Responsible Use Policy (RUP)

To maintain a safe and reliable service, USTelco strictly prohibits the following types of conduct. Engaging in any of these activities, or assisting others in doing so, violates the RUP and may lead to enforcement actions (see Enforcement below). This list is comprehensive but not exhaustive; similar activities that violate the spirit of this Policy are also prohibited:

• Illegal or Unlawful Use: Using USTelco services to conduct or facilitate any activity that violates the law or regulations. This includes, but is not limited to, activities that violate federal, state, or local laws or rules (for example, laws against fraud, theft, stalking, or illicit trade). All Users must adhere to communications laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the TRACED Act. Any use of our network for criminal purposes or to further illegal schemes is strictly forbidden.
• Unsolicited Bulk Communications (Spam): Spamming is prohibited. You may not use USTelco services to send unsolicited bulk messages, whether via phone calls, text/SMS, email, or fax, especially for commercial purposes. This includes mass robocalls, auto-dialed or pre-recorded telemarketing calls, and unsolicited texts sent without proper consent or in violation of do-not-call or anti-spam laws. All telemarketing or commercial messaging must comply with applicable consent requirements, FCC/FTC regulations, and the CAN-SPAM Act (for emails) where relevant. If a recipient has opted out or asked you to stop contacting them, you must honor that request promptly.
• Fraud and Deception: You may not use our services to engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading practices. This includes impersonating any person or entity, phishing (attempting to acquire sensitive information under false pretenses), scams or pyramid schemes, false advertising, or any communication intended to defraud, extort, or mislead others for personal gain. Users are forbidden from misrepresenting their identity or affiliation in a way that is intended to deceive recipients. For example, you must not pretend to be a bank or government agency if you are not, and you must not attempt to trick people into providing passwords, financial information, or other private data.
• Caller ID Spoofing and Misuse of Identification: Manipulating or falsifying caller identification or message headers to deceive or mislead is strictly prohibited, except where expressly allowed by law. USTelco complies with STIR/SHAKEN protocols to verify caller ID authenticity; users must not attempt to evade these measures. You may not transmit a call, text, or email that deliberately disguises or alters the originator’s identity (such as “spoofing” a phone number or email address) in order to impersonate someone else, commit fraud, or wrongfully hide your identity. Legitimate use of alternate caller ID (for example, a business using its main line as the outbound caller ID for employees) must comply with the law and have proper authorization. Any unauthorized or malicious caller ID spoofing – for instance, to impersonate emergency services, law enforcement, or private individuals – is a serious violation.
• Harassing or Offensive Communications: USTelco services must not be used to harass, abuse, or harm others. Prohibited behaviors include sending threats, repeated unwanted calls or messages to a specific person (stalking or intimidation), and using obscene or profane language with the intent to offend or alarm. Additionally, users may not use our network to distribute content that is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, or highly offensive. Hate speech – any communication that promotes violence or prejudice against individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other such characteristics – is strictly forbidden on our services. While USTelco is not responsible for the content of user communications, we reserve the right to intervene if we become aware of extreme abuse or harassment occurring over our network.
• Intellectual Property and Privacy Violations: Users must respect intellectual property rights and privacy rights at all times. Do not use USTelco services to transmit, distribute, or store any content that infringes copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, or other proprietary rights of others. For example, you may not use our internet services to share pirated software, music, movies, or other copyrighted materials without permission. Likewise, you may not violate others’ privacy by disclosing personal or confidential information without authorization. Prohibited conduct includes: sharing someone’s private data (such as phone number, address, Social Security number, account credentials, or personal photos) without their consent, or using our services to spy on or collect information about individuals in an illicit manner. USTelco respects privacy laws (including FCC rules on Customer Proprietary Network Information) and expects users to do the same.
• Security Attacks and Network Intrusions: Any attempt to undermine the security or integrity of networks or systems is forbidden. You may not use USTelco services to distribute viruses, worms, malware, or any other harmful code. You may not launch or facilitate cyber-attacks such as denial-of-service (DoS or DDoS) attacks, nor attempt to hack or gain unauthorized access to any account, computer, data, or network (whether USTelco’s, another user’s, or any third party’s). Probing or scanning the vulnerability of systems, or breaching security measures without permission, is a violation of this Policy. Additionally, using our network to conduct or forward phishing attacks or to operate botnets is strictly prohibited. We expect users to practice good cybersecurity hygiene – if you become aware that your device or account is infected or compromised, you should take immediate action to fix it and notify USTelco if relevant.
• Network Abuse and Service Interference: You may not engage in activities that interfere with or disrupt the normal use of USTelco’s network by other customers. This includes any usage that causes technical harm or degrades service performance for others. Examples of network abuse include: generating unusually high volumes of traffic that could congest the network (outside of what is normal for your subscribed service plan), running unauthorised servers or services in a manner that violates your service terms, or using automated dialing or messaging programs that overwhelm network capacity. It is also prohibited to attempt to bypass or impair any network security or filtering mechanisms USTelco has in place (for instance, attempting to thwart spam filters or call authentication systems). You must not use USTelco services in any way that disrupts other users’ ability to smoothly access and enjoy our services. We reserve the right to manage network traffic and ensure quality of service, which may include blocking or limiting improperly high traffic from abusive activities.
• Unauthorized Resale or Transfer of Service: USTelco services are intended for the use of the account holder and any authorized users under that account. Reselling, sharing, or providing access to USTelco services to third parties without our express permission is prohibited. This means you should not attempt to act as a service provider or telecom carrier using our services (for example, by re-routing calls or data through your account to others for a fee) unless you have a specific written agreement with USTelco allowing it. Similarly, you may not assign or transfer your service to someone else unless permitted by our Terms. Any commercial exploitation of USTelco services outside the scope of your agreement with us is not allowed. If you are a wholesale or enterprise partner with a contract that allows certain re-use of our services, you must still ensure all end users abide by this RUP and the AUP.

Please note: The above categories are guidelines. Other forms of harmful misuse not specifically listed may still violate this Policy. If you are unsure whether an action might be prohibited, please contact USTelco for clarification before proceeding. All users are expected to use common sense and good judgment to avoid any activities that could be deemed irresponsible or abusive.