Charter

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 Satellite TV 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.

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 Satellite TV offers. Satellite TV currently provides over 90 national hd channels.

The latest results of a  survey rates Charter Communications, the 3rd largest cable provider as having the worst customer service  according to a recent article Business Week. This ranking was arrived at by using data gathered by customer satisfaction firm J.D. Power & Associates.

Charter Communications spokesperson Joe Stackhouse senior-vice president for customer operations has acknowledged that while the company is not where it needs to be in terms of customer service they have made considerable progress in this area.

It would seem that the reduction in the number of subscribers tells a different story. Charter has not only seen a 3.5% drop in their subscriber numbers in the last 18 months but also a 5% drop in their base of customers who subscribe to basic cable only.

Fewer customers means less profits. A decrease in profits makes shareholders very unhappy. If shareholders are unhappy they sell. Whats a company to do to keep investors investing? Raise their rates of course as this is the quickest and most profitable solution.

The cost of watching tv for Charter Communication cable subscribers in the Saginaw area of Michigan will be a lot more costly beginning March 1,2008. Charter Communications has announced that they will be increasing the rates for those customers who have the  26-channel limited basic package. The new cost for limited basic cable will be $16.18 an increase of $2.80. This translates into a21% rate hike.

According to Charter spokesman, Mr. Tim Ransberger, V.P. of government relations all of Charters other tv broadcast  programming package rates will stay the same.

I have to say I think that Charters' rate hike to it's subscribers in Michigan might possibly be one of the highest I have seen  so far this year throughout the cable tv industry. Why does it always seem like it's the subscriber who has the simplest programming package who always get hit with the highest rate increases. Could it be because their not as profitable as customers who subscribe to the higher priced packages.