Terms and Conditions of Use
Eligibility
eTech Ohio provides video and multimedia services to the following entities:
- Ohio K-12 School Districts; Eligible entities include Public Schools, Community Schools, qualifying Educational Service Centers, Joint Vocational Schools, Ohio School for the Deaf, Ohio School for the Blind, and the Dept. of Youth Services. Non-public schools should contact their ITC to inquire about their eligibility and application requirements for Ohio K-12 network connectivity funding.
- Ohio Educational Service Providers: Eligible entities include organizations that are state supported in scope and that have a principal mission to provide educational services primarily to the K-12 education community. Examples include Education Service Centers (ESC), Educational Technology Centers (EdTechs), Information Technology Centers (ITC), Special Educational Regional Resource Centers (SERCC), Colleges and Universities, eTech Ohio including the Ohio Public Television affiliates.
- Ohio Institutions of Higher Education: Eligible entities include, but may not be limited to, public and private - two and four year institutions, including Community Colleges, and Technical Institutes.
- State of Ohio Government: Eligible entities include, but may not be limited to state Agencies, Departments, Boards and Commissions.
- Ohio Content Providers: Eligible entities include, but are not limited to zoos, museums, art galleries, libraries, hospitals, as well as other non-profit, or for-profit organizations that provide educational content primarily to other members of the eTech Ohio video network.
Acceptable Use
The eTech Ohio video network may be used by members for the following purposes:
- Class to class distance learning (real-time, streaming, or video on-demand)
- Participation in in-state, and out of state distance learning endeavors
- Video on demand, or streaming services provided by a commercial vendor
- Administrative meetings by the officials, teachers, administrators, or employees of member participants
- Collaborative academic and research exchanges among students, staff, faculty, administration and researchers
- Media, such as audio, video and still images, are subject to intellectual property rights and copyright laws just as text materials are. The originating site is responsible for ensuring that notice for copyright or other intellectual property rights are properly displayed
- Content Providers may use the eTech video network for the following purposes:
- Content providers may use the network to supply video content (real-time, streamed, or on demand) to any member of the eTech Ohio video network
- Content providers may also supply these services to non-member entities, so long as there is an eTech Ohio video member involved in the event
Scheduling & Conferencing
- Connections to sites outside of the video network using ISDN PRI gateway services, satellite uplinks or downlinks or other services may incur additional charges. Contact the eTech Ohio VNOC if you have questions about connection charges for a specific meeting.
- Members must check the availability of rooms with all site contacts before scheduling a conference using TC Reliance.
- Conferences must be scheduled using TC Reliance no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of a conference. All scheduled conferences will be confirmed via email through TC Reliance.
- To schedule conferences with less than 24-hour notice, members must call the eTech Ohio VNOC at 877-843-3640 or 614-485-6640. Resources are subject to availability.
- Pre-test time is not built into scheduled conferences. eTech Ohio recommends that schedulers build-in a 20-minute pretest.
- Members must have their conference equipment turned on 20 minutes prior to the start of each conference. If your site does not connect within 5 minutes of the pretest start time call the eTech Ohio VNOC at 877-843-3640 or 614-485-6640.
- Members must schedule all ISDN PRI gateway service calls using TC Reliance. Resources are subject to availability.
- Members scheduling ISDN PRI calls must provide the ISDN number for the off-network rooms. Off-network rooms dialing into the network will receive a confirmation email that includes a 10-digit phone number that the off-network room will use to dial into the video bridge.
- To insure high quality video and audio, eTech Ohio has standardized on a transmission rate of 384 Kbps at 30 fps (frames per second) for video bridge conferences. ISDN PRI calls are limited to 384kbps.
- The eTech Ohio VNOC will not add a site to a scheduled conference without approval from the conference requester (scheduler).
- Continuous presence resources are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- IPVCR rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- IPVCR recordings will be stored for a 15 day period at which time they are removed to make room for new recordings. eTech highly recommends that you follow instructions for downloading a recording.
- Fee-based rooms in a conference are charged per minute of use. Charges begin the minute each fee-based room is connected to the bridge.
- All cancellations must be done 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of a videoconference using TC Reliance. In the event you must cancel a scheduled conference with less than 24-hour notice, you must phone in or email your request to the eTech VNOC Help Desk. No penalties will be assessed if notification is received in this manner. If not received in this manner, you will be charged 100% of any associated conference fees.
Technical
- Operating hours for the eTech Ohio VNOC are 7:00 am to 10:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday. Conferences scheduled before or after those times will not be monitored. The eTech Ohio VNOC Help Desk is closed on state holidays when offices are closed.
- eTech Ohio will take reasonable measures to ensure the Service is available without significant interruption, notwithstanding scheduled downtime needed to help maintain effective operation of the Service. However, difficulties with hardware, software, equipment and services supplied by others may result in service interruptions. In no event will eTech Ohio be liable to any party for any loss, cost or damage that results from any period of down time suffered by the Service.
Billing
- All bridging calls are billed on actual connected time.
- Flat rate and Hourly rate services are billed on a month-to-month basis. Hourly rate members exceeding monthly allocation of plan hours will be billed at a rate of $10/hr ($500 service plan) or $7.50/hr ($750 service plan). Fee based services incurred during that month are in addition to flat rate or hourly rate services and will be added to monthly bills.
- Hourly Rate Video Services are based on purchasing minimum room hours per month. Unused room hours do not carry over month to month. Upon cancellation of an account, no refunds will be issued for unused room hours.
- A month is defined as a period that starts at the beginning of the calendar month or on the date of initiation of service (for example, March 12, 2009, through March 31, 2009).
- Members may cancel his or her subscription at any time. When a subscription is cancelled, the service is de-activated immediately. NOTE: Absolutely NO refunds will be given for the remaining portion of the billing month after a cancellation.
- No refunds or credits will be issued except in exceptional cases involving the failure or unavailability of the service. eTech Ohio will endeavor to work with the client to determine an appropriate solution to any problem that may arise.
- Recurring service will not be terminated unless the customer specifically requests that this be done. eTech Ohio requires 30 days' notice for termination of a recurring service.
User Information and Privacy
- By registering for the Service we provide a username, password and video room URL link. You may not disclose or share the username or password with any unauthorized third parties or use your username or password for any unauthorized purpose. If you lose control of either your username or password, you may lose control over your sensitive information on the Service and you agree that eTech Ohio will not be responsible. If you believe that your username or password has been stolen or otherwise compromised, immediately contact eTech Ohio VNOC Help Support Desk.
- Users should be aware that, subject to certain statutory exceptions, most documents and records maintained by the state of Ohio, including but not limited to electronic data, are public records under Ohio law. Therefore, information submitted through this service may be subject to disclosure pursuant to a public records request.