Changes in cable cause confusion, overbilling

The digital receiver box that Charter Communications now requires for cable customers to get premium channels like HBO and Showtime is leaving some feeling turned off.

That's because the boxes, which cost $5.95 on top of cable rates, are factors in the overbilling of hundreds of customers who were charged for channels they no longer receive. The black boxes have left other customers dizzy as they try to record their favorite shows.

Since Charter began requiring digital receiver boxes Nov. 2, hundreds of customers have been overbilled by as much as $18.14, according to Charter manager Roger Harms.

That's because those customers previously got premium channels but opted not to get the cable box. Customers without the boxes could no longer receive the channels for the last two months, but were billed for them.

In Charter's defense, Harms said, the company has told its customers of the changes since August in postcards, notices in bills, letters and advertisements in the newspaper.

"We've been trying to tell them that in order to receive a premium channel, they needed a digital receiver," Harms said. "We even offered it free from August until the end of the year if they wanted to try it out."

Harms said that people who were billed can get their accounts credited. The company has to have customer permission to take channels out of a customer's service.

Upcoming rate increase

Cape Girardeau resident Mike Reynolds was not satisfied that his overbilling was credited to his account.

"I'm like a lot of people," he said. "I could buy a dish and then not have to worry about it. I'm very disgusted with this place. Seems like every time I open my bill, it's a few cents more. That adds up."

Reynolds also mentioned the upcoming rate increase. In January, those who get expanded basic will get a $3.95 rate hike.

Harms said the company is striving to get all the accounts cleared up within the next few weeks.

But that's not the only problem that the boxes have created. Some people are having trouble recording shows with the boxes hooked up, including Cape Girardeau resident Stephanie Johnson, who was at Charter on Friday to pay a bill.

"I have trouble recording all the time," she said. "Sometimes I get a picture with no sound, sometimes sound with no picture. Sometimes I just get a squiggly line."

Johnson called Charter, and a technician was sent. He told her to keep the TV and VCR on channel 3.

"But that didn't work," she said. "I've given up."

One signal at a time

The box does create limitations.

For example, a digital converter transmits only one signal at a time, so a single box will never allow a viewer to watch a premium channel, like HBO or Showtime, while taping another. For that, two boxes are needed, which means two fees.

"Mostly we just advise people to record on one TV and watch on another," said Paul Herzberger, installation supervisor for Charter. "That seems to be the simplest."

Most problems, Harms said, can be fixed by a visit from a Charter technician. Harms said installation is done by contractors, but promised that follow-up service calls are handled by Charter-trained technicians and are free.

Harms stressed that they get few complaints about this matter.

"We'll walk them through it," he said. "We've got diagrams that are easy to follow. It's not all that difficult once they get used to seeing how they get it hooked up. Lots of these problems can be solved over the phone. But truthfully, we don't get that many calls about it."

Jim Dufek, the chairman of the Cable Television Advisory Committee, said it is a complaint he has heard, however.

"What I've heard complaints about is that you can only record what you're watching," he said. "But people mostly want to watch one channel and record another. You can't do this with this box."

Cable customer Amy Romack of Cape Girardeau said her husband has had no trouble recording on the VCR from digital cable.

"What they don't say is that you have to buy a connector switch," she said.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137