Frequently Asked Questions

CoastConnect is a telecommunications subsidiary that offers fiber internet and telephone services to consumers in Hancock, Harrison and Pearl River counties.

We are building a fiber-to-the-home network – the gold standard of communications transmission – over Coast Electric’s existing electric distribution infrastructure that takes fiber directly into homes and businesses and delivers reliable, high-speed internet services.

The subsidiary is a separate company and is managed separately from the electric cooperative. Coast Electric will manage its electric grid to provide electricity across our service territory, and members will get their broadband services through CoastConnect. Consumers are billed separately for their electric service and their broadband service. 

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for our members in the communities we serve. High-speed internet service is not readily available in many rural communities and many companies do not make the investment in areas with a small population density.

We want to help these residents and businesses cross the digital divide and receive the same opportunities as those who live in more populated areas. The endeavor is much like what occurred in the 1930s when electric power associations were formed and electrified rural areas, improving residents’ quality of life.

Until 2019, Mississippi state laws did not allow electric cooperatives to provide internet service. Seeing the need to bring internet service to rural areas of our state, the state legislature changed the law, allowing electric cooperatives to offer these services and bridge the digital divide.

Members in phase one of the pilot project area in Pearl River County will receive service by the end of 2020. Construction will begin on phase two of the pilot project area in early 2021. We will announce plans for additional areas of service in the coming months.

Just as Coast Electric serves members in rural areas, CoastConnect’s focus is bringing high-speed internet service to underserved rural areas first.

No. Fiber deployment does not affect electric rates. Coast Electric and CoastConnect are separate organizations and all costs and revenues are separate. CoastConnect is a self-sufficient company.

Broadband high-speed internet provides multiple benefits, including improved opportunities for economic development, telemedicine and education in rural areas.

In addition, by creating a more robust fiber system, we are enhancing our smart grid with more automation capabilities to better serve electric members. A smarter grid allows Coast Electric’s devices to communicate with each other and delivers benefits such as improved power outage response times, better load balancing, more efficient electricity delivery and more.

Once you sign up for service, fiber installation is simple and non-invasive. We pull fiber from our main lines and follow power lines to attach the fiber to your home or business. The fiber will run to your home or business in the same manner power lines run to your home or business. If your electric service comes from overhead lines, so will your broadband service. If your electric service comes from underground lines, so will your broadband service. Next, we attach the fiber line to a box near your electric meter where the inside wiring connects with the outside wiring. Finally, the fiber is connected to a fiber jack inside your home or office, where it’s plugged into the modem we provide.

Construction crews pulling and hanging the fiber and taking it to your home’s outside wiring are preparing the network to go live once construction in the area is complete. A CoastConnect employee will contact you to schedule an appointment for an in-home installer to finalize your connection and test the services from your equipment. Once that install is complete and tested, your service should be ready to go.

Broadband commonly refers to high-speed internet access that is always on and faster than any other type of internet service. Broadband fiber-optic networks can deliver voice, data, video and email services over the internet.

Yes, but many use copper lines for the final connection, which results in slower speeds. Our network will use fiber all the way into your home or business, producing faster speeds.

Fiber optics carry data using light waves, resulting in faster speeds than traditional copper lines. Our fiber-to-the-home network is more reliable than other types of networks and has fewer complications from lightning and other natural elements. Our network allows subscribers to use multiple devices at the same time to watch movies, game and stream as much as they want.

We will offer two internet packages for residential subscribers. Both packages include a GigaSpire router, managed WiFi, symmetrical upload and download speeds and no data cap. Subscribers can sign up here. 

See our business packages here. 

There are no data caps or bandwidth throttling (intentional slowing or speeding of internet service) with our service.

                                                  3 Mbps               25 Mbps            100 Mbps           1000 Mbps

Download 100 photos              14.7 minutes      1.8 minutes         26.4 seconds      2.6 seconds

Download HD movie                 4.8 hours            34.4 minutes      8.6 minutes        51.5 seconds

Download 50 Songs                  8.2 minutes         1 minute           14.7 seconds      1.5 seconds

Download 50GB Game             39.8 hours            4.8 hours          1.2 hours             7.2 minutes

Subscribers may terminate service upon completion of a minimum 12 months of service. An early termination fee may apply. No contract is required after one year.

Select either Residential or Business and sign up on their respective pages. 

Fiber construction often involves digging or trenching and our trucks on your property or in neighborhoods. Our contractors are trained to minimize or repair damage before leaving the job. Please contact us at 877-969-3884 to share any concerns about the construction process.

You can sign up for the services individually. 

CoastConnect’s phone service uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Calls you make are processed over the public telephone switched network, which results in a higher quality call than traditional VoIP calls.

A crystal-clear reception digital voice line with unlimited local and long-distance calling for $29.95 a month plus tax when bundled with internet service. Additional lines are available for $20.95 a month per line plus tax. Voice only service is available for $49.95 a month plus tax.

A crystal-clear reception digital voice line with unlimited local and long-distance calling for $39.95 a month plus tax when bundled with internet service. Additional lines are available for only $20.95 a month per line plus tax. Voice only service is available for $54.75 a month plus tax.

Backup Power for Home Phone Services During Power Outages
For many years, your home phone would allow you to stay connected to emergency voice services during a power outage. However, many of today’s advanced home phone services require backup battery power to continue functioning during a power outage. To minimize a disruption of home voice service during a power outage – and to maintain the ability to connect to 911 emergency services – CoastConnect offers you the option of purchasing a backup power solution for your home phone line.

What Your Backup Battery Can – and Can’t – Do for You
Backup batteries for optical network terminals allow you to continue to use your home voice line during a power outage. Without a backup battery or alternate home backup power source (such as a generator), subscribers will not be able to make calls during a power outage, including emergency calls to 911. The only way to maintain the ability to use your voice line during a power outage is by using some form of backup power.

A backup battery for the optical network terminal does not provide power to any services other than voice. Internet service, computers, home security systems, medical monitoring devices and other equipment will not run on a residential optical network terminal’s backup battery. Cordless phones and their base stations are not powered or charged by the backup battery.

Purchase Options
If you are concerned about being able to contact 911 emergency services during a power outage, a backup battery solution may be a good option for you. You have the option of selecting battery backup equipment from vendors, such as Power & Tel, directly through several ecommerce online sites. Power & Tel can be reached by calling 800-238-7514 or visiting www.ptsupply.com. Backup battery solutions that provide either 8 hours or 24 hours of standby time are available for purchase at BestBuy, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s and other retailers. We will be glad to assist you in the ordering process.

The backup battery solution will be shipped directly to your home. If you do not feel comfortable installing your own battery backup, please call us to make an appointment, and we will assist you. Please note that there may be a charge for installation if the backup battery solution is not installed at the time your voice service is installed.

Expected Backup Power Duration
The standby operating times noted above (8 hours or 24 hours) are estimated and will vary as the batteries age. Please follow the detailed instructions included with your battery backup system for proper use, storage, and care to ensure that it will function as specified during a power outage. If you do not store your battery correctly, its useful life may be shortened. Environmental factors such as temperature can shorten your battery’s useful life. We recommend that you store your battery above 14°F and below 120°F. The estimated service life of the battery is 6 to 10 years. Batteries should be stored in a cool, dry place.

Testing and Monitoring
Although the batteries are rechargeable, they will not last forever and should be replaced as the unit instructions indicate. The battery backup unit will indicate via an active red light when the batteries need to be serviced or are disconnected. You should test your backup battery solution periodically, as described in the instructions included with your battery, to verify both the operation of the backup battery and its condition.

Warranty
The backup battery solutions identified above generally may come with a warranty of five years, directly from the manufacturer. Please make sure you check the length of the warranty before you purchase.

If you have any questions about your CoastConnect voice service or this notification, please contact us at 877-969-3884. Thank you for connecting with us!

If you were connected in the middle of the month, you are paying a pro-rated cost for your service on those days as well as your monthly bill. 

We bill on the 1st of each month and payment is due on the 10th. Subscribers who need bill assistance could be eligible for two federal assistance programs. Learn more here. 

CoastConnect subscribers could be eligible for payment assistance through two federal programs, the Affordable Connectivity Program and Lifeline. To learn more about these programs, visit www.coastconnect.com/assistance/.

Service Fee Schedule