Optimism: I know we have a choice, that's not the question here. As I stated, I want to be able to have a choice......with whatever carrier I wish.

Seriously, is it really that hard to figure out. If you aren't happy with Charter....go dish (there are choices). You all are getting charged up over nothing. And by sticking with charter, don't be fooled into thinking you are supporting your local economy. THe money goes to the networks thru Charter just as it does thru dish. And really, why on earth is this news?

I couldn't care less about football or any sport so I don't want to pay anymore. I also don't want to watch any spanish channels as I don't speak the language. Why do I have to pay for anything I don't want. I should be able to choose and pay for only what I want. When will we be given that option?

If Charter can do On Demand, they certainly are technically capable of allowing ala carte selection of channels we wish to pay for on a regular basis.
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I want the same option from Satellite TV. The time has come for FAIR marketing of television signal providers. If they want to also do bundles and packages, fine, but if I want to just get the Chess Channel or the Peruvian Paragliding TV station, I should have that option.

The folks i've dealt with in the janesville office were very nice people, but the company 'Charter Communications' sucks, PERIOD. After being told 3 different prices for just internet access, from 3 different people, it was time to cut that 'cable'. I like there internet compared to the DSL I have now, but I wasn't going to pay $29.99, no wait, $59.99 uhh, wait, $39.99 for it. I was afraid to ask anyone else how much it would cost as i'm sure the next price would be different as well. They need to remove there heads from there rump.

Just a word of caution in requesting a lower bundle price...a friend of mine called Charter to work on a lower package price, and they were given it. When the bill showed up the next month, it was the same old crazy high price. This went on for over a YEAR! They never were given retro credit for the negotiated price. Then, they did the same thing to another friend who negotiated a lower deal...they don't always follow through on the billing, and of course, when you negotiate this fee, it is not with the Janesville division of Charter, it is with a nation-wide customer service program who appears to not always communicate the deals it strikes with Janesville area Charter, or perhaps Janesville Charter just chooses to not honor the deals made - at least not in a timely manner for some folks.

The Charter folks down on Plainfield are most certainly not crooks. They are neighbors who work, live and pay taxes in this community. They have always been easy to deal with when I have gone in there with problems.

Don't see any Big Ten Network employees contributing to our economy.

Thank God I got my DirecTV. Got the NFL Ticket so I can watch the Pack (and the Jets this year), plus the NFL Network, and Big Ten Network.

Charter is a bunch of crooks and should be arrested! Charter sucks! Love my DISH!

meinelkm20 – “those networks are not included in any sports package that Charter currently offers.”

You are correct. The problem is those networks do not want to be in any sports package! The NFL Network and Big Ten Network are TELLING Charter to put those networks in the basic cable line up. They don’t even want to be in the expanded or digital plans. That way they make more money from Charter. The fee Charter pays is per subscriber that can view the programming. If the program is in basic cable, every Charter customer will have to pay for it. If it is in a sport package, only those that subscribe and pay for a sports package will have their rates increased. Those networks are also charging over 2x as much as the current highest program provider. So, those sport networks are charging the most per subscriber and want every subscriber to pay. And Charter is standing up for the customer and saying NO.

The problem is with the greedy Big Ten Network and NFL Network.

Tguy – “Hey Charter. What about the people who want to watch the Big Ten Network but don’t want to pay extra for the sports tier?”

Hey Tguy, what about the people that don’t want to watch the Big Ten Network and should not have to pay for it? If you want it, you pay for it! I don’t want it and don’t want to pay for it or pay so you can watch it. Put the Big Ten and NFL Networks in a sports tier package and be done with it!

We also have the big package from cable..the top internet speed ,3 movie channels countless 500 and above, 3 boxes..... My bill used to be $185.00/month ,nothing has changed,it is now $109.00.I called charter and they gave me that price for a year.I had to ask if they had any specials.Just ask and you will recieve !!!

Hey Charter. What about the people who want to watch the Big Ten Network but don`t want to pay extra for the sports tier?

tjncj i have ATT DSL and I have the 6 megabite per second package i think its around 45 bucks a month. its very fast i my opinion. also who needs cable or dish just watch your TV online www.hulu.com they have all sorts of TV shows

Did anyone get the new Charter promo in the mail to get cabel at the employees prices?? Its hilarious because the employees have their cable, phone, and internet for free!

Who has a good DSL/internet package? I need to get the web figured out before I switch to satellite and the Big Ten Network. I need good speed.

Since programming can easily be done w/out a lot of hassle, why can't we pick our channels? It's not like the old days where things were hardwired or filtered with hardware. There should be an a la carte for cable. Give us the Big Ten Network and don't screw anyone over as you make way too much as it is.

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tjncj: I'll put my bill out there for you all. I have the Charter Bundle with HD channels and the "biggest" cable package. I believe charter labels them "big" and "biggest". I think my bill for all three services is around $170/month. I don't have any of the extra sports, nature, etc....packages that they offer. My HD pretty much gives my local channels only. To get more channels in HD it is another $15 a month. I'm considering dropping the package I get but even going down to the next level the price doesn't go down that much. I would actually lose a lot of channels for not much of a drop.

Charter and their prices stink but at least we don't lose our signal very often.

airforceguy - if I'm correct, those networks are not included in any sports package that Charter currently offers. You have to get DirectTV or Satellite to have access to them. I do believe if Charter got the Big Ten Network and NFL Network, subscribers would have to pay extra for those networks in some sort of sports package. I doubt it would raise the rates of the normal Digital Cable package. But that's just my thinking. It would be the logical thing for Charter to do...for them to actually do it would surprise me a lot.

I hope Charter does not just give in. I do not want the NFL Network or Big Ten Network and I do NOT want to pay for either one. If you want them, you pay for them by getting one of the sports packages. This is just the sport networks charging the fans to much to watch and trying to make everyone HAVE to pay them, even if they don't want to watch the games. This is entirely the sport networks fault for demanding a very high price and where in the cable line up the channels are carried. Do not raise my cable bill for sport programming; I already pay for channels I do not watch. Don’t add more useless channels.

Satellite TV is in my near future. I think my first Charter bill many years ago was $15.50 bimonthly, yes $7.75 per month. I don't want to tell you what it is now. The best part is anyone who switches to them and adds their telephone service, cable and internet will get it chepaer than my cable and internet. They tell me satellite goes down some but it can't be any worse than my digital signal that keeps starting and stopping.

I hate not having the Big Ten Network. Damn, now I'll just have to go to a bar to watch it...

The heck with the "Big Ten Network" and charter, I've got a radio!

I love my satellite!! There are way more shopping channels than I need but the pay off is that when I write out my monthly check for service, that 4-letter word Charter is nowhere to be found on it!!

I would be willing to pay a bit extra to get Big10 Network. Charter constantly raises rates anyway. At least give us a reason to pay the higher rates. There is no reason this deal shouldn't get done with Charter.

How about you let me drop some of the channels I have no interest in watching that I currently pay for and add the NFL Network and Big Ten Network to my package....