The reps have told some customers that to receive TV, they will need to rent Charter’s digital boxes, which will cost them more, two customers told The Watchdog.
That’s flat-out wrong.
Most cable TV customers already rent a box, which comes with a remote control. But some cable customers forgo the box and use a cable wire that connects their analog TVs directly to a cable wall outlet. That saves them money.
For those customers, Charter and many other cable companies will convert the federally mandated digital signals back to old-style analog, starting Feb. 17.
I found out that customers were getting false information when I started looking into customer complaints that Charter moved five popular stations from its expanded basic lineup to its digital lineup July 22.
When customers without a digital cable box tried to find channels 85 through 89, they were directed to an on-screen message to call Charter and learn about how to get them back.
The reps then told them that because Charter was trying to make room for eight high-definition channels and four digital channels, they had to clear space from what they call the "analog platform."
When the customers then asked whether they would need a digital cable box in February, they were inaccurately told that they did.
The five channels that expanded basic customers lost are Bravo, GSN (Game Show Network), Oxygen, TCM (Turner Classic Movies) and SOAPnet.
Gail Shelby of Fort Worth contacted The Watchdog and said she liked to watch old movies on TCM in bed before going to sleep. She added: "My bigger question [to Charter] involved what is going to happen in February. I wanted to know if we would be required to rent additional digital boxes" to view sets that are connected to the cable.
Shelby said a Cable rep named May told her yes.
Shelby asked The Watchdog whether this was true.
John Cotter of Fort Worth was furious that he and his wife lost some favorite channels from the TV in their bedroom, too. When he asked which channels he would receive through his cable-wire-only setup in February, he says he was told none.
When I reported these inaccurate answers to a Charter official, she said the company would launch an internal investigation, find out which reps the customers talked to and retrain the staff.
"It’s a training issue," spokeswoman Teri Salas Hassell said. "We need to find out who is giving them false information. It’s totally false."
Tips
While researching this, I learned two more important consumer tips:
First, Charter is running promotions so anyone in Cotter’s or Shelby’s situation — cable TV without the digital box — can call and get a 12-month special that will give them digital service with a box. But their bills will be lower.
"They lowered my bill by $5, and they’re putting the box in my bedroom," Shelby happily told me. Of course, after a year, the price will go up.
Second, consumers should regularly call their cable company and ask about specials.
When I asked about specials last week, a Charter rep told me that because of current economic conditions, the company was sympathetic to customers. I got a six-month special where my monthly bill was lower. (And no, The Watchdog didn’t receive special treatment.)
Then I asked whether there were any HBO/Cinemax specials, and the rep told me about a 12-month promotion. Now I’m getting those premium movie channels free for a year. Try it. Ask about specials. And ask regularly.
