Phone FAQ
Digital Cable FAQ | Broadband FAQ | Phone FAQ
- Can I call 911?
- If there is a loss of electrical power to my home, will my phone service be lost too?
- How is Mediacom phone different than Internet phone service?
- Will I still be listed in the telephone book?
- Can I get more than one phone line/phone number?
- How will I be billed?
- Do I have to pay the entire monthly rate if I signed up for Mediacom Phone mid-month?
- What kind of taxes will I be charged?
- Is there a fee to switch to Mediacom phone service?
- Does Mediacom® phone offer a calling card?
- How long will it take to schedule an appointment?
- How long does it take to install Mediacom® phone service?
- What should I do if I cannot be home for my installation appointment?
- After I switch to Mediacom phone, should I call my current phone company to disconnect my service?
- Does Mediacom provide technical support?
- Will I be able to use my Mediacom high-speed Internet service while talking on the phone?
- Will I be able to watch Mediacom cable TV while talking on the phone?
- Will my dial-up Internet service continue to work?
- Do I have to buy any additional equipment?
- Do I need a special phone?
- Will my home security system work with Mediacom phone service?
- Will my answering machine still work?
Call I call 911?
You can report police, medical, fire and other emergencies by dialing 9 - 1 - 1. Mediacom phone offers Enhanced 911 service in those areas where the public safety network supports it. Enhanced 911 automatically provides emergency services with caller information such as your address and name. Please note that in the event of an electrical power outage, Mediacom phone will not operate, and you will not have access to 911 services, just like a cordless phone.
If there is a loss of electrical power to my home, will my phone service be lost too?
The multimedia terminal adapter (the phone modem) used to provide phone service over Mediacom's broadband network uses household electrical power. Please note: Similar to a cordless phone, Mediacom phone will not operate if the power in your home goes out or if you unplug the power connection, and you will lose access to 911 emergency service during the outage. Mediacom does include a battery backup with the multimedia terminal adapter to provide backup power for a limited time during a power outage affecting your home. Battery backup power will not maintain service if the outage affects the Mediacom network.
How is Mediacom phone different than Internet phone service?
There are a few fundamental differences between the two types of service, but the most important is quality of service and privacy. Mediacom phone does not connect your calls via the public Internet. Unlike VoIP (Vonage) service, Mediacom phone service uses a combination of Mediacom's broadband network, Sprint's state-of- the-art digital network and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN.) This guarantees the quality of the network that carries your voice signal and provides a crisp, clear voice service.
Will I still be listed in the telephone book?
Yes. You will be listed in Directory Assistance 411 and in your local telephone book. You will be given the option of having your phone number listed, unlisted, or unpublished.
Can I get more than one phone line/phone number?
No, not at this time, but we hope to offer this service soon.
How will I be billed?
You will receive one bill for all of your Mediacom services, including your Mediacom phone service. Your monthly phone charge will appear on this bill including a daily summary of additional charges for any calls made to international locations, Directory Assistance and Operator Services. You will also be billed for local, state and federal taxes and any applicable regulatory fees and surcharges associated with your Mediacom® phone service, similar to those charged by traditional phone service providers.
Do I have to pay the entire monthly rate if I signed up for Mediacom Phone mid-month?
No. The next bill also will include a prorated charge for Mediacom phone for the number of days left in your present month's billing cycle. The next bill will also include the first full month's charge for Mediacom phone, which is billed in advance.
What kind of taxes will I be charged?
All Mediacom phone customers will pay applicable local, state and federal taxes. Of course, if you make calls to international locations, or use Operator Services or Directory Assistance, these calls also will incur applicable taxes based on usage.
In addition, your bill will include applicable regulatory fees included with your phone service. Currently the most common regulatory surcharges are the Enhanced 9-1-1 surcharge, which is a charge billed on behalf of the Public Safety administration in the area in which you live to help provide 911 emergency services to your community; a Federal and State Universal Service Fund charge that is used to ensure that phone services are widely available throughout the United States; and a Telecommunications Relay Service fee, which assists the hearing and speech impaired to communicate with providers of telecommunications services.
Is there a fee to switch to Mediacom phone service?
No. There is no charge to switch to Mediacom phone service.
Does Mediacom® phone offer a calling card?
No, Mediacom phone does not offer a calling card at this time.
How long will it take to schedule an appointment?
We are typically able to schedule the standard installation of Mediacom phone within 7 to 10 business days of your service inquiry depending on whether you obtain a new number or keep your existing one.
How long does it take to install Mediacom® phone service?
A typical standard installation takes approximately 45 - 90 minutes depending on the individual circumstances encountered in your home and the number of services being installed.
What should I do if I cannot be home for my installation appointment?
If you are keeping your current number, your local phone company requires Mediacom to give them a two-day notice that you will be switching service to Mediacom phone. Without this two-day notice, your local phone company could fail to transfer your current telephone number to your new Mediacom phone service. As a result, you could lose the option of keeping your current telephone number as well as the temporary loss of telephone service altogether. Therefore, make sure you notify Mediacom in advance in the event that you are unable to be at home for your appointment. Or you can make the following arrangements:
- You may designate a friend or family member age 18 or older to act as a replacement on your behalf. The individual you designate will be responsible for approving the Mediacom phone installation and signing the subscriber agreement and other important documents. Call Mediacom at 1-866-746-7312 to designate a replacement to act on your behalf.
- If you are unable to find a friend or family member age 18 or older to act as a replacement on your behalf, it is very important to call 1-866-746-7312 to reschedule your installation appointment a minimum of two business days in advance or your scheduled appointment.
After I switch to Mediacom phone, should I call my current phone company to disconnect my service?
If you are keeping your current phone number, you should not contact your current phone service provider to disconnect service. Mediacom will contact them for you. Once Mediacom phone service standard installation is completed and your phone number is successfully transferred, your prior phone service will be disconnected. Until then, you will continue to have service from your current phone provider. You may want to contact your former provider after the standard installation has been completed to ensure that you receive final billing in a timely manner. Please note, it is essential that you or an authorized person be at home during the standard installation procedure.
If you receive a new telephone number from Mediacom, and no longer desire phone service from your current phone service provider, you must contact your current phone service provider to disconnect your current phone service. We strongly recommend that you disconnect your current phone service after Mediacom phone service is complete so you are not without phone service.
Does Mediacom provide technical support?
Yes. Mediacom provides complete support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all of our services. We have local support teams in all areas that we serve.
Will I be able to use my Mediacom high-speed Internet service while talking on the phone?
Yes. Mediacom phone will not interfere with your Mediacom Online high-speed Internet service, so you can use the Internet and make calls at the same time.
Will I be able to watch Mediacom cable TV while talking on the phone?
Yes. Mediacom phone will not interfere with your Mediacom cable TV service, so you can watch TV and make calls simultaneously.
Will my dial-up Internet service continue to work?
Mediacom phone does not support dial-up Internet Service Providers. Please call us and ask about the benefits of subscribing to Mediacom high-speed Internet service.
Do I have to buy any additional equipment?
No. There is no additional equipment to buy as long as you have a working telephone with a standard modular RJ11 jack in your home. To use some of the calling features such as Caller ID Name and Number, you must have Caller ID display equipment or a phone with Caller ID built in.
Do I need a special phone?
No. Any standard, touch-tone phone will work with Mediacom phone. It makes no difference whether it is a wall mounted phone or a portable cordless phone. All types of standard, touch-tone phones can be used. To use some of the calling features such as Caller ID name and number, you must have Caller ID display equipment or a phone with Caller ID built in.
Will my home security system work with Mediacom phone service?
While Mediacom does not guarantee the use of home security systems with its phone service, many home security systems will function with Mediacom phone service. Your security company will need to test the system following installation. You may want to maintain a separate phone line for your security system.
Will my answering machine still work?
Yes, but you may no longer need an answering machine since your Mediacom phone service includes Voice Mail at no extra charge to the standard flat monthly fee. Voice mail will record and store messages when you are unavailable to answer the phone. Of course, you can continue to keep your answering machine as well.