra precaution.
Q: What kind of field technician support can I get while your office is closed?
A: We will be providing the same telephone tech support during this time. GPN may also utilize remote access tech support when possible. The only major change is if we are required to complete a home visit. When booking your home visit appointment, we will be asking screening questions to ensure there is no risk to GPN employees. If there is identified risk, we are unable to enter your home and will have to rebook at a later date.
If the work required does not involve the GPN employee going into the house at all, then the employee can complete their work as usual, regardless if you are unwell or are on self-isolation.
Q: Do I have to pay my bill after the 60 days if I was impacted by COVID-19?
A: Yes. The balance will remain from services used and will need to be paid. If you have concerns about that, please contact GPNetworks and we will work with you to develop a plan.
Q: What if I am impacted by COVID-19 for longer than 60 days and I cannot pay my bill?
A: Please let us know immediately. At that point, we may switch your account over to a ‘lite’ package, so that you still have internet services, but your bill won’t accumulate as much per month. And when things return to normal, please let us know so we can switch you back to your regular package speeds.
COVID19 – UPDATE #3
June 2, 2020
Dear Valued Customers,
GPNetworks is pleased to announce that we are opening our office to the public starting June 8, 2020! Our office hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
Rest assured that we have implemented a rigorous safety plan which includes:
- A regular cleaning schedule using disinfectants;
- The use of PPE within our office;
- Maintaining safe physical distancing with floor markers;
- Customer and Staff safety Protocol outlined below.
To ensure staff and customer safety, we will require all customers entering our office to:
- Wear a mask (we will provide for customers who need)
- Sanitize their hands (will be provided)
- Follow physical distancing markers on the floor
- Stand behind the protective barrier at our front desk
We are taking the safety and well-being of our staff and customers very seriously during this time and ask that all customers respect the safety precautions mentioned above.
Please note that if you are not required to enter the office, we will still be using the front corridor for the foreseeable future for things such as equipment drop off, payments by cheque or cash, and signing of documents.
From all of us at GPNetworks, stay safe and healthy.
GPNetworks
COVID19 – UPDATE #2
May 19 2020
Dear Valued Customers,
GPNetworks recognizes that over the past 60 days since our first COVID19 post, there have been lots of changes; however, one thing that has not changed is GPNetworks commitment to our customers! We understand that many people are still being impacted by this pandemic and so we are going to be extending our Customer Accommodation Strategy for an additional 30 days (until June 19, 2020). We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
As a reminder, the Customer Accommodation Strategy is as follows:
• GPNetworks will 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 COVID-19 pandemic;
It is very important to note that if you need to utilize the Customer Accommodation Strategy, you must inform GPNetworks of your inability to pay your bill due to the pandemic before your bill payment is due. Otherwise, as per our normal policy, any customer account that goes unpaid for 45 days will be disconnected until the balance is paid.
Our office remains closed to the public with our front corridor opened 8:00am to 5:00pm Mon-Fri. We are currently planning a date to re-open in the coming weeks and will post an update with that information.
We thank you so very much for all of your support and understanding during this time. Our team has been working very hard to keep services up and running with the massive increase in demand. As always, be safe and stay healthy.
GPNetworks Team
March 18 2020
GPNetworks’ Response to COVID-19
Dear Valued Customer,
As the events surrounding COVID-19 continue to develop, we wanted to reach out and let you know how the GPNetworks team is responding. First and foremost, the health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority. While we cannot predict the impact of COVID-19 on our community, we have identified ways that we can be proactive during this time.
GPNetworks has already begun introducing the following internal strategies to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19:
GPNetworks Office
- Rigorous cleaning protocols,
- Increased sanitization of common surfaces,
- Use of hand sanitization stations and gloves.
Temporary Office Closure
Beginning March 18, 2020, the GPNetworks office will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice. Our office corridor will be open for customers to drop off cheques, money, equipment, etc. We will have a designated area for items and instructions for each. Access to the office beyond the corridor is not permitted under any circumstance. We understand that this may cause some inconvenience for some customers, as such, we will be providing additional support to accommodate our customers’ needs. Please see Q&A below for additional information.
Customer Accommodation Strategy
We understand that anyone can be impacted by this pandemic, whether directly and indirectly. We know that if people are required to isolate or take care of loved ones who are, they may be impacted
financially. We also know the importance of having internet during these times and not having to worry about that. As such, for the next 60 days, GPNetworks is committed to the following accommodation strategies for our customers:
- We will 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 COVID-19 pandemic;
- We will evaluate every situation on a case by case basis that results in unfortunate circumstances related to COVID-19 lasting longer than 60 days.
To ensure we can be as effective as possible, we ask that you reach out to us via a phone call or email stating that you are impacted in some way by COVID-19 so we can keep your account up-to-date.
We also understand that there may be an increase in usage during this time, so to avoid any unnecessary overage fees, please inquire with us regarding an unlimited data add-on.
We what to sincerely thank you for your understanding during this sensitive time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call our office and we will assist you as best as possible.
Take care and be well!
Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Q: I normally pay my bill in person using the debit machine. How will I pay my bill now?
A: GPN accepts many forms of payments that can be done outside of our office including auto-debit, over the phone credit card payments and interac e-transfers.
Q: What if I want to pay my bill by cheque or cash?
A: Our drop box so cash or cheque can be dropped into a secure location. This is not yet set up, but we will inform customers when it is with instructions on how to use!
Q: What kind of precautions will a field technician be taking when they come to my home?
A: GPN is requiring all staff who complete a home visit to wear the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) which includes gloves. This is to ensure the safety of both you and the employee.
Q: How do I know that the employee coming to my home is not sick?
A: GPN is implementing a strict “stay home if sick” policy for all our employees, so if a GPN employee is at your home, they should not be sick. As noted above, we will be using PPE as an extra precaution.
Q: What kind of field technician support can I get while your office is closed?
A: We will be providing the same telephone tech support during this time. GPN may also utilize remote access tech support when possible. The only major change is if we are required to complete a home visit. When booking your home visit appointment, we will be asking screening questions to ensure there is no risk to GPN employees. If there is identified risk, we are unable to enter your home and will have to rebook at a later date.
If the work required does not involve the GPN employee going into the house at all, then the employee can complete their work as usual, regardless if you are unwell or are on self-isolation.
Q: Do I have to pay my bill after the 60 days if I was impacted by COVID-19?
A: Yes. The balance will remain from services used and will need to be paid. If you have concerns about that, please contact GPNetworks and we will work with you to develop a plan.
Q: What if I am impacted by COVID-19 for longer than 60 days and I cannot pay my bill?
A: Please let us know immediately. At that point, we may switch your account over to a ‘lite’ package, so that you still have internet services, but your bill won’t accumulate as much per month. And when things return to normal, please let us know so we can switch you back to your regular package speeds.