What You Need To Know About Utility Easements

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Did you know that you may have several types of utility lines running under or over your land as a property owner?ay have several types of utility lines running under or over your land as a property owner – for example, electric, gas or telecommunications lines like those used by Race Communications. If these lines exist, a utility company can access them if there’s a problem, and that means they can go onto your property to do so. Here’s what you should know about utility easements and what you can expect as a property owner.

Firstly, while you may own the land, but utility companies will have the right to use your land to access their equipment: Utility easements are usually written into your deed. If you’re not sure if there’s an easement on your property, it’s best to do a title search to find out. A utility easement will transfer with the land, or “run with the land”—that is, if you sell your house, the next owner buys your house and land with the easement on it. Sometimes there’s nothing in writing showing a utility easement, but an easement is usually implied when you buy a house that comes with running water, cable, electricity or gas, and other utilities.

Property owners have the right to use the land as they see fit, including the easement area, so long as they’re not obstructing the easement itself. For example, if there’s a written easement for a company to use a small corridor along your property to access its equipment in the back, you can’t build anything on it or obstruct that corridor. If you do, the utility company can remove the obstruction or even destroy it if it interferes with the easement.

That doesn’t mean you can’t build a fence, or plant shrubs or flowers along the border, so long as they don’t interfere with the utility companies’ access to their equipment. Remember that your deed permits utility companies to access it whenever needed so that they can take you to court—they can ask the judge for an injunction to stop you from blocking entry onto your property—for violating the easement.

One way to avoid damage to utility lines placed on your property, is to call 811 before you dig! Race Communications recently shared a blog post on the importance of utility markings prior to kicking off any projects around your property. We hope we’ve been able to answer your questions on utility easements and what they mean for you as a property owner!

‘Tis the season! Watch out for these scams!

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Scams aren’t new; they’ve been around for decades. With technological advances and the rise of the Internet, scams have gotten more elaborate and convincing. They are used to con the most unsuspecting and vulnerable among us.

Most of us have heard of the more common cons out there, such as claims of false inheritances as well as IRS and social security scams. However, new scams are on the rise and they are not always as easy to spot! We have compiled a list with some of the current cons out there! The best way to combat scammers is to be aware of the scams, making you less likely to fall for them! Here’s what to look for so you don’t become a victim.


Free WiFi scams:
Free WiFi scams have become increasingly common, as most of us tend to jump on WiFi when we’re not at home or at the office, as we work to preserve our allotted cellular data for the month. The next time you’re looking for a wireless hotspot and locate one called Free WiFi, beware! These WiFi scams enable hackers to access personal information, emails, usernames, passwords and credit card numbers. This can happen anywhere you try to connect to the internet while on the go, but it is especially prevalent at airports.

Social Media Q&A Scams:
Sometimes on Facebook, people may share “viral” posts which include questions such as: “What was your first car?” or “Who was your best friend as a child?”. If you’ve noticed the most common security questions on Apple or your bank’s website, you’ll notice that these are very much the same. Don’t ever answer them on a public forum such as Facebook or Instagram! If people can get one or two answers like this, they can get into your accounts claiming they’ve forgotten your password.

Utility Scams:
Fraudsters have been taking advantage of rising utility bills to prey on consumers and steal personal and financial information. There are two common types of utility scams—the phone call from a fake representative of your utility company and the more brazen door-to-door promotional pricing or product scam. These scams are particularly prevalent in California with scammers pretending to represent SCE, PG&E and other local utility companies. For example, customers have been notified through phone calls and emails of overdue bills that appear to be sent form PG&E and need to be paid for immediately. Other times, the companies ask for deposits due to new changes in policies, etc.

If you believe you have been scammed or believe someone has attempted to defraud you, be sure and tell the FTC. Your reports help the FTC and law enforcement partners stop scammers. We hope you found this information useful and hope you share your newfound knowledge with your loved ones to help protect them from the long-term damage financial crimes can do.

Please keep in mind that Race will never ask for any personal information through email and all official communication will come from a race.com domain and late notices are always sent on official Race letterhead. Our company does not seek out deposits to fund our fiber deployment nor do we require payments via money orders or gift cards.  

If you’re ever in doubt about someone who claims to represent Race, be sure to ask for their company badge as it is required for all our employees to have proper identification when interacting with customers.

Thinking about breaking out your shovel?

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Calling 811 can save you some trouble!

Race Communications recently experienced a major interruption in service throughout California due to a cut fiber line. Cut fiber lines tend to occur during this time of year as this glorious warm weather is a great motivator when it comes to getting home-improvement projects done!

Whether you’re finally getting around to fixing up the patio or you’re adding a new and improved garage or shed, calling 811 should be your very first step! You never know what may be lurking underground.

Water, gas, and electricity are just some of the utilities that may be underground on your property – not to mention your precious fiber lines for internet and phone services. Surely you wouldn’t want to disrupt your service (or your neighbor’s service)! In order to avoid a major headache in the form of a burst water pipe or electrical outage, be sure to call 811 at least two business days before you plan to dig. 

The 811 call center will then ensure that all public utilities are notified about the upcoming dig on your property. You may be asked to mark the area you plan to dig with white paint or white flags, which can be found at many hardware stores.

Then, each organization, either by themselves or via a hired third-party, will mark the area of each utility. Each type of utility has a different color so that you will know what is where. Not sure what the colors are? Here’s a quick recap:

The designated color for drinking water is blue; sewer is green, and gas, oil and steam are all marked yellow. Red is the color for electrical utilities and orange signifies communications – like internet, telephone and TV.

When you call 811, they will also mark for public utilities which are the ones that use the public right of way (or easement) to your house. You’ll need to keep an extra eye out for these as these lines could be responsible for providing service to entire neighborhoods.

So again, don’t break out that shovel before you make the call to 811! Be prepared that the representative will ask you some questions in order to process your request, including your address and nearby cross streets, city, county, the type and scope of the digging project, and a contact number. Now, what are you waiting for? Better get started on that “honey-do” list!

Race COVID-19 Notice

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March 17, 2020

Dear Valued Race Customer,

The Health and Safety of our employees and customers remains our top priority here at Race.  We continue to closely monitor the State and Federal updates and have our staff in direct communication with the CPUC and State CIO offices.   Our State is adapting and changing on a daily basis to stay ahead of the virus.  Your Race Team is evaluating these guidelines and protocols and adjusting company policies to adapt to these new conditions.

Race understands that now more than ever that our customers need to stay connected.  We are taking steps to assure all our customers can stay in touch with work, school and news.   Our staff will continue to work our normal business hours and our Network Operation Center (NOC) will continue to operate 24/7 to ensure the reliability and performance of our network.

Safety for our Technicians during site visits

  • We are continually educating staff on best hygiene and social distancing practices and are cleaning our equipment and vehicles on a regular basis.
  • When our installation or service work can be performed on the outside of the business or home, we will complete the work without customer contact.

How can our customers help?

  • If you or a member of your household or business are experiencing flu-like symptoms and have a scheduled appointment, please call our service center at 877 722 3833 to reschedule the appointment.

Public locations closed

  • Race has closed all public offices that have customer contact.
    • When returning equipment please mail to:
    • 1170 E. Tehachapi Blvd. Suite C Tehachapi, CA  93561

Service Calls

  • At this time Race is scheduling service calls for interruption of data or phone services as priority calls.
  • To limit the number of calls to our call center, Race customers can email support@race.com or chat with a support tech at race.com by clicking the icon on the lower right-hand side.

Race has designed and built our fiber networks to be able to sustain maximum capacity.  With our NOC working 24/7 we will continue to monitor the network to maintain peak performance.

For our Race Enterprise customers, we continue to provide you the support you need.   If you are experiencing demands on your networks by your new remote workforce, please contact our support team to evaluate your connection.

Race will continue to send updates as conditions change.

Thank you,

The Race Team

New Year, New You: Connecting to a Healthier Lifestyle

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It’s no secret that gyms see a spike in sign-ups every January… or that all those new members typically abandon their health goals by February. If you’ve tried and failed to keep resolutions before, you may even wonder if it’s worth trying to live a healthier lifestyle in 2020. But you can do this! To make it a little bit easier, we’ve rounded up seven apps and tools that will keep you motivated and on track. Read on to discover everything you need to make this year your healthiest year yet.

#1: Echelon Smart Connect Bike

Much like the popular Peloton Bike (but with options at half the price), Echelon’s smart exercise bike streams live classes and on-demand workouts to keep you in the saddle and on the move. Already have an exercise bike? Just download the app to get the “smart” ride experience and enjoy studio fitness classes from the privacy of your own home.

#2: Mirror

This sleek, dual-purpose fitness tool is everything you need for revamping your fitness this year! The Mirror is both a mirror and a screen for streaming, so you can watch your NYC studio instructor and yourself at the same time. Choose between dance cardio, yoga, boxing, or many other active options, then jump into a live class or pick one on demand. When turned off, Mirror acts as a regular mirror with a modern design that blends seamlessly into your home decor.

#3: Aaptiv

Whether you want to work out at home, in the gym, or in the great outdoors, Aaptiv makes it easy to get a personal trainer’s guidance every step of the way. Simply check your workout suggestions for the day, then tap to stream guided audio workouts for running, strength training, yoga, and more. Each workout is paired with a playlist, so you can move to the beat as you crush your goals. Plus team challenges, an in-app “team” feed, and a feature that measures your workout streak provide all the motivation you need to get active with Aaptiv every day this year!

#4: MyFitnessPal

As you get fit in 2020, exercise is only half the battle. That’s why MyFitnessPal is here to help you form healthier eating habits, too. This app allows you to set goals, track your food intake, and monitor your progress over time. There is also an in-app community which offers all the encouragement you need to remember you’re not in this alone. You’ve got this!

#5: Sleep++

As you tackle new, healthy habits, don’t forget to give your body the rest it needs to recover each day! For Apple users, the Sleep++ app helps you uncover your sleep patterns by tracking how long (and how well) you sleep. Check the easy-to-read data analytics and make adjustments over time to ensure you’re getting the shut-eye you need to stay on track and healthy in the new year.

#6: Sensoria Smart Socks

If you want to maintain a long-term running plan, you have to avoid injury. And if you want to avoid injury, you have to make sure you’re running correctly and safely. Fortunately, these smart socks provide real-time feedback on your running form! Outfitted with tiny textile sensors under each foot, the conductive fibers act as a circuit board that gathers information with each movement. The app provides audio and video cues throughout your run so you can make little tweaks to ensure every workout is smart and safe.

#7: Shopwell

Does finding healthy options in the grocery store leave you confused and overwhelmed? Shopwell has your back. Start by creating a food profile to set goals, note allergies and health concerns, and even record your likes and dislikes. This handy app will make recommendations for healthy foods to grab on your next grocery run. You can even scan labels to find out instantly whether that snack you discover in aisle 3 is a good choice to keep you on track.

Are you ready to get fit and healthy in 2020? Call Race today to make sure your internet can power the apps and tools you need to achieve your goals!