Home / Products and Services / PWR-net.coop               Are you tired of waiting for DSL and cable modems to reach you? Are you tired of slow Internet connections from your dial-up or enhanced dial-up? Shelby Electric Cooperative through its Media Services division, is introducing a wireless broadband product called PWR-net.coop.    PWR-net.coop build out is in phases and the plan is to cover most of the service territory currently covered by Shelby Electric Cooperative’s distribution system.  If there is a strong interest for PWR-net.coop in other areas, once our initial build out is complete, we will look to include those areas as well. Interested in finding out more about PWR-net.coop or want to get on our waiting list? Complete our Information Request Form and hit submit and we will make sure you get on our waiting list and as we build out to your area, we will notify you. Information Request Form - CLICK HERE To view Acceptable Use Policy - CLICK HERE To view Privacy Policy - CLICK HERE For more information about PWR-net.coop pricing and packaging available or to see if we are in your area call today at 1-217-774-2323, toll free 1-877-994-2323 or email subscriberinterest@PWR-net.coop.   PWR-net Q&A Q1: Why is Shelby Electric Cooperative getting into the wireless broadband business? A recent statewide survey sent out to our members in 2007 indicated a desire for the cooperative to provide this service. While we have offered internet services to our membership since 2005, wireless broadband will offer our members a more competitive entry price that gets our rural members access to a product that is as fast or faster than other high-speed providers at a comparable price to what they would pay if they were in town. Q2: How do I know if service is available in my area? Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30am-noon and 1-4:30pm. Please contact our Shelby Electric Media Services Divison at 1-877-994-2323 or 217-774-2323 or by emailing subscriberinterest@pwr-net.coop. Our customer service representatives will be able to discuss tower installation progress with you and either place you on a list of interested parties or sign you up dependent on the availability of service in your area. Q3: How fast will PWR-net be? Tier 1 - $44.95 Download speeds up to 512 Kbps Upload speeds up to 128 Kbps Tier 2 - $64.95 Download speeds up to 1 Mbps Upload speeds up to 384 Kbps Tier 3 - $84.95 Download speeds up to 1.5 Mbps Upload speeds up to 512 Kbps Q4: How much will this service cost? PWR-net is competitively priced starting at $44.95/month for the Tier 1 package. However, if you are currently a Shelby Electric member or Shelby Energy customer, you are eligible for a $15 monthly discount. Q5: Are there any installation or equipment costs? Yes. There is a one-time charge of $99.00 for basic installation and equipment. The equipment located outside your home is referred to as a CPE (customer premise equipment). Basic installation consists of a single wired internet connection coming directly off of the CPE, which must be installed by one of our registered technicians, into your computer or router. Up to 150 feet of CAT5 cable is included in the basic installation. The installation of mounting poles and trenching services, if needed, will be at an additional charge. Q6: Will I be signing a contract? Yes. Shelby Electric requires that all PWR-net subscribers sign a 24-month service agreement, which begins at the date of installation. Q7: Do you require any type of deposit? You will be asked to provide your social security number when signing up for PWR-net. We use your number to perform a credit check, which will come back to us as a pass or fail. If you pass the credit check, you will not owe a deposit. If you fail, we will require a $100 deposit in addition to the $99 installation charge before the installation can take place. The $100 will be reimbursed when you have paid your bill in a timely manner for 12 consecutive months. Q8: How many email addresses can I get through PWR-net? Our packages provide three email addresses. Additional email addresses can be purchased for $5.00 per email address per month. Q9: Who pays if I have a problem with my service or equipment? Customers will be responsible for the repair and/or replacement of their PWR-net equipment unless they have our maintenance plan. We strongly encourage customers to take advantage of this plan as it is only $5.00/month. Please be aware this maintenance plan covers the CPE and service call fees only. (A new CPE is $479.00 plus tax, and service calls are $75.00 per visit). Any additional equipment you may have, including a wireless router, is your responsibility and will not be covered under this plan. In addition, service calls needed due to an operator error or subscriber equipment (hardware or software) problems will not be covered under our maintenance plan. Q10: Who owns the equipment? Shelby Electric will lease the CPE to customers for the first two years of service. The customer will own any other equipment associated with his/her PWR-net service and will obtain ownership of the CPE after the 24th month. Please note: Shelby Electric will not assume responsibility for the CPE, whether it be leased or owned, unless the customer signs up for our maintenance plan. Q11: Will I have the option to take advantage of bundled billing with PWR-net? Your monthly electric and PWR-net charges will show up on the same bill and will have the same due date. Please be aware, in the event your bill is not paid in full, the payment will always go toward electric first and then PWR-net. Bundled billing is not available at this time with Shelby Energy. Q12: Will online bill pay for PWR-net be available? Yes! Our goal is to make paying your bill as fast and easy as possible. We realize, for most people, this is done online. We encourage our PWR-net customers to log on to www.shelbyelectric.coop to take advantage of our online bill pay. If you have any problems, please call and we will be happy to walk you through the process. Q13: Will my current computer operating system be compatible with PWR-net? Your operating system must be Windows ME or newer. If you are a Mac user, contact our office to ensure your system will be compatible. Q14: I live in a wooded area – will I be able to get service? Maybe. PWR-net uses a line-of-sight technology. The CPE at your home must be able to communicate with the main tower in your area. Our approach is to show up prepared to install, so we would need your information to prepare a service order. If we are not able to get a strong signal at your location, there will be no charge to you. Q15: Who will I call if I’m having trouble? Shelby Electric Media Services’ outstanding customer service team is trained to assist you. Q16: Will I have access to technical support after business hours? Questions concerning PWR-net will need to be posed between the hours of 7:30am-noon and 1-4:30pm, Monday through Friday, when knowledgeable customer service representatives are available to address your needs. Q17: If I am not satisfied with PWR-net, will I be able to break our contract without penalty? We encourage prospective subscribers to visit our Media Services office on East Route 16 or Shelby Electric headquarters on North Route 128 to take a test drive of the broadband service before scheduling an appointment. Once the equipment has been installed, you will be responsible for fulfilling the service agreement of 24 months. Q18: What if I decide I want to switch to a different internet provider but haven’t fulfilled my 24-month commitment? Customers will have the option to buy out of their service agreement at a prorated fee dependent upon the amount of time they have maintained service. An early cancellation fee may also apply. Q19: Does an early termination fee apply even if I move and can no longer receive service? In the event you move, you will be asked to submit proof of utility service in your name at a new address outside of the broadband network. In this instance, and only in this instance, Shelby Electric may choose to reacquire the CPE installed at the previous location in lieu of or in conjunction with an early termination fee. Q20: If I require a wireless router, is that included in the $99.00 installation fee? No. Wireless routers are available for purchase at our Shelby Electric Media Services office for $69.00 plus tax. We do not require that you purchase your router through us. Please be aware the wireless router is not covered under our optional maintenance program regardless of where it is purchased. Q21: I own a small business. Can I subscribe to PWR-net, and how much will it cost? Yes, we encourage business owners to contact our Shelby Electric Media Services office as the standard information may not apply. Increased bandwidth is available and will be priced accordingly.