1. What is Charter?
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 5.7 million customers in 31 states. It is the third-largest publicly traded cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast and Time Warner Cable.
2. What services can Charter provide?
Charter provides three main services: Cable television including HDTV and OnDemand, high-speed cable internet, and digital phone services.
3. Where is Charter available?
Charter is available in the following states:
Alabama
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Illinois
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
4. What television packages are available?
Charter offers various television packages:
- Digital cable, with over 100 digital channels on a cable box set, with access to premium movie channels.
- Basic and Expanded Cable, with over 70 channels directly into a digital cable receiver.
- High Density TV, with HD versions of popular cable channels and special HD channels.
- DVR Recording, to record and save favorite programing.
- Video On Demand (VOD)
- Pay Per View
- Sports Programming channels
- Music Channels, with 45 individually themed music stations.
Each Charter digital cable box comes with parental controls and programming guides to see what’s on and what will be on.
5. What is Video On Demand (VOD)?
Video On Demand, like other On Demand programming, allows you to browse an available library of programming to view at any time; some programming costs a fee, some are free.
6. What is the Digital Broadcast Transition?
Starting in February 2009, all broadcast television will be switched from analog to digital. If you don’t have a television that accepts a digital signal, you will lose service. All Charter packages are digital.
7. What internet packages are available?
Currently Charter offers two high-speed cable internet options:
Charter High-Speed, with speeds up to 5 Mbit/s, and Charter High-Speed Plus, with speeds up to 10 Mbit/s.
8. What other features are available with Charter High-Speed?
Signing up with Charter High-Speed provides a selection of additional benefits:
- Easy installation of cable modem and networking software.
- Access to Charter.net, for access to news, videos, games, radio, and more.
- Free e-mail accounts with Charter.net
- Free web space to publish your own web site.
- A High-Speed Security Suite featuring anti-virus protection, firewall protection, pop-up blocker, and parental controls.
9. What modems are compatible with Charter Internet?
Charter is compatible with most cable modems. Here are the system requirements.
10. What digital phone services are available?
Charter offers a digital phone service, with the following features:
- Unlimited nationwide calling in the U.S., plus Canada and Puerto Rico.
- Digital sound quality
- Keep your current phone and number.
- Directory listings, 911 emergency service, 411 directory assistance
- Free professional installation
- No fee to switch, no disruption in service.
- No long-term contracts
The phone service comes with the following calling features:
- Caller ID
- Call Waiting with ID
- Call Forwarding, Variable and Selective; you choose what phones calls are forwarded to and which numbers forward to those phones.
- Call Screening
- Anonymous Call Rejection; unknown numbers have the option of being completely ignored.
- Custom Ring
- Selective Call Acceptance
- Speed Dial (up to 8 numbers)
11. Are any of these services packaged?
Charter’s television, internet, and phone services are packaged in every combination possible, including a feature to build your own package.
12. How much do these services cost?
Prices vary based on location and package content, and are compiled into one easy bill.