Is there a data cap with Sparklight Business Internet plans?

Many of our customers have expressed the need for a more robust email offering than what Sparklight Business currently provides. Because of this, the number of customers using our email has steadily declined over the past several years. As a result, we are discontinuing email service.

Any emails left in your Sparklight email account with a [email protected] email address as of January 15, 2022, will be permanently deleted and unrecoverable.

Any emails left in your Sparklight email account with a [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] email address as of March 24, 2022, will be permanently deleted and unrecoverable.

Premium email services (such as Gmail and Mail.com), are available at no cost and offer an array of functionalities, including the ability to create multiple email addresses, abundant storage space, and a wide variety of tools. Additionally, these services are portable, meaning you can keep your email address should you ever move out of Sparklight Business’s service area. To create an email account with one of these free providers, visit:

Gmail: google.com/gmail

Mail: https://www.mail.com/mail/

OTHER ACTION REQUIRED:

• UPDATE YOUR CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS WITH SPARKLIGHT: If your Sparklight Business email address is your contact email for your Sparklight Business services, please visit us online to update your account with your new email address at customer.sparklight.com/business or contact our Technical Care Center team at 877-570-0500.
• UPDATE YOUR CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS WITH OTHER SERVICES: If you’re using your Sparklight Business email address as a username or contact for any of your online billing accounts or social media accounts, we suggest you update those accounts with your new email address as soon as possible.
• UPDATE MARKETING OR COLLATERAL MATERIALS TO NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: If your Sparklight Business email address is used on any marketing collateral or materials, or websites for your business, we recommend that you take action as soon as possible by updating it with an email address from your new email provider. Our goal is to make this process as easy and seamless as possible.

If you are undergoing issues with the transition process, please contact our Technical Care Center team at 877-570-0500 for further assistance.

Sparklight Business Email Retirement FAQs

Q. Why are you discontinuing my Sparklight Business email account?

A. Many of our customers have expressed the need for a more robust email offering than what Sparklight Business currently provides. Because of this, the number of customers using our email has steadily declined over the past several years. As a result, we are discontinuing email service.

Q. Does this mean you’re no longer offering internet service?

Sparklight Business is continuing to offer internet service. We are simply retiring our email offering, as the number of customers using Sparklight email has steadily declined over the past several years due to the rise in the use of premium email services such as Gmail and Mail.com.

Q. When will discontinuation of Sparklight Business email take place?

A. EffectiveJanuary 15, 2022, Sparklight Business will discontinue Sparklight email accounts with a [email protected] email address. Sparklight email account with a [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] email address will be discontinued as of March 24, 2022.

As a result, your email accounts provided by Sparklight Business ([email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] ) will need to be transitioned to a new email provider prior to those dates.

Q: How will I know when email is being retired in my area?

A: Over the next few months before your email service is discontinued, you will receive multiple notifications via letters and emails to allow you as much notice as possible so that you may prepare the transition to a new email provider prior to that date. If your Sparklight Business email address is used on any marketing collateral or materials, or websites for your business, we recommend that you take action as soon as possible by updating it with an email address from your new email provider. Our goal is to make this process as easy and seamless as possible.

Q: Can I begin the process of moving my email before I receive notice from Sparklight Business?

A: Absolutely. You can sign up for an alternative email service and begin using it any time you like. Free email services with more robust offerings include Gmail.com or Mail.com

Q. Can you provide recommendations for email hosting services?

A. We would like to help make this transition as easy as possible for you. Options for email hosting services, include, but are not limited to the following:

• Microsoft 365 for business
  • Microsoft 365 admin center (Information on getting started, migrating data and installing apps)
• Google Workspace  
  • Google Workspace Admin Help (Information on getting started, setting up services for your business and other support materials)
• Cloudways Rackspace
  • Cloudways Support (How to manage email services)

Q. What do I need to do once I receive notification with the date my email will be retired?

A. Customers must select a new email provider and export their contacts and any emails they wish to save from their Sparklight Business email account.

OTHER ACTION REQUIRED:

• UPDATE YOUR CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS WITH SPARKLIGHT: If your Sparklight Business email address is your contact email for your Sparklight Business services, please visit us online to update your account with your new email address at customer.sparklight.com/business or contact our Technical Care Center team at 877-570-0500.
• UPDATE YOUR CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS WITH OTHER SERVICES: If you’re using your Sparklight Business email address as a username or contact for any of your online billing accounts or social media accounts, we suggest you update those accounts with your new email address as soon as possible.
• UPDATE MARKETING OR COLLATERAL MATERIALS TO NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: If your Sparklight Business email address is used on any marketing collateral or materials, or websites for your business, we recommend that you take action as soon as possible by updating it with an email address from your new email provider. Our goal is to make this process as easy and seamless as possible.

Q. Can you recommend other email providers?

A. Alternative email providers include Gmail and Mail.com.

• Gmail: (google.com/gmail)
  • Create a Gmail account
  • Add another email account to the Gmail app
  • How to import mails and contacts from another email account
• Mail.com: (Mail.com)
  • First Steps to set up Customized Email
  • Mail.com Migration Services
  • Mail.com email app for Android
  • Mail.com email app for iOS
  • Mail.com Help Center
  • Mail.com Spam Filter
  • Mail.com Cloud
    • Share Files
    • Secure File Backup
    • Secure Online Storage

Q. What are the benefits of other email providers?

A. Email services (Gmail and Mail.com), are available at no cost and offer a vast array of functionality, including the ability to create multiple email addresses, abundant storage space, and a wide variety of email management tools. Additionally, these services are portable, meaning you can keep your email address should you ever move out of Sparklight’s service area.

Helpful Links

How to Download Calendars, Contacts, and Email from your @cableone.net email account

Setting Up Email On A New Device

How to Create an Email Account Using Mail.com & Transfer Email Contacts

How to Automatically Forward Emails from mail.sparklight.net

How to Sync Contacts and Calendar with IOS

How to Set Up Auto Reply or Out of Office Messages 

Please follow the below instructions on how to download contacts from your @cableone.net email account.

Exporting a contact list

You can export contact lists by doing the following:

Step 1: Click Preferences.

Step 2: In the left pane, click Import/Export.

Step 3: Select Contacts

Step 4: Select the supported email software

Step 5: Click “Contacts” Source

Step 6: Click “Export”

An Excel spreadsheet (csv. File) will download with your list of contacts.

Download Calendar from your @cableone.net email account

Please follow the below instructions on how to download your calendar from your @cableone.net email account.

How to Export Calendar

Step 1: Click Preferences.

Step 2: In the left pane, click Import/Export.

Step 3: Select “Calendar” from the Export options

Step 4: Click “Export”

A calendar file will download to your computer and if you have a client available on your computer, it will sync with that calendar. If you have never setup your email software before, it will ask you to setup a new email.

Download Emails from your @cableone.net email account to Gmail

If you recently switched to Gmail, you can transfer your old emails from your other account.

Important: If you use Gmail for work or school and don't see the import mail option, then your administrator may have disabled this feature.

Step 1: On your computer, open your Gmail

Step 2: In the top right, click Settings icon and then click "See All Settings".

Step 3: Click the "Accounts and Import" or "Accounts" tab in the top navigation bar.

Step 4: In the second section, click "Import Mail and Contacts".

Step 5: Follow the instructions to sign into your account by entering your cableone.net email account and password. Click “Continue”.

Step 6: Select your import option for your cableone.net email. You can choose from either "Import mail" or "Leave a copy of retrieved message on the server"

Step 7: Click "Start Import".

Your messages then being to be imported. It may take several hours (sometimes up to 2 days) before you start to see imported messages. You can then close the window and keep using Gmail or even log out and close your browser – we'll continue importing your mail and/or contacts in the background.

To check the status of your import, look under Settings > Accounts and Import.

To set up your Outlook.com account, please follow the below instructions.

Step 1: Open Outlook.com

Step 2: Click the gear icon

Step 3: Click on “View all Outlook Settings” or “More mail settings”

Step 4: Select “Mail”, then “Sync email”, then select “Other email accounts”

Step 5: Fill in the necessary fields. You can choose from either "Create a new folder dedicated to the cableone.net account" or "Import into the existing folders in your Outlook.com account".

Step 6: Click "OK". You will see the new account listed as a “connected account”

Step 7: Close the Sync Email window and return to your inbox home page. Under the “Folders” you will see the email folder for cableone.net if you chose to create a new folder, otherwise your emails will download in similar previously used folders.

Automatically Forward Emails from mail.sparklight.net

You may set up email forwarding from your Sparklight.net email account to any other email address by following these easy steps:

Step 1: Visit http://mymail.cableone.net and log into your Sparklight email account.

Step 2: Click Preferences.

Step 3: Click Mail.

Step 4: AJAX view: Under the "Receiving Messages" heading, check any of the boxes you wish to activate.

Step 5: Place any valid email address to which you have access in the associated edit box.

Step 6: Optionally, you may check the "Don't keep a local copy of messages" check box if you wish to have all the forwarded email removed from Sparklight's servers.

Step 7: Click the Save button to finalize your changes.

Sync Contacts and Calendar with IOS from your cableone.net email account

Note: The Sparklight calendar and contact list will work on iOS devices, but they will not sync automatically.

Please follow the instructions below to sync the Sparklight calendar to the iOS device:

Step 1: Open the ''Settings'' app.

Step 2: Select ''Mail, Contacts, Calendars'' on the left, then select ''Add Account.''

Step 3: Select ''Other'' from the list of options.

Step 4: Under ''Calendars'' select ''Add CalDAV Account.''

Step 5: Use the following settings:

Server: mail.cableone.net

Username: full email address

Password: email password

Description: anything ('' Sparklight Calendar'', for example)

We make it a priority to keep our prices affordable, while maintaining a high quality of service. However, we’re now unable to lease the HSD modem you received from us at the same charge as costs for maintenance and software fees related to these devices have increased. As a result of increasing costs from our equipment providers, the monthly fee to lease your modem will increase to $10.99 beginning with your next billing cycle. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. Your satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us, and we look forward to continuing to provide the best high-speed Internet services for your business.

Q: Why wasn’t I notified in advance of this increase?

A: We sent a letter/placed notices at least 30 days prior to the increase in your bill statements – we apologize that you missed those notifications. 

Please note that during a recent audit, we discovered an error had affected some customers where an increase to the monthly fee to lease the modem was prematurely applied. We have since fixed the mistake by prorating those affected accounts. We also placed a notice about the upcoming adjustment 30 days before the increase, alerting affected customers that the monthly fee to lease a modem will increase to $10.99, beginning with their March or April bill cycle.

Q: When will I see the increase in my bill?

A: You’ll start seeing the updated HSD Modem charge on your February, March or April billing statement, depending on your billing cycle. 

Q: Is there anything that can be done to lower my bill?

A: Sparklight Business has a number of bundle packages that could save you money. I would be happy to go over the packages we have to find one that best fits your needs. Alternatively, you may wish to purchase your own modem from a reputable source. However, please keep in mind that we only provide technical support and product warranties on the equipment you lease directly from Sparklight Business. To view a list of compatible modems, please visit business.sparklight.com/support/compatiblemodems.

The upgrades bring speeds up to 1 gigabit for our customers, allowing us to better serve evolving digital needs and further strengthening the reliability of our high-speed internet service to meet the long-term connectivity needs of your community. The increased speeds provide faster downloads and uploads, enhanced streaming experiences, and uninterrupted connections across multiple devices among employees.

Q. When will work be conducted to upgrade your network?

A. Over the next few weeks, technicians will be upgrading our network in your area. As a result, your services may experience temporary, intermittent outages as part of the planned construction work. To help minimize the interruption this may cause, we will conduct the upgrade work outside of regular business hours, during the overnight maintenance window between midnight and 6 a.m. CT.

Q. I run a hotel/motel/hospital/other business that requires internet services to be running during certain hours.

A. We know connectivity is critical to your business, and our team is committed to working with you to help ensure there is minimal disruption to your operations. To schedule a time that is most convenient, please contact the Business Care Team at 1-877-570-0500.

Q. I was told that the network upgrades have already been conducted in my area, but I’m still without services. Why?

A. If you are still without internet service, we ask that you again power cycle your modem using the steps outlined on our support page: business.sparklight.com/support/business-internet. If you have attempted a reboot of your modem and you continue to experience an issue with your services, I can transfer you over to our Technical Care Team for further assistance. We appreciate your continued patience and again apologize for any inconvenience you experienced during this disruption.

We're committed to providing our customers with quality services at a competitive price while making every effort to minimize costs. However, as many industries over the past couple of years, we have experienced increased operational costs due to rising inflation rates, supply chain challenges, and labor shortages. Despite our best efforts to control these dramatically rising costs, Sparklight Business, like other telecommunication companies, must pass a portion of these costs on to our customers.

Q. Why did my Voicemail rate increase?

A. To learn more about the increase, please visit this page.

Q. Why wasn't I notified in advance of this increase?

A. We sent letters in September, notifying you about the upcoming increase. We apologize that you missed this notification.

Q. Is there anything I can do to lower my bill?

A. Please call 1-877-570-0500 and a Sparklight Business Care Specialist would be happy to review your account and go over our plans with you.

Please contact Business Care at 877.570.0500 for more information about Sparklight Business WiFi.

Contact Business Care at 877.570.0500.

If your bill statement doesn’t state the upload and download stream for your rate plan, please contact Technical Support for more information. We are working to update all customer billing statements to include their purchased speeds. For a list of current rate plans and speeds available in your zip code, please visit the Business Internet page.

Please refer to the back of your modem for your default SSID/Password. For additional assistance or to update your SSID and Password, please contact Sparklight Business Technical Care Center to update or reset your SSID and/or Password.

Below are Sparklight’s peering policies and requirements for new or existing Sparklight customers.

• Customers must have or purchase a router capable of handling the desired connection.
  1. Default only should be a router capable of BGP version 4.
  2. Default and Partial should be capable for accepting at least 50,000 routes as well as BGP version 4.
  3. Default and Full routes should be capable of accepting at least two copies of the full internet IPv4 table as well as two copies of the full IPv6 internet table and BGP version 4.
• Customers must use an Autonomous System (AS) number assigned by a regional registrar such as American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) that is registered to their organization.
• All customer route announcements must be registered with one of the regional Internet Routing Registries (IRRs), and a route object must exist for each route prefix.
• Customers can specify one of the following received-prefixes options:
  1. Default-route only
  2. Partial routes + default-route
  3. Full routes + default-route
• Sparklight customers are required to configure their own equipment, including but not limited to BGP, import and export policies as any sanity checks.
• Sparklight requires the use of authentication (MD5) for all customer eBGP peering sessions.
• Customer are required to filter any routes such as private or public routes not owned and registered.
• Sparklight will not advertise any prefixes longer the /24 to any peers, and customers should aggregate any longer prefixes up to at least a /24. These aggregates should be visible to any other upstream peering to Sparklight, or any other provider as the same size to ensure proper route selection.
• At this time, Sparklight does not offer any form of traffic engineering to the customer outside of standard AS prepending to be performed by the customer. Sparklight will not modify the current policies until such time as traffic engineering policies can be made available to all Sparklight customers.

Sparklight Business Solution’s Internet service can be installed and provisioned much faster than our competition and with little or no downtime since we control all network elements.

At Sparklight, our customers and our integrity are vital to our success. At the same time, Internet speed can be volatile and we cannot guarantee that situations beyond our control will not interfere with your connection speed.  However you should expect no less than 80% and up to 110% of your provisioned speed.

There is no such thing as a dedicated connection, as claimed by some providers. Since all connections are shared, providing a high-speed Internet experience depends on your service provider’s network capacity, scalability and overall architecture. The Sparklight Business Solution’s network is designed to be highly scalable, providing increased network capabilities as demand increases.

Not all providers invest in a digital infrastructure to ensure a high performance connection. Sparklight provides a high-speed, redundant, national IP backbone for business customers to use while connecting to the Internet. Further, Sparklight’s local cable networks have been largely rebuilt in recent years and are designed with growth in mind. Our Hybrid Fiber Coax network (HFC) is highly scalable, enabling expansion of available bandwidth to meet increasing business demands without costly equipment or network upgrades.

DSL technology is delivered over copper, twisted-pair wiring used for telephone service that was installed decades ago for low-speed, low-capacity voice communications; in contrast Sparklight Business Solution’s state-of-the-art broadband network was designed to deliver powerful, two-way interactive services. By meeting the stringent standards of Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), Sparklight’s HFC specifications provide user data privacy across the cable network by encrypting and authenticating data traffic flow to and from the cable modem and the Sparklight HFC network. Our cable modem services are highly reliable because the architecture provides multiple paths to each of Sparklight Business Solutions’ nodes serving 250 or fewer customers. As such, the self-healing distribution offers the customer a continuous, secure connection.