Topic: Charter customer service
started by: LisaMarie
Posted by LisaMarie on Jan. 27 2004,1:49 pm
My internet has been on the fritz for about a week, cutting out and restarting, doing that about every half hour. I've been calling Charter and they're trying to help me over the phone, but the last tech I talked to said my modem looks fine but it could be my cable connection and they'd send someone out to check it. If that wasn't it then it was probably my router. Well, I get home at 2:55 yesterday to wait for them, supposed to be coming between 3 and 5. I wait, and wait, and wait, and nobody shows up! No phone call, nothing. I emailed Customer Service and they said the tech was there at three (liar) and nobody answered the door. They also called and a guy answered saying they had the wrong number. Whatever, my phone didn't ring and there's no guy here who could have answered the phone if they had called. So I give them the benefit of the doubt and reschedule the appointment for today. I'm working from home today so I knew there was no way I'd miss them. Did they show up? NO!! I emailed customer service AGAIN and they said the tech said he was here at 11:30 and nobody answered the door. LIAR!! My computer is eight fricking feet away from the front door and NO ONE knocked!! There's no way I could have missed it!! Son of a #%^&$#&^!!!!!
Posted by MADDOG on Jan. 27 2004,2:06 pm
It sounds pretty tipical, though, doesn't it. Personally, I don't have charter, but I'm sure you're going to get more than a few responds on similar customer services on several communication companies. I've been through this with Qwest before.On a lighter note, it reminds me of a episode from Siefeld.
Posted by LisaMarie on Jan. 27 2004,2:20 pm
What ticks me off is that it's a business account through work and we're required to have it if it's available 
I can't even tell them off and switch internet providers!
Posted by Goodyear Pimp on Jan. 27 2004,3:43 pm
If it's a business account, ask to speak to your business acount rep. They tend to assist in getting things moving...
Posted by truth on Jan. 27 2004,7:13 pm
If you want a realistic response and solution, go to YOUR boss, explain that you are not able to work from home because the cable company (that they have a contract with no doubt) is not honoring their service contract and agreement.I will almost guarantee that 1 call from your boss to the cable company will have your problem solved within 24 hours, and if your boss will not talk to them, I would go < here > and file a formal complaint. Charter's (TCI) current BBB profile can be seen < here >.
You may also want to talk with your co-workers and see if they have had the same type of treatment, if so then go to your boss collectively and request that something be done.
With the amount of competition they get from the dish companies, I highly doubt if any of the cable companies can afford to start losing corporate contracts for service.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jan. 27 2004,7:22 pm
Charter just sent a letter to the bar that due to the rising cost of espn fox sports etc they were going to raise our expanded basic cable cost by 80 dollars a month, They estimated that we have possible audience of 30 people during sporting events example superbowl sunday. Wait the law doesn't allow us to be open on Sunday. There is never thirty people in the bar watching TV. So we are droping cable and hooking back up the antenna. We can get fox free.
Posted by minnow on Jan. 27 2004,8:55 pm
Anyone without Dish for cable is fool...and a fool and his money are soon parted. That's why I lead this crowd of fools.
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Jan. 27 2004,9:19 pm
Lisa-The problem is most likely your cable modem, a friend of mine has been having the same exact problems that you have described. Hes gone around and around with them, and they keep telling him that his line is fine, when in doubt it is not. Charters main office(not A.L.'s Branch) had a tier3 tech run a chech on the line and he said quote "This is the dirtiest line I have ever seen", so don't believe the bone heads here, most of the techs that work in AL are idiots and are only tier1 techs anywhoo.
My bud told charter that it was his modem that was on the fritz, so what do they do, they gave him a new cat5 patch cable, and told him that should fix the problem, well he had me look at the modem, then sent it up to my bro and he took it to work and ran tests on it, and both of us told him the modem was FUBAR'd, so he went out and bought his own modem(I think it was a 3Com), and told charter to come pick up their POS modem, also my bud is saving $5 extra a month, cause he no longer has to lease the modem from charter.
The NO Shows that happened to you are usually because, they either got behind schedule and filled out the work order as you not being home, or they just blew you off, cause they didn't want to deal with it..
So I guess what I am trying to say here is, 'Don't believe a damm word those idiots say"
Minnow, what the hell does SAT got to do with cable internet?
If referring to SAT internet, pfffst what a joke, its damn slow, limited surf time, and costly. If referring to TV programming then yes I agree, DirecTV is the way to go...
Posted by te he he on Jan. 27 2004,11:06 pm
what does minnow know about broadband? Little minny still is living in a dial up world. LOL
Posted by minnow on Jan. 28 2004,8:45 am
Gero was telling how is cable bill got jacked and I said Dish is better that cable.Cable is cable TV for all you twit losers out there. Want broadband? There are much better choices available there too!
Losers all a ya's....dat's why I gots all da bling....and you have to quit cable and go to antennas.
Once again the minnow is a cut above...he makes AND saves more bling.
Posted by carnation on Jan. 28 2004,10:18 am
I am a happy charter customer. They have always given me exceptional service and have always been polite and helpful over the phone. They have walked me through several technical difficulties.
Posted by Tiger on Jan. 28 2004,10:39 am
Carnation that is the first good thing I have heard about Charter in quite awhile. I moved and they continued to bill my old address but sent the bills to my current address (therefore they knew the service was to be shut off at the old residence). It in turn got me all screwed up on my new service. I faxed copies of payments called and left messages and all they could tell me to do was to address the situation to my local office which is in Austin. They wouldn't give me the phone # I was told to go over there in person. Their office hours are the same as my office hours. Still nothing they could do for me. I was able to get the fax # eventually and faxed Austin a letter, they eventually got back to me and in the end got everything fixed after I had to get a bit nasty and refuse to pay the other bill. I guess my point is that it took them forever to fix the problem that they created in the first place.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jan. 28 2004,1:11 pm
Ok pond scum (minnow) For the home with 5 tvs and 4 vcrs recording and at least 3 tv s being watched at the same time as recording other channels programing that means we would hane to have 9 recievers, also an outside antenna for the local channels and purchase a sports package with satilite.costing much more than cable.
Posted by wrong agin' on Jan. 28 2004,1:29 pm
Dish is still cheaper. Dish has multible reciever packages available now, that are much lower total cost than cable. I haven't had cable in 8 years at least...maybe longer. All it takes is one to have consumers skills, the ability to find and secure true value..lower end cost.
I'm a pro at that! LOL
Posted by LisaMarie on Jan. 28 2004,3:08 pm
The biggest package deal I've seen advertised is four rooms, which means in Geo's case you'd still need another hookup, which in turn would cost more than cable. I've never had any real problems with my cable TV, just the internet that is jacking me over.
Posted by minknow on Jan. 28 2004,3:11 pm
BS...not the basic package which is NOT cable basic! Learn...know...seek out TRUE value friends!
Posted by big dog on Jan. 28 2004,3:15 pm
The quality of cable lines aren't a value at any price! I'd never stoop down to that crappy picture again...their "digital" cable is just a gimmick, a trick. It's all poor quality.
Posted by Nose for News on Jan. 28 2004,9:14 pm
Charter squeezing bar and restaurant owners (vote with your wallet and go to commercial sat )January 28th, 2004
Costly cable
Jump in cable fees irks bar owners
By Dan Nienaber
Free Press Staff Writer
MANKATO — If it's true that business expenses get passed on to the customer, it's going to cost a bit more to buy a beer in area bars with televisions.
John Cross
Elisa Fair, Tavern on the Avenue manager, might have to start charging more for drinks to help cover a jump in commercial cable fees charged by Charter Communications.
Bar owners are trying to figure out how to deal with a dramatic increase in their cable bills. It's an increase some say came with little warning from their cable provider, Charter Communications.
Ron Doty, owner of T.J. Finnegan's Pub, said he received a letter awhile ago saying a Charter representative would be contacting him to discuss a possible increase in fees.
Now he's found out his bill will increase from about $78 per month to $208 per month, a jump of about $130 or $1,560 per year. That was bad news for bar and restaurant owners who also have been told they could be asked to collect a 21ˇ2 percent tax on food and beverages to fund tourism-related projects, including improvements for Vikings training camp, Doty said.
"Everybody seems to need money this year, and they all want it from me," he said.
The increase in cable television fees will be about the same for Tavern on the Avenue, also a Charter customer, said owner Chris Person. Like Doty, he already owns a satellite dish and is wired to switch to a satellite service if the price is right.
Person suspects that services such as Dish Network have similar fees.
"I'm going to look for other options," he said. "Whether they will be cheaper or not, I don't know."
The Neighbor's restaurant and bar, which Person co-owns with his brother, Pat, will not be looking for other television options.
"I know, down there, they're going to discontinue service," Chris Person said.
The fees are being raised because Charter is now paying higher fees to ESPN, Fox Sports and The Golf Channel, said John Crowley, Charter vice president and general manager in Rochester. The cable company now pays $100 to provide programming to its hospitality customers, not including other costs of doing business such as paying wages and sending out bills, he said.
And bars and restaurants do have the option of saving $37 per month by dropping Fox Sports (contracts with ESPN keep Charter from dropping that network) or keeping the broadcast basic channels for $30 per month, Crowley said.
Mankato is not the only market affected, he added.
Having access to sporting events was a boon for business when Person bought the bar more than a decade ago.
He remembers filling the place when the Minnesota North Stars were in the National Hockey League playoffs in 1991.
That was a time when big sporting events weren't always available to people watching television at home. Now, people don't have to go to a bar to watch a big game.
Doty said he doubts any of his customers stop by to watch television. T.J. Finnegan's is a popular dance spot where the televisions serve more as flickering lights that go with the music.
"It's like glorified wallpaper," he said.
Posted by jimhanson on Jan. 28 2004,10:02 pm
Charter reclassified the Elks as a "sports bar"--and raised the fees over $500 per year. The 2 TVs are usually turned to the news/financial channels over the Noon hour--the place is closed from 2-4 p.m., and they usually have the news on during the evening. The Lodge is closed on Sundays--no sports there.They counted every seat in the bar area when determining rates--and there is no provision for protest. Desktop media's dish cost, setup, everything for two tv's for a COMMERCIAL OPERATOR is about $90 per month--just what we paid Charter--they're HISTORY.
Posted by God Bless America on Jan. 28 2004,10:28 pm
Tell Desktop Media to head to Mankato or create a Mankato branch office and get some new customers. One companies mistake is an opportunity for another.Charter is used to being a monopoly, competition confuses their over educated (book smart street ignorant) marketing people.
Let competition and free enterprise be the law of the land God Bless America.
Charter do as you wish there is also no law against stupidity in this great wonderful USA .
We live in the greatest country on earth with opportunity slapping us in the face if we just open our eyes.
God Bless America
Posted by minnow on Jan. 29 2004,9:40 am
"greatest country on earth" Horsepucky...that's not true at all. You're just blinded by self love.
Posted by irisheyes on Jan. 29 2004,6:14 pm
That's an optimistic view "God Bless America". But cable costs didn't really begin to skyrocket until the government deregulated the industry. Once that happened costs started riseing at up to 3 times the rate of inflation! The industry says that its because they've been putting more many into programming, and advertiseing (interesting, its the same line of BS the prescription drug companies are giving us).
Posted by minnow on Jan. 29 2004,7:47 pm
Don't you see? That's George Bushs America...a radical right wing America. Where corporations and their lobbyists control Washington. You can expect to get royally screwed when it comes to health care, drugs, insurance, cable, phone service. Then on the government side, he's rung up the biggest deficit in history. We are losing the middle class in America, which will make us a far more divided people. To add insult to injury, we've got local government guys like Gabe pulling down six figures while more and more people scrape by on $15 an hour or less.
The damn will break when the poor people realize that their vote counts the same as Donald Trumps. Hispanic immigrants are really the working mans friend. They can wield enough political power to turn the tide back to a prosperous middle class and more power to the working man. Only the working man can't see past race to make it happen.
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Jan. 29 2004,8:51 pm
I just saw a segment on the news tonite, that alot of the communications vendors and the like, say that the gov't that regulates their business, are also competing against them as well, seems assinine to do this.Jim- on a side note about the ELKS, what ever happened with the vote to make the dinning area NON-Smoking, I hope it failed...
Thats right I am a member, muahahahaha
Posted by irisheyes on Jan. 29 2004,9:38 pm
| Quote (minnow @ Jan. 29 2004,7:47:pm) |
| while more and more people scrape by on $15 an hour or less. |
Have you ever had job? Most of the people I know that make over $15 an hour work for the government.
Posted by frustrated on Jan. 30 2004,1:44 pm
Minnow - I didn't realize you were such a liberal?
Posted by minnow on Jan. 30 2004,3:04 pm
I'm not.
Posted by Hanna on Jan. 30 2004,4:38 pm
I live in the country and don't have access to Charter or Clearwave. I purchased a Starband system. It consists of one satelite dish, and receives TV and 2-way internet connection at about 500K download speed. I've had this system for 3 years. No problems. Good service. $100/month for internet and 150 channels of TV programming. In my opinion, it's the only way to go.Down side....$800 to purchase the equipment and have it installed. Upload speeds are only about 100K.
Still worth every penny.
Posted by GEOKARJO on Jan. 30 2004,8:40 pm
I use it too Hanna and I am totally happy witht the service.