Cable broadband

Charter Cable (Birmingham, AL) / broadband

Customer Relations

Charter Communications

12444 Powers Court, Suite 100

St. Louis, MO 63131

RE: 8781140530096538

I want to inform you of my reasons for terminating my broadband service with you at the end of September.

Approximately two-and-a-half months ago there was a period of heavy weather that traversed the Birmingham area, causing once again the loss of our broadband signal. When the service was restored, I found that my cable modem wasn't working. Additionally, one of the channels of my router, which the modem fed, was dead. I accepted the loss and bought a new cable modem, since the warranty on the damaged one had run out. After the modem replacement, the service was restored. Within twenty-four hours (and a continuation of the bad weather), our signal was again lost and the new cable modem wasn't working. Also, the Ethernet cards integral to the motherboard on three of my family computers (connected to the cable modem) didn't work anymore.

I called 'Customer Service' and explained the situation. They responded that the damage likely came through the electric lines, but they would have a technician check the grounding block in our cable line. Although I accepted the inspection offer, I explained that our house had special electrical service surge suppression for the entire house, that each computer desk had an individual surge arrestor outlet, and that two of the three computers were turned off during both weather events. Additionally, the modem and the router worked via a low-voltage transformer, and the likelihood of a surge sufficient enough to permanently damage either (regardless of the surge suppressors) was remote. I pointed out that the cable grounding block was only for direct lightening strikes and that it did nothing to protect against modest electrical spikes coming through the cable line. I asked if Charter had a cable surge filter that I could install, but the representative didn't know. I argued that, since I had to replace the first cable modem, I felt that Charter should accept responsibility for the second (especially given the circumstances). The representative said she would have to wait for the technician's findings.

None of my computers were affected in any other way. They functioned normally, except for the damaged network cards. No other electrical equipment in our house suffered damage during the outages. In time, I called the service department to learn the result of the inspection. I was told the grounding block was OK (although Charter techs did have to replace some damaged main distribution equipment), however there was nothing Charter would or could do about crediting me the cost of the modem. This didn't set right with me.

(At this point I'll digress…) In the past, I've shunned the cable companies because of their lack of responsiveness and arrogance. Your market competition and promotions will attest to that. When we moved into this house, we utilized the existing cable connection, but it suffered frequent outages. We quickly change back to satellite. To this day I will use any alternative for television. I would have preferred DSL for my Internet, but at the time I contracted with you, acceptable DSL technology was unavailable. I broke my own vow and gave Charter an opportunity to change my past prejudice. Generally, I was content with the service. (However, despite your T.V. ads proclaiming differently, our experience had the broadband connection failing routinely as opposed to the rarity of a satellite signal loss, regardless of weather.) Shortly after we began your service, you realigned the levels of speed, and our connection slowed. We begrudgingly accepted the diminished product. Later, the cost began to edge up. Still we stayed. But I must point out that this most recent experience has loosed the ghosts that drove me away from cable so long ago and rekindled my prejudice. When the telephone company offered an improved DSL at two-thirds the cost of your service, I didn't need to be asked twice. They provided the modem and a connection that is 30% faster than Charter broadband. This is no 'promotional deal'. Considering the phone line's capability to withstand all types of weather, I suspect my outages and surge risk will be nil.

I consider myself honest, honorable, and fair. I absorbed the cost of the first modem and three replacement Ethernet cards for my computers. I firmly believe Charter should have, at the least, reimbursed me the $87.00 cost I incurred with the second modem. Alas, your representatives felt otherwise.

Although this seems shortsighted, I guess my account wasn't worthy of this type of dispensation. Business as usual for the cable company!