Time Warner’s “Because We Can” One-Time Charge applies to new customers signing up for certain promotions.

Time Warner Cable has increased the monthly rental fee for its leased cable modem from $3.95 a month to $4.99 a month and has introduced a “one-time charge” of $19.99 applicable to certain Internet service new customer promotions.

CEO Glenn Britt earlier commented that Time Warner Cable had room to grow its modem lease fee:

“It was received with a minimum of push-back and we’re still actually charging less than Comcast ($7/month), so I think there is room to charge more going forward. People can buy their own if they want and a small percentage of customers have chosen to do that which is fine with us.”

For now, the increase only applies to new customers, but Stop the Cap! expects it will also eventually apply to current customers as part of the next round of rate increases. The Internet Modem with Free Home Wi-Fi, available to customers ordering 30/5 or 50/5Mbps service costs $14.99 a month.

Time Warner Cable has pulled back on customer promotions since the beginning of the year and has begun shifting its pricing for its most profitable service — broadband, to capture price-sensitive customers who have been unable to previously afford Internet-only service from the company.

Time Warner has introduced a new “Lite” tier offering 1Mbps service for $20 a month and has made the 3Mbps “Basic” service the staple of many of its bundled promotions.

Stop the Cap! strongly encourages Time Warner Cable customers to buy their own cable modems and avoid the rental fees. Customers can also bypass the rental fee by signing up for Earthlink service through Time Warner Cable.

Our top modem choice remains the Motorola SB6141, which can be found at the “Buy It Now” price on eBay as low as $77.99 with free shipping and no upfront sales tax for most buyers. This model does not include Wi-Fi, but most people don’t need it — a router generally provides Wi-Fi connectivity on its own.

We highly recommend purchasing DOCSIS 3-ready modems to avoid obsolescence issues.

The most recent list of “acceptable” modems that can be activated with your Time Warner Cable broadband service are:

Insight is disappearing after Time Warner Cable bought the cable operator. It is in the process of converting subscribers to Time Warner’s own systems.

Some of more than 730,000 former Insight subscribers across Kentucky were without phone service after Time Warner Cable failed to successfully transfer them to a new platform.

Time Warner Cable had similar problems transitioning customers in Indiana, many unable to successfully navigate through a new online service agreement and e-mail address selection process.

Bob Mueller, a Florence-based financial planner, told Cincinnati.com it took nearly two days get his office line working again and his staff was still trying late Tuesday afternoon.

“We had massive problems with Insight before the changeover, and now we had problems with Time Warner,” Mueller told the newspaper. “This is not getting off to a very good start, but there aren’t a lot of other options. We’ve been at this for two days and no luck.”

Time Warner Cable denied there were any serious problems, but admitted call volumes were higher than usual. The company said it registered 40,000 new voice mail accounts throughout the state and migrated 200,000 phone customers since the weekend.

Internet customers will be moved to Time Warner Cable next week.

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WDRB in Louisville noted long hold times for new Time Warner Cable customers in excess of 30 minutes. (1 minute)

In response to the deadly tornadoes in Moore, Okla., Cox Communications today said it would lift viewing restrictions for dozens of networks for Cox Cable customers who want to watch cable programming online using Wi-Fi or mobile broadband.

Cox video subscribers in Oklahoma can download the Cox TV Connect app (iOS or Android) to view streamed programming either inside or outside the home for the next three months. The cable operator said it had reached emergency agreements with programmers to lift the usual restrictions preventing online viewing away from home.

“We hope to help those impacted by providing access to TV on some mobile and tablet devices while the area recovers in the weeks and months ahead,” Cox spokesman Todd Smith told FierceCable in an email.

Cox now offers around 90 channels on its TV Connect platform.

Tornado-ravaged customers in Moore will need a lot longer than three months to get cable service back in many areas completely devastated by the storm.

Cox parent Cox Enterprises announced Tuesday that it plans to give $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts in Oklahoma, including a $500,000 cash donation to the American Red Cross and $500,000 of “in-kind support,” including public service announcements.

Stop the Cap! will be monitoring the situation in Moore and other parts of Oklahoma damaged in the storm. Most cable operators waive equipment fees for unreturned cable equipment lost in major storms. If a Cox customer is asked to pay for lost cable boxes, DVRs or cable modems, please use the Contact Us button at the top of the screen and report it to us for further investigation.

Helderle

A Charter Cable technician from St. Charles, Mo. was convicted of tying up and sexually assaulting an O’Fallon customer after she reported him for asking her out in an unwanted text message.

Jurors deliberated for only about an hour before convicting 22-year old Michael Helderle on four felony counts, recommending a 75 year prison sentence.

Helderle was employed by Communications Unlimited, a contractor performing work on behalf of Charter Communications.

When the victim requested a service call from Charter on Dec. 4, Helderle showed up. He obtained her cell phone number and asked her out on a date later that evening. The victim reported the text message to Charter and Helderle was fired.

The next day, Helderle broke into her apartment while she was on a video chat with her boyfriend, who was 1,700 miles away on an Air Force base. He called authorities after witnessing Helderle in the apartment.

Helderle handcuffed and tied up the victim, gagged and sexually assaulted her, covering her with a pillow. He then stole her cell phone and cash. When police arrived, Helderle placed a knife to the victim’s throat and threatened her if she called out.

Helderle eventually escaped the apartment while police untied the victim. He was arrested hours later.

Charter defended its actions after the incident:

“Charter recognizes that it is a privilege to be allowed into customers’ homes to install our services. Our customer’s safety is of utmost importance and precautions are taken seriously. We require criminal background checks on all in-home contractors prior to performing any work for Charter.”

It was not enough to avoid offering Helderle employment.

Cable operators use third-party contractors to cut costs and sometimes limit liability. Critics contend third-party contractors often use lower standards of employment and compensate their workers at a considerably lower rate of pay with fewer benefits.

[flv width=”640″ height=”380″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/KSDK St Louis James Helderle charged with tying up woman 12-06-12.flv[/flv]

KSDK in St. Louis covered the break-in and sexual assault back in December in this video report.  (2 minutes)

[flv width=”640″ height=”380″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/KSDK St Louis James Helderle convicted of burglary and sodomy 5-16-13.flv[/flv]

KSDK followed up on the story last week, noting the Charter Cable subcontractor was convicted of burglary and sodomy.  (2 minutes)