Complaint Review: Charter Communications

Charter Cable took over our area of service at the beginning of 2011. I always had internet service only and once paid $19.95 per month and then upped it to the $29.99  per month tier for faster internet. In August 2012, I spoke to a saleperson to enquire about price of cable. However, really felt very expensive considering I didn't watch TV that much but after speaking with sales person they gave me a bundle to go with my internet service and I decided I would take the deal to watch Alabama Football this fall.

I just got laid off work without notice and I called to cancel the TV service and keep my $29.95 per month internet service. When I called they told me that if I dropped the TV service my internet would go up to $47.99 per month and I could no longer have  it at the base price I had always paid of $29.95 per month. 

I explained to them that I had never had to pay that much and that had the sales person informed me that if I had to for any reason drop my TV service I could no longer keep my internet for the price I would never have ordered TV service. They gave me no good reason why I would be denied my former price but said it was because I was bundled and since I would no longer be bundled I could not get my former price. Tried to reason with them and rep said they spoke to their manager and could not do this for me. The only way I can get back to the $29.95 per month rate is to disconnect all services and wait 3 months and then I could re-establish internet connection for $29.95 per month. And my neighbor who just moved in got the same MB service I have for $19.95 per month. I didn't even try for $19.95 per month as they said that was a special they didn't offer anymore and he just ordered it.

Anyway I feel so lied to and misused because I need my internet to look for jobs but I cannot afford to keep pay for the bundle and not even $50 per month with no job. There is a huge difference between $30 and $50 per month when you have no income. I believe Charter lied and mislead me into accepting a bundle without informing me that I would be penalized if I disconnected TV Service. Furthermore, they can override anything they want if they go higher in management. I wish I could take legal action but the US Government doesn't allow competition in the Cable market. It is a monopoly so they gouge people and now I am going to be forced to disconnect and try to go find a place to use internet for free and everyone know you cannot survive without email, and searching for jobs and applying online these days.