FAQ

General FAQs | Billing FAQs | CABLE FAQs | EMAIL AND INTERNET FAQs

General FAQs

  1. Can I keep my current phone number if I transfer my service to a new location?
    If you are transferring your service from a location in LaPlace to a location other than LaPlace, or from a location other than LaPlace to a location in LaPlace, you will need to be assigned a new phone number.  If you are transferring service to/from a location within the same city, you may keep your current phone number.
  1. What can I do to reduce the number of calls I receive from telephone solicitors?
    You can contact the National Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or go online at www.donotcall.gov.  You can also contact the state agency at the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) at 1-877-676-0773 or register online at www.lpsc.org.
  1. If my billing address or contact information changes, who do I contact?
    Call us at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 so we can update your account with the new information.
  1. How can I get further information regarding any of the telecommunication products (telephone, cable and internet)?
    You can call us at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111, visit our website at www.rtconline.com or come in to our retail office located at 131 Belle Terre Blvd.   Our office hours are Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm and Saturday from 9am – 1pm.
  1. Can I keep my equipment (i.e. Set-Top box, etc.) if I transfer my service to a new location? Yes. You may keep your equipment when transferring your service to a new location.
  1. If I transfer my service to a new location, will there be a period of time that I will be without service? If you plan on transferring service to a new location, you must call 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 to schedule a time for the transfer as soon as possible to avoid any lapse in service.
  1. How do I change my banking information? To change your banking information, you may fill out the form on the back side of your monthly bill payment stub and mail it to P.O. Drawer T, Reserve, LA  70084.  If you are enrolled in online Bill Pay, you may make your banking changes from your E-Statement account.

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Billing FAQs

  1. Why is my first bill higher than expected? Your first bill, which arrives around the first of the month, covers more than one month of service.  It includes partial charges from the day you connected to the end of that month and the next full month of services.  Charges for the month you connected are prorated, which means the monthly rate is divided into a daily rate and you are billed only for the days you receive service.  For example if you connected on May 15th, your bill would include charges from May 15th to May 31st as well as from June 1st through June 30th.
  1. What are one-time charges and credits? One-time charges are credits occur if you add or cancel services during the month.  Depending on the date when services were activated or deactivated, you will be charged or credited for the days remaining in the current month.
  1. What are End User Charges? End User charges are fees authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for providing access to, and maintenance of, the local telecommunications network.
  1. What is the Federal Universal Service Charge? The Federal Universal Service Fund (USF) helps provide affordable telecommunication services for low-income customers and customers in rural areas.  It also provides discounts on Internet access for eligible schools, libraries and rural health providers.  The USF is collected from the telecommunications carriers and administered by the Universal Service Administration Corporation (USAC).  USAC is responsible for disbursing the funds from a pool.  This pool is established by the FCC and meets certain eligibility criteria.
  1. What is a 911 surcharge? This surcharge is mandated by local government to help pay for emergency services.  The money collected from this charge is forwarded directly to the appropriate entity.
  1. What is the Hearing Impaired Tax? This tax is levied by the FCC to provide Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) to individuals who are hearing impaired.  You can contact this organization by dialing 800-846-5277.
  1. What is the CATV Franchise Tax? For those customers who receive cable television service, the FCC allows the local franchising authority (parish tax office) to collect up to five percent of all revenues earned by a cable operator in exchange for consent to use right-of-ways for the cable system’s construction and operation of its network.
  1. What is a FCC Administrative Fee? Cable television providers must pay this fee (per subscriber) to the FCC.  The FCC uses these fees to recover annual costs of enforcement, policy and rule making, user information, and international activities.
  1. What are the different ways to make payment? You can come in person to one of our local offices.  Our Reserve office is open from 8am – 12pm and 1pm – 5pm Monday through Friday.  Our LaPlace retail store is open Monday through Friday from 8am – 5pm and Saturday from 9am – 1pm.  You can either mail your payment to our office with the envelope provided to you or you can pay by phone using your VISA, MasterCard, Discover or AMEX.  Our phone numbers are 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111.  You can pay online at www.rtconline.com.  It only takes a few minutes to register for online Bill Pay.  We also accept automatic withdrawals from your checking or savings account.  You will need to fill out a short form from one of our offices or complete the form on the back of the payment stub and your balance will be deducted from your checking or savings account every 7th of the month. Autodraft payments from your checking or savings account can also be set up through online Bill Pay.
  1. When I receive a current bill that also shows a past due amount, do I have until the current charges date to pay both amounts? Past due charges are due no later than the 10th of the following month.  Current charges are always due on the 20th unless the 20th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then it is due the next business Monday.
  1. If I transfer my service to a new location, will the cost remain the same at my new address? The cost of your service will not change when you move to a new address.
  1. Can I pay my bill more than one month in advance? If you choose to make a payment to your bill in advance we will simply place the credit to your account and apply it to the next month’s charges.
  1. Can you ensure online bill privacy? Our online Bill Pay E-statement is equipped with secure connections to insure your information is private and secure.
  1. Do I have to be registered to make a bill payment or view my bill online? In order to view your bill online you must register for online Bill Pay.
  1. How do I reach RTC if I have questions about my bill?
    Call 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 or stop by one of our offices:
    LaPlace – 131 Belle Terre Blvd.
    Reserve – 203 West 4th St.
  1. Can I make a payment on the account if I am not the account holder? Yes.
  1. If I am due a refund on my account when will I receive it? You should receive your refund within 60-90 days after the account has been closed.
  1. How do I enroll in Automatic Bankdraft Payments? Go to www.rtconline.com and register for online Bill Pay. In your new E-statement account, you will be able to set up automatic withdrawals from your bank.  You may also fill out the form on the back of your monthly bill payment stub and submit it with a voided check.
  1. What should I do if there are errors in my EFT transacation? If you notice an error with your Autodraft transactions, contact Customer Service at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-111 to make the corrections.
  1. When will the automatic withdrawals from my account begin? Withdrawals are taken out on the 7th of every month.

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CABLE FAQs

  1. If I transfer my service to a new location, will my channel lineup or HD channels change at my new address? If you are moving to a new location, and keep the same level of service, you will have the same channel lineup at your new location.  If you subscribe to HD service and will continue to have HD service at your new location, you will receive the same HD channels with no changes.
  1. Do I need a separate Digital Cable box for every TV? In order to receive Digital Cable on each television in your home, you will need a Digital Cable Box for each TV.
  1. What should I do if I am unable to receive all channels? If you can receive some channels but not others, call Customer Service at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111.
  1. How do I request a channel not currently carried on my channel lineup? We are always interested in what channels our customers want to see. To request a channel we do not currently have, call 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 or email us at rtccustomercare@rtconline.com to make your request.  We will take your request into consideration.
  1. How do I control what my child watches? You can view our I-Guide section for more information on how to set up parental controls.
  1. How do I block out channels I don’t want to receive? You can block certain channels by using the TV menu and setting parental controls or by using the menu from your set-top box.  If you will be using the set-top box menu, click here to view our I-Guide section for more information on how to set up parental controls.
  1. What Spanish channels does RTC offer? On July 1, 2008, we launched "RTC Espanol", a new separate digital tier for our Spanish language programming which includes the following channels:  Discovery en Espanol, Fox Sports en Espanol, ESPN Desportes, CNN en Espanol, Canal 52 MX, Cine Mexicano, History Channel en Espanol, Cine Latino and VeneMovies.
  1. Do I have to buy a Digital TV to receive RTC’s Digital Cable? You do not need to have a Digital TV to receive RTC’s Digital Cable, but you will need to rent a Digital Cable box for each television.
  1. How do I get RTC’s Digital Cable? Call 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 or come by one of our offices:
    LaPlace – 131 Belle Terre Blvd.
    Reserve – 203 West 4th St.
  1. How do I find my favorite channels? View our I-Guide section for more information on how to find your favorite channels.
  1. What types of inputs are needed to connect my TV and Digital Terminal? For Digital Cable boxes, your TV must have an RF input or an RCA input.  For HD or DVR Cable boxes, your TV must have RF input, RCA input, HDMI, Component inputs or DVI inputs.
  1. What can I do if I am having problems getting reception? If your reception is snowy or has lines running across it, make sure all of your connections are tight.  If your connections are tight and you continue to have reception problems, contact customer service at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111.
  1. What is HDMI?HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a type of cable that is used to connect video/audio components such as a High Definition DVR Cable box, a gaming console, etc.

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EMAIL AND INTERNET FAQs

  1. Can I keep my existing email address if I transfer my service to a new location? Yes, you may keep your existing email address even if you transfer service to a new location.
  1. I can receive email but cannot send outgoing messages.  All of my settings are correct according to the outlook instructions on www.rtconline.com.  What could be causing this? If you are using an Internet security suite, such as Symantec or McAfee, this is caused by an incorrect configuration or by an expired contract.  Contact your product’s vendor or check their website for assistance.
  1. I’m getting too much spam.  How can I make sure the spam filter catches more? By logging in to RTC’s webmail directly, you can adjust the filtering criteria.  Login to your email from RTC’s homepage, www.rtconline.com.  Click the options button on the left side then click on the bottom link that appears, SpamShieldPro.  By LOWERING your setting (default is 2.5) you will create stricter filtering rules.
  1. I don’t remember my email username or password.  What do I do? Call RTC at 985-359-2222 or 985-536-1111 and we’ll be happy to verify your account settings.
  1. I have an Xbox Live, or another gaming platform, and Microsoft says I need to contact my ISP to open up ports. RTC does not block any ports that will restrict Xbox Live, or any other gaming platform, in any way.
  1. How do I set up an email account in Outlook Express? Click here to learn how to properly set up an email account on your computer.
  1. Can I check my email when I’m away from home? Yes.  By going to mail.rtconline.com or by clicking the Email link from RTC’s homepage, you can login to you email account from any computer.  You can send and receive emails through your RTC account.  You must know your email username and password.
  1. Do I need a surge protector? We strongly recommend that you use a surge protector to help protect your equipment from lightning strikes and other power surges.
  1. Will I be protected from viruses with RTC Internet? Your computer can catch viruses in many ways, primarily by execution of a program containing a virus or an email attachment.  Virus protection is always the responsibility of the computer owner.  We suggest that you use an up-to-date antivirus software.
  1. How do I contact Internet Technical Support? Call 985-359-TECH or 985-536-TECH
  1. How do I keep my child safe on the Internet? Nothing other than total parental supervision can make the Internet a totally safe experience.  Please read our Kids and the Internet section under Internet Security.
  1. What are the minimum system requirements to run High-Speed Internet Service? The minimum requirements for High-Speed Internet are Windows 2000 or above.
  1. Which cable modems are approved for use with RTC’s High-Speed Internet Service?Approved cable modems must be a DOCSIS 2.0 or higher cable modem.
  1. What is a Network Interface Card (NIC)? A Network Interface Card (NIC) is where your Ethernet cable plugs into and allows computers to communicate over a network.
  1. What is a router? A router is a piece of hardware that allows internet access to multiple computers and can also segment two distinct network sections.
  1. What are some easy ways to keep my PC running as fast as it did when I first bought it?
    A few easy ways to keep your PC running like new are:
    1. Have an up-to-date antivirus software program.
    2. Defragment your computer regularly.
    3. Uninstall unneeded or unused programs.

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