InfoGraphic: Sample Time Warner Cable Bill
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Will you upgrade from analog to digital Time Warner Cable to get HBO, Showtime or Cinemax? (1) Yes
13.5 % (77)
(2) No
66.3 % (379)
(3) Switching to satellite
20.3 % (116)
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Cable charges anger customers
Channels stopped, billing continued for rest of month
By fanny s. chirinos Caller-Times
April 12, 2006
For some cable customers, it was bad enough that Time Warner Cable changed its programming three weeks into the spring season. The company also charged them for the entire month.
Time Warner did away with analog HBO, Showtime and Cinemax and now only offers them in digital format. Subscribers who were receiving analog premium channels and want to continue receiving them must switch to digital, which requires a box rented by Time Warner for $7.99 a month.
To Comment
To comment on cable customer service standards, technical issues, public or government channel requirement and the city-issued franchise agreement, email the Cable Communications Commission at
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To comment on cable rates, contact the Federal Communications Commission at 888-225-5322 or email at
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Source: Susan Cable;
www.fcc.org
The switch irked some customers who are followers of series such as HBO's mafia drama "The Sopranos" and "Big Love," a series about polygamy. The season for these series began on March 12.
The company says the change enhances service while helping the company crack down on cable theft. The switch began on March 31 and most of Corpus Christi was switched by Monday, said Paula Smith, a Time Warner spokeswoman.
"Digital cable, in the long run, provides a much greater value for the customer," Smith said. "They'll have better quality and more options such as multiplex channels, access to on-demand programming and movies on demand."
Mike Sullivan subscribes to Time Warner's extended service with HBO and doesn't feel the company is honest about its reason for removing the analog premium channels. He also is upset that the company charged for HBO through April 15, when the channel was removed on April 3.
Richard Hernandez also received a charge for April. Although he feels confident the company will refund his money, he says that is not the point.
"The point is they didn't take off the charge when they took off my channel," said Hernandez, who paid for the three premium channels. "They knew at least 30 days ahead of time that they were doing the switch. Instead of Cinemax, we now have a shopping channel. The company's getting their money back, but they're charging us for a service we're not getting."
Smith encouraged all customers with billing issues to contact the company at 698-6200. The City of Corpus Christi's Cable Communications Commission is having a regular meeting at noon on April 17 at City Hall. The commission does not oversee cable rates, but can address concerns about customer service standards, technical issues, public/government access channel requirements and the city-issued franchise agreement, said Lisa Aguilar, assistant city attorney.
Zulema Castaneda said the problem is a lack of competition. Time Warner is the only cable company servicing her neighborhood near Martin Middle School. She says she does not wish to have satellite cable service.
"This is a monopoly," Castaneda said. "We need more cable companies to force Time Warner to value their customers and lower their prices."
Grande Communications serves some parts of the city, but not all, said Dottie Lane, general manager. She said her Corpus Christi call center has not received calls from Time Warner Cable customers wanting to switch because of programming change. For the past four years, Grande has been laying cable underground and among the power lines.
"We want to do that as quickly as we possibly can to service more people," Lane said. "Unfortunately, I don't have an estimate as to when we'll be able to provide it to the entire city."
Contact Fanny S. Chirinos at 886-3759 or HYPERLINK mailto:
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www.frank salazar same old bull **** just another day in the life and crime of cable tv.. / bell/ .power.com
