Charter Spectrum → [CATV] Any suggestions on service issue resolution?

two of my CATV boxes, and my cable modem, are split off of a cable run into my house. for months i have had intermittent issues with no TV signal, pixelation, signal dropout, etc. on these two CATV boxes but no issues with the internet which leads me to believe that the problem is at the level of the splitter, or distal to the splitter.

charter has made multiple visits and the problem is not fixed. if i was not so irritated it would almost be comical, as an indoor service tech comes, changes the splitter, and then declares that the problem is "outside." on another day, another tech checks the lines outside and declares that the problem is "inside" and needs to be checked again. the last tech to come inside said that he had to go get a meter and never came back.

i have talked to three different charter supervisors over the phone. all assured me that they would get this fixed, and follow up with me. it is not fixed and there has been no follow up.

is there any way to get this properly addressed or do i just cancel charter and go with satellite?

thanks for any help.

File a complaint with the City manager or franchising authority, and/or FCC and you will be amazed how fast Charter tries to fix it.

»www.fcc.gov/guides/cable ··· -service

You also tell Charter to issue you credits for this.

Exactly.

The new "manglement" under CEO Tom Rutledge is taking a hard nosed, obnoxious attitude about customer service that reminds many here of the old, bad Charter of a a decade ago the only way to get the attention of the brass is to complain to the FCC or the other persons that the previous poster mentioned above.

Charter needs the stick, not the carrot to behave with Mr. Rutledge at the helm as CEO.

While I understand your frustration, has a tech actually been able to see the problem? You mention that it's "intermittent". If they can't see it or reproduce it, it's hard to actually know what's wrong or fix it.

Also, is it all channels or specific channels?

Thanks so much! I will call the city manager and notify the FCC.

The most disconcerting thing to me is that 3 different supervisors in customer service assured me that they would call me back to follow up, and not one did.

Dogg, yes two service techs witnessed the problem. I did not watch the first one like a hawk and when he said that he was done and that it was fixed, I took his word for it without checking myself. The other one replaced the splitter, no fix, replaced the box, no fix, ran a new drop, fixed. But I think the "fix" was due to the variation. This tech showed me how to do the diagnostic check with my remote and I have been checking the SNR. I have gotten readings of good, fair, and 0.0. dB readings have been in the 30s, 40s, and 50s at different times. The problem seems most pronounced in the late afternoon and evening.

Lower channels like 45 are not as affected -- there can be a delay in coming up but they usually eventually come on. The premium channels are most affected, with the ones in the 400s being the worst. Interestingly to me the 700s are not as bad as the 400s.

Thanks again for all of the answers!

OK i contacted the city mgr. state of NC has taken authority re CATV away from local jurisdiction.

went to the FCC site. info there says to contact "franchise agent" as listed on my CATV bill. no franchise agent on my bill.

today i will file a complaint with the NC dept of justice.

i do not have high hopes for govt help, however. maybe next week i can get directTV out for an install quote.

still no word from charter customer service.

this is really disappointing.

Sounds like a loose connection or damaged cable (smashed, crimped, bent at a sharp angle, etc.).

The best test at this point (with or without a tech), run a temp cable from the outside junction box directly to the TV while the trouble is occuring. This will determine if the problem is inside or outside the home.

Good idea dogg, if I had a long enough cable I would try that.

If charter gets motivated to finally fix this I will make that suggestion.

Can they run one line into the house, with the junction box or "main split" being located inside the house?

Yes. That is how I got the tech to solve my problem after he wasted over an hour swapping out the DVR. Pulled the cable from the conn box outside, and connected a cable straight to the DVR/TV...which proved the issue was the feed to my home. Ended up being a line issue down the block in my case.

OK well the cables here are over 20 years old. I looked at the junction box myself this weekend and the way the cable are folded and crammed in there may be the issue. Line from the pole to the junction box, then 4 or 5 cables coming into the house.

My thought is to tell charter if they ever come back to take out the old junction box, and run the main line into the basement where the other lines can split off of it (essentially moving the junction box inside).

Good idea?

Also, for the last 48 hours the Internet has been going in and out. That is new.