Complaint Review: Charter Communications

 I ordered a $29.99/mo internet service from Charter in Wisconsin. It was installed as agreed.  A week or so later I decided to order TV and Phone for $59.99/mo - and that was installed.  Then due to a family situation which meant I would only be in Wisconsin occassionally and really didn't need a TV (or phone which I never needed, but which was cheaper option that taking just a TV!), I cancelled the TV/phone service well within the 30-day free cancellation period.  When I called to cancel Charter representative first told me on the phone that my internet service price is now $59.99/mo -  note this sudden price increase was for another service (internet) for which I had made a separate and independent agreement prior to ordering TV/Phone service.  I told the Charter representative that it is wrong to increase my internet service charge which was separately agreed at a different time.  After being transferred to a supervisor, who first argued that the price increase was because I had ordered a bundled internet/TV/phone service (which wasn't true), and when the supervisor couldn't really support Charter's price increase on that basis, she said that $39.99/mo is the best she can offer, and that the price increase is because I am no longer a new customer and don't qualify for the $29.99 price!  Duh! 

I am perfectly OK with paying the installation fee and the TV/phone fee for the 5-6 days I had the service, but I believe Charter reneged on the internet agreement.  I just wonder who comes up with these unethical and probably even legally fraudulent policies at Charter.  I bet it is a terrible place to work at --- all customer facing people have to defend Charter's indefensible policies, they have to listen to all these complaints knowing that their customers are right and that Charter is ripping people off.  The profits Charter and all of internet/cable/phone companies in the USA are essentially oligopolies, protected by Federal Communication Commission who are directly or indirectly lobbied (=read bribed) by the companies.  If we could just get the government out of this, and have true competition in this field in the US, the prices would be similar to, let say Finland, where I can get mobile 40Mbps internet service for 12 euros per month (which is about $16) with unlimited data, and where, btw, I pay 66 cents (less than a dollar) per month for cell phone service with the same company.  So, if the Finnish company is profitable in a competetive market with those prices, then you can figure out what kinds of profits US internet/phone companies make.

BTW - When I returned the TV equipment (box and remote), there was an old man talking to a Charter representative asking why he is getting billed $144 per month for services he doesn't need.  Honestly, it is of course not acceptable to institute fraudulent rip-off policies in general, but it is just horrible to be ripping off 70-90 year olds who most likely have not developed the internet/technology skills to research and even find out that they are being ripped off.   At least I can let some steam off writing this.