All questions concerning Epic Touch Cable TV Service
How Epic Touch bills for a channel 2 ad.
We have a form that we fill out with the customers ad. there is 32 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation. We then take the number of lines and multiply them by the number of days that they want the ad to run.
We then have a scale of prices for the answer to the above. If the number is 10 and under, we then multiply it by $3.25.
If it is over 10 but under 20, we multiply it by $2.50.
If it is over 20, we multiply it by $2.00.
example: My ad is one line, and I want to run it for 2 days.
1 X 2 = 2 (2 falls in the $3.25 bracket) 1 X 2 X 3.25= $6.50
Why are some channels more clear than others?
The most asked question in any cable service system is the one above. There are many reasons why pictures vary from channel to channel but we will deal here with a few.
1. Off air vs. Satellite reception ("off air" means the channel is broadcast over land on a standard broadcast frequency referred to with a number from 1 to 13. )HF channels are from 14-84 and are also available in this area. (Example is Fox CH 14 Amarillo Texas). Off air channels are more likely to be interferred with due to the distance they must travel through the atmosphere and the tendency for the actual curve (ball) of the earth to shield the broadcast from the receiving antenna. Although Television signals are basically line of sight (same as light) they do bend through atmosphere much the same way light bends in water. In some cases water in the atmosphere causes bending beyond normal and humidity plays a part in how much bending occurs. This and other factors such as layers of air that have different temperatures also cause bending much the same as "Mirage". This allows for TV reception beyond the actual limits that the curve of the earth places upon propagation of signal from Transmitter to receiver. This simply means that "off air" signals are less likely to arrive as perfectly as signals from Satellite Systems due to the fact that Satellite signals only have to penetrate the heavier parts of the atmosphere 5 to 10 miles whereas off air signals have to penetrate up to 100 miles of unpredictable air conditions in order to be received. Satellite signals are also subject to air variations and may also fade during periods where air is greatly saturated with moisture. Although they travel thousands of miles from their Geostationary orbit positions it is only the last few miles where problems occur*. Often during snow or rain satellite signals too will fade.
*Satelllite signals will also fade during 2 periods (fall and spring) due to the fact that their orbit is stationary but eventually the tilting of the earth aligns them between the receiving dish on earth and the transmitting satellite for a few minutes each day when the sun is directly behind the satellite. The sun is a far more powerful tranmitter of radiation than is the satellite transmitter and thus covers up the signal with noise generated by storms and radiation occuring all the time on the sun's surface.
2. Interference from terrestial causes is another problem. Although cable systems are designed with coaxial cable (more like a wire inside a pipe) that limits by a factor or thousands the interference in the proximity of your cable wires inside your home or outside in the alley. Off air signals are susceptable to interference at their receiving antennas (towers with large antennas pointed at the source transmitter) in spite of all other preparations. Things such as electrical insulators leaking high voltage, livestock electric fences automobile ignitions, welders, medical equipment and computer systems all generate something called RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). This produces several effects to TV pictures that appear as snow, sparkles, lines of sparkles and frying sounds in audio. In General these things are unavoidable unless there is a system or TV receiver fault. They may be intermittent or constant depending on what's causing them. Sometimes they can be eliminated by Cable crews or at least located. One particular key to identification of t hem is whether or not they interfere on all channels. If Satellite signals are clear then it's a pretty good sign the local wiring and equipment is not a fault. More often it is an unavoidable or at least unfixable problem with a noise generating device such as those mentioned above.
3. In home wiring as a cause of reception problems is also a vary often occuring problem when some channels are good and some are not. Even when no interference is entering the systems a loose connector (at least finger tight) can be the cause. Connections that push on vs. those that have threads to tighten them are a very common cause. Pinched or scraped cables can loose their shielding properties and also become a ingress point that will cause interference but again this is usually common to all channels.
4. Improperly installed customer hardware is also a very common problem. Splitters and other devices may be installed with poor connections or wrong hardware. They can also be connected so that input ports are not connected correctly. This can cause loss of one or more channels, even loss of sound and color without affecting all sets connected the same. The most common error is TV receiver connected to input port and cable connected to output port. In this case one set works OK but other connected to the same splitter does not.
There are many other causes and your cable company is familiar with remedies and has the information you might require. Please contact us at any time with your questions regarding this subject or any other you would like to know about.
How many outlets can I connect to my Epic TV Cable service?
All Epic Touch cable services make provisions for as many as 4 outlets. Extra (more than 4) can be added with the addition of a device called a CATV broadband Amplifier. This unit is available at electronic supply stores (Radio Shack or other source). The unit is very inexpensive due to current technology.
It should be emphasized that attention to cable signal levels is required in order to prevent signal overload at the television receiver. Although there is no harmful damage to the equipment, the picture quality may be affected greatly by signals that are over amplified. Amplifiers should be the subject of consultation with our technicians before they are installed by customers in order to maintain signal quality in all cases. Amplfiers should be located as close as possible to the cable entrance cable and do require some form of AC power in order to work. A failed amplifier will cause picture to be extremely snowy or no signal at all depending on the design of the amplifier.
Cost to transfer Cable services
A one time fee $25.00 will be billed to your account.
Why can\'t I receive any channels above 13?
Your set has a menu option called CATV or Cable. This option must be activated in order to receive cable channels 14 - and up. You must tell the TV receiver that you are on cable and not Antenna. eg. ch 14 cable is not the same as Ch 14 antenna. (ch 14 is a UHF broadcast frequency no available on cable services without conversion. Our system converts Fox 14 Amarillo UHF Broadcast to Ch 7 conventional channel for viewing. )
Why are channels 2-6 snowy.
In most cases the cable outside has some type of corrosion.
What channels can I receive from Epic Touch Cable service?
EPIC TOUCH offers digital cable channels, and the newest in High Definition channels. For complete list of channels available, checkout the Channel Guide.
What does \"digital TV\" mean?
Digital TV (not to be confused with \"High Definition TV\") is a new format for broadcasting television signals via satellite or conventional over land services (networks). Although digital tv is not mandated yet for all TV services it is on the near Horizon. Digital techniques are used to conserve bandwith (defined as the amount of space or speed required to transfer the data neccessary to produce the Video picture to be viewed. This is accomplished by turning conventional (analog) TV broadcasts into number codes. Much Bandwidth conservation can be realized by simply broadcasting only the changes from one picture to another (in other words broadcasting the changes as opposed to painting a complete new picture.) It is possible to transmit 4 television pictures in the same spectrum (space) as conventional Television uses for 1 picture. This is advantageous for a number of reasons. Satellite broadcasting space Interference immunity, and economical reasons regarding broadcast power consumption. You are currently receiving pictures that are generated as digital signals and are converted to usable format for our cable system as well as conventional analog (old method) receivers.
Do I have to be home when I call for cable service?
In general it is helpful if someone is home for requested home service. However problems with outside equipment can often be resolved by Epic Touch Service technical personnel without entering your premises. We can verify your signal quality at the point where the service cable enters your home/business. If noone is home it may not be possible to verify that there is not a problem inside the premises. We will leave notes or will contact you regarding your quality of service as our instruments see it at the entry point. If you have pets or other special considerations such as locked gates, it is best to notify us during the original request for service.
What does it cost for a new tv jack install.
Do to changes in price it would be best to contact the local office .
Are some TV Coaxial cables better than others.
The most common RG designations seen these days are RG-6, RG-8, RG-11, RG-58 and RG-59. RG-58 and RG-8 are 50 ohm coaxes, used in radio transmission (e.g., CB or Amateur radio) or in computer networks, RG-8 being a rather large cable and RG-58 a smaller cable. As 50 ohm cables, these are unsuited for video work. RG-6, RG-59 and RG-11 are all 75 ohm cable types, with RG-59 being the smallest, RG-6 in between, and RG-11 being the largest. RG-11 is practically absent from home a/v applications, because it is very large, not very flexible, and completely incompatible with RCA connectors; its main uses are in very long runs where low signal loss is of paramount importance. RG-6 and RG-59 are both common in home a/v use, because their sizes are compatible with a variety of connectors. Both are available in many different types, with different shields, jackets, dielectrics, and center conductor materials. The best of these, from an overall performance standpoint, are the modern \"precision video cables\" such as Belden 1505A (RG-59 type) and 1694A (RG-6 type).
UR5U-8720L Remote Control Tutorial
Click the correct remote in the interactive to begin your tutorial.(This tutorial requires a flash plugin.)
Tutorial mirrored from http://www.universalremote.com/resources/software/tutorial/8700_8720_tutorial/8720.php
I am having small colored squares(pixelation) appear on some TV channels.
Pixelation is when small colored squares are being displayed on the TV channel. It is best to review your house cable TV wiring to see if any splitters or amplifiers are installed. For Epic Touch TV service, the splitters should be 1GHz splitters and amplifiers should be removed.
DCH Receivers
Receivers, remote control, and IGuide
Cablebox(DCH Receiver) setup
The following diagrams will be helpful to the cable subscriber setting up their own DCH receiver. These diagrams contain general views of TVs, VCRs, etc. Please refer to your TV and other equipment owners manuals before setting up your DCH receiver.
The remote control manual for the DCH receiver is located here.
Additionally, an interactive tutorial is located here.
Troubleshooting
TV and receiver troubleshooting
The remote control for my DCH(200,6200, or 6416) receiver does not work
• Verify that the remote control is in “Cable” mode.
• Verify that there are no obstructions between the remote control and the DCH receiver. Aim the remote control directly at the DCH receiver front panel, not the TV or VCR.
The angle between the remote control and the DCH receiver may be too large. Stand in front of the DCH receiver and not too far to either side.
• Press and release operation keys one at a time, firmly and deliberately.
• Try changing channels using the buttons on the DCH receiver front panel.
• Check the batteries in the remote control. Install new batteries if needed.
The DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416 )will not power on
DCH receiver may have received a software update and may not power on while the new software is being installed. Try again in a few minutes.
Verify that the AC power cord is connected to the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) and an AC outlet. Unplug the DCH receiver from the AC outlet, plug it back in, and then press the POWER button.
If the DCH receiver is connected to a switched outlet on another unit, verify that that unit is powered on. Unplug the power cord from the DCH receiver’s AC outlet, plug it back it in, and then press the POWER button. It is recommended to use an unswitched outlet, if possible.
Press the POWER button on the DCH receiver’s front panel instead of the remote control. The batteries in the remote control may be depleted.
No closed captions or program guides appear on the TV screen
If you use the IEEE-1394 connection, on-screen graphics, including closed captions and program guides, are not displayed by the DCH receiver. On-screen graphics and captions may still be overlaid by your TV, if enabled. Alternatively, use HDMI or component video instead.
Colors do not appear correctly
Be sure to match up each signal to the same YPbPr connection(component video cable) on the TV. Otherwise, colors will not appear correctly on your TV. The component video cable has green, blue, and red colored ends.
There is no audio when viewing cable channels
Verify that the mute button on the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) or the remote control has not been pressed. Press MUTE on the remote control to restore sound.
If the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) audio output is connected to the TV, verify that the mute button on the TV has not been pressed.
If the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) audio output is connected to a home theater receiver, verify that the receiver is set to the appropriate input source and the mute button on the receiver has not been pressed.
Verify that you have the correct cables for the audio connections.
Verify that the audio cables are firmly connected between the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) and the audio playback device (TV, receiver, DVD player, etc.).
There is no audio from the center and/or surround speakers of a home theater receiver connected to the DCH receiver(200, 6200, 6416)
Not all Dolby Digital® programs feature full 5.1 surround sound. In some cases, the programs may only contain left and right stereo audio.
Verify that the S/PDIF cable (coaxial or optical) is firmly connected to the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416)and the home theater receiver.
Verify that the home theater receiver is set to a surround sound audio mode (Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II®, Dolby Pro Logic®).
Verify that the receiver is properly configured to work with all connected speakers.
There is no video on the TV screen
• Verify that the TV is powered on and set to the appropriate input source for the DCH receiver.
• Verify that the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) is powered on and tuned to an authorized cable channel.
• Verify that all
• Verify that the coaxial cable feed is firmly connected to the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) and the wall jack.
• If the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) video output is connected to a home theater unit, verify that the home theater unit is powered on and set to the appropriate input source.
• If the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) video output is connected to a TV through an HDMI connection, power off the TV and then power off the DCH receiver. Wait one second and then power on the devices.
Not all HDTVs can display every output format (1080i, 720p, 480p, or 480i) available on the DCH receiver. To select a different format:
• Ensure that your DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) is plugged into a power outlet and is turned off.
• Press the MENU key on the front panel. Your settings are displayed on the DCH receiver(200. 6200, or 6416) front panel display.
• Press the â–˛ and â–Ľ keys to display the HDMI/YPbPr OUTPUT setting.
• Press the â–ş key to cycle through the available output formats until a picture displays on the TV.
The DCH6416 receiver is making a humming noise.
The DCH6416 includes an integrated hard drive and a fan for cooling. During normal operation, the DCH6416 emits a low humming noise, similar to a personal computer.
The noise varies in volume occasionally when the speed of the internal fan adjusts to changes in the temperature around the DCH receiver. Please note the hard drive will stay on even when the DCH6416 is turned off (standby).
There are black bars to the right and left of the picture
Widescreen TVs display 4:3 programs in this format unless set to Stretch. Turn on the 4:3 OVERRIDE feature in the User Settings menu of your TV. This enables most wide screen TVs to stretch the video to fill the screen (see your TV manual for information about stretching 4:3 video).
If the DCH6416 is connected to a wide screen TV, verify that the TV TYPE is set to 16:9 in the User Settings menu.
Many HD programs are broadcast in pillar-box format with black bars to the left and right of the picture. These programs are broadcast in 16:9 HD formats, even though the video is not 16:9.
No closed captions display
• Verify on the User Settings menu that closed captions are enabled on the DCH receiver.
• Verify that closed captions are enabled on the TV.
• Verify that you are using an HDMI, component video, s-video, or broadband video(yellow connector) with the DCH receiver. The IEEE-1394 video connection does not work for close captions or program guides.
There are black bars above and below the picture
All 4:3 HDTVs display HD programs in letterbox format (black bars above and below the picture) because of the shape of the display screen.
Turn on the 4:3 OVERRIDE feature in the User Settings menu of your TV. This enables most standard screen TVs to display a full screen picture when the DCH6416 is tuned to a 4:3 program.
Set the TV TYPE to 4:3 Pan-Scan. This enables the DCH6416 to remove the black bars above and below the picture when possible.
Some SD programs are broadcast in the letterbox format with black bars above and below the picture. Some widescreen TVs offer a zoom feature that may be able to remove the black bars (see your TV manual for information about zooming 4:3 video).
There are black bars on all four sides of the picture
This may occur on a 4:3 TV if the 4:3 OVERRIDE setting is OFF. To set 4:3 SD programming to fill the screen, depending on the capabilities of the TV, set 4:3 OVERRIDE to 480i or 480p.
This may occur on a 16:9 TV if the active video for an SD broadcast is in letterbox format. To confirm, wait for a commercial or look for a graphic, such as a network logo. If the commercial fills the screen from top to bottom, or the graphic appears below the active video, the program is being letterboxed by the broadcaster. You can minimize this by activating the zoom feature on the TV.
A broadcaster may include black bars on either side of a wide screen broadcast. This is called a “hybrid” aspect ratio and results in a black border surrounding the video on a 4:3 TV. Because this is part of the broadcast, the DCH6416 cannot correct the video.You may be able to minimize the border using the zoom feature on the TV.
Epic PCS
All Questions about Epic PCS
Can I trade my phone in for a newer phone after I have had it for a while?
Yes, stop by any Epic Touch store location and one of the CSRs can review your account information. They can give you the trade-in value of your phone.
Can I use my Epic PCS in Amarillo?
Monthly Billing - yes. PrePaid - no. You\'ll pick up service approximately 4 to 5 miles north of Amarillo and can be used all over in Amarillo.
Coverage map - expanded
New Map with Added coverage in northern Colorado and southern Nebraska
Does it charge me if I am on the Community Plan, and someone calls me from a long distance number?
No, when you are in the home area, any incoming call will not be charged.
Does Nokia make an external antenna for my 1100 phone?
That phone is still new, and at this time, there is not one available.
Epic PCS Extended Coverage Map
Epic PCS Local Coverage Map
GPRS
Key User Features of GPRS
The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new nonvoice value added service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network. It supplements today?s Circuit Switched Data and Short Message Service. GPRS is NOT related to GPS (the Global Positioning System), a similar acronym that is often used in mobile contexts. GPRS has several unique features which can be summarized as:
SPEED
Theoretical maximum speeds of up to 171.2 kilobits per second (kbps) are achievable with GPRS using all eight timeslots at the same time. This is about three times as fast as the data transmission speeds possible over today?s fixed telecommunications networks and ten times as fast as current Circuit Switched Data services on GSM networks.
IMMEDIACY
GPRS facilitates instant connections whereby information can be sent or received immediately as the need arises. No dial-up modem connection is necessary. This is why GPRS users are sometimes referred to be as being \"always connected\". Immediacy is one of the advantages of GPRS (and SMS) when compared to Circuit Switched Data. High immediacy is a very important feature for time critical applications such as remote credit card authorization where it would be unacceptable to keep the customer waiting for even thirty extra seconds.
NEW APPLICATIONS, BETTER APPLICATIONS
GPRS facilitates several new applications that have not previously been available over GSM networks due to the limitations in speed of Circuit Switched Data (9.6 kbps) and message length of the Short Message Service (160 characters). These applications, described later in this white paper, range from web browsing to file transfer to home automation- the ability to remotely access and control in-house appliances and machines.
SERVICE ACCESS
To use GPRS, users specifically need:
a mobile phone or terminal that supports GPRS (existing GSM phones do NOT support GPRS)
a subscription to a mobile telephone network that supports GPRS
use of GPRS must be enabled for that user. Automatic access to the GPRS may be allowed by some mobile network operators, others will require a specific opt-in
knowledge of how to send and/or receive GPRS information using their specific model of mobile phone, including software and hardware configuration (this creates a customer service requirement)
a destination to send or receive information through GPRS. Whereas with SMS this was often another mobile phone, in the case of GPRS, it is likely to be an Internet address, since GPRS is designed to make the Internet fully available to mobile users for the first time. From day one, GPRS users can access any web page or other Internet applications- providing an immediate critical mass of uses.
Having looked at the key user features of GPRS, lets look at the key features from a network operator perspective.
Key Network Features of GPRS
PACKET SWITCHING
GPRS involves overlaying a packet based air interface on the existing circuit switched GSM network. This gives the user an option to use a packet-based data service. To supplement a circuit switched network architecture with packet switching is quite a major upgrade. However, as we shall see later, the GPRS standard is delivered in a very elegant manner- with network operators needing only to add a couple of new infrastructure nodes and making a software upgrade to some existing network elements.
With GPRS, the information is split into separate but related \"packets\" before being transmitted and reassembled at the receiving end. Packet switching is similar to a jigsaw puzzle- the image that the puzzle represents is divided into pieces at the manufacturing factory and put into a plastic bag. During transportation of the now boxed jigsaw from the factory to the end user, the pieces get jumbled up. When the recipient empties the bag with all the pieces, they are reassembled to form the original image. All the pieces are all related and fit together, but the way they are transported and assembled varies. The Internet itself is another example of a packet data network, the most famous of many such network types.
SPECTRUM EFFICIENCY
Packet switching means that GPRS radio resources are used only when users are actually sending or receiving data. Rather than dedicating a radio channel to a mobile data user for a fixed period of time, the available radio resource can be concurrently shared between several users. This efficient use of scarce radio resources means that large numbers of GPRS users can potentially share the same bandwidth and be served from a single cell. The actual number of users supported depends on the application being used and how much data is being transferred. Because of the spectrum efficiency of GPRS, there is less need to build in idle capacity that is only used in peak hours. GPRS therefore lets network operators maximize the use of their network resources in a dynamic and flexible way, along with user access to resources and revenues.
GPRS should improve the peak time capacity of a GSM network since it simultaneously:
allocates scarce radio resources more efficiently by supporting virtual connectivity
migrates traffic that was previously sent using Circuit Switched Data to GPRS instead, and
reduces SMS Center and signaling channel loading by migrating some traffic that previously was sent using SMS to GPRS instead using the GPRS/ SMS interconnect that is supported by the GPRS standards.
INTERNET AWARE
For the first time, GPRS fully enables Mobile Internet functionality by allowing interworking between the existing Internet and the new GPRS network. Any service that is used over the fixed Internet today- File Transfer Protocol (FTP), web browsing, chat, email, telnet- will be as available over the mobile network because of GPRS. In fact, many network operators are considering the opportunity to use GPRS to help become wireless Internet Service Providers in their own right.
The World Wide Web is becoming the primary communications interface- people access the Internet for entertainment and information collection, the intranet for accessing company information and connecting with colleagues and the extranet for accessing customers and suppliers. These are all derivatives of the World Wide Web aimed at connecting different communities of interest. There is a trend away from storing information locally in specific software packages on PCs to remotely on the Internet. When you want to check your schedule or contacts, instead of using something like \"Act!\", you go onto the Internet site such as a portal. Hence, web browsing is a very important application for GPRS. Because it uses the same protocols, the GPRS network can be viewed as a sub-network of the Internet with GPRS capable mobile phones being viewed as mobile hosts. This means that each GPRS terminal can potentially have its own IP address and will be addressable as such.
SUPPORTS TDMA AND GSM
It should be noted right that the General Packet Radio Service is not only a service designed to be deployed on mobile networks that are based on the GSM digital mobile phone standard. The IS-136 Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) standard, popular in North and South America, will also support GPRS. This follows an agreement to follow the same evolution path towards third generation mobile phone networks concluded in early 1999 by the industry associations that support these two network types.
How long is my battery life on my new phone?
It depends on what type of phone you have. Most batteries will last a full day.
How much does Monthly billing cost on the PCS service?
Monthly billing or the community plan is $39 per month. Please see all details below.
Pricing: Community Plan Non-Recurring Activation Fee - $30.00 Vanity Phone Number - $25.00 Recurring Monthly Access Fee - $39.00 Local Per Minute - FREE Detailed Billing - FREE Long Distance $.10/min The following is included in all packages Caller-ID Call Waiting Call Forwarding Conference Calling (3-way) Voice Mail Paging (phone to phone)
How much will it cost me to use my PCS phone in Amarillo?
When in Amarillo and making a call to an Amarillo number, there is only a $0.24 per minute Air Time charge.
When in Amarillo and making a call to a non-Amarillo number, and the number is not an international number (i.e. Mexico, Europe, ttc.) there is a $0.24 per minute Air Time charge and a $0.15 per minute Toll (Long Distance) charge.
Sometimes when I am talking on my pre-paid phone, a message will come on during the call telling me how much time I have left on my account and then my call is diconnected. Why does this happen?
When a call is disconnected by the other party, for any reason (they accidentally hit end key, the call was dropped due to low signal on the other party\'s end, etc., but you are not aware that this has happened and you remain on the line, you will hear this message. Since this message is on a time delay, you know that this is an issue of connection on the other end and that your EPIC PCS is working properly.
What days of the month are included in my monthly PCS bill?
EPIC PCS Billing starts at 12:00 am on the first day of the month and ends at 11:59 pm on the last day of the month. The bills are normally mailed out by the 4th of each month.
What oppions do I have if my credit score is denied for the community plan for a pcs phone?
No problem, we will assist you in setting you up on a prepaid account. This type of account requires no credit check, no deposit, and no contract.
Where does my PCS phone work?
Your Epic PCS Phone will work in much of the Oklahoma panhandle and Western Kansas. Please refer to Epic PCS Home area coverage map in article located at Knowledge Base Article Epic PCSLocal Coverage Map For monthly customers, your PCS will work in most major cities in the United States. Please refer to Epic PCS Extended Area coverage map in article located at Knowledge Base Article Epic PCS Extended Coverage Map .
Why does my friends phone show more bars (stronger signal) then my phone when we are going to Liberal?
All phones are manufactured within certain specifications.After the phones are manufactured, they are then tested to verify they fall within those specifications ? with say a plus or minus 5% tolerance.Some phones are on the top side of the specifications and some phones are on the bottom side of the specifications.This is why the phones do not show the same signal strength.
Example:Let?s say the receive specification of a particular model of phone is 85db (these numbers are used for reference only) with a +- 5% to be within specifications.Now the range of the specification is 80.75 to 89.25.If one phone?s receive strength is on the bottom of the range (80.75) and an identical phone is on the top of the range (89.25), the difference between these phones now is 8.5 in receive strength (a 10% difference in the phones).
This is the same as two ?identical? cars get different gas mileage ? one gets 25 miles to the gallon and the other gets 21 miles to the gallon.
Epic PCS GPRS Email
Epic Touch virus alert email recevieved on Epic PCS phone
The Epic Touch virus alert email message that elkhart.com sends does not effect the phone. Those viruses are removed before they reach the users email client (the phone in this case).
At this time(10-19-2004),there is not a virus that will harm the phones that customers have. There are some viruses that will get in PDA\'s and customers with PDA enabled phones should install antivirus software on their PDA devices.
Epic PCS - Extended Coverage Area
This catagory is for questions concerning Epic PCS Extended Coverage Area
Can I go to Amarillo, TX with my Epic PCS and use it?
Epic PCS customers that are currently on the Community Plan are able to use their Epic PCS phone in Amarillo, TX. You may view the online coverage area map here or visit the customer service representatives at any of the three stores.
Epic PCS Billing Questions
All questions concerning Epic PCS Billing
Cablebox(DCH Receiver) setup
The following diagrams will be helpful to the cable subscriber setting up their own DCH receiver. These diagrams contain general views of TVs, VCRs, etc. Please refer to your TV and other equipment owners manuals before setting up your DCH receiver.
DCH receiver user manual is another source of setup information.
How is my Epic PCS bill figured?
Our goal is to provide simple to understand plans for our customers. We want you to understand how you are charged.
When you are on the Community Plan with Epic PCS you are allowed unlimited local and incoming calls for $39.00 per month.
For long distance charges, billing is in 1-minute blocks at $.10 per minute.
How much does it cost to activate a new PCS account?
To activate a new Epic PCS account there is a one time $30 activation charge.
Pricing: Community Plan Non-Recurring Activation Fee - $30.00 Vanity Phone Number - $25.00 Recurring Monthly Access Fee - $39.00 Local Per Minute - FREE Detailed Billing - FREE Long Distance $.10/min The following is included in all packages Caller-ID Call Waiting Call Forwarding Conference Calling (3-way) Voice Mail Paging (phone to phone)
Pricing: Prepaid Non-Recurring Activation Fee - $30.00 Vanity Phone Number - $25.00 Minute Packages ?Local & LD 100 minutes - $20.00 200 minutes - $34.00 400 minutes - $52.00 600 minutes - $60.00 No time limit on when minutes must be used. Recurring Monthly Access Fee - $0.00 The following is included in all packages Caller-ID Call Waiting Call Forwarding Conference Calling (3-way) Voice Mail Paging (phone to phone)
When should I expect my Epic Touch PCS bill?
The Epic Touch PCS bills are sent out on or arround the 4th of the month.
Will I be required to give a deposit before getting monthly billing on a pcs phone?
No, you are not required to put a deposit up. You are required to pay for your PCS phone and acitvation up front.
Epic PCS Call Forwarding
All questions concerning Epic PCS Call Forwarding
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Epic PCS Call Waiting
All questions concerning Epic PCS Call Waiting
How do I take a call that comes in while I am on another call?
Press the talk button (send button). This will place the current call on hold and connect you to the second call. To swap back, press the talk button (send button).
Epic PCS General Questions
All general questions concerning Epic PCS
Can I use 3-way calling on my PCS phone?
On the community plan, this option is available. With the prepaid plan, this feature is not available.
How do connect to customer service using my Epic PCS phone?
Using your Epic Touch Phone simply press 611 talk or send. Or you can call 1-800-554-4250.
How much will it cost to send my PCS phone in for repairs?
It really depends on what is wrong with your phone. Usually what we do, is send your phone in and the technician will reply back to us with an estimated cost of repairs. We will then contact you to get an approval for repairs.
I lost my cell phone. Does this mean that I have to get a new number or can I still use my old number?
You can keep your PCS number. You can either purchase a new PCS phone or use an older phone you may have and keep your number with a purchase of a new SIM card ($30).
I put my SIM card into another PCS phone and it is not working. Why is this happening?
Although this is something many people can do without any hassle, in a few circumstances you may have this delima. It may be because we do not have that particular PCS phone set on your account in our records. Bringin your phone in so that we could make a record of that phone\'s IMEI number could fix this problem.
I tried to make a call and my phone screen shows the display SIM CARD ERROR.
You may have tried to make the call to quickly after you powered up the phone. Try your call again. If this problem persists, call customer service.
I turned my phone on and the words INSERT SIM CARD are on my phones screen?
Check to make sure that the SIM card in your phone is inserted properly. If the card is inserted incorrectly, insert the card properly.
My PCS phone will not let me make any calls, and I know I have plenty of time left. Why is this?
One reason for this maybe that your line for out going calls is on Line 2 instead of Line 1. For most phones this in Settings, and then go to Call Settings, and then Line for Outgoing Calls. In this category make sure that Line 1 is selected.
Occasionally when I dial a number, I hear three beeps and the call disconnects. Why?
If you hear three even beeps, the network is busy due to high call volumes. If you hear three escalating beeps, this usually means the PCS phone is not getting strong enough signal.
Enables the customer to send, receive, and download pictures, and sounds.
Activating MMS
In Voyager
Plan B customers must prepay for this service.
Plan A customers may prepay or it can just be added to the next months bill.
Point of Sale
Item number:
MMS
The price should appear at $6.95
End Sale as normal
Enter the Customer Service Side of Voyager for the customer.
Make sure the customers IMEI and SIM numbers match what the account says.Write these numbers down and also the IMSI which is located in the Equipment Information section. You will not add anycharges Donna or Bre will do this after they receive confirmation.
Then you must send a e-mail to Bre Thompson and Donna Selph to actually activate this service.It can take up to 24 hours to actually activate the service.If you get a request for the service on a Saturday it won’t actually activate until the following Monday.
In the E-mail send the following
Customers Name:
Customers Service #:
IMEI:
SIM:
IMSI:
Service: Add MMS
Also verify the service # and service requested in the subject line.
After Donna or Bre get confirmation of the activation they will let you know.Make sure to contact customer and have them try the service.
Multimedia Messaging Phone Setups
To make MMS work the phone that the service is going to be used on must manually be set up for the service.Each phone is a little different.
Lucky for us, most of our phones come pre set up but there are a few that are not, and it’s still nice to know how to set up each and every phone in case someone brings in a phone that is not pre setup.
To test if you have the phones setup right put your sim card in the phone and open wap and send and receive mms
* Battery talk and standby times are estimates only and depend on network configuration, signal strength, features used, battery age and condition, charging practices, temperatures to which battery is exposed, whether use is in digital mode (or analog mode, if any), and many other factors. Please note that the amount of time a phone is used for calls will affect its standby time. Likewise, the amount of time that the phone is turned on and in standby mode will affect its talk time. For further information, please refer to the phone\'s user guide.
Why does the lighted screen on my phone darken? Is my battery going bad?
When you press the power button, make sure you hold it down until the keypad lights. This indicates the power is on. The same applies to powering your phone off.
Epic PCS SMS Messaging
All questions concerning Epic PCS SMS Messaging
Is there any way to track or print out my recent text messages?
At this time there is no way to track the text messaging service.
Using text messaging in the extended coverage area
With the correct message center number, you are able to text message other Epic PCS customers while you are in the extended coverage.
What is the message center number for text messaging on my Epic PCS?
The message center number for using text messaging on your Epic PCS is +16205755996.
What phone number do I use in my message setup to to make my SMS messaging work? Can you help me set that up if I come into the Epic Touch Retail store?
The phone number you are referring to is the Service Center number in your Epic Pcs phone. The number you need is 620-575-5996. You normaly do not need to put a one in front of this number unless you are in our extended coverage area then sometimes you will need it.
Any customer service representitive can set this number up in your phone at any of our 3 locations in Guymon, OK and Liberal or Elkhart, KS.
Epic PCS Voice Mail
All questions concerning Epic PCS Voice Mail
My phone never rings and all of my calls go directly to voice mail.
You are not getting enough signal strength to receive calls or you have the phone set up to forward all calls.
Look for at least 2 bars of signal strength on your phone.
Try to place a call. If you can place a call, check the call forwarding options on your phone.
Are there charges for checking my voicemail?
If you are on the prepaid plan, normal charges do apply. Your minutes will come off as a normal call.
If you are on the monthly Community plan, and are in the Epic Touch local calling area, there are no chares for the call. If you are in the extended coverage area, you will be billed as a long distance call.
I forgot my e-mail address. How do I go about getting it?
A user who has forgotten his\her email account or password can come by the office on Morton Street and visit with a Customer service representative on obtaining this information. This information can not be given over the phone.
What is my voice mail number on my Epic PCS phone?
The voice mail number to all Epic PCS customers is +16203561060.
When someone calls into the voicemail on my Epic PCS phone, they hear the message \"Please enter the number of the person you are calling.\" Why do they have to do this?
This is an indication that the voice mail box has not been set up properly in the switch, even if your voice mail had been set up and working correctly before. You will need to contact your local Epic PCS location and report this problem. When you call your local CSR, please give them your Epic PCS number and the exact wording of the message that your caller is hearing. We will then be able to get this issue corrected for you.
Epic Touch Bill Paying
All questions concerning Epic Touch Bill Paying
All bills can be dropped off in Radioshack
Each Customer Service Representative in the Elkhart Radioshack is qualified to handle and recieve your telephone, cable, and internet bills from Epic Touch. They can also give you the details and balance of your account and supply you with reciepts for you payments.
Customer Representatives are also qualified to help you make any alterations to your account such as adding or ending a service or filling out a trouble ticket for you.
You can also pay your Epic PCS bill at any of our 3 locations in Liberal, Guymon or Elkhart.
Can I drop my payment off after office hours?
In Elkhart the drive up window has an after hours drop box. It is located right before the window at the main office (610 S. Cosmos).
Can I pay my telephone & cable bill on line?
For your convenience you may pay your Epic Touch bills via the Telphone using your credit card, stop by 451 Morton St. or use the drive up at 610 S Cosmos. You also have the choice to sign up for Epic Touch Bank Draft which automaticly debits your bank account each month for the amount of your bill, saving you time & hassle. With Epic Touch Bank Draft you still receive your bill each month for your records.
At this time Epic Touch Co does not offer on line bill paying but we are working towards bring you this service!
Can you have your payment automaticly taken out of your checking account?
You can have your telephone, TV cable or your internet service bills automatically deducted from your checking account. Contact on Epic Touch Company customer service representative at 620-697-2111 for more information
When is the driveup window open?
You can pay your Epic Touch bill or my Epic PCS phone bill at the drive up window Monday through Friday 9A.M. to noon and from 1P.M. to 5P.M.
The address of the drive up window is 610 S. Cosmos in Elkhart Kansas.
Epic Touch Company Information
All information that relates to Epic Touch Company
Do I have to provide insurance for the equipment i am leasing from Epic Touch Co.?
No insurance necessary because our employees would be operating the equipment.
How do I apply for a position at Epic Touch Company?
You can pick up an application for employment at any Epic Touch location. Or call 620-697-2111. You may bring your completed application by 610 S. Cosmos in Elkhart, Kansas. Or fax with a resume to 620-697-9997.
The cost of leasing the heavy equipment from the phone company
The phone company does lease heavy equipment at the rate of $70.00 per hour. This includes the equipment and an operator, each additional helper is charged out at the rate of $35.00 per hour per man. There is a minumum time of a half hour.
Epic Touch Internet Service
Basic Wireless Router Settings
The following graphics were taken from the Epic Touch Service Seminar on home wireless routers in the fall of 2009.
The first three graphics explain how to access the routers internal web page and to verify the router's settings for Epic Touch service.
The next three graphics show you the settings for wireless security. If you make a change to the router configuration, you will need to save the settings by clicking the SAVE icon on that page.
How can I get Elkhart TV Cable Channel 2 over the Internet?
Channel 2 is available over the internet for those users who have a high speed internet connection like Epic Touch Co TurboNET and have purchased a subscription to the service.
If you have a high speed internet connection, you can purchase a subscription by clicking the EpicMedia link on the http://www.elkhart.com/ web site. The link is located in the upper right corner of the website.
If you have additional questions or would like to add the subscription fee to an Epic Touch Co account, contact a Customer Service Representative at 697-2111 or 1-800-554-4250.
How do I make a website on Elkhart.com?
Each Epic Touch internet customer is given server space to create their own web site. The location of your site is http ://my.elkhart.com/username. With your username in place of username.
You will need to create the webpages and transfer your html pages using FTP software. The ftp site is my.elkhart.com The ftp server will require you to use your username and password to transfer files to the server. This is the same username and password that you enter when accessing your email. The login also 'informs' the ftp software under what username to load the files.
Your default or first page of your website will need to have one of the following as its name.
default.htm default.asp default.aspx index.htm
Epic Touch does not provide tech support in building web sites or provide tech support for ftp clients. Customers can find current information on creating web pages and using ftp client software searching these topics using an Internet search engine.
Limited or No Connectivity with XP SP 2
\"This connection has limited or no connectivity. You might not be able to access the Internet or some network resources. \"
We are seeing more issues of this since SP 2 updates have been released. Solutions to the problem are varied, however most of the solutions found on the web just mask the problem by simply guiding the user through turning off this notification. Now this solution may work great for systems that are showing a false positive error, but what if the system genuinely has lost its local area connection or the connection is unstable, what then?
How do I know if my system is affected by this bug?
If you have installed Windows XP Service Pack 2 and are experiencing any of the following symptoms, this bug may be affecting your system.
?Your network connection reports a problem with \"Limited or No Connectivity\"and you have Windows XP SP2.
?You have trouble connecting to the Internet or your local area network and you have Windows XP SP2
?Your network connection gets stuck \"Acquiring IP Address\"
What Steps Can I Take to Fix This Problem?
You can apply the patch or review the solution options in the Other Causes for This Problem section.
Patch Option If you are receiving this error, you could run the Microsoft patch (KB884020) for it. Follow the instructions below to do this. Alternatively, you can download a zip file with the patch, registry file, and instructions by clicking here.
1) Download the patch from Microsoft\'s site 2) Run the update to install it 3) Run this short Registry fix to complete the update. Type the following lines in Notepad and save the file as FixReg.reg on your desktop, then double click on it to install into your registry.
If you experience the error message again, reboot your computer first. In most cases this will solve many connectivity issues that are not associated with this SP2 bug.
Other Causes for This Problem
If you are still experiencing this error message even after running the patch shown above, you may be experiencing one of several problems shown below:
1) Your Network or DSL router may have bad or missing information. Power cycle your router and/or rebuild the configuration in your router.
2) Double-check your cabling to the computer. Make sure you have the correct type of cabling, straight-through CAT 5 or possibly a crossover cable and try another cable or test the cable to make sure its working properly.
3) Check your network card to make sure it?s configured correctly and working properly. Many times setting the network card to 10Mbps/Full Duplex will solve this issue. To do this, open Control Panel, System, Device Manager. Go to the properties of the Network card, click on the Advanced tab and find the Link Speed and Duplex section. Change it from Auto Detect to 10Mbps/Full Duplex.
4) Check and test your firewall. Your firewall, especially if it?s a software firewall like ZoneAlarm, Black Ice, Norton Firewall or something else could be blocking the connection. Disable your firewall and test the connection. You may have to resolve the problem by even uninstalling and reinstalling the firewall.
5) Check your IP address assignments and workgroup settings in the computer for accuracy.
6) Reset your TCP/IP stack by downloading and running WinsockXPFix.exe a Visual Basic program designed to fix corrupted TCP/IP issues, host file problems and a variety of other connectivity issues.
7) Some have had to re-format and re-install their Windows XP OS.
What is the minimum operating system requirements for TurboNet?
We recommend a minimum operating system of Windows XP.
Why is Epic Touch's Internet packages bandwidths so different from other internet providers packages bandwidths?
Epic Touch's internet packages are developed with synchronous bandwidth for upload and download. So a customer with a 512K package is getting 512 Kbps up and 512 Kbps down. Most other internet providers offer different bandwidth(asynchronous) with the upload bandwidth being 50% to 90% less than the download bandwidth. By having synchronous data package, customers will have better VOIP results and will benefit from the additional upload bandwidth when uploading photos and other files to Facebook, or other websites.
As a comparison, one Kansas internet provider offers only one such package.
Epic Touch’s comparable offering would be the Turbo 1.5 (1.5 Mbps).
As you can see Epic Touch's package is similar in price and bandwidth. One benefit from Epic Touch's service is that it is delivered through fiber optic cable and would not be prone to connection issues due to electrical interference that is associated with the phone lines that delivers the comparable DSL service.
Another direct comparison can be made of Epic Touch's 512K package to a similar package offered by a national internet provider.
In this comparison Epic Touch offers higher bandwidth at a lower price than the national internet provider and does not require a 2-year contract.
Epic Touch has and will continue to review and evaluate the internet package offerings and provide the best possible service.
Epic Touch Internet - Dial Up Service
All questions Concerning Epic Touch Dial Up Internet Service
Dialup connection drops or disconnects after using Outlook Express
These steps will assist in helping you change the setting that disconnects your dialup connection each time you send and receive your email with Outlook Express. Please note that you do not have to be connected to the internet while making these changes.
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click on Tools and Click on Options
3. Click on the Connection Tab and look for a check-mark beside "Hang up after sending and receiving".
4. If there is a check-mark then simply remove it and Click OK to save your changes.
EpicNet Dial-up Setup for Windows XP
1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. Double click Internet Options icon.
4. Select the connections tab(see screen below).
5. Click the Setup... button.
Below is the next screen you will see. Press on the Next > button to continue.
The following pages are screen shots of the New Connection Wizard. The correct items are checked in each screen. You will need this information:
Telephone number to dial is 697-2702
Username (the information before the @ symbol in your e-mail address)
Password (this is case sensitive which means 4NewYork and 4newyork would not be matching passwords.)
Extra Information need for setting up Outlook Express:
Your Name
E-mail Address
Incoming mail server (POP3) is: mail.elkhart.com
Outgoing mail server (SMTP) is: mail.elkhart.com
Epic Touch Internet - Email and Spam
All questions Concerning Spam and EMail
A friend’s e-mail that I receive is being marked as [SPAM]?
The simplest way to deal with this issue is to add your friend email address to your WebAccess Contact list. Emails from email addresses that are in the Contact list will not be tested for SPAM.
1.Log in to EpicMail WebAccess
2.Find an email from your friend and highlight the email .
3.Click the link Add to Address Book.
4.The address will be added to you Contacts.
The next email from the postmaster will be delivered to the INBOX.
A sent email was rejected by another email service.
Some users of elkhart.com's email server have experienced their sent email being rejected by another email service. This rejection usally comes in form of a 'bounced' email with the subject line of Undeliverable Mail.
In some cases, the solution is to review and change the spelling of the email address and resend the email.
In other cases, the email is rejected because the email service spam control software blocks the ip address of Elkhart's email server. The 'bounced' email from the service will state something like this
"RCPT TO generated following response: 554 Service unavailable; Client host [209.184.248.29] blocked using blackholes.iwon.com; Sender address rejected: Access denied Error: WS-19"
Currently Epic Touch knows of three email services that are blocking Elkhart email server: iwon.com, excite.com and myway.com.
This blocking is out of Epic Touch control. Epic Touch does ev
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