The only people I can think of is Dish, Fios and Directv.

I only wish our new home had Fios available as the service and quality was superb at our old home.

I have been looking into going back to Lakefield for internet & phone service and using Dish Network or Direct TV.

How can anyone be licensed to cheat people the way Charter is?

We were so happy when Verizon came to our street and put down lines, but that was a year ago, and each time I call them to ask when we’ll ever have Verizon on our street, I get no answers. At this rate we’ll be in a nursing home by the time Verizon gets around to hooking up our street, so we are seriously considering switching to either Direct TV or Dish Network, but don’t know much about them. Anybody out there happy with these providers?

All services have problems, and there is not one that charges *enough* for what they seek to deliver, but the data issues on VZ’s fios service have been miniscule. This was not the case for the Charter service we had previously VZ did have serious DVR/set-top box quality issues but we seem to have leveled out. The onsie-twosie fee increases should not go unchallenged, however.

Rather than just yell at Charter and get a “better deal”, do we have another suitor waiting in the wings? If not, there’s only so much available to us. I would love to see a timeline for DOCSIS3 deployment and IPv6 from whatever entity gets the franchise.

In general, localities *under*value their rights of way. It would be quite progressive for Southborough (and other metrowest communities) to examine in what way we could profit from providing fiber paths diverse from the common railroad & interstate routes.

BUT here’s what worries me–Verizon will not install FIOS to places that have underground wiring and are multi-family housing… Southborough Meadows, where I live, is both (duplexes are considered multi–). Can’t go back to AOL.. I have Vonage, too, so want cable for that.

1. Charter once turned my service off for no reason and claimed I had not paid my bill on time when I had it on AUTO pay. What had happened was that my credit card expired. I updated the credit card online the day I was notified and I even talked to customer service, and they said I was all set. Weeks later my service was shut off. It took me over an hour with customer service to get it turned back, and only after asking to speak with a supervisor.

2. For a period of months, my Charter DVR would randomly not work with a message saying that it was not activated and I would have to call customer service to get it turned back on, which usually took 15+ minutes. This happened 3 or 4 times, I still don’t know why.

3. The DVR’s have software that is slow and difficult to use. The UI looks like it is from the early days of DOS on my 286 computer.

4. The HD channel selection is weak compared to the competition.

5. No 1080p

Must I add that this company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?

I could go on. Let me just leave it at I have rarely dealt with a company of such utter ineptitude in the area of customer service. Add to that expensive pricing and sub-standard services and I can’t think of any reason TO keep Charter. If it was not for the monopoly they have in our market, I am sure I speak for many who will literally switch in a heartbeat.

I can’t wait for the day I can call and cancel Charter service. Please don’t renew the contract. PLEASE.

First, there is the outrageous pricing and contract renewal circus they force their customers to slog through. I signed up for the Triple Play (Internet/Phone/TV) more than 2 years ago for ~ $99/month, net of taxes.

Granted, this was an aggressive Charter price to attract new subscribers. But at the 12-month turn date, my Charter Triple Play package rate suddenly skyrocketed to nearly ***$175***, net of taxes. Worse – when I called Charter ( their Call Center is located somewhere in the Mountain states) to get a better package rate, I was told by an indifferent Charter customer relations agent that I would have to wait at least **3 months**, paying **FULL** tariff on my service, until I could re-commit to a better rate under a 1 or 2-year renewal. (???? !!!!!! )

Last July, our Charter home phone service was down for nine (9) days before competent restoration of service. Charter had five (5 !!!) separate service techs dispatched to our home on separate days to look at the wiring, modem, outside demarc, etc. before the problem was fixed.

Good God. The only salvation is that last month, our street was lighted with Verizon FIOS, and we can ditch the Charter Dog forever.