ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Introduction

Compass Communications Limited information resources (i.e., information maintained in electronic form and systems that process, store, or transmit such information) are the property of Compass Communications Limited as a matter of law or content. To ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of such assets Compass Communications Limited must impose certain responsibilities upon the users of these assets. The Acceptable Use Policy defines these responsibilities for Acceptable Use.

Compliance

All Internet service users are required to comply with this Policy. All violations of the Acceptable Use Policy will be reviewed for appropriate action that could include termination of access.

Use

Use is constituted by establishing electronic data communications with the Compass Communications Limited network or the networks of any of its licensees, franchisees, or subsidiaries.

Prohibited Use

Use of the Compass Communications Limited network for illegal or improper activities of any kind, including unauthorised use (or attempted unauthorised use) of Compass Communications Limited machines or other machines on the Internet or any other network accessible through the Compass Communications Limited network, forging header information or user identification information, and software piracy is prohibited.

Posting or transmitting any information or software which contains a virus, illicit code, or other harmful components is prohibited.

Transmitting or accessing any information prohibited by the laws of any jurisdiction under which the customer or Compass Communications Limited or any of its licensees, franchisees, or subsidiaries operate is prohibited.

"System Abuse" is defined as any action that constitutes illegal or unacceptable behaviour and is strictly prohibited. The following examples are provided for guidance and are not inclusive of all actions that could be construed as abuse:

Sending large numbers (more than 10) of unsolicited mail messages including the sending of junk mail or spamming or advertising to individuals who have not specifically requested the material.

Sending large email attachments. We may impose a limit on the size of email messages that our network will send or receive. As a guideline you should not send more that 5 Megabytes per message.

Posting the same or similar messages to large numbers (more than 5) of Usenet newsgroups.

Attempts to interfere with or deny service to any user or host.

Attempts to circumvent user authentication or the security of any host, network, or account.

Use of any program, utility, or file that can be used to gain unauthorised access.

Harassing of any kind of other users or accounts.

Forging header information.

Posting or forwarding chain letters, Multi-Level Marketing Schemes, or other materials prohibited by New Zealand law, and any laws or statutes within any jurisdiction within which the customer, Compass Communications Limited, any of its licensees, franchisees, or subsidiaries, or the recipient or recipients of said material operate.

Use of any program, script, or other automated material, including Internet Relay Chat (IRC) scripts or programs that interfere with or deny service to other users on any server or host.

Any unreasonable activity that causes a complaint by other users or accounts.

Engaging in any of the foregoing activities using the service of another provider, but channeling such activities through the Compass Communications Limited network or the networks of any of its licensees, franchisees, or subsidiaries.

Any activity that is illegal in any jurisdiction.

Remedies

Abuse of service is prohibited by Compass Communications Limited. Compass Communications Limited reserves the right to terminate any account, block offending activity, or take any other actions reasonably deemed by Compass Communications Limited to be appropriate, with or without notice to involved parties. Compass Communications Limited does and will cooperate with all judicial and law enforcement organisations as required.

Network Time Out Policy

Session Time Out is the automatic log off of your online session when you have reached the maximum session time set by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Compass Communications Limited current Session Time Out Policy will allow customers to remain logged onto the Compass Communications Limited Internet Network for up to four hours per session. Every four hours the system may end your online session and you will be forced to redial to connect a new online session.

Idle Time Out is the automatic log off of your online session when you have not transferred data in an idle period set by your ISP.

Compass Communications Limited current Idle Time Out Policy will allow customer to remain logged onto the Compass Communications Limited Internet Network idle for up to twenty minutes without ending their online session. Once the twenty minute idle threshold has been met the online session may automatically be disconnected.

The reason that ISPs use session time out and idle time out is to avoid ‘line camping’. Line camping is when customers keep their Internet connection active even when they are not using the Internet. This prevents other customers from logging on to the network and can cause congestion problems like busy signals.

Responsibility of Internet Users

The customer will be held accountable for all use and/or abuse taking place using any accounts registered under his or her name. For this reason, account sharing is discouraged. It is the customer's responsibility to secure his or her own account against unauthorised access through the use of secure passwords, and by securing any equipment the customer uses to access the Compass Communications Limited network. Customer agrees to assume all responsibility for actions taking place using his or her account by any individual, regardless of relation.

Parental Supervision

One of the inherent features of the Internet is a lack of censorship. Although access to Internet resources can be filtered with software available from a number of sources, including the Internet itself, none is foolproof. Consequently there is no substitution for the presence of a parent during the Internet sessions of minors. We remind you that Compass Communications cannot be responsible for the content found on the Internet.

Reporting Abuse

Any observed or suspected abuse by a user of the Compass Communications Limited network should be reported to the special account setup for receiving such complaints, abuse@kwik.net.nz . All reports should include as much information as possible about the abuse and about the perpetrator of said abuse. Any logs or other records of said abuse should be included in the report. If the abuse was perpetrated via email or Usenet news, a full copy of the offending mail or post should be made available including full headers. Compass Communications Limited will investigate any reports of abuse and take whatever action it deems necessary to rectify the situation, if the complaint is found to be valid.

Exception Criteria

Requested exceptions to this Acceptable Use Policy must be submitted to the Internet Product Manager, including justification and benefits attributed to the exception, and must be approved by the Internet Product Manager and/or the Chief Executive Officer, and/or the Board of Directors of Compass Communications Limited.

Purpose

This Policy has been established to meet Compass Communications Limited strategies and goals relating to information systems security. The directives contained in this Policy address and incorporate methodologies to ensure Compass Communications Limited compliance with standard accepted security practices.

The rules and general code of conduct outlined in this Policy are in accordance with those generally expected by ISPs internationally. We hope you will find these rules reasonable and fair. They need to be upheld in order to make Internet use enjoyable for all.

Contacts

General Manager Kwik Net

Compass Communications Limited

PO Box 2533

Auckland

Or email: abuse@kwik.net.nz