 Review by cork1958 
UPDATED: 10 days ago
member for 8.4 years, 1765 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Fruitport,Muskegon,MI
 $44 per month
 about 2 days
 "fast install, very reliable, 2 different account types"
 "no notification of maintenance"
 "Rocks!!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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I ordered the 256/128 package for $24.95 a month plus $3.95 modem rental. Order and install couldn't have been quicker. Ordered on a Friday. Installed the following Sunday. Would like to hear /see some comparisons from my area. I am now up to the 768/128 package for $39.95. The only time I've called them is try and find out why they were down, which has only happened twice so far in close to a year. Between the tweaks I've done here at dslreports.com and »www.pcpitstop.com/, my downloads are usually running around 1000KB/s and uploads have always been as stated. Overall very satisfied.
Updated 10/13/01
Charter is kicking butt and taking names!!
Update: 4-12-02
Had to call tech support today. First time in Lord knows how long. My connection went down and kept dropping DNS server connection. After the usual recycling stuff, etc., etc, the tech finally reconfigured the server on his end, and presto!! Most of this update was just a matter of increasing the reliability of the e-mail and tech support both up to a 3. They were at a 1. Crankin' again!! Heck Yeah!! Thanks Charter!!
Update 4-24-03
Am dropping the tech support/maintenance rating back down to a 1. Actually, let's call it -1! Once again Charter is doing maintenance that they never anounced. Only way to find out about it is by calling tech support and waiting 20+ minutes for a recording. The part that REALLY sucks is that the maintenance they're doing in 2 places are BOTH over a 100 miles away! 1 area was supposed to be worked on from 12:00am to 1:00am EST and the other from 1:00-6:00am EST. It is now 8:48am and it is still intermittently dropping the connection or taking several minutes just to load a page. Took 3 tries just to get to dslreports.com. No mention of any troubles in my area in recorded message. When I finally got a "live" person on the phone he did know of problems but nothing about when it would be fixed or what caused it. Couple quick speed tests I tried before coming here gave me 25kb download speeds! I have the 768kb download package! This is definitely the one REAL sorry spot for Charter.
Update to the update
Well, Charter really topped themselves today. It is now 9:44pm EST. Just got back online steadily. The 2 city maintenance Charter did today, of which NEITHER are close to me, wiped out cable access to the vast majority of the lower peninsula of Michigan!! They still have 3 cities down. Make that rating I lowered above a -3.
Update 8-28-03
Got rid of the Surf Board 3100 modem that Charter has leased me for almost 4 years now. I think that one is paid for!! Got a Surf Board 5100 for $79 (w/$20 mail in rebate) from the local Circuit City. Called in the MAC address to Charter and was flying on the net in no time. I upgraded tech supports rating from a 1 to a 3 just for that and the fact I have never had to call them for anything technical. Also upgraded the value for the money from a 3 to a 4 just because I'm now under $40 a month for cable internet. Just can't see paying over that for ANY internet connection.
Update 4-7-04
Just simply upgraded the tech support, services, and value for money 1 notch. Charter has rocked for 4 years for me.
Update 12-22-04
I haven't been able to connect since 11:00 am today. Called support. When finally getting to talk to a tech, he said there were no issues. After doing the customary re-boot things and stuff, he had me uninstall the network card. I knew better than this, so I just told him I did, when I really didn't. Hung on phone for a little bit and told him for the second time to just reset my MAC address. 4 minutes later, here I am!! Must go update my review of Charter and bring the support rating WAY down. If he would've done what I said to begin with, I wouldn't even bother to do that, but now I am.
Update 10-26-05
Charters web filtering/spam blocking, which is done through (not so bright) Brightmail has really gotten to the point of sucking green donkey b***s!! It simply randomly filters whatever it wants, which usually ISN'T the spam. I have downgraded Charters ratings in 3 categories due to issues since my last update.
Update 8-25-07
Simply re-adjusted my rating on Charter. They're definitely NOT the most innovative company around, so nothing to really review from the last 2 years.
Update 4-15-08
It's time for another update.
For what Charter lacks in motivation, I guess they make up for with stability, in my area, anyway. No issues since last update and must even thank Consumers Energy for coming through and cutting down limbs/trees all up and down the road. Haven't had the power flash out in quite some time even!! Used to flash everytime it got slightly breezy.
Mail and support are still the weak areas, but why wouldn't they be? What else do you use of Charters services, or any other ISP's, so regularily? That's pretty much the rule with all of them.
Update 7-16-08
Just a quickie to comment on how worthless Charters website is. Has to rank among the top 3 as most useless, uninformative, non functional site in the world!
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