 Review by Anti_Cyrix 
UPDATED: 1.7 years ago
member for 5.5 years, 1179 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 West Sacramento,Yolo,CA
 $54 per month
 "Reliable Service"
 "Best broadband provider in this area."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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UPDATE: JANUARY 2007: Finally ditched Charter! $55 a month for 3/256 is unacceptable. Got 1.5/384 from SBC for $20 a month and couldn't be happier with the savings. Charter has been the first broadband provider in the area, but now because of their pricing they have lost their edge in compatitiveness.
Original Review:
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Cable became available in my area just a couple months ago. ADSL is not available in my area so i ordered cable service from Charter on Feb. 28th via email. The tech came by my house on the fifth of March (as scheduled) and installed the service. The package i went with is the Level 2 -- 768Kb Down / 128Kb Up for $44 a month (+$10 for not having cableTV, +$5 modem rental)
The first 2 days were great. I was getting 784/120 without any slow-downs. Friday evening, I noticed that the download speed has decreased. Speed test results were 77/120. It was arround 4pm at the time, so I thought it was one of those "peak times"
Speed test at 9pm, 70/120. Called Tech Support. No hold times. Asked if they had any problems that they were aware of at the time. The tech told me that it was probobly a problem on my side. Minutes later I found one of the coax cables outside not screwed into the splitter, just plugged in. 762/124 at 11pm.
The only thing I dislike about charter so far is the price. Im supposed to pay a total of $60 a month for 768/128k? My friend a mile away from my house gets 1500/128k for $35 a month from SBC.
Overall, im satisfied, but when ADSL becomes available, i think i will swich to SBC.
Here is more Speed Test results:
2003-03-08 06:16:40 EST: 760 / 128
Your download speed : 760980 bps, or 760 kbps.
A 92.8 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 128205 bps, or 128 kbps.
Here is an Update.
Over more than a year that I had Charter internet at my parents house, the speed went up to 2mb last year, and up to 3mb just recently. I've had no problems with Charter.
Recent speed test:
2004-07-01 00:07:43 EST: 3220 / 240
Your download speed : 3297383 bps, or 3220 kbps.
A 402.5 KB/sec transfer rate.
Your upload speed : 246153 bps, or 240 kbps
Update: March 2006.
I still hate the price, so value for money is goin' down.
Charter's cable internet service is very reliable in the West Sacramento area, also, your only (decent) choice of broadband if you live too far for ADSL. I am getting symetrical 20mbit fiber connection in the Natomas area, ten minutes away, for $90 a month. For $54 per month only for theoretical 3mbit/256k, I would ask a little more upload strength from Charter.
...but then again, all this speed is spoiling. 
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