wrote: We’re seasonal customers in Cape Vincent and every year the price goes way up and every year I call to complain and suddenly there is a new promotion based on (wait for this) Spectrum instead of TWC. What? You’re the same company. Ok, fine. I do this same dance with my home provider. Anyway, the representative was able to drop the price by 20 dollars. I accept the new Spectrum promo price.
So we finally arrive at our camp, We have to have a new router and modem......two separate boxes instead of one from TWC......some new technology, huh? I install the new router and modem required for Spectrum cable(?) and go thru the channel guide to see if any channels were added or deleted over the winter. Everything looks the same. This is getting too long so, bottom line? After getting notices on many of our favorite channels that we need to pay $20 more (sound familiar) for the channels we had last year I figured out that this great new Spectrum promo was nothing more than lowering our channel package (worth $20) from the middle to the lowest number.
Did the rep lie to me? Not really.....but she sure as heck didn’t bother to explain what she did. I probably won’t have to do this next year as I’m now looking over satellite tv.
Hi Pa John,
Some things are important to clarify here, because many customers are having the same or similar experiences:
1.) There is no more Time Warner Cable- Time Warner, Bright House Networks, and Charter Communications are now one company............Spectrum.- There are billing centers that are still TWC, Charter, maybe even BHN, we even have our On Demand Channel logo on our guide here in Wisconsin, with the old TWC "eye." in the graphic. But everything connected with this company is now under the name Spectrum.
2.) When ANY TWC or BHN account legacy plan is changed, customers can not go back-This is not due to Spectrum being mean or giving customers a hard time with this. Spectrum allows all TWC/BHN customers to keep their existing accounts and plans. In fact, IF CUSTOMERS ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR LEGACY PLANS.....DON'T SWITCH! You can't go back because if you switch to a Spectrum plan, the old TWC billing codes are out of the system (Same with BHN)
3.) Channels and options are about 80% the same, but that 20% difference may be important- Note that there are about five to eight channels that TWC has that Spectrum does not have, and about the same number of channels that Spectrum has that TWC doesn't. Note this before you switch.
4.) Pricing plans and Packages are different- Legacy TWC plans have Digital Variety Pass and Preferred TV plans. In contrast, several channels that were on TWC Preferred TV and Digital Variety Pass may require the purchase of both Spectrum Digi Packs 1 and 2 to get the near equivalent of TWC Preferred TV and Variety Pass. Digi Packs 1 and 2 from Spectrum are basically Spectrum Gold without any movie channels.
4b.) In contrast, Spectrum Sliver loses about 15-20 channels that were a part of TWC Digital Variety Pass and Preferred TV. But you get HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime discounted in that plan. Spectrum Gold is all the channels in Digi Pack 1 and 2, plus all Premium movie channels.
5.) Quoted pricing from reps on the phone often do not include equipment charges, franchise fees and sales taxes- These can vary, but average about an additional $20-$30- Spectrum can't be more up front about sales taxes and franchise fees because these vary by market. However, I think the phone reps and promotions should say that equipment charges can be another $20-$30. At least $15.
6.) You can switch to another provider- However, after 12 months, they will just move you off of promotional pricing to regular fees. All the companies are now doing that. You get a promotional new customer discount good for a year, but after that year is up, you will have the same issues of retail pricing everywhere. To be honest, retention discounts after the first year across providers, are really becoming a thing of the past.
Satch