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Review by TheTechGuru See Profile

  • Location: TEXAS
  • Cost: $36 per month (24 month contract)
  • Install: about 18 days
Nothing Really
18 Days & 2 No Shows & 1 Show But No Install Before Finally Installing On The 4th Appointment
Company Needs To Do Away With 3rd Party Contractors & Fix Primetime Internet Congestion
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)

This is the most horrible and stressful internet install I have ever experienced in my life.

I ordered service via the Charter website on Friday Jan 28th 2011 from my old house and soon after got 3 confirmation email’s one confirming my install date of Wednesday Jan 2nd 2011. I was at my new home all day unpacking and no one ever showed up. I called and they rescheduled for Saturday February 12th 2011 between 5 & 7 pm saying this was the earliest date available not having any consideration to make it any sooner considering that THEY were the ones that did not show up. I was home all day working outside and no one ever showed up, I called at 7:05 PM to find out what was going on and they told me that a tech was at my door at a brown house with a brown door at 5pm. I told them my house is not brown, and it does not have a brown door (nor are any of my close neighbors houses) and described to them my house. They then proceeded to reschedule AGAIN for Monday February 14th 2011 between 8 & 10am. That morning I looked outside at random times between 8 and 10 and around 9am I saw a unmarked run down looking old pickup truck with ladders on top parked by the utility pole between my house and my neighbors house. I went outside to ask who the person was and found him out there messing with my neighbor's cable line and he said he is with the cable company and my service is next on his list. When he came over he came inside to survey where I wanted the service installed then back outside he told me he would need to install a box on the wall outside and asked if I am renting or own the place. I told him that I would prefer that he not install a box and use only a ground block and that I am owner financing. He said company policy requires that a box be installed and that he cannot install the service without permission from the owner. I told him that I am the owner and owner financing vs. bank financing makes no difference for matters like this and he still refused to install my service. At this point I was furious and cussed the guy out for never showing up the previous 2 appointments and he left. I then called my lender on the house and they said they would have someone hand deliver the needed letter within an hour. I then called Charter Management and told them what happened and that I needed my service installed TODAY and by a Charter employee not a 3rd party contractor. They told me they would have someone out between 2 & 4pm. A Charter employee in a Charter labeled van shows up about 3pm and finally gets everything installed. He only installed a ground block and not a box and I didn’t even need to tell/ask him to do so. I offered him the letter from the lender and he said he did not need it because it does not have to drill anything, he used all existing holes.

I am subscribing to the 12/1 service and it peaks anywhere from 15-25mbps in the middle of the night and it as slow as 4-6mbps during primetime in the evening.

Charter Management has waived my install fee and given me two months of free service for all of this trouble. Do note my first 3 months of service are only $19.95/mo with the current special.

On a side note, in my opinion I believe the 3rd party contractor involved is defrauding Charter. First because of his not showing up 2 times and reporting that he did show up but at a house that does not match my house’s description I think he is claiming pay from charter for the trips that he may or may not have really even made. 2nd I have seen him at my neighbor’s house 4 times since moving here and I believe he may only be half fixing problems in order to get paid more for more trips.

member for 20 years, 3636 visits, last login: 2 days ago
updated 9 years ago

zed2608
Premium Member
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN

1 edit

zed2608

Premium Member

post in https://secure.dslreports.com/forum/charterdirect


they can get you fixed up
Alsmith1
join:2003-06-09
Brimfield, MA

Alsmith1

Member

bring back service to USA and Charter employees

When I first got charter..they had call centers in the US and regular Charter techs to come to the house..who knew thier stuff..now you get off shore call centers and all they can do is ask you to reboot the modem is all....

When they had call centers here the tech would at least make you run a few tests to see where the problem may be....not any more....

Now when a tech comes to the house all they do is hook up the meter and say your signal is good..nothing I can do now....most times they never even come in the house..just check entry point....''When they use to be Charter employees....they came in the house checked any wiring to see if there was a problem...run a few tests on the computer...check at the pole.....not any more they stay 30 minutes and move on..

I did have one tech that came and changed cable ends and splitters...to try to get my connection back....I wish he came every time I had a truck come here...he also said I have a bad tap at ther pole and would report it..its still on the pole never changed....my connection speeds go up and down like a window shade...it rains it goes bad..snow same thing.. if wind it goes out...
some day it may get fixed...and I am not alone on this....my nieghbors have the same issues

Al
stridr69
join:2003-05-19
San Luis Obispo, CA

stridr69

Member

Back to the Future!

WTH! This is from 2011. Please delete!

TheTechGuru
join:2004-03-25
TEXAS

TheTechGuru

Member

Re: Back to the Future!

Ya, not possible. All I did was make a one character correction and the damn system updated the post date. I didn't think it would change that. DSLR's website software is kinda dumb.