Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Charter Communications is upgrading its services and will be encrypting its Basic Service Tier beginning Nov. 4. Customers without digital equipment will no longer receive channels without digital set-top boxes, but will be entitled to free Charter-issued boxes for at least one year.
Charter Communications will begin encrypting the Basic Service Tier of their cable packages on Nov. 4, and customers who receive cable on a television without digital equipment supplied by Charter will lose the ability to view any channels on that television.
Customers who have a set-top box, digital transport adapter (DTA) or a retail CableCARD device connected to each of their TVs will be unaffected by the change.
Charter is completing its move to a 100 percent all-digital network throughout 2014. Customers in the Sidney, Ogallala and Kimball areas will have access to more than 200 high definition (HD) channels, better picture quality and significantly faster internet speeds, according to a press release.
Kim Noetzel, senior manager of communications for Charter, said this change is a positive one.
"Charter is on the cusp of exciting developments with regard to our technology and network," she said in an email. "Moving to an all-digital TV format is a good thing for our customers and company.
"Once the upgrade is complete, Charter will provide more than 200 high-definition channels and deliver a fully-featured video product – one that stands out in the Sidney community. This upgrade also opens the door to future innovation and we are preparing to dramatically increase internet speeds in the first part of 2015."
As part of the upgrade process, customers must take action by acquiring Charter-issued, set-top boxes for each of their televisions.
Charter is providing one or more digital boxes at no cost for one or more years depending on the customer's programming package and other qualifying factors.
Basic Service Tier customers who receive the service without digital equipment are entitled to up to two devices for two years, or five years for customers on Medicaid. Customers who subscribe to a higher level of service and receive the Basic Service Tier on a secondary television without Charter-issued equipment are entitled to one device for one year.
Noetzel said that Charter's standard box fee of $6.99 per month will apply for each additional digital box beyond the customer's free box allotment, and that customers should consult with a Charter store representative to confirm their eligibility for free boxes.
Charter has invested more than $2 billion in upgrades to their network.
"By removing outdated analog signals, we regain bandwidth in our network enabling us to provide more HD channels and open the door to faster internet speeds and future innovation," said Charter President and CEO Tom Rutledge in a press release.
Once the all-digital upgrade is complete for all customers, Charter plans to double its entry-level residential internet speed from 30 megabits per second to 60 Mbps at no cost.
According to the press release, more than 90 percent of Charter customers in the Sidney area have adopted digital devices for at least one television in their home. With the use of set-top boxes, Charter customers will gain Video On Demand access for every television in their home.
Customers can obtain these digital boxes through direct shipment to their home by calling (888)438-2427 to request a self-installation kit, or pick up equipment at a nearby Charter store.
The Charter store located in Sidney at 1820 10th Ave. has expanded store hours to support the transition. The extended store hours run from Oct. 27 through Nov. 7, and they'll be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Noetzel assures customers that setting up the set-top box is uncomplicated.
"Our self-installation kits contain all you need to successfully install your new digital box on your own," she said. "It's very easy. That includes the box, cables and easy-to-follow color diagrams. If a customer still needs assistance, we can attempt to walk them through the process by phone. However, if those efforts fail, we can dispatch a technician to the customer's home to complete the installation."
If a technician installs the equipment, a $29.99 fee may apply.
Charter has already completed all-digital upgrades in several markets, including parts of Michigan, Missouri, Texas, California, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Massachusetts. The company plans to complete the upgrade across its 29-state footprint by the end of the year.
Reader Comments(0)