A couple of years ago I contracted for Charter high speed Internet. Was told that if I had no TV service it would cost $10 over the $31.99 advertised at the time for a total of $41.99. In February 2007 new Charter rates were sent out. My monthly charge was to raise $2 for a total of $43.99. I did call a Charter rep who confirmed that $43.99 was correct as I was already paying the $10 penalty surcharge. On 17 March when checking the Charter monthly charge it was $53.99, essentially doubling the already outrageous "surcharge." In essence Charter is "blackmailing" customers who only want one service to buy a package by offering "discounts" and in the process thinking that customers would not notice the "double dip." I called Charter and got someone located in the Philippines which only resulted in double talk and frustration. Finally got a manager in the US whose must have had difficulty with grade school math until I lead her by the hand to see my point. She finally agreed that I was being double dipped and gave me a credit but for only a year so this problem will raise its ugly head again. In the meantime I will be doing my research for another internet provider and fortunately there are now other high speed providers in the Reno area well as other TV providers. Perhaps when customers have had enough of Charters pricing practices, the blackmail attempts to get customers to buy "packages" and its "high" level executives getting outrageous bonus while customers complaints go ignored and unanswered, people will switch to either Dish or Direct TV. By the way it was no trouble to brush off snow from my dish during the snowy winter which was for about two or three times, as I just used a long handle paint pole with a brush on the end and my service was not interrupted.
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