FAQs

Troubleshooting Tips

We understand how much you rely on your telecommunication services and how frustrating it can be when your service is not working properly.  The staff at Jefferson Telecom are here to help!  Here are a few basic troubleshooting tips to try before calling Jefferson Telecom.

Internet & Wi-Fi:

I have lost my Internet connection or I no longer have Wi-Fi, help!  Please follow these steps:

1. One of the most common issues affecting connectivity has to do with power.  Ensure that all cords are plugged into outlets and ethernet cables are pushed in and connected to your router and devices.  Be sure to check your power to your ONT (the white box installed by Jefferson Telecom, typically located in your basement), your eero or customer owned router, and your devices.
2. If you have an eero from Jefferson Telecom, check the eero App on your mobile device to see if it shows RED and says “offline”.  If offline, go to the ONT  and make sure there are solid green lights to your power, battery and MGMT on the box.
3. Next, unplug the white power cord from the back of your eero or if you have a customer owned router unplug your router from the wall.  Wait 60 seconds, and plug it back in to your device.  If you have an eero, DO NOT push the reset button on your eero as it will factory reset your device.
4. If your service is not restored within 2-3 minutes please call 515-386-5500 for additional troubleshooting steps.  This FREE support line is available 24/7 for Internet technical issues.

It seems like my internet speed isn’t as fast as it used to be and/or I am experiencing buffering when streaming. What can be done?

Over time all customers have increased the number of devices that are connected to the internet, thus slowing down your service. Also, routers that were purchased years ago can no longer keep up with the demands of multiple devices, streaming, and other online activities. Jefferson Telecom would be happy to help you trouble shoot where the problem lies to have you enjoying your internet service once again.

My router doesn’t cover my entire house. It’s installed next to the ONT in the basement. Can I have it moved?

The ONT which was installed during the fiber build-out cannot be moved. The ONT brings the internet connection to your home.  If you have Wi-Fi coverage in your home, you will have a separate router or have an eero from Jefferson Telecom with Wi-Fi Management.  It is important that the router/eero is in a central location in your home to provide reliable Wi-Fi coverage.  If you need help in your home with your Wi-Fi coverage, the staff at Jefferson Telecom has a solution called eero.  A trained technician will install the eero in your home and connect all devices at the point of installation. Ask us for details today.

I have an eero for Wi-Fi Management from Jefferson Telecom and it is not working seamlessly like it used to.  

One of the many benefits of Wi-Fi Management with the eero from Jefferson Telecom is the fact that the operating system continues to update to improve performance and security. To ensure that you are on the most current version, open the eero App on your smartphone, tap on “settings” in the bottom right corner. Tap “software updates”. If you see the option “update available”, you can tap that and update your eero network to the latest version. Make sure that no one is using your Internet at the time of the update as it will take down your Wi-Fi momentarily. If you don’t see “update available”, don’t be alarmed. This just means your system is up-to-date with the latest software.  If your eero is currently up-to-date please call 515-386-5500 for additional troubleshooting steps.

TV:

The picture on my TV is frozen, the voice and picture on all channels are out of sync, the guide is not showing on the screen (missing), or I have a green box with white verbiage on my TV screen stating a cable error message, help!

There is a box that is connected to your TV to provide programming.  Unplug the round power connector from the back of the TV box, wait 30 seconds, and plug the cord back into the box.  The TV system will reboot which could take up to 10 minutes.

I have a message on my screen that says, “No Signal” or “No Video Signal”.  What should I do?

Typically this message is because the wrong Input setting has been chosen from the remote.  Find the “Input” button on your remote and switch it to your other options to see if this rectifies the issue.  Also, when you push the up/down channel button for example, ensure that the CBL button lights up red.

Watch this short video to learn how to fix this common error.

If you have a Wi-Fi box and a message appears stating, “Waiting for Address.  Please ensure your network cable is connected.  Press OK to start Wi-Fi WPS.” What should I do?

For additional troubleshooting view the Remote Guide with FAQ page.  If your TV service continues to have issues please call the FREE 24/7 TV technical support at 515-386-5500.

Does Jefferson Telecom have the same ‘fighting power’ that a larger satellite carrier has against increased cable TV fees?

Jefferson Telecom is a member of the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), which represents independent television providers to obtain more competitive pricing on programming content. Every year, contracts with different cable programmers (such as: Fox, NBC Networks and Turner Networks) expire and need to be renegotiated. Negotiations typically begin with programmers proposing exorbitant per subscriber fees. If these fees are not agreed to and paid, programmers withdraw their programming signals. You may have heard of other providers choosing to drop certain networks altogether rather than meet programmers’ demands. Jefferson Telecom, along with NCTC, fight for reasonable fees because we believe the content is invaluable to you, our customer. Our goal is to manage your monthly bill by fighting against excessive TV network fee increases from large, powerful media conglomerates. Please visit www.tvonmyside.com to learn how we are working to keep programming costs in check.

Why do I have to pay for channels I never watch?

Due to contract requirements with the TV Networks, we are not allowed to offer channels individually. We are forced to carry ALL networks from a given network owner. Most agreements require Jefferson Telecom to pay large programming rate hikes or forgo carriage of all networks with no option in between. If there is a family of TV networks such as ESPN, in order to carry ESPN a provider is required to carry all channels that the TV network offers. Network owners have also forced Jefferson Telecom to carry channels on specific tiers as part of the agreement, which drives costs higher. Jefferson Telecom is required to pay a fee for every household who receives that channel, regardless of whether anyone in that home even watches the channel.

Phone:

When I pick up our landline phone we do not have a dial tone.

First, go room-to-room and make sure that all phones are properly hung up on their receiver.  Often times a phone has been taken off the hook causing you to lose dial tone.  If this does not resolve the issue, please call 515-386-5500, to report your lose of phone service.

Service:

Jefferson Telecom technicians work Monday through Friday, with staff on call outside of business hours for emergency situations.  If your issue is deemed an emergency, please call 515-386-4141, option #2. Applicable charges will be applied for service calls and truck rolls after normal business hours.  For troubles with your Jefferson Telecom services, call the FREE support line at 515-386-5500 available 24/7.

Billing

Why can’t I pay my bill after the disconnect date? It’s just a couple of days late.

We have worked very hard to be consistent with our billing practices and can no longer accommodate extensions for disconnects. We have a variety of payment options available to our customers from automatic withdrawal, online payment (sign up now for E-Bill), credit card payment, or cash/check.

Can I charge my purchase of a cell phone, charger, case, etc. to my Jefferson Telecom bill?

All cellular purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase.

Why do you charge to make the service you installed work better (in regards to hard wiring equipment)?

There are a variety of variables that are outside of Jefferson Telecom’s control such as how your house was built, the technology that you are using at home, etc.  Due to the amount of time that is needed for a technician to successfully hard wire customer equipment at a home, an hourly charge is required.

Spoofing

What is spoofing and how does it work?

“Spoofing” occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally. U.S. law and FCC rules prohibit most types of spoofing.

Caller ID lets consumers avoid unwanted phone calls by displaying caller names and phone numbers, but the caller ID feature is sometimes manipulated by spoofers who masquerade as representatives of banks, creditors, insurance companies, or even the government.

What you can do if you think you’re being spoofed:

You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.

• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency seeking personal information, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request.
• Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

For more information on spoofing and how to stop unwanted calls, click here.

If your question was not asked above, or if you have additional questions or need further clarification please contact Jefferson Telecom at 515-386-4141.