Anyone have Spectrum cable??

[runwad]

Time Warner is now Spectrum and I'm hearing all kinds of horror stories about them. People are saying when its time to renew our services the prices are really going to go up. Not like that is anything new but I usually call and my bill goes up $10/year instead of the $25 or so they originally notified me about.

Someone said we will no longer be able to have extra tvs hooked up to cable without a box and at first it will be free but you know how that goes, after that the price will go up and up!! We only have 1 tv in our family room with a box and one in our bedroom without a box.

What's your experience with Spectrum?

 

[Disney_traveler]

Time Warner is now Spectrum and I'm hearing all kinds of horror stories about them. People are saying when its time to renew our services the prices are really going to go up. Not like that is anything new but I usually call and my bill goes up $10/year instead of the $25 or so they originally notified me about.

Someone said we will no longer be able to have extra tvs hooked up to cable without a box and at first it will be free but you know how that goes, after that the price will go up and up!! We only have 1 tv in our family room with a box and one in our bedroom without a box.

What's your experience with Spectrum?

I haven't heard any of the stuff that you mentioned.....yet. I know when we got our first bill from them, we called because we were thinking of adding another channel group. Well, they said if we switched ANYTHING like that (not just add an individual channel like you do through remote) we would lose entire package and price we now had and the closest package they had in price didn't even have half of the channels we watched but had a TON of extra sports and Spanish channels.

 

[firefly_ris]

Yes, they just recently switched here in the Buffalo area. I can't help with the TV stuff as I don't have cable TV and haven't for a decade so I don't even have a point of comparison for decent pricing.

I do however have internet service with them. I previously had always purchased and used my own personal modem because Time Warner charged a monthly fee to "rent" a modem from them, so buying my own paid for itself in a year. Anyway, it just kicked the bucket 2 months ago (it was 5 1/2 years old, a decent life expectancy). At first I thought I was just having service trouble so I spoke with a representative who informed me that the modem wasn't pinging anymore, and to grab a modem from them because they changed the policy and no longer had the rental fee. So my husband went and picked one up the next day -- and while they were at it, he asked if there was a way to lower our monthly bill for the internet service. They reduced the bill by $10.00/month, and additionally upgraded to the next speed package up. So, so far I haven't had a bad experience.... but, growing up in Baltimore we had Comcast, so my bar for cable companies is set pretty low!! Time shall tell I guess.

 

[No Windows]

Yep, Charter out here in Burbank, CA recently switched to Spectrum also. Beware the fees. And yes you are correct, they'll charge you per individual receiver to, as firefly_ris mentioned above, "rent" the equipment. Here, they also let you have free DVR service for 24 months before they slap on an additional $12.00 per month. So, be sure to really know what you're getting into. They'll claim to be cutting you a deal at first, but your bill will really go up once the introductory period is over.

 

[MillauFr]

Just get out now while you still have the chance.

 

[LovesTimone]

We had bright house, then they sold out to spectrum, its just like when we lived in Georgia and had Charter than became spectrum. It was a nightmare, when we moved into our house in GA the cable was working fine, all we wanted to do was switch the name, Nope... we gotta come out and redo everything, cables, boxes etc.... what but I have all that nope we have to come out ..okay... 4 service calls later the first service call was 8 hours, and 4 more on the next day 2nd service call was a week later the cable would not work but the internet would, they ask me it I knew how to use the TV remote. 3 rd service call the TV would work but not the internet, 4 th again are you sure you know how to access the internet on your home computer final they sent someone who knew what they were doing he was there 30 minute's tore out everything that the everyone else had done, and ask me what happen here, once I told him he shook his head, gave me knew boxes, and re-attached something in the basement and we were good to go...In 4 years we had 4 price increase's which we fought each time... I understand price increases, but when your service is horrible...how do you ask customers for more money???


We are with spectrum now here in Orlando, and hopping that when we move to our new house it will be a easy transition, I am hopeful... but still wary of what is going to happen.

 

[lovin'fl]

Moved to NC a couple months ago and it was Time Warner but switching to Spectrum right around the time we moved. We tried to get Direct TV but had trouble getting an internet provider so we went with the Spectrum. It has been good for us. We have HD TVs and have to have boxes with each...though in MD with Verizon FiOS we did as well. And Verizon had technical issues regularly and wasn't keen on sending a technician out...charged you for it. But here, we went to hook up a TV/box and there was no signal. Spectrum sent out a guy the next day, a Saturday too I think, and had it working in like!e 10 minutes. No charge. I like them so far....hope I didn't just jinx myself.

 

[Best Aunt]

OP, it was the opposite for me. TWC became Spectrum but pre-existing TWC packages are still in place. I had a TWC promotional deal end, so the price went way up. I called and they said if I wasn't happy I could switch to a Spectrum package. I switched.

The Internet is now faster and cheaper.

For cable tv, they have tiers of cable programming. When choosing, you have to look carefully at which channels are in which tiers. I picked the middle level tier. I thought I would not miss the channels in the highest tier if I did not have them. I was wrong. I would channel surf and want to watch something, only to realize that I didn't have the channel because it was in the highest tier. (I missed MTV and Comedy Channel the most.) So I called and switched to the highest tier.

Spectrum charges a regular price, which is different from TWC which had different one-year promotional deals for which not everyone qualified.

They would have given me a free Internet modem when I switched, but the modem I purchased before is still working fine. If it stops working, I can get a free modem from them.

If I understood them correctly, they are planning to make everyone get a cable box eventually. But as of right now, the TV in my basement does not have a cable box and it is working fine.

The cable boxes are $4.99 each per month. TWC charged $8.50 each.

 

[runwad]

Thanx guys! My town has its own cable so our rates are a lot lower than most because of the competition, but I still think its high! So if Spectrum jerks me around too much I'll switch to my cities services. If I can get a lower rate for 2 years I'll take 'em up on that before switching. Never wanted to go thru the hassle before to save a few bucks but if its significant I will!

 

[OhMari]

We moved into our new home and I returned all of our old "Charter" equipment. We called Charter which is now Spectrum and set up a new account. We got TV, internet and phone for $19 a piece. We added the DVR which was $24 and had 3 cable boxes, the first one was free the other two were $5.00 a piece. We locked in that price for 2 years. Now our internet jumped to $59, we dropped the phone, which we never used. DVR dropped to $12, still pay for 2 boxes at $5.00. We have Digital HD for $75 and no extra tiers. I just got a notice last month rates were all going up again on everthing. I think the total price increase was $12. If you try calling them, they tell you to drop the DVR and that is the only thing that they can do to save you money. If you tell them, you will be dropping their services, "they basically tell you to not let the door hit you when you leave." I could live without tv, I barely watch it, but my husband is a huge tv watcher.

 

[Albort]

$29.99 triple package! ever since the buy out, thats all they advertise. :\

when i was with TWC, i paid $44.99 a month. during the merge, it went up $54.99 because i originally had my own eqiupment and now Spectrum includes it either way... Fine... 2 months ago, it went up to $66.66. 1 month ago, it was $79.99. I guess now that they hold a monopoly in my area(my only other option is ATT), they dont care and wont give u a lower price.

I cant wait for ATT FIOS to move in.

 

[DawnM]

I have no choice, that is the only internet available here. DH needs the higher speeds for work. 300mbps, cable TV, and a phone we never use, $158 with taxes and fees.

 

[DaisyJ]

Ours recently switched from TWC to Spectrum. No issues with cable or phone, but internet is terrible. We can't even watch a video on the PC without it buffering, even short one or two minute clips. Sometimes, if someone else in the house is on wifi, videos won't play at all. Our plan went up $11 a month with Spectrum.

 

[brockash]

Time Warner is now Spectrum and I'm hearing all kinds of horror stories about them. People are saying when its time to renew our services the prices are really going to go up. Not like that is anything new but I usually call and my bill goes up $10/year instead of the $25 or so they originally notified me about.

Someone said we will no longer be able to have extra tvs hooked up to cable without a box and at first it will be free but you know how that goes, after that the price will go up and up!! We only have 1 tv in our family room with a box and one in our bedroom without a box.

What's your experience with Spectrum?

I hated having time warner/spectrum. We just moved and I'm so glad to be rid of them. They're expensive, although I think my bill went down a few dollars when Spectrum took over. My main issue was how often their equipment malfunctioned. I was calling every other month or so because something wasn't working, usually with the DVR system. Also, our internet was ridiculously slow even though we were paying for their fastest service.

 

[lovin'fl]

Moved to NC a couple months ago and it was Time Warner but switching to Spectrum right around the time we moved. We tried to get Direct TV but had trouble getting an internet provider so we went with the Spectrum. It has been good for us. We have HD TVs and have to have boxes with each...though in MD with Verizon FiOS we did as well. And Verizon had technical issues regularly and wasn't keen on sending a technician out...charged you for it. But here, we went to hook up a TV/box and there was no signal. Spectrum sent out a guy the next day, a Saturday too I think, and had it working in like!e 10 minutes. No charge. I like them so far....hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Jinxed. On phone now. Our original DVR went out so I drove 20 mins to the Spectrum store to swap. The guy tried to say he couldn't because the account is in my husband's name but girl next to him corrected him so he took my old box and threw it across room into a can. He grabbed a new box and handed it to me. Not saying a word. I get home and it's not working. I call and have spoken to 2 people and on hold for 3rd. They say he gave me Spectrum box but my account was still Time Warner so I'd need to migrate over. Or take box back and get old Time Warner (like the one I just turned in). So I say I'll migrate as long as cost is same. He said it should be less and transfers me to girl who A) said she can't do anything cause I am not account holder and B) it will be more per month because Spectrum is more.

Switching over...been on phone an hour thus far and not done yet. A pain but we will get faster internet and the DVR box is new and should work now (whereas the old Time Warner wasn't). Waiting to see final monthly cost and what the difference will be (I am dropping movie channels and one of our 4 boxes, went from 4 to 3...have phone, internet, cable with whole house DVR and 2 set tops with sports package and guide)....will return with pricing and total time on phone. Monthly cost went down about $28 but we dropped movie channels and a set top box so kinda the same. Now she is working to get the DVR box working....still on phone...it's not working (the DVR box)...can't get whole house DVR like we had so that went away for similar pricing...boo. The hubby will not be happy as he likes to watch his recorded shows in bed at night. Anyway, 90 mins on phone plus 40 mins drive to store plus 15 mins in store plus 20 mins of me setting up new box and messing with it to get it to work....2 hours and 45 mins to get way lesser services but only saving $28.

 

[kathy884]

We've had Charter Communications/Spectrum since 1989 when we moved to St. Louis. They do charge for extra TVs, so we just have one of our two on that. There are free apps that DS has on the other TV, though, that suite him and are from charter (free because we are a charter subscriber). Whenever adding a new service, make sure to find out what the cost will be after the promotion to avoid sticker shock and disappointment. There are almost always a year of lower rates for adding a new service, and when those promotional rates are over, costs go up. It's not that the rates are raised that much, but more that there are good promotional (one year only rates) when new services are added and those go away after a year.

Our cable bill (we have internet and land line too) seems pretty darn expensive. I looked at cutting the cord. Our family only cares about 15 of the stations we get. When doing research Roku and others to get the channels we like, I could only get eight out of the 15 and the cost per channel was no better than my spectrum bill (cable part) divided by 15. We continue to subscribe to get the programming that we like.