Charter Communications ripoff, trying to get out of repairs or replacement Montgomery Alabama
I have been a customer of Charter Communications for a very long time without incident, using cable television services and broadband.One particular afternoon, this past summer, thunderstorms rumbled through our area.
I have never had to worry about my electronics equipment during lightning storms, even though I USE my surge protectors. My family had been to the lake when the storms rolled through. That evening, when we came home, our normal routine is, my husband with the TV remote and I am on my computer. He hits "power" on his remote, and the TV comes on, but, with the changing of the channels, the numbers are changing, but with a snowy screen, you can make out, the Mexican channel. Every channel number is the same. A
bout the same time, I turn on the computer tower, and nothing. No power. I see there is power to my monitor and my speakers. The lamp, that's plugged into the same surge protector as the tower and TV, is working. Then the investigation. My husband removed the side cover on my tower. The ethernet card that the high-speed cable runs directly into, was badly smutted and burned. The television, only 2 months old, showed the same, the tuner showed a black spot on the outside.(Where the cable plugs into the back, there is a small cable that runs to the tuner.)
Let me also point out, that a month or two prior, Charter came out and installed a new surge protector onto my power pole and tied into the power company's ground cable.
I immediately called Charter and explained the problem. They placed a repair order for a repair man to come out the next day.
The repair man that finally came out 3 days later, came out was not helpful at all, so I took the next morning off work to go into the main office in Montgomery ( about 25 miles away.)
When I entered the Montgomery office, I asked for a particular supervisor and within 10 minutes, was told that, (1) he was on vacation, (2)no, he just returned from vacation,it may be awhile, and (3) he's out working in the field today, and is not available. I inquired about a cell phone, and was told that he didn't have one. Totally frustrated, I left a message, that he needed to contact me that afternoon.
He had called and left a message before I was able to make it home. I returned the call and made an appointment for him to come out the next morning and check it out for himself.
He came out and looked at the spots of concern on both pieces of equipment. His only response the whole time, was that"it wasn't the cable, it was power."
I tried to explain, I am not an electrician, by any means, but these two pieces, the television and the computer tower, both have very small fuses in them. Neither of the fuses had been blown. My surge protector had not been tripped. All the other equipment in the house was fine, except what was on that piece of cable.
That particular cable line, was the newest that was run. The lightning ran through this cable and into my bedroom. It went to the furthest point it could go in both pieces of equipment and "blew out".
I was told before Mr. Supervisor left, he would make a couple calls and let me know.
I never heard from him again.
I tried to contact him and left a couple of messages, he never returned my calls.
I called the office on two different occassions, giving them the same, old story each time, and they sent through a repair order. They informed me, when someone came out for the repair, they would be able to help contact the supervisor.
They actually sent out a sub-contractor to pick up my cable modem.He knew nothing of the problem and couldn't contact the supervisor.
I took both TV and computer into three different shops and just told them that I didn't know what happened to them and wanted to get estimates on repairs.
Immediately on looking at the tower, two of the three shops told me I might as well replace the computer. It could be repaired for $600-$700. They specifically told me that lightning ran through the cable, at the ethernet port, and probably jumped across the motherboard. Chances were that the whole system would have to be replaced.
The TV had about the same story. The tuner had been burned by a surge through the cable port. The tuner could be replaced on this piece and should be fine.
I do still have more details about this whole mess. About the surge-protector that was installed( when I asked what that was for, I was told it would keep lightning from running in on my cable line and "frying" my equipment) and other frustating experiences in this whole ordeal, but that gives you the jest of it all.
Charter has made the statement on three different times, that I just need to file it on my homeowner's policy. I don't feel that I should have to.
There's no telling how many times this has happened in the past, and the customer's have just given in and filed on their insurance.
I think Charter should have to take responsibility for using sub-standard equipment, such as the "Regal surge-protector", and trying to save a buck or two. On top of, management not having to be honest when they work with the public, or even having common courtesy to return phone calls of customers that have had problems. It just seemed to me like this was all in a day's work to them. They weren't worried about being caught in something, this was an everyday occurence for them. They evidentally blow off customers everyday without giving them straight answers.
As long as they keep paying that bill every month...
Tammy
Deatsville, Alabama
U.S.A.
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5 Updates & Rebuttals
Virma
Glenn Heights,Texas,
U.S.A.
CHARTER COMMUNICATION. ITS NOT JUST IN YOUR STATE ITS TEXAS TOO
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, June 14, 2006
The following happened to me and I live in Texas. So I sympathize with you. Charter Communications do avoid taking responsibility for correcting their errors, replacement of defective equipment/wiring, missing scheduled appointments to correct and/or make necessary repairs, and contradicting statements.
I received a telephone call today, Tuesday, June 13, 2006 around 6 p.m. from Charter Cable regarding services and billing.
I informed Charter Cable personnel that I was not under any contract and that I was on a month to month and that I paid in advance for 3 or 6 months. I also, informed him that I told Charter Cable in advance that I did not want their cable services any longer. I told Charter Cable personnel this 3 or 4 months ago when I experienced the bad customer services, technical services, and cable services. The services had frequent interruptions and poor reception. When my neighbor's dog dug up the cable from beneath the ground Charter Cable Technicians responded in an untimely fashion (did not come to location and make repairs as scheduled) and once at the location technician was misinformed regarding underground wiring and fees.
I was informed it would not cost me anything for the technician to come out and place the wiring underground since I was not at fault and it was my neighbor's dog who dug the wiring up due to the wiring being exposed from the cable box. The technician eventually came out and stated it would be a fee. I spoke with someone at Charter Cable regarding this fee and was informed the technician was wrong but the technician insisted and did not put the wire in place. I was out of cable service for about 1-2 or more weeks (2 separate occasions).
I informed Charter Cable and told them I would not continue services with Charter Cable and that I would have services with DISH Network. I was approved for DISH Network Services but Charter Cable failed to respond to my request. All of this was requested and completed prior to May 2006. I am not responsible for any current or past due Charter Cable service bills due to the following: I was not under any contract. I was on a month to month (pay as you go) you pay you have the services you don't pay you don't have the services.
And thirdly, I informed/told Charter Cable I was not going to continue my services with Charter Cable and I was going back to Satelite Cable with DISH Network. Please for the second time stop any and all services, I will not pay.
Sign
Detorit,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Charter and my losses
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, June 14, 2006
I agree and even told their techs who told me to go to some person who cares. I will say this; I am not one to take this kind of treatment easy. I had also lost both of my battery back ups since the d**n power came in backwards aka in the cable, and nic lines to my computers. As you can see I did also add to this today as a new post.
I would be willing to add my info copies I got from their ins co as well as the sec info too, plus all my pics and other items. I am not worried what they gonna do take away my calbe. Then I would have them here in michigan for no reason of taking away for the truth.
Their salery staff sucks and they do in fact treat everyone as a-holes. Yes they are losing and ya know what don't give a rats tush. Had I not gone to the bathroom 15minutes before the bolt entered my home through their cable line I would have been killed. As it was my wife was on the iside of the bed which when I saw the bolt come in I covered her in case the screen blew up.
Good thing my mac stopped that part of it. But I lost two computers, one was my server, the other was my graphic/tv machine. I also lost my ploice scanner which wasn't on at that time. Plus that damage to my home on top of it all. Also State Farm who had the ins for the home was useless and refused to pay the calim they blamed the cable co. Wouldn't help one d**n bit. The replacement cost has still not finished, it is at $4500.00 and still going.
By all means if anyone would like to know more about it from me then post here. Heck even the guys they had come out said the same thing that the cable co was the fault of this.
P
Pelham,Alabama,
U.S.A.
Similar lightning story, with a twist
#6Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 21, 2006
Maybe my story will help warn others fed up with Charter's maintenance practices.
After several years of mediocre picture quality, Charter's signal took a drastic turn for the worse a while back. Several Charter service appointments turned up nothing.
I finally ran out of patience after 6-8 weeks, and tried to find the real source of the problem on my own. This decision led me to commit two BIG mistakes:
1. Disconnecting the ground at the cable junction box mounted on the side of my home cleared the signal up nicely, better than it had ever looked. I decided to leave it that way for a little while, but forgot about it completely.
2. To further boost the weak signal, I bought an AC-powered RF amplifier and installed it myself, just inside the house.
At the time, I congratulated myself for being so clever and figured that was the end of it.
Some months later, lightning made the inevitable jump from the incoming cable to the "live" wiring inside the RF amplifier. This fried the RF amp of course, but it also spread to an electronic control board in our new furnace ($$), which shared the same circuit. I felt a little like Tim Allen in Home Improvement.
The moral is: despite Charter's frustrating lack of competence, I should have escalated my issue up the corporate ladder, instead of taking matters into my own hands. Beware, folks!
Troy
Muncie,Indiana,
U.S.A.
To the OP
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, January 13, 2006
Just want to add some things here. If lightning ran through the cable then the spliter would be fried out side as well as the ground block and the wire going to the computer and TV would be melted in several spots this would happen because coaxial cables are not made to with stand a large amount of voltage like electrcal wires are so if the wire was not melted and the spliter and ground blocks were not blown then it didn't come though the cable. What probably happened was the surge came through the elecrrical lines in your home and used the cable lines as a ground which means that it came through on your electrical plug and went into the tv and pc through the power cords and jumped over to the closest ground which would be the cable lines and that is how your tv got blown. as for the PC it came in through the power cord as well and jumped across the mother board to the closest groung which again would be the cable line , which the ethernet wire was pluged into the pc and then to the cable modem and then to the cable line this is why the NIC card was blown doen't seeem like the cable is to blame. also a surge that can blow your tv or pc dosn't mean it will blow the surge protector some times it will blow the pine or just weld it so it dosn't blow and flow through ti anyway.
Jason
Simpsonville,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Sounds like you're right...
#6Consumer Comment
Tue, August 23, 2005
I agree that the "surge" came in on the cable lines. The fact that the tuner portion of your TV and ethernet cards were blown pretty much guarantees that.
However.. The problem is that it is an act of God. The problems you describe are caused by lightning, not a surge. The only surge protector that will work against lightning is things being unplugged. Surge protectors are for minor fluctuations in power, not lightning hits.
If Charter's policy is anything similar to Time Warner's, which I would bet it is, in the event of a lightning strike that damages equipment, they will send a technician out to inspect the lines running to your house. If it is determined that all lines were grounded properly, then it is your responsibility as they did all that they could possibly do. If the lines were NOT grounded properly, then they are liable.
From what you describe, with there being physical, burning damage, this was a direct lightning strike to your lines and no amount of grounding would help. Therefore, it falls back to you and your homeowners.
The final thing to check, I don't know how close you are to neighbors, but check with them, because if they have damage as well, then you have a better case against Charter. Their lines are worked in such a way so that if lightning does hit one house, it is pretty much confined to that house and doesn't run the lines to the next house (Unless the house is a duplex or similar)
Good luck to you. One final thing I will mention is that the $600-$700 repair bill for the computer seems excessive. Pull the network card and see if the computer boots without it. NICs are pretty good at stopping voltages, and with this already going into the cable lines, then jumping across the cable modem before hitting the NIC, I would guess that would be the only damage.