About a year ago, having moved to Michigan, I signed up for Charter's top-level Internet service -- 2Mbps (or perhaps it was only 1.5Mbps -- I no longer recall, but I know it was a lot less than the 10Mbps I had with Optimum Online in NY) for $39.99 a month.
A few weeks back, Charter changed newsgroup providers, and the speed and retention plummeted. To make matters worse, yesterday I received the following letter:
"December 1, 2004
Dear Charter Communications Customer,
On November 1, 2004 Charter introduced new service levels and a new pricing structure for our high-speed Internet service. The high-speed Internet service you currently receive is no longer offered. Our new offerings are:
384k service: $39.99 a month 3MB service: $49.99 a monthIn order to receive the highest residential speed available, please call today and subscribe to our 3MB package. This package includes parental e-mail controls, junk mail filters, 10 mailboxes and Internet security software. If you wish not to subscribe to this package, your account will automatically be moved to the 384k service for $39.99 a month, effective January 1, 2005."
Then follows propaganda about an Internet/TV combo package with rate guaranteed for a year and the bit about getting $10 a month off Internet service with cable TV service.
Note: if they really do offer 3MB service, that would be good, but I suspect that they mean 3Mb (i.e., 3 MegaBITS/sec. not 3 MegaBYTES/sec.)
Perce