The Affordable Connectivity Program will be ending in April. Visit https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/ for more information.

The Lifeline Program is now available; read more in how to apply here.

*If you qualify for the Lifeline Program, please be sure to contact SHELD Customer Service to supply the Application ID# to begin receiving the benefit discount.

Frequently Asked Questions
Helping you Find Answers

General

Fiberspring is a high-speed internet service delivered over a fiber optic network directly to your home or business. Fiber optic internet service from Fiberspring provides symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second or 1,000 Mbps! Fiberspring is powered by SHELD, the public power utility that’s been accountable to local families and businesses in South Hadley for generations.

It’s simple! If Fiberspring service is offered in your neighborhood, you can apply here.

Fiberspring is a data network constructed of optical fibers which use pulses of light along a thin piece of glass instead of electricity to carry out a signal. It is unique because it can carry high bandwidth signals over long distances without degradation. Optical fiber has been used in communications for over 30 years in the following capacities; to transmit telephone signals, internet communication, and military and space communications.

Each year the use of the internet for application and services is increasing Fiber optic networks are significantly faster than even the highest-speed copper internet connections! With a fiber optic network, customers can enjoy reliability, symmetrical upload and download speeds, larger bandwidth and greater security!

Fiberspring is bringing gig-speed fiber optic internet to South Hadley to improve our town, not to make profits. Fiberspring is powered by SHELD, South Hadley’s utility that has been invested in developing our neighborhoods and business community for generations.

On the homepage of this website, fiberspring.com, simply click on show interest today, enter your address, complete the required information and click submit! Once you submit interest, our Fiberspring team will retain the information which will help us to better understand and track the areas of town that have the most interest.

Yes, a recent study surveyed home buyers and developers. It found that fiber-to-the-home adds about $5,000.00 to the purchase price of an individual dwelling.

Fiberspring offers the option of a seasonal disconnect option for customers who will be away for between 3 and 6 months. We ask that you contact Fiberspring 48 hours prior to the date you would like service temporarily terminated to give enough time for us to successfully terminate billing and service. Upon your return, the customer should provide Fiberspring with 48-hour notice to reconnect service at no charge. Regular monthly internet billing will begin upon activation.

Fiberspring service terminated for non-payment will be restored within 48 hours upon the following conditions:

  • Fiberspring receives full payment of account balance
  • Reconnection of service must be authorized by the Credit Department

We are building a system that supports Gigabit bandwidth. Depending on many factors we expect you will receive up to 1,000 mbps for upload and download speed. Your actual speed may be affected by the capability and age of your devices, the software you are using, the server of the site you are visiting, and the overall volume of internet traffic at any given moment.

Get a $25.00 credit when you refer friends and family to get connected! - Only valid for referrals within currently connected Fiberhoods; see map on www.fiberspring.com - Only customers already connected to Fiberspring can refer; referral valid upon installation - Applicant must enter promo code REFER25 when completing the Fiberspring application

Services

Fiberspring provides internet service. We do not provide television programming but we do offer amazing access to all streaming service providers. Many customers access local TV with a HD antenna and then subscribe to one or more streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Playstation Vue) for additional TV, movies and sports.

Fiberspring customers are on target to save hundreds of dollars a year by “cutting the cord” or transitioning from cable TV to streaming video. Streaming your entertainment simply means watching TV shows, sports, and movies over the internet. Streaming requires either a smart TV or a streaming device like a Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick and a subscription to a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Sling, or Playstation Vue. If you need assistance getting the streaming process started, visit our streaming and device center located at our 85 Main St. office during business hours.

In most cases, you don’t have to do anything! If you have a global e-mail such as Gmail or Yahoo you will continue to receive e-mail. If your e-mail is through your previous internet service provider you may be able to keep that too. Comcast, for example, has a policy that allows you to keep your e-mail accounts even if you do not purchase their service.

Stay tuned! Our app is undergoing a refresh and new guides will be available soon.

Yes! A Wi-Fi router is included with residential service to provide Fiberspring internet access to all of your devices.

We support whatever decision each customer chooses. Some customers may choose to keep their cable and phone provider while others may decide to try cutting the cord. For most, cutting the cord and streaming television content can save lots of money!

Fiberspring is pleased to offer two different home phone options to our residential customers.

Basic Phone Service - $14.99/month +tax -  Features Included: Local Line, 3 Way Calling, Caller ID with Name & Number, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Anonymous Call Rejection, Caller ID Block Per Call and Voicemail

Unlimited Phone Service - $19.99/month + tax – Features Included: Local Line, Caller ID with Name & Number, Call Waiting, Anonymous Call Rejection, Call Forwarding, Caller ID Block Per Call, Voicemail, 3 Way Calling, Unlimited local and domestic US calling which includes Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Guam and US Virgin Islands.

Additional Features and International Services available upon request.

If you decide to “cut the cord” and subscribe to a streaming service, many of them offer local channels.

An additional option to access local stations is with an HD digital antenna. Signal strength may vary depending on your home address location. You can check your potential signal strength and channel availability by visiting www.antennaweb.org and putting you’re your home address information. Antennas range in price, but, are available from a number of retail stores or online.

Cost

There is no contract for Fiberspring residential service as we are confident that we are providing a great local service that you will want to keep for many years. Fiberspring commercial service does require a contract. For more information, please contact our office at 413-536-1050.

For standard residential installation there is no charge. A standard residential installation includes a first floor or basement connection to your home. If you would like the service run to the second floor which will create a more custom installation, pricing is $79.95/hour + materials and must be agreed upon before installation.

Standard residential service from Fiberspring includes the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) which is a fiber modem and your wireless router at no cost.

We pride ourselves on our competitive pricing with unmatched speed and reliability. Fiberspring internet service which allows for speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for symmetrical upload and download speeds is available for as low as $70.00/month! This prices includes free standard installation, a Wi-Fi 6 router and local service from your reliable utility provider! Additional charges may apply for custom residential installations.

Commercial service is available at tiered levels of service with a 36 month contract; please contact Customer Service at 413-536-1050 to discuss the options and pricing for commercial properties.

No! Fiberspring does not charge for standard installation which includes a first floor or basement connection at your home. For multi-family units or second or third floor apartments, a site visit may be required to determine if there will be an additional charge. For all custom installation (fiber service being brought to the second or third floor) a site visit is required to determine an additional charges that may apply.

Fiberspring prides ourself on reliable and consistent customer connections! If you are having issues with your Fiberspring internet service, please contact our 24/7/365 technical support team at 413-536-1050. Our knowledgeable team is available and ready to answer your technical questions and help support you as you navigate your internet connection. If your issue cannot be resolved during your initial call, rest assured, your concern/issue will be escalated to our Network Engineer for further investigation.

If damage to a service drop or Fiberspring equipment in the home is determined to be caused by the customer, a fee may apply for restoration repair and materials.

Policy

You can access a copy of our privacy policy here:

SHELD Privacy Policy

What It Means for You The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) removed some of the consumer protections, popularly known as “net neutrality.” We know there may be some concern about what the end of net neutrality means for you and your Internet service. Briefly, we’ll describe what net neutrality means and our response to the FCC’s action. What is Net Neutrality?
The phrase “net neutrality” is most commonly used in reference to restrictions put in place by the FCC in 2015. These restrictions kept Internet Service Providers (ISPs)—the companies that provide Internet service to consumers and businesses, like us—from privileging certain types of content. It was required that every website be treated neutrally (hence “net neutrality”)—every website should load as quickly or cost the same to deliver as any other website. For example, without net neutrality, an ISP could charge Company A premium prices to load their content as fast as Company B (this is called throttling). The increase in price Company A pays would, likely, be passed on to Company A’s customers. Or, for another example, an ISP could choose to load their competitors’ websites far more slowly than their own or block them altogether, so customers who currently have service with that ISP find it difficult to switch providers (this is called blocking). Although there are pluses and minuses to the net neutrality restrictions, their intent was to protect consumers. The end of net neutrality means that ISPs can choose whether to throttle or block other websites if they desire. Our Response
We want to make it clear that we will follow the original net neutrality restrictions from 2015, even if the FCC no longer requires us to do so. · We will not prioritize certain types of content over others. · We will not throttle the speeds of various websites. · We will not filter content. We believe equal access to every part of the internet—without throttling or blocking—is not only desirable for you, our customers, but also in the best interest of the community we serve. We are your dedicated local provider and your trust is far more important than any revenue to be made by the end of net neutrality.

See the steps on canceling after a move here