US Cable Support > Bright House Networks > BHN price?

I can't speak specifically about Bright House Networks because I don't know if they use the same billing platform as TWC, which does serve my area. But my readers last fall (when that article was published) told me they were not being billed a modem fee with BHN when using Earthlink. It is possible something has changed since then, and I will be interested to learn if BHN does now bill Earthlink customers for the modem fee. A copy of a bill showing this would be very helpful.

Earthlink new customer promos are perpetually available to customers rotating on and off their service. I have readers who have easily obtained these $29.99 for six month promos at least four times. Customers can bounce between Earthlink and either TWC or BHN on new customer promos endlessly, as long as their division does not have a term contract.

Earthlink's website has not changed much since 2009. Ignore whatever speeds are advertised there. If your area offers two speed options, you will get identical speeds to TWC/BHN's Standard service or Turbo service. If your area only offers one Earthlink package, it will match Standard service speeds.

There is no modem fee for Earthlink customers with Time Warner Cable. I do not have first hand knowledge about BHN customers -- the best way to check this is just wait and see what turns up on the bill. The reason for this is that Earthlink is your designated service provider, not TWC or BHN. Neither company is supposed to be tacking on a modem fee under their wholesale contract with Earthlink, but it can quickly become a moot point if BHN were to apply one to their wholesale accounts, which Earthlink would quickly pass on anyway.

Earthlink is really allowed to resell its service at the pleasure of TWC and BHN, so they don't have much leverage on the matter. But they do specifically state upfront to all who ask that there is no modem fee with Earthlink on either TWC or BHN.

*If* a modem fee does show up on your bill, complain and demand a courtesy credit and then simply go buy your own modem. I did a few months before TWC imposed their modem fee and it will pay for itself in less than two years. I have had cable modems since 1998 and I've never had one die on me. eBay has some of the best deals with Amazon coming in second.

Now to clarify a few things (after spending the better part of the day trying to digest and verifying Paradigmfl's posted experience).

- EarthLink at that promotional rate and without a modem fee is ONLY available through EarthLink meaning you cannot call BHN to obtain EarthLink service with the 6 month new customer discount OR avoid the modem fee. It appears that Paradigmfl tried to order the service at that promotional rate without the modem fee directly from us.

- If you call us we will be happy to add EarthLink service however it would be at the current rate and the modem fee would apply. There is no way around this and do NOT interpret it as our being unwilling to help you which was part of Paradigmfl's complaint it's just that this is available only through EarthLink direct.

Yesterday upon realizing what Paradigmfl had likely done I reached out to him directly to verify that indeed his order originated from EL and was properly coded and as of this moment have not received a response yet.

I see the Arris TG852G is on the approved list. I currently have a separate D3 modem and telephone adapter (whatever that's technically called - MTA?). Both are being rented from BH.

The Arris TG852G appears to do both -- internet and telephony. Can I replace both of my current BH devices with this one device if I decide to buy my own equipment? I'd like to pear down the number of devices I have on the shelf if possible...

Also, can the Arris TG852G be placed in bridge mode? I have my own router that I want to continue using.

Thanks!

Interesting about the Eathlink thing, but there's no Earthlink Lightning now is there?

I seem to have missed this question swbrains...
The answer to both of your questions is yes.

The purpose of the call is to ensure you are properly packaged and to get to the bottom of the contact experience you described for your first call. If your intentions are to help others and ensure that correct information is consistently delivered as you claim you will take me up on the offer to review the call and use this as a learning/teaching moment.

So this confirms your first attempt was indeed direct and not through Earthlink Direct and if I had to make an educated guess it was clearly as a result of confusion generated by the article that you read indicating otherwise. It does not explain the other information you received however but we'll never know because you have declined the offer to look into it.

]
TW-Brighthouse will drag its feet switching you....Let EL handle it .
I wouldn't contact TW-BH at all.
I am in the process of doing it myself... it has been a pain dealing with TW-BH:
First when I called TW-BH to see what was the hang up .. to see why the delay in switching; they (she) told me "We do not handle EL anymore!".
Then I had to call EL several times and each time I end up with someone overseas and had problems communicating... Finally I got someone I could converse with; and I told him about the situation - so he called TW-BH (conf. 3 ways)... and when he told her to set up EL for me and gave her my Ph #., her first reaction was :" but he is with RR"... at which point I spoke and said I want to switch to EL ... she finally said she will do it right away: it has been 10hrs since then and I am still waiting for the switch....
Frankly I don't know what to do at this point, if they don't switch me... I hate to go to ATT for DSL (because I don't like that CO); and there is no Verizon around.
Any suggestions?

Even more reason for me to review the call(s). The offer stands indefinately to review this on your behalf for the purpose ensuring such confusion is avoided going forward. Paradigmfl for someone as consistently critical as you are of our techs, reps, contractors, processes etc I find your declining of the offer to use your experience as opportunities for improvement (once verified) perplexing unless of course the real purpose behind such posts isn't really about making us better which ultimately gives you a better experience.

Nonetheless the offer still and will stand for this and any concern you may have in the future.

It's very clear that your intent is not to resolve the issues you have raised but instead to stir up things (as you are well known for doing here) and I'm not going to sit by and let that happen without clearing the record as I have done.

Para, he has tried to help you in every way possible, you resist and now you come back blasting him for it? Really?!? smdh.

So I just called Bright House in an attempt to get their new $97 for Digital Cable + Road Runner Turbo promo. I was told that you must also rent the cable box for $10 and the modem for $3.50. I told the rep that I intend to use my own modem and I use CableCARDs at $2.50/month each, so I don't need their cable box or modem. She informed me that while she could drop the modem rental fee, I would be required to rent the cable box in order to get the combo price. She said the price for the Digital Cable + Road Runner Turbo combo without the cable box is $108.

The rep said, "it's like a combo meal at McDonald's." I proceeded to tell her that people would be livid if McDonald's advertised their combo meal with only the price of the cheeseburger and then, when you went to checkout, told you the fries and drink were each an extra cost.

So the "real" minimum cost of this promo is $107... $97 for the service and $10 to rent the cable box.

I am on the phone with customer service right now and they are telling me I have to pay for the one cablecard I have even though I do not have any converters and my promotion includes one converter. I guess I will have to open a direct forum post when I get home to have my account fixed too.