Watch Communications’ Response to COVID-19

April 29, 2020

Watch Communications takes seriously the health and safety of employees and customers. Below is the company’s initial response to COVID-19.

We know that these are uncertain times, and Watch Communications wants to assure you that we are taking extra precautions to protect your health and safety as well as our employees. We are following the guidelines and protocols issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls in our offices and for our field technicians who may interact with the customers.

We have taken steps to ensure you stay connected during this unprecedented public health crisis. Access to reliable, high-speed Internet is more important now than ever before. The last thing we want you to worry about is whether you can access the Internet for information.

The following measures are being implemented immediately and will remain in effect until April 30, 2020:

  • Data caps will not be enforced in areas of our network where caps are in place;
  • WiFi hot zones owned by Watch Communications will be opened for public access;
  • Additional open-access WiFi hot zones are being deployed in coordination with local officials.

Watch Communications has also accepted the FCC’s “Keep America Connected” challenges and pledges, through April 30, 2020, to:

  • Increase internet access by waiving late fees for customers and small businesses;
  • Not terminate service to people because of their inability to pay bills.

If strict health protocols look to remain in place past April 30, we will re-evaluate its timelines. Customers who anticipate additional hardships should contact Customer Service so that we can work with you on billing issues. Watch will do what is possible to accommodate customer requests for increased service levels during this time.

Many Watch Communications employees are now teleworking from home. There are some job functions, however, that require us to interact with customers. All field technicians will wear booties, gloves and a mask at all times while inside homes. They have also been instructed to wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before entering customers’ homes and after leaving. If a customer or anyone else in a home appears to be sick, the technician will not enter the home and will maintain an extended physical distance during any conversations.

These are some of the additional health protocols we have asked our field technicians to undertake:

  • Before entering the truck before the first field call, wipe down with a disinfectant wipe the steering wheel, gear shift, head-rest on seat, radio buttons. window and door buttons, and any other buttons such as wipers, headlights, etc. you may need to utilize;
  • Attempt to repair any trouble call from outside prior to going in-home if necessary;
  • Put on booties, mask and clean or new gloves before entering a customer’s home;
  • Wipe down all equipment when coming out of a home with disinfectant wipes before placing equipment back in the truck.

If you have an appointment scheduled and do not feel comfortable with a technician entering your home, you can call Customer Service to reschedule. Please note that the appointment may not be rescheduled until after April 1.