When announcing Comcast’s intention to buy Time Warner Cable, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts called cable a “highly competitive and dynamic marketplace.” Dynamic it might be, but competitive it isn’t. Most of us live a local monopoly, cable-wise: it might be a Comcast city or a Time Warner town, but we don’t have that much choice with our providers. And those companies also, hugely, provide our broadband access. So what does 75% reach or a 15% market share really look like, to a city and the people in it? [More]
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Time Warner Cable Shareholder Sues To Block Comcast Merger
By 2.17.14
It’s not just consumers and advocacy groups that are worried about the pending sale of Time Warner Cable to Comcast for $45 billion. On Friday, a TWC shareholder has filed a lawsuit to block the merger, claiming that executives prioritized their own bank accounts over investors’ interests for a deal that will have a difficult time passing regulatory muster. [More]
You Might Hate Time Warner Cable, But Would We All Be Worse Off Without It?
By 1.27.14
While Comcast might have more customers who hate it, we’d be willing to bet that Time Warner Cable is loathed by a higher percentage of its customers. Ask just about any cable-subscribing customer in NYC about the company and prepare to listen to numerous tales of screw-ups, outages, and bad billing. So some are greeting with open arms the news of TWC’s possible sale to one of its competitors. But would the disappearance of TWC just end up costing all of us in the long run? [More]
Time Warner Cable Rejects $37.3 Billion Offer From Charter, But Takeover Attempt Is Just Beginning
By 1.14.14
Yesterday, the backers of Charter Communications made a $37.3 billion offer to purchase Time Warner Cable. It was Charter’s third cash offer to TWC and it was quickly rejected by the larger cable company’s board as “grossly inadequate.” But that doesn’t mean this is the end of the road for Charter’s bid to merge with TWC. [More]
Comcast And Charter Consider Buying Time Warner Cable. No, Really
By 11.22.13
There are many changes that could improve cable television and broadband internet service in the United States, but “more mergers” certainly isn’t one of them. That’s why we started screaming hysterically in the Consumerist offices today when we learned that Charter and Comcast are both weighing their options and thinking about acquiring Time Warner Cable. [More]
DirecTV, TWC, Charter Mulling Over Aereo-Like Services
By 10.28.13
While Aereo — the online service that transmits over-the-air network feeds to subscribers’ computers and mobile devices — is slugging it out with broadcasters in court, the operators of several cable and satellite services are reportedly looking to launch similar products of their own, setting the stage for an all-new TV war. [More]
Charter Customer Pleads Guilty To Making Bomb Threat On Customer Service Office
By 8.6.13
As people who not only spend all day looking at readers’ complaints about the companies they deal with but who also have cable subscriptions of our very own, we get being frustrated with your cable company. Calling in a bomb threat, however, is a terrible idea. A Minnesota man accused of doing just that pleaded guilty to a lesser charge this week. [More]
Charter Owners Looking To Snatch Up Time Warner Cable And Possibly Cablevision, Claims Report
By 7.1.13
Relatively small cable and Internet company Charter Communications has earned a number of Worst Company In America brackets but often fails to progress beyond the first round because it’s just not big enough to be hated by a nationwide audience. That could change, as the company’s owner reportedly seeks to acquire Time Warner Cable and possibly Cablevision. [More]
Comcast, Time Warner Cable Bring Up Rear In Cable Customer Satisfaction
By 5.21.13
Comcast and Time Warner Cable may be two of the largest cable and Internet providers in the country, but they’re also the two worst, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index. [More]
Netflix Now Posting Monthly Rankings Of ISP Speeds
By 12.11.12
If, during the course of watching a 50-hour marathon of Burn Notice on Netflix, you find yourself occasionally annoyed by drops in resolution or — heaven forefend — buffering, it might be your Internet service provider. Well, now you can get a better idea as Netflix intends to post monthly rankings of speed on 21 major ISPs. [More]
Charter Ends Twitter And Facebook Customer Support
By 12.6.12
People who are unable to get help from Charter’s regular customer service have always had another, social media-riffic option: contacting the dedicated Facebook and Twitter representatives. We’ve heard pretty good things about Team Twitter over at Charter, which is why we’re very sad to hear that they’re killing off the helpful accounts and re-assigning all of the team members. [More]
Charter Admits It Shouldn’t Charge Customer Modem Fee, Keeps Charging Her Anyway
By 11.26.12
When your cable company owns up to its own billing error, it should be a good thing. But there’s no point in admitting to the error if the company isn’t going to stop making that same error every month until you finally file a lawsuit. [More]
Charter Spreads Misinformation, Hopes You Forgot How 2009 DTV Transition Worked
By 11.12.12
When a company or an individual spreads misinformation, we like to think that it’s out of ignorance instead of greed or malice. Such as the Charter Cable customer service representative who told reader Paul that he shouldn’t cancel his cable because later this year, over-the-air broadcasts will end and he will need cable or satellite service to keep watching TV.
This might be a great argument for convincing people not to cancel their cable. The problem is that it is not, strictly speaking, true. [More]
Charter Gives Me Free DVR, Won’t Let Me Use It Anymore
By 11.8.12
Donald found himself in a strange dilemma with his cable company, Charter. He got a deal that included a free DVR when he signed up with them through his apartment complex. When the owner’s bulk deal ended, he had to contract directly with Charter for his cable. No big deal. Except the company told him that he had to start paying for his DVR. Well, paying to have a TV signal fed into it: he could just keep it on his shelf if he really wanted to. He just couldn’t have a TV signal running to it. That’s nice if he has a cat that likes to sleep on electronics, but otherwise makes him kind of sad. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 2: PayPal Vs. Charter
By 3.23.12
It’s the final day of competition in Round Two of Worst Company In America 2012, but there are still an awful lot of awful businesses still waiting to do battle. So let’s get to it and do it, shall we? [More]
Why Does My Internet Connection Take A Daily Afternoon Siesta?
By 3.20.12
Three hours. That’s how long Nate’s Internet connection goes out for, every day except Saturday. He has no idea why. His Internet service provider, Charter, has no idea why. All Charter is able to do is send technician after technician to check out the problem, replace hardware, and ultimately not solve the problem. [More]
Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
By 3.12.12
Welcome to Consumerist’s 7th Annual Worst Company In America tournament, where the businesses you nominated face off for a title that none of them will publicly admit to wanting — but which all of them try their hardest to earn. So it’s time to fill in the brackets and start another office pool. That is, unless you work at one of the 32 companies competing in the tournament. [More]
Costco, Amazon Top Most-Trusted Company Survey; Comcast Brings Up The Rear
By 10.19.11
We live in a time where very few companies engender a lot of trust in the buying public. But some businesses still do a better job than others at developing a positive relationship with consumers. [More]
