Letter to Our Customers  |  Frequently Asked Questions  |  Order Essential Services

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Care & Support

• Where can I go for support?

  • Self-Help & Support
  • Manage Your Account
  • Send us an email or chat with Customer Care
  • Contact Technical Support at 1.877.486.4666
    Our techincal support staff are experiencing higher than usual call volume as we assist many of you with issues during this Corona virus outbreak. We value your business and thank you for your patience if you experience a higher than normal wait time.

• How is Armstrong responding to the COVID-19 outbreak?

  Armstrong is an integral part of the communities we serve, and for more than 60 years we’ve been there when you need us. We care about the safety of both our customers and our employees. We are closely monitoring guidance from the CDC, federal, state and local health authorities to ensure that we are taking necessary actions to protect our employees and customers.

• What is Armstrong doing about data allowances?

  Armstrong is committed to keeping you connected, and we recognize that many of our customers continue to experience challenges related to increased virtual learning requirements in our service area. Effective Thursday, November 26th, we are temporarily increasing all residential data allowance plans by 500 gigabytes per month. Please click here for additional information.

• What are essential services?

  Armstrong committed to providing and maintaining essential services, with the highest level of safety to you and our employees. As of 6/29/2020, we have lifted all service offering restrictions and you may now order our full suite of products. Click here to order online.

• Why is Armstrong sending an email or text asking for personal or financial information?

  Armstrong will never ask for personal or financial information in an email or text. We are seeing a significant increase in phishing attempts during these trying times. Please click here for additional information and ways to protect yourself.

• What adjustments has Armstrong made that are related to this crisis?

  • Simplified our service offerings to limit or eliminate time spent in homes
  • Relaxed data allowance policy
  • Opened all Zoom Wi-Fi Hot Spots
  • Increased the download speed of Zoom to 150 Mbps
  • Permanently increased the speed of Zoom Express to (up to) 25 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload
  • Several Free TV Previews were offered. These recently expired on May 31st.
  • Added theatrical releases (The Invisible Man, Emma, and The Hunt) to On Demand
  • Relaxed non-pay policies
• Are local stores open?

  Out of an abundance of caution, all local Armstrong offices were temporarily closed. As of July 7, all local stores will once again be open to the public with social distancing limitations in place based on office size. All employees will be wearing masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Customers are also encouraged to wear masks.

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Network Reliability

• How is the Armstrong network performing?

  We have been constantly investing in our infrastructure to meet and exceed our customer’s needs. That investment has allowed the network to handle an unprecedented doubling of usage in only a few days. Our engineers are constantly evaluating data traffic and moving swiftly to make network enhancements and modifications to ensure the best possible user experience.

  One change that is occurring is related to customer usage patterns. Traditional peak times occur in the evening between the hours of 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. We are seeing unprecedented usage across our entire network, especially during the daytime hours as more people are at home. Rest assured that our network is designed to handle this increase in traffic.

• I’ve heard reports out of Europe where Netflix and others are reducing their bitrate. Could we see similar steps here?

  Potentially, but we aren’t currently seeing anything that would immediately necessitate those types of steps. You Tube has announced a temporary scaling back of its video quality globally. We think Google, Netflix and others are being thoughtful about understanding the demand for services on the network. They are frequently managing traffic load and congestion, and the cable industry is in pretty close contact with all of them about the management of those services. It’s important for consumers to remember that the quality of their experience is dependent on many players in the chain. It’s always important that those who design software or provide services that reside over the internet, those who develop devices that are going to sit on the network, are really good stewards of bandwidth. That they are designing their software in a very efficient way and that they are also thinking about their policies and how they may need to change in light of these shifts. For example, a lot of people have home video cameras that often are streaming frequently, if not continuously, when they’re not home. If everyone’s home now, whether a Nest video camera should be streaming video from inside that house all day long, taking up bandwidth, probably should be reconsidered.

• Why am I losing connection to Xbox Live, my collaboration tools (i.e. Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.) or experiencing quality issues with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Disney+, and other streaming services?

  During this time of crisis, many individuals are working from home, home-schooling, and turning to online activities while staying home.

  Many online services have seen exponential growth and usage over the past few weeks. In some cases, users are experiencing quality issues and regrettably crashes. Your internet connection is not likely the cause. Worldwide, streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and others have even intentionally reduced quality settings to help improve the situation.

  While we have seen Internet usage double in the past week, our network has been able to handle this substantial increase in traffic. Please know that Armstrong takes its responsibility very seriously to provide you with safe and reliable services, when you need them most.

  We continually invest in our network to maintain its integrity and adjust for changes in usage. Our Network Engineers and Technicians are fully engaged 24/7/365. We know that your broadband Internet services are more important than ever, and we will do everything we can to provide service continuity.

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Miscellaneous

• What is Armstrong doing to protect employees?

  We’re taking precautions to ensure our employees are up-to-date on this evolving situation and capable of safely doing their jobs. We enhanced our commitment to operate clean and well-organized work centers, warehouses, and offices. We’re using multiple training platforms to update our team members on hygiene standards, work area sanitization requirements, and effective social distancing tactics. We’re also requiring employees to stay home if they experience certain health-related symptoms. We remain committed to providing you with the services you need, safely and without being exposed to or spreading germs.

• What precautions is Armstrong taking to protect customers?

  We’re taking precautions to ensure our employees are taking necessary precautions should they need to visit your residence. These include the following:

  • If someone is ill inside the residence, you must inform the tech. If the tech is unable to complete your appointment without entering your home, we may need to reschedule your appointment
  • Conducting "non-entry" appointments whenever possible utilizing a cell phone and remote apps
  • Use of normal personal protect equipment (PPE) including hand washing with soap and water, nitrile gloves, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer
  • Social distancing (maintaining a minimum of 6' of personal space)
  • Avoiding touching surfaces and then their face
  • Keeping tools and surfaces clean and disinfected
  • Minimizing items which are left behind to include the remote and minimal reference materials
• How can I return my Armstrong equipment during this time?

  If you need to return any equipment, please contact our Customer Care team to have a UPS shipping label mailed directly to you. Once the shipping label is received, you can package up your devices and drop them off anywhere UPS shipments are accepted. You may also take them to a UPS store and they will package it up for you, however please check with your local UPS store to verify the location remains open. If your UPS location is closed, please call the Customer Care team to arrange a UPS pickup.

Latest Updates

Our Response

Simplified our service offerings to limit or eliminate time spent in homes

Relaxed data allowance policy

Opened all Zoom Wi-Fi Hot Spots

Increased the download speed of Zoom to 150 Mbps

Temporarily increased the speed of Zoom Express to (up to) 25 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload

Added theatrical releases (The Invisible Man, Emma, and The Hunt) to On Demand

Important Links

Information on COVID-19

• CDC Website
• World Health Organization

Armstrong Self Service Options

• Manage Your Account
• Self-Help & Support
• Pay Your Bill
• Find Free Wi-Fi Hotspots

Armstrong Social Media

• Facebook
• Twitter