E Mail I Just Sent To Charter Cable Re League Pass

[Traceman]

I was EXTREMELY disappointed to discover that you are not going to be offering NBA League Pass this season! I really enjoyed the package and I am VERY disappointed to find that it is no longer available. I was told that the package was dropped due to low subscription rates and while that may be true, customers such as myself who want to have as many options as possible (I am a Digital Leadership Package subscriber) are being forced to switch to satellite because they offer everything that you do (including high speed internet service and local channels) plus a whole lot more that you don't (HDTV pogramming, NBA League Pass, NFL Sunday Ticket, etc.).

I have been generally satisfied with my Charter Cable service over the years and I hate to switch to satellite but if I want to get all of the programing choices that I'd like to have, you guys are leaving me no choice! In my opinion, Charter Cable is underestimating the public's desire to have the latest technological advances in entertainment and I feel that you are going to lose many loyal customers like myself unless you step up to the plate and make HDTV programming and sports packages available just as your satellite competitors do. HDTV is here and now that satellite is basically the same price as cable, you guys are going to lose more and more customers as we gawk with envy at our neighbors who are enjoying all of the the benefits that satellite has to offer.

As an ardent NBA fan, I don't anticipate maintaining my Charter Cable service beyond December as I will likely be forced to go out and purchase a Direct TV package in order to get the programming options I desire. Hopefully, that won't be necessary and Charter will find a way to offer NBA League Pass this season after all.

In closing, I implore you to reconsider your decision not to offer NBA League Pass to your customers this year. I also urge you to pick up the pace SIGNIFICANTLY with regard to offering HDTV programming to customers in ALL areas.

Signed,

Frustrated Basketball Fan

[jeddelong]

Just as a note, Charter stock was down 31% today. There COO was put on leave, and it looks like they are losing subscribers hand over fist. My guess is that they will be a take over target at a point down the road, though that doesn't help you now. My guess is that their performance financially suggests that they haven't been too customer friendly, period. Good luck, I am lucky enough to still have it in Boston on Digital Cable.

[bobbham]

Traceman,

I ordered direct tv yesterday just so I could get League Pass. I had been told up until last Thurs night (postgame) that I was signed up for it with Charter only to find out that they weren't going to carry it. The problem I have with Charter is that the customer service reps are nice but totally undertrained.

Great to see you and Jason the other night. I'm still pulling for Rod to make the team.

[Traceman]

I had a great time. I look forward to seeing you when you come to the ATL!

As for Charter, I too will likely be leaving them and switching to Direct TV. I was thinking about it anyway because I'm doing a theater room in my basement, the projector I want is HDTV compatible and Charter does not offer HDTV programming in this area. The downside of switching to satellite is that I have several TV's throughout the house and I'll need AT LEAST 5 receivers which will likely be costly. In addition, I LOVE Charter's cable internet service so I'll either have to switch to DSL or maintain the Charter cable service and that will be expensive because I have it as part of a package deal now.

If Charter hadn't dropped NBA league Pass, I probably would have waited another year or so on the HDTV but if I can't get League Pass, I might as well go ahead and make the switch now. What a deal.