Charter Communications Consumer Reviews - Page 6

MINNESOTA -- I am a call center rep for the MN call center for Charter Communications and there are a few things that I have always wanted to tell my customers but cannot. First, we don't have local office numbers for customers because we prefer to go through a call center that is open to answer your calls 24 hours a day. We give several chances for you to pay your bill before we come out and disconnect, I have been late on my utilities and they come out as soon as the 2nd bill prints so basically thirty days late.

I really believe in the product that I sell. When a sub customer calls in to cancel and give me the reasons I just cringe in knowing what the competitor does. We call the competitor regularly as well as browse their sites. We didn't post our rates in our website because there are so many areas that we cover, and none of them have all the same channels available. Why charge for something that we cannot offer. If we are offering 70 channels we are going to charge more than the customer that can only get 45 channels.

I am sorry that some of our techs have not showed up for their appointments, I do know how hard that is but if you let us know right away normally we can get a hold of one to get them out there for you. I must say that even the customers that call to disconnect with us do say we do have some of the best customer service, and we are very educated about our products.

This is one thing that Charter really strives for. We are also launching a call ahead policy that we will call our customers the day ahead of the appointment, and then on the day of the appointment we are going to give three phone calls. If the person doesn't answer the phone then we are not going to roll a truck every time we go out there. It does cost the company money thus causing higher cable rates for all of you.

VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA -- For the past 1 1/2 years I have been going round & round with Charter regarding over charge of $5.95/month for over 16 months. We signed up for a package which included Whole House Wire Maintenance - $59.95 after about 4 months I started noticing that although the description of what the package I paid for included there was another line item which stated Whole House Wire Maintenance $5.95. I called about it. No one knew anything could be a glitch. Next month same thing. This carried on for 1 1/2 years.

After having several issues with these people I didn't pay my bill for 2 months waiting for someone to contact me. No one ever did. I finally called their cust serv. and when I explained everything to their employee (obviously new) he told me that his computer only went back for 6 months so he had no idea of what I was talking about. Once I forced him to pull his head out of his ** he realized what I was talking about.

He then put me on hold, went to a sup, came back to me and said, "Because this goes back so far you'll have to go to your closest office and talk with someone there that can pull your invoices." I asked if I could have the phone # to get directions and hours of operation, he told me, "I can't give you that for security reasons." Oh OK so give me their address & I can go and blow them up but not their phone # so to not harass them.

That was it, I got online and researched and found that the same thing happened in Georgia. I contacted atty general here in Cal and several other "watchdog" orgs. My charter "Basic" cable bill came the other day. Enclosed was a copy of the complaint of a Class Action Law Suit against them for just that reason. WOOHOO!! You may want to contact your local office or pull your old statements to see if you qualify. It's not much but anything to pay them back. Good Luck.

HURRICANE, WEST VIRGINIA -- I am at my wit's end with Charter Comm., my cable company. They cut off my cable this morning (which would normally be understandable, because I am late on the bill), but they had just sent me a notice telling me when they were going to cut it off, which was not today but Friday and when I woke up this morning, it's off. I called them. I told them that I thought I had until Friday to pay, because that's what the termination notice said. They told me they went ahead and turned it off "just to get my attention" and the termination notice isn't really the termination notice. The termination notice only means the day they "physically" shut it off.

I don't give a rat's behind how they shut it off. All I know is that it is not coming into my house like it is supposed to. Okay, fine, the termination notice got my attention just fine, but whatever. What gets me is the lying. When I called them a while back regarding payment arrangements (because I knew I was going to be late), they told me not to worry about it, that the company doesn't do anything regarding termination before 56 days of inactivity on my bill. When I called this morning, my last payment had been made 03/30/04, 28 days, not 56 days, so that's their first lie.

With that and the bogus termination notice and only half the time receiving a bill and the other half just a termination notice, not to mention the fact that the cable is outrageously expensive (you know the commercial, "who let the pigs out?"), low quality (always going out), the boxes and remote they install in our homes are junk, I have had it. If a company as big as Charter decides they want to lie to their customers, you think the liar in charge would at least send out a memo or something, so everyone is telling the same lie. It is really obvious how much they care about their customers (very little), especially with this being such a small town.

Luckily, I have been able to stop a couple of people from subscribing to the service and just getting a dish, but for those of you out there thinking of getting Charter, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!!! I really don't feel I have any recourse and I know that they don't give a darn about me or a couple of other people here in WV (they've made that very clear). They will just send me one of those stupid form e-mails that they regret I was disappointed in their service and to buy one of their pay per views or something. I just want to get the word out what a big loser this Company is and don't let them cheat you the way they cheated me.

SPENCER, WISCONSIN -- I would like to know how many Charter customers had contracts that Charter has fail to keep. I had their TV, Phone and Internet service. They raised my rates after the first year of a two year agreement. I called and complained and the Lady I talked to hooked me up with another two year deal at a better rate. When I talked to her I was very clear about this agreement and that it was for two years with no rate increases.

After the first year my rates went up again and I call for an explanation. I was told and I quote "I know what your problem is. Your contract year is up and the prices increased," I have had a lot of calls on this. I was not happy but the people I talked to told me that is my agreement and we have it on file. I have asked twice for a copy of the contract agreement and they have failed to send me one after telling me it will be in the mail.

I cancelled my services and was told I would see a service tech to disconnect my service on Jan 8th. It is now January 12th and I am still waiting for a call when he will be here to disconnect my service. I was told by Charter he would call that day between 8 and 5 when he will be here, I was going to give them back their equipment but the refuse to pick it up and are billing me for it. One of the most dishonest companies I have dealt with and would not recommend them to anyone.

WEST BEND, WISCONSIN -- Charter has called me five times a day for 7 days to get me to upgrade. I called the customer service number and asked to be removed. No more than an hour later I received another phone call from Charter regarding upgrading my service. I instructed the lady to stop calling and she began shouting. I called customer service again and asked for a manager. When the manager got on the phone she said it could take 30 days to get off the list. I have 15 calls in four days! Then I was told it's not someone from Charter but they call and state it's "Charter communication". I told the manager I disagree that it's not someone from Charter to which she replied, "And you have that right?"

I am a paying customer being harassed because I'm a paying customer. I was informed by management that Charter "has the right to solicit its customers even though I'm clearly being harassed". Don't get Charter anything unless you want swarms of emails, letters, and phone calls selling their services even if you don't want them to. I stressed how upset it made me feel to have my privacy invaded to which I was told, "It isn't a big deal". Charter has had thousands of complaints sent to BBB. If you want to be bullied into cable contracts, Charter knows best how to treat a customer like trash.

MONTOGMERY, ALABAMA -- I am a very loyal disgruntled customer. After 4 1/2 years with this company my bill increases $100 bucks. For some odd reason after 4 years my "PROMOTION" ends. How can you stay on a "PROMOTION" for 4 years. Needless to say the internet sucks, the channels freeze or it says "You are subscribed but we are having trouble with this channel." I am not sure if it has always sucked but after an illness forced me to stay home I can say they truly suck.

They are not a company that sticks to what they tell you. If you tell me that since I am having problems with your services I will be discounted for an error on their behalf I would like to see it on the bill. I can't keep paying almost $300 for cable/internet/phone services when everyone in the house has a cell phone and I have to buy Mobile Broadband to get on the internet in my bedroom when I have a wireless router through Charter. All I can say is Charter really sucks!!!

FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- The first complaint is Charter employees show up in personal vehicles which automatically made me skeptical about letting them in and I wish I had not. During the installation, I found out that I would only have HBO and other premium channels on one TV and other TVs would be basic channels only. Then because the installation people didn't want to do the work to wire the other areas I couldn't get basic on two TVs and was told it was free anyway like I didn't deserve to have all of the TVs hooked up.

Also, the phone jack never worked so I couldn't use the phone. I called and disconnected the service within 30 days. It only gets better. They sent out employees to bury the cable and they punctured my sprinkler system in several places. The person repairing the system came out three times to try to piece our system back together and it still doesn't work correctly!

The ever changing bills Charter passes out are beyond belief. I started out with a 150.00 bill that ballooned to 198.68. There was even one that hit 249.00 When I called to get a straight answer I was offered a bundle costing 177.00 (no mention of how long the prices was for). What they never tell you is that the fee does not include an array of taxes that are tacked on. Taxes that often balloon the bill another 30 dollars.

I asked about the taxes and was told that they could not estimate taxes, but his estimate was 10.00 (a lie I later found out - they can figure it for you). After looking at my services on line an hour after speaking to the rep, I found that I was being charged for some sort of video enhancement (I don't even have a cable box), a charge for a cable box that I never received, a charge for cable maintenance - even though their box at the top of the telephone pole across the street was flooded out in the last rain.

I called back and let them have an ear full. I finally got my bill down to a reasonable amount and got a 70.00 credit. No thanks to Charter. They will stick you with whatever they can get you to pay. Read your bill very carefully - if it's like mine, you will find a bunch of junk in it. Buyer beware - in my book this is not a reputable company.

Greetings. I am actually a sales rep for Charter Communications and deal primarily with new customers completing online orders. I would like to give you some information about 3rd party affiliates who might give out errant information. Follow these 3 easy steps. Rule 1. Always get the name and sales ID# for any representative that you talk to. This will help if you have any questions at all or were promised anything. And any representative that works for a service provider must give this information out by law.

Rule 3. Always ask for a return number and extension to call the same representative who is taking your order. "Tell them you are on a cell phone and if the call drops you would like to get back to them." Rule 2. Ensure you are making deals with the service providers. This would be for any and all purchases for service you make online. If you are doing this online your web address should look like "company name.com".

It should not be "deals or specials or buy compnayname.com" these are 3rd party affiliates. I recommend staying away from them. If you try to stay to official site and can't find all the information you want online give the service provider a call. Most in the sales field would be more than happy to answer any and all questions you have.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- I just noticed that I had received a bill from Charter Communications which included 153.84 for pay per view adult movies. Since there are only my wife, my 12 year old daughter and myself at home this should be easy to correct. After considerable time on the phone with their "customer service" department, I was told that they could credit me for three of the movies, but not all of them. I explained that many of these date and times that no one was at my home. The supervisor who was very impolite and difficult to understand told me that they had been ordered with my remote control and that there was nothing that she would or could do.

I explained again that if there was no one in my home, how did they get ordered? She was not interested in finding out what the problem was, just in getting me to pay the illegal charges. I am going to the local Charter Communications office tomorrow to see if I can find someone who actually knows something about business. I know that there is a problem, my interest is finding out how these charges are being billed to my account.

Unfortunately, the customer service representative and the supervisor on duty were not interested in finding out what the problem was, just it getting me to pay the illegal charges. I asked if I should report this to the local police but was told that would make no difference, that I was responsible for paying for anything charged from my remote, even if there was no one home to use it.