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Spectrum’s customer service agents are apologizing to customers for the rate shock they are experiencing when their existing Time Warner Cable or Bright House Networks promotions expire and customers find out the Spectrum plans and pricing being offered instead turn out to be nothing close to the deals customers used to get.
“You may get a call asking about my performance today, the survey is about me and my job today only,” a customer service agent explained to Jason, a Spectrum customer in Elmhurst, N.Y., who shared his experience on DSL Reports. “It doesn’t have anything to do with how you feel about Spectrum or TWC. If you are upset about the new pricing, please use the comments portion to explain. I look forward to hearing your feedback.”
Customer service representatives are on the front line of delivering bad news to cable customers facing double-digit rate increases, especially when customers realize they also receive fewer TV channels after changing plans.
“I’m guessing these agents must be getting destroyed in the surveys, [and] having worked retail where these types of surveys are used, I felt bad for the reps,” explained the Spectrum customer. “I know in my neighborhood, everyone seems to have their TWC promos expiring in the next month or so and are very unhappy.”
That unhappiness is getting worse as word about Charter Communications’ mid-year rate increase is showing up on customer bills. Broadband prices are increasing at least $1 a month, the Broadcast TV Surcharge is rising to $7.50 a month, and set-top box equipment rentals also increased by $1 a month for each piece of equipment starting in August 2017.
Premium speed broadband customers are now also facing a higher internet bill.
Spectrum’s Ultra tier, which is 100Mbps in some markets, 300Mbps in others, is increasing to $119.99 a month, up from $104.99 in most markets. The increase is less if you also subscribe to Spectrum TV, which reduces the rate to $113.99 a month. Spectrum rate cards from around the country do not yet reflect the $1 rate increase for traditional Spectrum 60/5Mbps internet (100Mbps in select markets):
Low income customers enrolled in Spectrum’s Everyday Low Price (ELP) internet package — a carryover from Time Warner Cable — also got the rude shock of a $5 rate increase on a service that used to cost $14.99 a month. That represents more than a 33% rate hike, which is just fine with Charter.
“In some of our markets the price has increased for the ELP package,” said spokesperson “Julie_R”. “Notifications were sent via bill statements and became effective with the August statements. Our ELP package is not a promotion. From time to time, Spectrum makes decisions to adjust the pricing for our products and services to account for network investments. We understand that value is important. ELP is still a very good value at $19.99.”
The rate increase does not apply to New York State residents, where regulators placed significant deal conditions on the Charter/Time Warner Cable merger to help protect consumers in that state.
We have also been receiving reports from readers that Spectrum’s Internet Assist (SIA) program, designed for the elderly and income-challenged, is not easy to enroll in and customer service representatives have rejected a number of applicants for a variety of reasons. SIA offers a 30Mbps broadband connection for $14.99 a month to those qualified for:
- The National School Lunch Program (NSLP); free or reduced cost lunch
- The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) ( ≥ age 65 only) Programs that do not qualify for Spectrum Internet Assist: Social Security Disability (SSD), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Social Security Retirement and Survivor Benefits are different from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and do NOT meet eligibility requirements.
The biggest problems encountered so far:
- Representatives lack information about the program and attempt to upsell customers to regular pricing and packages.
- Bundling additional services with SIA can be more expensive than just choosing a traditional bundled package sold to everyone, especially if it is a new customer promotion.
- There is considerable confusion over the qualifications for SSI recipients. Be sure to recognize you must be 65 or older and note SSD, SSDI, and certain other programs noted above do not qualify you to receive SIA.
We are continuing to monitor the SIA program looking to ensure Spectrum is making the program available to customers that qualify for it.
Spectrum does NOT have ELP unless it is carried over by a previous plan. After they switched over to Spectrum from Time Warner, I called up trying to check on getting the ELP internet. I was informed that Spectrum does not have that plan, or anything equivalent. I asked what the lowest plan that they have is, and I was told their 50 or 60 meg plan, at a rate of $65 per month, plus fees (rental of the cable modem, etc). Right before they switched to Spectrum, I called up asking about the ELP internet, and they told me… Read more »
New York State residents can still purchase a new ELP plan until at least 2018. If you are in NY and cannot get this plan, use the contact us button above and give us your contact info. The best current deal for new customers (or simply turn in your equipment and cancel under your name and after you get a receipt go home, use the website to sign up as a new customer under a spouse or family member’s name) is $39.99 Spectrum Internet for 12 months (60Mbps in most areas). A double play of TV and Internet is around… Read more »
I live in Pennsylvania, so that does me no good. And I own my own equipment, so need to return anything since I don’t have anything of theirs for the internet. I see no reason to pay $8 a month, for something that cost me $60 to buy, because it pays for itself in less then a year vs renting. Spectrum has been sending me notice after notice, trying to get me to upgrade / bundle services, by doing the 70 channel plan (or something like that) and 60 Mb internet for $60.. But the problem is, I am trying… Read more »
Sorry to tell you but they set up the account based on your address, not your name. And the other thing is, it does depend not only on your address but what city and state you are in. Some states protected their citizens in varying levels. So deals that are coming through for New York, for example, are not available to us in OHio
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us…
FCC should look into unfair pricing to protect consumers of the most BASIC INTERNET SERVICE, especially with the merger that the government approved that essentially removed competition in service providers. SPECTRUM and other service provider should be regulated in how much they can increase their price each year for the most BASIC INTERNET Service.
Hello All, I have been a Cable subscriber since 1985 when the market first began to ween people off terrestrial broadcasting service (VHF/UHF) . I have to admit, I saw this day coming a long time ago. I remember the days when I could pay for an entire year for $120.00 and get one month free. Now $120.00 would barely get me two months of basic Internet. This is crazy. As a communications student from CSU Chico, I have already begun buying land suitable for erecting a Broadband Antenna, and Cell tower. I am so upset about this monopoly I… Read more »