Changes to Tideland's text messaging programs

Tidelanders, on Monday, Nov. 2 at 9am, we will retire our outage text messaging short code 85700. The short code will be replaced with 252.944.2400 which is also our automated services and outage reporting hotline. We will send members a text message this weekend to announce the change. To report an outage via text, just sened the word OUT to 252.944.2400. Be sure to use a cell phone that is associated with your electric account. Please update your contact information for Tideland EMC to include 252.944.2400 for outage reporting. 

Tideland has two text messaging systems. One is for outage reporting. The other is for billing system generated account notifications which include: due date reminders, high energy use alerts, FlexPay account balances, and account profile updates. Up until now, each system has used a short code for message delivery. That will change on Monday, November 2, at 9 am when those short codes are retired.

Outage text messaging short code 85700 will be retired and in its place we will use 252.944.2400.

Account driven text messaging short code 352667 will be retired and in its place we will use 252.943.3046.

It is important that you not mark these new numbers as spam or block them from your phone directory because 252.943.3046 is Tideland's primary incoming phone number. If you block the number we will not be able to call you at all. If you decide that you no longer want one or more account driven text messages, which do require your acknowledgement prior to enrollment, we recommend that you log into the member portal to update your notification options. If that is too cumbersome, give us a call at 252.943.3046 and a member service representative will make the updates for you.

You can also reply to the text message with the word STOP and you will be removed from all account driven text messages. Be careful when doing that because Tideland cannot re-enroll you once you've opted out. You will have to undertake re-enrollment on your own.

On the other hand, outage text messaging does not require that you opt-in for the initial enrollment. Federal law allows us to text members about power outages and emergency situations. You can also report a power outage via text message by texting the word OUT to 252.944.2400. You may recognize that number. It is already used for automated services and outage reporting by phone. So it is very important that you not mark that number as spam or block it in your contacts. If you don't want to receive outage text messages you simply text the word STOP to 252.944.2400. Be careful doing so. Tideland cannot re-enroll you on our own. You would have to text the letters TEMC to 252.944.2400 to begin the process of rejoining the outage text messaging program. It can take up to 4 weeks to process the enrollment.