Charter

DIRECTV vs Charter

With DIRECTV great value comes standard. You simply get more for your money. Cable’s pricing is often confusing and varies greatly from region to region. With DIRECTV, you get the same great channels and the same low rates no matter where you live.

See our channel line up with pricing and compare to your cable bill! DIRECTV offers more channels at a better quality for less money. Judge the facts for yourself.

With DIRECTV, local channels are included with every package. You’ll also get the best selection of specialty, sports, educational, and premium networks. DIRECTV has also been consistently growing in subscribers over the years. Cable can’t say the same. With a lot of the major cable companies posting losses over the past few years, it seems that a lot of consumers have realized they’ll get better service, more channels, and a better overall experience with DIRECTV – all for less than cable!

Charter has even filed for bankruptcy as of March 29, 2009.

The choice is clear. DIRECTV always has been and will remain the leader in high quality entertainment. If you want the best value while also getting the best entertainment experience out there, don’t keep paying high prices for mediocre service. See what you’re missing and switch to DIRECTV today!

Charter High-Definition vs DIRECTV HD Programming

Do you have a new HDTV or are you about to get one? Then you should know…DIRECTV is the leader in high definition programming with over 130 of the best HD channels. Charter Cable doesn’t even come close! Your HDTV is a big investment, don’t settle for a limited HD channel selection with Charter, get the best with DIRECTV. DIRECTV broadcasts every channel nationally, you get them no matter where you live.

With DIRECTV you watch all your local news and primetime shows in crystal-clear HD picture. DIRECTV offers HD Local Channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) and HD Regional Sports Channels in most metro areas. Use our website right rail navigation to check Local Channels in your area.

Call us toll free and let our DIRECTV Experts help you make the right entertainment choice for your family and budget. Or click here for the latest DIRECTV New Customer Promotion.

Charter Files for Bankruptcy

On March 29, 2009 Charter Communications filed for Bankruptcy.

Charter already suffers from very low Customer Satisfaction scores, as reported by J.D. Power & Associates. One wonders just how painful it will be to remain a Charter subscriber.

DIRECTV Packages Beat Charter

DIRECTV’s packages have a luxury of choice. With DIRECTV you get award winning customer service, 100% digital-quality picture and sound on every channel, exclusive sports, over 130 channels in HD, acceess to more than 265 channels and much more. And the good news is that you now have a choice! Vote with a subscription to DIRECTV satellite TV and join our 16 million customers!

So don’t settle for cable, upgrade your television experience today! Call us toll free and let one of our DIRECTV experts help you choose the DIRECTV Channel Package that best suits your family and budget.

Charter is Criticized

Charter's history of very poor customer service, poor customer support and frequent billing problems, lead the Better Business Bureau to issue a warning to consumers about the company.

DIRECTV Ranks #1 in Customer Service

In sharp contrast, DIRECTV has scored higher customer satisfaction ratings than cable for eight years running. (2008 American Customer Satisfaction Index, University of Michigan Business School.)

DIRECTV prides itself on customer service, providing free installation and award winning customer and technical support. You can finally enjoy the television service you deserve – no more hassles and agrevation!

DIRECTV Customer Promise

DIRECTV strives to deliver the best television experience for you every day. Committed to the principles of honesty and integrity, DIRECTV employees are determined to provide you with prompt, courteous and excellent service. DIRECTV promises to do its best to resolve any issues that might arise as quickly as possible. And DIRECTV will continue to develop unique, innovative programming and services that you have come to expect and enjoy from DIRECTV.

This is DIRECTV's promise to you. What is Charter promising you?

DIRECTV: 100% Digital Quality

DIRECTV broadcasts every channel in 100% digital-quality picture and sound. With DIRECTV you can keep your TV and you don’t need to buy a converter box! Plus, you will save money and watch better TV with DIRECTV.

DIRECTV offers over 265 channels in 100% digital-quality picture and sound on every channel, rain or shine. Compare this with Charter digital cable, offering over 100 channels. Plus, Charter's "digital quality" is not continuous, the company uses both digital and analog signals.

DIRECTV Exclusive Sports

Do you love sports? If so, DIRECTV has your game, offering over 30 regional and specialty sports networks featuring action-packed programming from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS. Avid football fans can sign up for DIRECTV’s exclusive NFL SUNDAY TICKET to watch up to 14 NFL games per week, and now you can watch your NFL in HD with NFL SUNDAY TICKET SUPERFAN subscription! Other exclusive sports packages include NASCAR HotPass, NBA League Pass, NCAA Mega March Madness and MLB Extra Innings.

Charter's sports fans simply can't access this great action, though the cable company does offer a basic line-up of games from the major sports organizations, along with wrestling and UFC events on Pay-Per-View.

DIRECTV Original Programming

With DIRECTV you have access to world premiers of your favorite shows and series from national and premium channels such as National Geographic, Showtime, Starz and more. Plus, watch groundbraking cocerts and DIRECTV exclusive shows like Friday Night Lights, Project My World, ODYSSEY: Driving Around the World and more. DIRECTV is your front row seat to a variety of DIRECTV-only entertainement. Simply, Charter just can’t compete.

DIRECTV International

DIRECTV brings you a unique mix of international language programming featuring the best in entertainment from across the globe. Whether you're looking to reconnect with your roots or explore a new culture, DIRECTV brings the world to your living room. DIRECTV broadcasts over 30 different language networks.These varied options include channels in Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Korean, Hindi, Russian, Greek, Portuguese and many more. This is yet another important distinction, as Charter offers only limited Spanish language programming.

DIRECTV Beats Charter Digital Cable TV. Compare for yourself:

FEATURE	DIRECTV	Charter
Digital quality	100% digital quality on every channel, all the time	Mostly digital quality
Outages	Signal 99.96% of the time	Occasional outages
Free local channels	Yes	Yes
Highest # of channels	Over 250 channels	Over 100 channels
Customer service	Superior cutomer service; free installation	Very poor reviews; warning issued by Better Business Bureau
High Definition (HD)	Over 130 channels in HD, including major networks and local channels	Over 35 channels in HD, including local channels
Digital Video Recording (DVR)	DVR service included with Plus DVR, Plus HD DVR & Premier packages; free first receiver, $5.00/mo. each additional; 100 hours of recording; built-in dual tuner	Low monthly rate to lease dual-tuner DVR
Sports programming	Variety of exclusive sports programming	Major sports events; lacks exclusive programming
International programming	Over 30 different languages represented	Very limited

DIRECTV vs. Charter Cable	DIRECTV vs. Comcast	DIRECTV vs. Cox	DIRECTV vs. Time Warner	DIRECTV vs. Verizon Fios

Across the country, cable companies are airing commercials containing false and misleading information about satellite TV. It's time to set the record straight

Myth: Weather frequently interrupts DIRECTV reception.
- Reality: DIRECTV delivers a digital signal 99.9% of the time, rain or shine.

Myth: DIRECTV doesn't offer local channels.
-Reality: DIRECTV offers local channels to nearly 94% of US households.

Myth: DIRECTV offers limited high-definition (HD) programming and services.
-Reality: DIRECTV is committed to being the leader in Hi-Def programming. They offer over 900 hours of HD programming each week and have over 130 National HD channels. Cable doesn't even come close to offering that many HD channels.

Myth: Cable is available everywhere.
-Reality: Cable is available in only 98% of US homes. DIRECTV is available in 100%.

Myth: Cable and DIRECTV offer similar picture quality.
-Reality: DIRECTV provides 100% digital quality. All channels. All the time.

Tired of your cable TV company? You have a choice!

Are you tired of your cable TV company raising your rates again? Are looking for better television programming and quality? Why limit your TV choices to the company who laid cable in your area? With satellite TV - you don't have to. 16 million customers nationwide have already chosen DIRECTV and are getting so much more for less money. You have a choice! Don't become part of the cable monopoly - you'll miss out in every way!

Charter Communications .17

Charter Communications Lost order, installed incorrectly, horrible customer service! I live in a complex that only allows charter. I recently attempted to sign up with them. I scheduled installation through the online chat while I was at work. I saved the information and printed it off. Unfotunately I left that information at work. That Saturday I waited around the house for a technician, he never showed and eventually called Charter. They had no record of anything.

An association of Wisconsin public-access channels on Thursday strongly criticized a Charter Communications plan to change its cable TV service.

Charter’s plans would push its customers to buy into digital technology before most are ready for it, said Mary Bennin Cardona, executive director Wisconsin Association of PEG Access Channels.

“We’re really disappointed that they’re trying to push this. We think it’s discriminatory and really harmful to our communities,” Cardona said.

Charter spokesman Tim Vowell defended the company, saying very few customers are likely to be inconvenienced.

The changes were announced in a brochure mailed to customers last month. They included more entertainment channels and moving the public-access channels to the 900s, which are available only to those with digital TVs.

Not just any digital TV will do if customers want to view the digital channels, including the public-access channels. The TVs will need CableCard technology or something called a QAM tuner.

Customers could keep their older, analog TVs, but they would have to rent a digital-conversion box from Charter for $5 a month.

Vowell said very few customers are expected to want the conversion box. He said when Charter made a similar change in a market of 50,000 customers in another state, only 30 asked for conversion boxes in the first 90 days.

But Cardona said at least half of Charter customers don’t have digital TVs, and it’s not known how many of those with digital TVs have the updated technology to handle Charter’s digital signal.

Vowell said at least half and up to 65 percent of customers in some of Charter’s Wisconsin markets already have Charter digital equipment, in addition to those whose TVs have built-in, Charter-ready technology.

Cardona said public-access channels would lose half their audiences. Vowell suggested that very few people who want to watch public-access TV will be inconvenienced.

Vowell noted that the 900s are very close on the channel lineup to the single- and double-digit channels, where the public-access channels now reside.

Cardona said her group has been meeting with Charter officials, who wanted the group’s endorsement of the changes.

“Everything they offered us was just Band-aid fixes that didn’t go near far enough to alleviate the harm,” Cardona said.

Vowell has said that Charter is considering giving the digital-conversion boxes to customers for free for a limited time to ease the transition, something it had done in another market.

Cardona said the changes might violate state and federal laws. She said the association is considering a lawsuit.

CHARTER CHANGES-
Charter Communications plans to send a postcard to its customers next week, announcing that some of its planned changes will go into effect Aug. 20. The postcard asks customers to expect more channel changes.

$0.35 Charter Communications Inc. Current Stock Price

$20.41 DIRECTV Inc. Current Stock Price

I could not believe my eyes when I read about the latest tactic Charter Communications is employing to raise much needed cash. According to a little blurb on Techno-News Blog, cable communications giant Charter will begin monitoring web sites visited by their internet subscribers. Charter will then sell this collection of data to a company called NebuAd, who will then show ads, that are related to a charter internet customers interests. Doesn't this remind you of "Big Brother" is watching from George Orwell's "1984".

Several weeks ago Charter was encouraging or rather suggesting to their customers that wouldn't it be a grand idea to spend their tax rebate checks by signing up for some new services. I can certainly think of much better ways to spend my money, (groceries, clothes,credit card bills) then to give it to a company who constanly ranks at the bottom, with regard to customer satisfaction.

I can't wait to see what new tactics Charter will come up with to raise cash. I personally have several, might I say clever ideas, which Charter could employ to raise more revenue without resorting to selling their customer's information. For the time being however, I think I'll keep my ideas to myself.

 

 

DIRECTV exclusively offer MLB Extra Innings to its subscribers this year, Leading satellite TV provider in the country will provide 40 HD games a week. Apart from DIRECTV, no other provider will bring MLB Extra Innings with so much HD games in offing. Dish Network did not offer the package last year and this year also they won't carry the games. Cox Communications will offer Extra Innings in HD in select areas where as Comcast will offer only standard definition games.

It appears that Charter Communicatons, perhaps in an effort to put more cash into their coffers has agreed to sell information regarding their customers viewing habits to Nielsen Co. While this act will currently effect only those customers in L.A. (roughly 330,00 subscribers) we all know how quickly things can spread and get out of control.

Lest I spook some people I'll clarify about what Charter is selling. They will be selling the information that is garnered from subscribers digital set-top-boxes. This data will allow advertisers and tv programmers to have a better idea of what people are watching. Some of the acquired information will be what channel a box is tuned to oe whether it' a show is recording. According to Jim Heneghan senior v.p. of ad sales for Charter " there will be no way to trace the information back to any household" I'm sure Mr. Heneghan's word will allay any concerns Charter's customers might have regarding the disclosure of any of their personal info, not matter how trite it might seem to Charter. Riiight!!!

Charter Communications will be paid by Nielsen who will then turn around and resell this data to their clients. Who knows how many more times this information will be sold. Once the ball starts rolling who know's when it will finally stop.

Now I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of the companies I do business with selling my information to anyone with a buck. I don't recall Charter or anyone else for that matter asking me personally if they could sell my information. Nor do I recall signing any release forms giving them the right to do so. If anyone is to gain financially by the selling of my then it should be me. I feel that anyone company who sell my info without my express written consent sholud be held legally accountable.

It's bad enough that the goverment is peeking, poking, spying and yes perhaps even selling information about it's citizens. There's also a slew of companies already out there that broker in selling peoples personal information alebit without consent. Do we really need a cable company getting into the act of selling their customers information. Enough already.

Charter Communications it seems has just declared that when it comes to the number of hd choices offered to tv viewers they are the leader of the pack. This according to Charter COO Michael Lovett. Has anybody called Comcast Communications yet and broken this news to them. I seem to recall that In their tv commercials Comcast boasts as being the leader in the number of hd choices provided.

While both Charter and Comcast claim to have market dominance when it come to the number of hd choices they provide it seems they have forgetten one simple fact. They don't actually have 90, 200 or more national hd channels. What they are including in their count is programming that has hd contnet. In fact by last count Charter Communications offers roughly 30 national hd channels in most areas.

In sharp contrast is the number hd channels that Directv offers. Directv currently provides over 90 national hd channels.