Net Neutrality

• What is Net Neutrality? What is Net Neutrality?

  Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers must treat all data on the internet the same, and not discriminate or charge by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment or method of communication. For instance, under these principles, internet service providers are unable to intentionally block, slow down or charge money for specific websites and online content.

• How does Net Neutrality affect me as a Hawaiian Telcom customer? How does Net Neutrality affect me as a Hawaiian Telcom customer?

  The FCC recently voted to repeal net neutrality rules. This decision is seen as a “win” for national Internet Service Providers that supply high-speed internet, and that aggressively lobbied for the change – although many of these providers have so far declined to discuss what the FCC’s vote means for their customers in the long term.

  
  

  Hawaiian Telcom wants you to be clear on our position:

  • We will not prioritize internet content traffic. We have, and will continue, to keep treating all internet traffic the same way.
  • We will not charge you a premium to access content that is freely accessible over the internet. Our job is to maintain your connection. You decide how to leverage that connection.

  
  

  In other words: The repeal of net neutrality rules will not impact Hawaiian Telcom customers. Hawaiian Telcom is building and maintaining a fiber network that is designed to meet the current and future bandwidth needs of our customers. There is no need for Hawaiian Telcom to prioritize or throttle internet traffic.

• What is Hawaiian Telcom's stance on Net Neutrality? What is Hawaiian Telcom's stance on Net Neutrality?
  Hawaiian Telcom believes high-speed Internet is a powerful asset that facilitates access to education, employment opportunities, and health services. High-speed Internet allows entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses. And, of course, high-speed Internet supports a multitude of entertainment choices.

   

  Today, Hawaiian Telcom can deliver high-speed Internet to approximately 60 percent of the state of Hawai‘i. That percentage will only grow as we continue our investment into building a deep fiber network across the islands. In collaboration with federal, state, and county leaders, our investment in fiber – which totals approximately $1.7 billion positions Hawai‘i as the first fully fiber-enabled state in the U.S. by 2026. Continuing the fiber investment is the right thing to do for customers. Which makes it the right thing to do for our company.

   

  Hawaiian Telcom believes that a net neutral approach is also the right thing to do for our customers. And that’s how we approach every decision we make.