Charter DSL-Anyone know anything about it?

[jrrdy1380]

I use to be a Charter subscriber until I got DISH (use to work for them at a call center in VA and got my system for free) about three years ago. Had to keep both going until my locals came online and I totally dropped Charter soon after that.

One of the selling points that Charter was offering was that they were putting out high speed internet. Since they already had ditigal service here (had it for a couple of months but did not like the picture quality), we were told that high speed would be in my area in year or two.

When I tried to see if the service would be in my area recently, I was told by a Charter CSR that my local area has to get wired for providing this via fiber optic cabling. I then asked if anyone knows when that is going to take place in my area, they told me they have no idea and to check with the local office. Kind of hard to call them since the only number is the toll-free to the call center!

What I wanted to know is if anyone that is a subscriber to Charter has attempted to acquire DSL service or has it and let me know how the service is and the cost and other info that I would need to know. I recently saw a classified ad advertising for a broadband tech for Charter in my area and I am hoping that they can get someone hired and trained to do DSL here.

 

[dispatcher_21]

Well, you kinda have your terminology mixed up. DSL is provided through your phone company. Charter offers cable broadband, commonly called Charter High Speed. For the fastest service, 3megs download 256k upload, it runs $39.99 if you have cable tv through Charter and $49.99 if you dont. Rumors are this summer, they will bump this up to 5megs download and 512 upload, and possibly by late summer 7megs download and 768k upload. You can either buy a cable modem, about $50.00 at Bestbuy, and I think they have a rebate special if you activate and the modem ends up being free, or rent one from Charter for $2.99 a month. If you opt for the self install kit, its free install, otherwise I thinks its $20.00 for a tech to come do it. The self install kit is just a splitter for your cable and some documents and a CD and a modem if you decide to rent one. My friend has Charter High speed here in Walla Walla and he has issues with it sometimes where it crawls to 56k like speeds. It seems Charter does not have enough backbone for all the people on thier service. I myself have DSL through Qwest and in the year and a half that I have had it, I have only had one problem with speed and it was fixed in a day, and my service has never gone down once.

 

[jrrdy1380]

Sorry about getting the terms messed up-was thinking about DSL service something like from Sprint (can't get them here either-despite homes just down the street from where I live can get this service but that is another story). I was trying any area I can use to get high speed internet. All of my friends have access to high speed where they live and I was wanting to be a part of the high speed community. I have high speed access where I work at and the difference is amazing!

I guess I will have to wait until either Charter gets going here, Sprint gets it act together or see if WildBlue can help me out when they get to my area around Sept.

 

[cableman265]

Rumors are this summer, they will bump this up to 5megs download and 512 upload, and possibly by late summer 7megs download and 768k upload.

Those are not just rumors, the 5 meg service is being rolled out in my area in 2 weeks.