Review by wilberfan2 
UPDATED: 2 years ago
member for 5 years, 43 visits, last login: 292 days ago
 Burbank,Los Angeles,CA
 $54 per month
 "Good speeds--when connected"
 "More and more frequent loss-of-connection"
 "Bleah!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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I've been with Charter since at least 2003, as was very happy with them--until recently. Beginning about this time last year, I started experiencing more and more frequent outages. Sometimes for a few minutes--sometimes all day. In the past month, I've had at least 9 short or long-term outages.
Their tech support used to be based in nearby Irwindale--but they outsourced to the Phillipines recently--and I HATE talking to someone who is reading from a script. It's maddening.
I also don't like the way Charter has of increasing my plan speed--and raising my rates accordingly. I think in January they're doing it again: 5Mbps is being increased to 6Mbps--and the price is going from $53.99 (which already feels a little high) to $59.99?)
To quote (steal) from bgetchel's review of Charter: "You can get better, but you can't pay more!"
AT&T is offering their fiber-optic system in this area--but I've been reading such horrible things about this "evil empire", that I hesitate to switch to them. I'm going to have to check out my DSL options.
I'm just totally fed up with Charter.
Followup comments:  wilberfan2
join:2004-11-25
Burbank, CA
| Did I rant too soon? To be completely fair to Charter (which possibly necessitates me eating sh*t--but fair is fair), I contacted tech support today to give them a chance to remedy the problem--in case it's not systemic.
The dude explained that they didn't have my MAC Addr configured properly on their end--and that that could cause connectivity problems.
I'll watch it for the next month, and report back.
I'm still not happy about their pricing and their offshore tech support... | |
|  | yay_son
join:2005-04-16
Monterey Park, CA
1 edit | Re: Did I rant too soon? said by wilberfan2 :To be completely fair to Charter (which possibly necessitates me eating sh*t--but fair is fair), I contacted tech support today to give them a chance to remedy the problem--in case it's not systemic. The dude explained that they didn't have my MAC Addr configured properly on their end--and that that could cause connectivity problems. I'll watch it for the next month, and report back. I'm still not happy about their pricing and their offshore tech support... PISH-POSH .. mac address isn't configured properly on their end? give me a break .. you can't go online if the mac address to the modem isn't in their system .. and you can't "configure" a mac address .. wth they going to do with it? they are full of it! | |
| | | wilberfan2
join:2004-11-25
Burbank, CA
| Re: Did I rant too soon? Well..OK. Now I don't know WHAT to think... Was he blowing smoke up my skirt? Maybe I'm using the word "configured" inaccurately?
I got the impression that he had to 'enter' the MAC addr somewhere on their end. (I've replaced modems in the past--and they've "done something" on their end... | |
| | | | wilberfan2
join:2004-11-25
Burbank, CA | Re: Did I rant too soon? I've been reading reviews of modems at newegg, and several mention calling their cable companies to give them "the new MAC Addr".
So, your pish-posh confuses me... | |
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