An insider at Charter Communications has told Broadband Reports it plans to introduce a $200 “activation fee” for customers choosing 100Mbps broadband from the cable provider.
“Ultra is a premium service which results in higher incremental network investments, equipment costs, and other operating expenses,” the company tells Karl Bode. “In an effort to maintain reasonable monthly recurring service fees, we have implemented a higher installation fee for Ultra customers.”
The new fee is scheduled to begin Oct. 16.
In July, Charter simplified its broadband tiers, leaving customers with two choices: 30Mbps (250GB limit) for $50 a month or 100Mbps (500GB limit) for $110 a month. The company eliminated modem rental charges at that time.
Surely Charter is joking… It wasn’t that long ago Verizon was paying new customers $500 with a gift card plus a $95/mo triple play package to sign-up for service, or throwing in a free $300+ XBOX 360 plus service discounts. From what I can tell those deals are still going too, even AT&T doing $50, $125, and $200 cash back offers for u-verse. Charter thinks they can make customers cough up $200 to signup for the privilege of paying a hefty $110/mo 100Mbit “best effort” METERED residential cable connection? They better be running Fiber to the customers home to justify… Read more »