General Definitions used in our Privacy Policy
- ABSi: means Advanced Broadband Services Inc. and its subsidiary companies or associates, as they may exist from time to time,
- Collect - when we Collect Personal Information we mean to gather, acquire, or obtain such Personal Information from any source available to ABSi and may also include Personal Information provided to us from third parties.
- Consent - means your voluntary and informed agreement with what is being done or proposed. Your Consent can be either expressed or implied. Express Consent is given explicitly, either orally, electronically or in writing. Express Consent is unequivocal and does not require any inference on the part of ABSi seeking Consent. Implied Consent arises where Consent may reasonably be inferred from the action or inaction of the Customer or the employee.
- Customer - is you and means any individual who has an account with ABSi and/or uses, has used, or applies to use ABSi’s products and/or services.
- Disclose - to make Personal Information available to others outside ABSi.
- Personal Information - means any information that can identify a Customer or ABSi employee and may be recorded in any form. For a Customer, the term includes, but is not limited to the Customer’s name, address, telephone number, gender, credit information, payment records, and correspondence sent by the Customer to ABSi. In the case of employees or job applicants, it may include, where applicable, employment history, performance reviews, salary, benefits, compensation or other information relating to an employee's past, current or future employment, but does not include the employee’s name, title, business address (including e-mail address) or business telephone or fax numbers.
- Use – to use Personal Information within ABSi for a specified purpose.
Commonly asked Questions
Why does ABSi Collect Personal Information?
ABSi Collects Personal Information and other information from its Customers so that it is able to maintain a responsible commercial relationship with its Customers and may include purposes for billing and account collections or evaluation of Customer’s credit worthiness. ABSi wants to ensure that it continues to provide you with the products and/or services you have asked for as well as to improve upon those products and services by using information our Customers have provided that shows their interests and needs. In addition, ABSi studies this information to help it market, manage and develop its business, including its networks and facilities to plan for future growth.
What type of Personal Information does ABSi Collect?
The types of Personal Information Collected by ABSi depends on the nature of your request and may include your name, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number(s), and account numbers(s). We may also request anonymous/non-personal information, which information cannot be associated with or traced back to a specific individual, to help us provide you with advice and information about other products and/or services that we believe would be of interest to you. Anonymous/non-personal information helps ABSi better understand its markets.
How does ABSi use Personal Information?
ABSi uses Personal Information to communicate with its Customers to process its Customers orders for products and/or services, to verify Customer identity and protect their account information, for account billing and collections purposes, to check for credit worthiness and ultimately provide our Customers with the product/services they have requested. ABSi may also use Personal Information to keep track of and report back to its Customers on their dealings with ABSi. Anonymous/non-personal information is generally used by ABSi to improve its products and services to its Customers.
When does ABSi disclose Personal Information?
ABSi is obligated to keep Personal Information confidential except under the following special circumstances: (a) when a Customer Consents; (b) when required by law; or (c) permitted by Law.
Who does ABSi share Personal Information with?
ABSi may share a Customer’s Personal Information with its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective employees and service suppliers and each of which are governed by strict standards and polices to ensure your information is secure and treated with the utmost care and respect. The purpose of sharing information among ABSi’s affiliates and subsidiaries is to help us identify our Customer’s specific information, communications and/or options, and to provide each Customer with appropriate information about various products, services and solutions.
Additional Information:
Tips to protect your Personal Information
ABSi does its best to protect and safeguard Personal Information and we believe there are measures you should take as well. Do not share your Personal Information such as bank and credit card account numbers or their associated pin numbers or your social insurance number with others unless you clearly understand the purpose of their request and you know with whom you are dealing. If you are asked to assign passwords to connect you to your Personal Information, you should use a combination of letters and numbers and do not use words that can be easily associated with you (example: do not use the name of a family member or pet), we also suggest you change your password regularly. If ever you are suspicious of any telephone, mail or email promotional campaigns or you suspect fraudulent activity is occurring please contact us at privacy@ABS-i.com to verify that the campaign is a legitimate ABSi activity.
Accessing and Amending your Personal Information
You may access and verify your Personal Information held by ABSi by contacting us at info@ABS-i.com during our regular office hours in your service area.
Updating this Privacy Policy
Any changes to ABSi’s Privacy Policy shall be acknowledged in this Policy in a timely manner. ABSi may modify or remove portions of this Privacy Policy when it feels it is necessary and appropriate. You may determine when this policy was last updated by referring to the date found at the top of this Privacy Policy page.
Privacy Factors
- ABSi's Accountability
ABSi is responsible for all Personal Information under its control, including Personal Information disclosed to third parties for processing. ABSi will designate an individual or individuals who will be accountable for ABSi’s compliance with ABSi’s Privacy Policy.
- ABSi’s senior management is responsibility for ensuring compliance with the provisions of this Privacy Policy. ABSi’s senior management may designate one or more individuals to be accountable for fulfillment of ABSi’s day to day collection and processing of Personal Information and may also appoint other individuals within ABSi to be responsible for compliance with this Privacy Policy, in respect of its Customers and in respect of its employees.
- The identity of the individual(s) designated by ABSi to oversee the compliance with this Privacy Policy are made known internally and will also be made available to our Customers upon their request.
1.3 ABSI will use contractual or other means to protect Personal Information that ABSi discloses to companies outside of ABSi’s group of companies for processing, for example, to evaluate Customers credit worthiness or to bill and collect a Customer’s account (see Principle 7 for more details).
1.4 ABSi has implemented policies and practices to give effect to this Privacy Policy. Some of these policies and practices are listed below:
1. implementing procedures to protect Personal Information;
2. implementing procedures to receive and respond to inquiries and complaints from Customers and/or employees;
3. communicating to the ABSi employees and providing them ongoing training and the proper tools required to understand and adhere to ABSi’s policies and procedures; and
4. providing public information to our Customers and our employees to explain ABSi’s policy and procedures.
2 - Identifying the Purposes for Personal Information Collection
ABSi will identify the reasons for which Personal Information is Collected and/or required at or before the time such information is Collected by ABSi.
2.1 ABSi collects Personal Information for the following purposes:
• to establish and maintain responsible commercial relations with our Customers and provide each Customer with continued service;
• to understand your needs as our Customer and your eligibility for products and services;
• to recommend particular products and services to our Customers to meet their growing needs;
• to develop, enhance, market or provide products and services to our Customers;
• to manage and develop ABSi’s business and operations, including personnel and employment matters;
• to process billing and collection of the fees for the ABSi products and services it has purchased and/or subscribed to;
• to perform credit checks and references, if deemed necessary by ABSi; and
• to meet ABSi’s legal and regulatory requirements.
Personal Information will not be used for any other purpose without your Consent.
2.2 As part of ABSi’s information management policies and procedures, ABSi will specify either verbally, electronically or in writing the purposes for which it collects Personal Information. Some of the reasons ABSi may need to collect Personal Information may be for the delivery of cable and/or Internet services, for the marketing and delivery of new cable and/or Internet services, for other services including products, and for such other purposes as may be required or permitted by law. The purposes will be stated in a clear and understandable manner to ensure that the Customer can reasonably understand how the Personal Information will be used or disclosed in order that the Consent made is informed and meaningful.
2.3 When ABSi wishes to use Personal Information for a purpose not previously identified to the Customer, such as the marketing of non-cable or non-Internet services, ABSi will identify the new use, in the manner set out in 2.1 above. Unless the new use of the Personal Information is required by law, the Consent of the Customer or employee is required before the Personal Information can be used for that new purpose. (See Principle 3 – Consent)
2.4 Any time ABSi asks a Customer for Personal Information, the Customer may request ABSi to explain the reason the Personal Information is being collected.
3 - Obtaining Consent
Consent will be obtained from Customers and employees before or when they Collect, Use, or disclose the Personal Information, except where inappropriate. When ABSi is required to ask for Consent ABSi will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the Customers and employees understand how the Personal Information may be Used or how it may be disclosed by ABSi.
3.1 Consent is required for the collection of Personal Information and the subsequent use or disclosure of the Personal Information. In most cases, ABSi seeks Consent for the Use or disclosure of the information at the time ABSi Collects it. When ABSi wants to use Personal Information for a purpose which it has not previously identified to the Customer, ABSi may seek Consent with respect to the Use or disclosure after the Personal Information was collected, but before it is Used.
3.2 ABSi may Collect, Use, or disclose Personal Information without a Customer’s or employee’s knowledge or Consent in instances where it is deemed a legal or security reason, or for the welfare of an individual where it might make it impossible or impractical to seek Consent. For example, when Personal Information is being collected for the detection or prevention of fraud, seeking Consent may defeat the purpose of collecting the information. All of the circumstances where ABSi may Collect, Use, or disclose Personal Information without a Customer’s or employee’s knowledge or Consent are as specified and permitted by legislation.
3.3 ABSi will ensure that a Customer applying for service is informed why ABSi needs the Personal Information and how the Personal Information will be Used. To make Customer’s Consent informed and meaningful, the purposes must be clearly stated so that a Customer can reasonably understand how the Personal Information will be Used or disclosed.
3.4 ABSi may not, as a condition of providing any product and/or service, require a Customer to Consent to the Collection, Use or disclosure of Personal Information beyond that required to provide the product and/or service itself.
3.5 Consent can be either expressed or implied. The form of Consent sought by ABSi may vary, depending upon the circumstances and the type of Personal Information. In determining the form of Consent to use, ABSi takes into account the sensitivity of the information and the reasonable expectations of the Customer. ABSi generally seeks express Consent when the Personal Information is likely to be considered sensitive. Implied Consent is typically appropriate when the Personal Information is less sensitive.
3.6 A Customer may withdraw its Consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and upon providing ABSI reasonable notice. A Customer wishing to withdraw should contact ABSi at privacy@ABS-i.com.
3.7 In general, the use of products and services by a Customer, or the acceptance of employment or benefits by an employee, will constitute implied Consent required by ABSi to Collect, Use and/or disclose Personal Information for all identified purposes.
4 - Limiting the Collection of Personal Information
The Collection of Personal Information by ABSi will be limited to only that information which is necessary for the purposes identified by ABSi. All Personal Information collected by ABSi will be by fair and lawful means.
4.1 ABSi will only Collect the amount and type of Personal Information needed for the specified purposes that have been documented by ABSi and identified to Customers and employees.
4.2 ABSi will not mislead or deceive Customers or employees about the purposes for which Personal Information is being collected.
5 - Limiting Use, disclosure, and retention of Personal Information
No Personal Information will be used, disclosed or shared for purposes other than those for which it was Collected by ABSi unless ABSi has the Consent of the Customer or employee, or as may be required by law. ABSi will keep Personal Information only as long as it is necessary for ABSi to fulfill the purposes for which Personal Information was Collected.
5.1 ABSi will keep Personal Information only as long as it is necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or as may be required by law. Personal Information that has been used to make a decision about a Customer or an employee will be kept by ABSi for a period of time that is reasonably sufficient to allow the Customer or employee access to the Personal Information. In the event a Customer has lodged a complaint about ABSi’s compliance with this Privacy Policy the Personal Information shall be kept until a decision has been made to resolve such complaint and then only to permit any questions under this Privacy Policy and the applicable privacy legislation.
5.2 ABSi may destroy, erase, or make anonymous Personal Information that is no longer required to fulfill the identified purposes.
5.3 ABSi may disclose a Customer’s Personal Information to:
1. a person who, in the reasonable judgment of ABSi, is seeking the information as an agent of the Customer;
2. a company if disclosure is for the efficient and cost-effective provision of telecommunications products and/or services, subject to privacy terms;
3. a company who will be involved in supplying the Customer with communications or communications directory-related products and/or services;
4. another company or individual for the development, enhancement, marketing or provision of any of ABSi’s current products and/or services or for any new products and/or services of ABSi;
5. an agent used by ABSi to evaluate the Customer’s credit worthiness or to collect the Customer’s account;
6. a credit reporting agency;
7. a public authority or agent of a public authority, if in the reasonable judgment of ABSi, it appears that there is imminent danger to life or property which could be avoided or minimized by disclosure of the Personal Information;
8. a third party or parties, where the Customer has given ABSi Consent to such disclosure or if disclosure is required by law; and
9. in conjunction with special offers or programs to program partners, or third party agents responsible for administering such offers or programs. Any such disclosure is made on a confidential basis with Customers Consent.
5.4 ABSi may disclose personal information about its employees:
1. for normal personnel and benefits administration;
2. in the context of providing references regarding current or former employees in response to requests from prospective employers; or
3. where disclosure is required by law.
5.5 Only ABSi’s employees with a business need to know, or whose duties reasonably so require, are granted access to Personal Information ABSi’s Customers and employees.
6 - Accuracy of Personal Information
ABSi will keep all Personal Information provided to it accurate, complete and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
6.1 The level to which Personal Information will be accurate, complete, and up-to-date depends on how ABSi uses the Personal Information and ABSi will take into account the interests of the Customer or employee. Personal Information will also be sufficiently accurate, complete, and up-to-date in order to minimize the possibility that inappropriate information is used to make a decision about the Customer or employee needs or interests.
6.2 ABSi will update Personal Information that it Collects and Uses on an on-going basis to fulfill the identified purposes.
6.3 ABSi will not update Personal Information unless updated information is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected.
7 - Safeguarding Personal Information
ABSi will protect Personal Information by security safeguards that are appropriate for the level of sensitivity of the Personal Information.
7.1 The security safeguards used by ABSi will protect Personal Information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification, regardless of the format in which the information is held by ABSi.
7.2 The nature of the safeguards will vary depending on the sensitivity of the Personal Information that has been Collected, the scope of the information, and the method of storage of that information. More sensitive types of Personal Information will be safeguarded by a higher level of protection.
7.3 The methods of protection may include:
1. physical measures, for example, locked filing cabinets and restricted access to offices;
2. organizational measures, for example, security clearances and limiting access on a “need to know” basis;
3. technological measures, for example, the use of passwords and encryption; and
4. investigative measures where required to safeguard the interests of ABSi, its Customers or its employees.
7.4 ABSi will make its employees aware of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of Personal Information.
7.5 ABSi will dispose of Personal Information in a manner that prevents unauthorized parties from gaining access to the Personal Information.
8 - Openness about ABSi’s Policies and Procedures
ABSi will make readily available to Customers and employees specific information about its policies and procedures relating to the management of Personal Information.
8.1 ABSi will be open about its policies and procedures with respect to the management of Personal Information. Customers and employees will be able to acquire their Personal Information and information about ABSi’s Privacy Policies and procedures at minimal cost and without unreasonable efforts on their part. This information will be made available in a form that is generally understandable. This information is available by writing to ABSi, to the attention of the Privacy Officer. Contact details are available online at: http://www.ABS-i.com.
8.2 The Personal Information made available by ABSi will include:
1. the name, title and address of the individual who is accountable for ABSi’s Privacy Policies and its procedures and to whom complaints or inquiries can be forwarded;
2. the means of gaining access to the Personal Information held by ABSi;
3. a description of the Personal Information held by ABSi, including a general account of its Use;
4. a copy of any documents that describe ABSi’s policies, standards, and/or policies; and
5. a description of Personal Information made available to related organizations, including subsidiaries, affiliates or agents.
9 - Providing Access to Personal Information
Upon a Customer’s or an employee’s request, and unless prohibited by law, ABSi will inform such Customers and employees of the existence, Use, and disclosure of the Personal Information specific to them and provide them access to that information. Any Customer may challenge the accuracy and completeness of their Personal Information and have it amended as appropriate.
9.1 Upon request, ABSi will inform a Customer or employee whether or not ABSi holds Personal Information about them, and will indicate the source of this information. If ABSi possesses any such information, it will allow the Customer or employee access to the Personal Information specific to that person. In addition, ABSi will provide an account of how that Personal Information has been Used or is being Used along with any Uses by any third parties to whom it has been disclosed.
9.2 A Customer or employee may be required to provide sufficient information to identify for ABSi what Personal Information such Customer or employee is enquiring about. The required information provided to ABSi for this purpose shall only be used for this purpose.
9.3 In certain situations, ABSi may not be able to provide access to all the Personal Information it holds. Exceptions to the access requirement will be limited to those allowed or required under law.
9.4 In providing an account of third parties to which ABSi has disclosed Personal Information, ABSi will attempt to be as specific as possible. When it is not possible to provide a list of the actual organizations to which it has disclosed Personal Information, ABSi will provide a list of organizations to which it may have disclosed Personal Information.
9.5 ABSi will respond to a Customer or employee request within a reasonable period of time and at minimal or no cost to the Customer or employee. The requested information will be provided or made available to the Customer or employee in a form that is generally understandable.
9.6 When a Customer or employee successfully challenges the accuracy or completeness of Personal Information, ABSi will correct, delete, or add additional information as required. Where appropriate, the amended Personal Information will be transmitted to third parties having access to the corrected, deleted, or additional Personal Information.
9.7 When a challenge is not resolved to the reasonable satisfaction of the Customer or employee, ABSi will record the substance of the unresolved challenge in the Personal Information relating to the Customer or employee. Where appropriate, the existence of the unresolved challenge shall be transmitted to third parties having access to the information in question.
10 - Challenging compliance and offering suggestions
A Customer or employee of ABSi may direct any questions or inquires with respect to the Privacy Principles outlined above or about ABSi’s practices used in its Privacy Policy to the designated individual accountable for ABSi’s compliance.
10.1 ABSi has put procedures in place to receive and respond to complaints or inquiries about the policies and procedures relating to the handling of Personal Information. The complaint process used by ABSi is easily accessible and simple to use.
10.2 ABSi will investigate all complaints and respond to all questions asked by its Customers and/or employees. If a complaint is found to be justified, ABSi will take appropriate measures to resolve the complaint, which may include amending its policies and procedures if necessary.
