The city council in Lexington, Kentucky, has given Charter Communications 30 days to address a number of service issues. Otherwise, the cable operator could face fines.
Amid Charter’s conversion of acquired Time Warner Cable systems in the region to its Spectrum brand, the cable company has come under fire from local customers, lawmakers and newspaper writers for everything from TV services pricing to call-center beefs.
Last week, the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government voted to give Charter 30 days to respond to alleged violations that include not allowing customers to speak with supervisors, charging for services not requested, and not allowing subscribers to return equipment by mail.
The city council said its franchise agreement with Charter allows the city to give the operator 30 days to respond to any contract violations. If the city determines that the violations haven’t been addressed, it can require an administrative hearing, and fines could be levied against the MSO at that time.
"We continue to work with the city and directly with our customers on their questions about the transition to Spectrum,” Charter said in a statement to the Lexington Herald-Reader. “As we move forward, more and more customers are benefiting from our consumer friendly policies including no data caps, modem fees or service contracts.”
In July, Herald-Reader columnist Tom Eblin wrote, “In its quest to maximize profits, Charter keeps setting new standards for customer contempt in Lexington. Spectrum has raised prices, stripped TV channels from basic cable without notice, lowered internet speeds, laid off 56 local customer-service employees and charged customers $5 to make a payment over the phone.”
In August, Charter reps were greeted by many as 200 Lexington residents, who turned out to voice their concerns about rebranded Spectrum service and pricing.
“Welcome, Spectrum, to the lion's den,” Lexington Mayor Jim Gray reportedly said, as he introduced company execs.