My cable Internet, and TV, installation experience with Charter.
Good morning, or afternoon. This is in reference to the quality of service, or lack of same, which I have received from Charter Communications.
On October 2nd or 3rd I went to the Cleveland, TN office to have cable Internet service established on Harrrison Pike. I was told that it would be installed on October 7th at 1:30pm. To make sure that "I" was there at that time.
On October 7th around 4:00pm I called to find out if they were going to show up or not. About 4:30pm I called called again to find out when the installers quit for the day, and was told they would show up to install it sometime that day.
At 6:00pm, (4 and 1/2 hours late), the installer R.D. Davis showed up with a cable TV box and remote control. He promply hooked it up, gave me the remote, took my check for $ 31.00, and left.
I asked if there was an ID and password needed to log onto my Internet account, and was told that I would need to call the toll free number provided in my kit. I went to his truck as he was preparing to leave and asked him for the number, which he said he did not have.
There is NO toll free number provided with the kit.
I got the number from calling other Charter offices.
When I did get Technical Support on the phone I was told that they would have someone out between 8:00am and Noon on October 8th. At 11:30am I called yet again to find out if anyone was going to show up. Lori told me she would have the same R.D. Davis come back out.
At 12:45pm another installer Doug showed up and went to work getting the cable Internet set up.By 1:10pm he left with the cable box and remote control that the other installer had put in.
He said that that was why he had come by, and I quote "They just told me to come by and pick up the box" Again still no Internet service.
He told me that the cable modem was not pre-provisioned that I would receive a phone cal in 20 to 30 minutes that he was done for the day, and that it would be done from the office.
Doug called at 1:35pm, and again at 1:40pm. He then told me he would have someone else come out.
At 4:30pm I called Charter again to ask if Motorola's cable modem was supported, thinking I would have to go buy one since this one was not working. I was transfered to a supervisor, whos name I did not get. He told me that he would get with his supervisor and get someone to come out and check the signal strength. He also said he would call me back and let me know about when it would be. He never called to this day 12-9-02.
At 6:00pm another technician showed up and managed to get the modem to sync up. However it would still not connect to the Internet. At about 6:45pm another technician arrived and found the problem after a bit of checking around in the settings. They both left at about 7:10pm.
So finally after 29 and 1/2 hours after the installation was scheduled it was up and running. BUT THE HEADACHES DIDN'T END THERE!
Turns out that DSL is faster than cable here so on the 10th I returned the cable modem to the Charter office and told them I would keep the cable TV extended service but was not happy with the Internet service and was canceling it.
A couple days later someone showed up with a piece of paper for me to sign showing I wanted the "extended" TV service.
On the 22nd they cut off my cable TV service. I called them on the 23rd at 12:30pm to find out what was going on and was told they thought I said I didn't want the sevice.
The woman said she would get someone out to turn on the "BASIC" service and hung up before I could tell her AGAIN that I had the "EXTENDED" service.
That's it the next time they screw up my service and I have to call to get it straightned out it will be to CANCEL my service. I don't have the time or desire to keep trying to do business
with a company that operates like this.
Well on the 24th I called to find out why it hadn't been turned back on and was told it wouldn't be until the 25th. I told her that I didn't tell them to turn it off in the first place, and that if they couldn't get it back on by 5:00pm not to bother. They didn't so at 7:00pm I went to the store and bought a amplified antena and hooked my tv's up to it.
They told me I would get my $31.00 back. No check, instead a bill for November my accountant paid by mistake. Then another bill came on 12-9-02 for the month of December.
I called and they told me they turned it back on on 10-27-02 after I had told them not to bother. She asked if I wanted it left on or turned off. I told her to turn it off that I haven't been connected to it since 10-24-02.
Final notes.
The service of those who took part rated as follows.
R.D. Davis... Poor to say the least, aside from being 4 and 1/2 hours late he made no attempt to provide services needed.
Doug... Tried and I could see efforts being taken even afer he left and was off for the day. So I can understand him not completing the job.
The other 2 technicians (whos names I failed to get)... Was very good. They completed the job, and considering my network setup in a reasonable amount of time.
The woman who "thought" I said I wanted to cancel my TV service. I believe her name was Lori was obviously NOT paying attention to what was being said.
Summary.
The technicians appear to be in too much of a hurry to get from one job to the next to complete one job at a time. And that some could use more training on TCP/IP configuration in as it pertains to their job duties.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I hope that it may be useful to you, I will send it to several Charter personel, and will post it on the Internet in the hopes that management will receive it and will review it.
Have a great day.
Sincerly
Tim
Cleveland, Tennessee
U.S.A.
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