Frequently Asked Questions Archives

Picture this - it's late and you realize as you're falling asleep that you forgot to send an important presentation to your boss, the kind of important that is supposed to be on their desk by 8:00 a.m. Ever been there? I know I have, and there is nothing more frustrating than being in absolute dire need to use your high-speed internet, and receiving a painful lesson in the life of a dial-up user. Just as important is knowing that your high-speed connection can be upgraded at a reasonable cost to you and your family.

It can be confusing when faced with several options for high-speed service, and not being sure what exactly the differences are between the 1.5 Mbps, 3.0 Mbps and 6.0 Mbps speeds common with many Internet services. If you are in our system, upon entering your address, you may be unsure of which speed is most appropriate for your specific needs. You may be a serious online gamer, online-business owner or a very protective parent looking to provide safe and secure Internet for you children. Regardless of your Internet requirements, there are a few distinct differences between each speed, so I've listed a few below to help you decide which is best.

768 Kbps

• Price: Basic high-speed service for those on a strict budget.


• If you are simply looking for a connection that provides reliable Internet for basic searching, school projects, e-mail and browsing common sites, this speed will deliver reasonable download times that are still much faster than dial up.


• Not ideal for downloading large picture, video or music files

1.5 Mbps

• Price: Ideal for those on a tight budget who want to download a bit more aggressively than a basic high-speed customer.


• Ample download speeds for searching sites, receiving e-mails and downloading songs, though I wouldn't recommend trying multiple media downloads with this connection. A single four minute song will generally download in less than a minute.


• Upload speeds for sending files and e-mails are a bit tight, so if you are an aspiring YouTube videographer, upgrading would be a wise choice.

3.0 Mbps

• Price: Reasonable prices are available, as Internet providers often offer special deals and incentives with 3.0 Mbps packages and above.


• Ideal for all of the above listed downloading, as well as watching streaming video and television.


• Provides a solid online gaming experience


• Faster upload speeds for posting pictures and video on sites like Myspace and YouTube, as well as the ability to check your email and multi-task while still surfing other sites. Having multiple windows open with basic high-speed can really bog down your Internet experience.

6.0 Mbps

• Generally the most expensive option, though as previously mentioned, many companies offer special incentives like cash back for the 3.0 Mbps packages and above. The reason for the higher pricing is simple: You are certainly paying for the advantages of download speed up to four times faster than 1.5 mbps, giving you the ability to watch, surf, download and multi-task to your heart's desire.


• Better gaming experience with faster uploads for hosting online matches.


• Download, watch movies online, download entire albums and so much more. While the price may turn some away, the combination of download speeds and special deals for upgrading to the top-of-the-line speeds make this an ideal option for just about any Internet customer.

WhiteFence has been featured on some consumer blogs lately and I've noticed that there are a few questions and concerns that a lot of people have when learning about us for the first time. I thought I would take a few minutes to address some of those questions here in case any of our regular readers (Hi, Mom and Dad!) have the same type of questions.

Why do you need my address?
The prices and services that we offer from our providers vary depending on where you live. Sometimes, they even vary within the same zip code! We want to make sure you get the most accurate information possible before you order services. Your address helps us do that.

What happens to my address information once I enter it? Do you sell it to other companies?
When you enter your address to find information about services available through WhiteFence, your information stays private. We do not sell, rent or give your information away. The only time your information is shared with a service provider is when you complete an order with them. They have to know where you live to set up your service!

Why can I only see certain providers for my area?
We are committed to creating new business and technology partnerships with the best home service providers to make sure you have the most choices available in your area. When you enter your address, our proprietary transaction engine shows you all of the providers and pricing plans available to you through WhiteFence. However, there are areas where we do not have partnerships with certain providers. In those cases, we are not able to connect you to their services.

Why should I use WhiteFence?
Use WhiteFence if you want to save time when moving to a new house or apartment. Instead of calling around to set up or transfer your electricity, phone, cable, Internet, natural gas, newspapers, renters insurance, etc., you can connect them all in one place in just a few minutes. Or use WhiteFence to save money! Take advantage of our comparison shopping if you are adding a new service or unhappy with a provider you are currently using. We want to make it easier for you to get connected to the services you want and need for your home. It really is that simple.

I hope these answer some of your important questions about what we do here at WhiteFence. For more information, see our About Us section. If you still have questions, check out the FAQ section of the Home Services Guide or contact us. You can even comment to this post with your questions. Stephanie and I will do everything we can to answer them. We love to hear from our customers! 

Yes, you can call your service provider directly. You can also contact WhiteFence customer service at 1-866-839-5838.

You will find out your deposit amount once your order has been accepted. When the order is accepted and there is a deposit, the provider will indicate this information in the deposit field of your "My Orders" page. Remember, a deposit is different from an initial charge. Although the initial charge may include the deposit amount, this is not always the case.

To order services through WhiteFence, you will need an e-mail address. Fortunately, signing up for a free e-mail address is easy. Popular free e-mail account providers are Yahoo! Mail and MSN Hotmail. Several other e-mail providers are availble as well. Once you obtain an e-mail address that you can access, you can order the services that you need from WhiteFence.

Definitely! You can order all the services you need for your home at the same time. However, you should only order service from one provider in each category as ordering from several providers in one category may cause delays. For example, if you request service from multiple electricity providers, it could cause a delay in your service being turned on while the electricity providers sort out which provider should service your address.

Order processing time varies per provider. Some orders may be processed in as short as 24 hours, while others may take up to two weeks. You can always check the status of your order by logging back into WhiteFence with your user name and password and viewing the "My Orders" page. If you are worried that your order is taking too long to process, feel free to call WhiteFence customer service at 1-866-839-5838.

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the V-chip is a technology that lets parents block television programming they do not want their children to watch. Most television shows now include a rating, as established by the broadcasting industry. This rating is encoded into the programs,  and the V-chip technology reads the encoded information and blocks shows accordingly.

Using your remote control, parents can program the V-chip to block certain shows based on their ratings. If you lose your remote or need help programming the V-chip, contact the manufacturer of your television for a replacement or operating instructions.

WhiteFence understands that not all consumers like to orders services through the Internet. Therefore, WhiteFence has established call centers to take orders and assist customers with any questions they may have regarding several of their Web sites. Current WhiteFence sites that offer order hotlines include:

• MoveTX.com
• DallasMove.com
• MoveHouston.com
• ConnectMyCable.com
• ConnectMyDTV.com
• ElectricityTexas.com

Have you been looking for information about your state's utility regulations? You should look at your state's public utility Web site to find out about utilities in your state. This site on the Consumer Action Website lists street address and Websites for all 50 states' public utility commissions.

Telephone slamming occurs when a consumer's phone provider is changed without the consumer's consent. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has several liability rules in place to deter this illegal practice. If you have noticed your phone service provider has been changed without your consent, you should consult the FCC's Web page on slamming. The site details what procedures you should follow to ensure you are treated fairly. You can also read the FCC's Slamming Fact Sheet, which gives good tips on how to avoid being slammed.

You can easily pay your rent using WhiteFence. RentPayment makes it simple by enabling you to pay with a credit card. For a small charge per transaction, WhiteFence facilitates payment of not only rent, but deposit fees, application fees and other expenses as well. You can go to WhiteFence and enter your address if you are interested in signing up for RentPayment.

WhiteFence allows consumers to comparison shop for a wide variety of services, such as change of address forms, local phone service, long distance phone service, VoIP service, digital phone service, satellite radio subscriptions, satellite Internet service, cable television, satellite television, electricity, natural gas, high speed Internet access, newspaper subscriptions, furniture rental and other household services. Consumers can choose from a wide variety of providers, including AT&T, Verizon, Qwest, Sprint, OPEX, BellSouth, EarthLink, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox, Charter, DISH  Network and DIRECTV.

The most important information for a resident to have when they contact WhiteFence is their name and address. Make sure that you give the WhiteFence customer service representative the exact name that is on your order. If you are having an issue with a service provider, then you will need to provide the customer service representative with the provider's name. In general, the more details that you are able to communicate with the customer service representative, the better he/she will be able to help you.

If you discover a mistake on your change of address form once you've already submitted the form, you will need to contact your local post office to correct the problem. At your post office, you will need to request a cancel forwarding order and replace your order. To find out where the closest post office is to your home, you can call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).

The convenience of WhiteFence is that you can use the same account forever. When you move out of your current residence you can simply go to the 'Moving Out' link in the left menu. Here you can enter your new address and the system will pull the providers for your new area.

DSL is a form of high speed Internet that allows you to connect to the Internet through your normal phone line. A benefit of DSL is that although you may be using your phone line for the DSL high speed Internet, you can still make phone calls on your phone line.

But limitations with DSL do exist. DSL is not available nationwide and can only maintain a good signal if you are close to a provider's central office. As you get further away from a central office, your DSL service will slow down. If you find that DSL is not available in your area, your other options are cable high speed Internet or satellite high speed Internet. To find out if you can get DSL at your home, or look at alternatives to DSL high speed Internet, you can use WhiteFence to compare and connect high speed Internet providers.

Currently, we only submit Change of Address forms that are within the United States. If you are moving outside the United States, contact your current local post office to change your address to another country. If you are moving into the United States from another country, you should contact the postal service in the country you are moving from to change your address.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, deregulation is the act or process of removing rules or regulations. As it applies to electricity, deregulation was sought to aid competition among electricity providers. Congress passed the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act in 1978. This act opened wholesale power markets to non-utility producers of electricity, creating the foundation for electricity deregulation.

With the Energy Policy Act of 1992, congress tried to promote greater competition in the bulk power market. Through this act, states were allowed to restructure their electric power industry to create more competition. As states across the nation adopt deregulation, they are experiencing varied amounts of success.

One state that has had a great deal of success with electricity deregulation is Texas. Several state governments are looking at Texas's deregulation system for guidance. If you live in Texas and would like to see the variety of electricity providers available in your area, you can go to WhiteFence.

With WhiteFence, you have your choice between several providers, from AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet to DIRECTV satellite. Once you have finished signing up and your service has begun with the provider you have chosen, all correspondence about your service should be made directly with your service provider. When you need to pay your first bill for a service you signed up for with WhiteFence, you should receive a bill in the mail from the provider that you selected. If you do not receive your bill in a timely manner or if you have questions about your bill, please contact your service provider directly.

Once the change of address form is submitted to WhiteFence, it could take 10-14 business days for you to begin receiving mail at your new address. If you do not receive your mail in this time frame, you should contact your local post office to report the problem.

We have guidelines in place to deter anyone from inputting fraudulent information into our change of address service. As stated on the WhiteFence Web site, submitting false or inaccurate information is subject to punishment by fine or imprisonment or both under Sections 2, 1001, 1702, of Title 18, United States Code.

With so many options for services nowadays, it is smart to make sure you read thoroughly any order you make online. Some important links that you should look for on your order page when ordering a service through WhiteFence include your plan details, your package details, terms and conditions and return and cancelation policies.

Also, you should also make sure that your service charge and your initial charges are what you expect them to be before you submit your order, as some additional services may change these prices. Make sure to check your account summary once you have completed your order to check your order status. If you have any questions about your order, please call or email WhiteFence's customer service department.

Currently, no. When a user submits a change of address order, WhiteFence submits a permanent change of address with the post office.  If the user needs to change his address for other services or identification, he/she still will need to contact the offices responsible, like customer service for their magazine subscriptions or their local DMV to make changes.

Our change of address service is one of the most frequently used features of WhiteFence. The change of address feature allows a user to simply go to WhiteFence, fill out the form and click the submit button. We print the cards, sign them for the user and send them out. The user authorizes WhiteFence to sign and act as an agent when they check the Authorization box. When the user checks 'Yes,' that allows WhiteFence to file an official mail forwarding change of address form on the user's behalf. By clicking the submit button at the end of the order form, the user is electronically signing and dating the authorization and consenting to the use of electronic records for the purposes listed in the authorization. 

Customer service is an important aspect of the WhiteFence services.  We are usually the first to be aware of an issue or problem that is affecting the resident, leasing staff or service provider. Customer service takes the feedback and relays the reoccurring issues to the proper departments. Our customer service representatives are well trained and here to help you navigate the site, track your order and make sure your experience using the WhiteFence services are satisfactory. Feel free to call these representatives if you have any issues with our Web site.