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Our Time Warner Cable TV and Internet Review

Click here to use the internet speed test for Time Warner Cable of New York / New Jersey (This works only if you currently have Time Warner and are in NYC otherwise use SpeedTest.Net)

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Update May 2013:

Time Warner keeps sending us offers for service.  All of them are beat in price by RCN.   Besides, the internet speed from Time Warner is less than half of what we are getting from RCN, at a better price for any speed option that we choose. We've switch, we've moved to RCN.  See our RCN review

Time Warner keeps increasing the phone costs.  We recommend that your analyze the price you pay for your TW package (Phone, TV, Internet)  It can be less expensive to use Vonage for phone (Time Warner charges extra for an international package, Vonage does not)

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Update April 2012:

Our Time Warner Cable service continued to be satisfactory and the Time Warner Internet speed was as promised since our last update and our Time Warner Review holds.  However, we became angered over the incessant price increases.  Our bill went up approximately $40 a month basically without any service changes and we have had enough of it.  We are lucky enough to have the competing RCN TV and RCN Internet in our building. We've switch, we've moved to RCN.  See our RCN review

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Update November 2010:

This updates my opinion of Time Warner Cable's Internet Speed, for now.  The overall review will be adjusted if my cable speed is adequate over the next months

The term "Mbps" may be  technobabble but the variation of a internet speed from 30 to less than one should be meaningful to everyone

Prior to the update

  • Time Warner internet fastest time of day is the 3 am to 9 am hours. Our  fastest speed had diminished to less 12 Mbps
  • Our average peak period speed (6 pm to Midnight) was ALWAYS under 2 Mbps and regularly under 1 Mbps - not much faster than dial up over the plan old telephone lines

After this update

  • Speed now up to over 30 Mbps during early am hours
  • Peak period speeds, 7 pm to midnight now 10 to 12 Mbps.  At peak times it is always better than 10 Mbps.

Update Summary:

Time Warner has dramatically increased services: Internet, Phone, on-demand and  variations and an ever increasing number of channels and HD duplicates channels without upgrading the speed (but ever increasing prices). My building has over 200 apartments.  There are similar sized buildings in the neighborhood and they share the same cable / connections to Time Warner

Our results are we are able to get an upgrade to acceptable speed.   Our in-building neighbors acknowledge better speed too and we notice that TV cable performance results in shorter periods of picture freezes and pixilation. We suspect that the performance increase is in nearby apartment buildings too

The capacity upgrade was accomplished by Time Warner reconfiguring their 'plant'.  The connection to this location was split from one to several.

Getting the adequate results required patience, insistence, documentation and tenacity.  You are less likely to be successful if you are not thorough and / or are rude and impatient with the people who can help you. 

Rules to follow:

  1. Know what you are talking about before you try to get support.  This review is all about internet speed. You should do the TW speed test during peak hours. Click here.  My apartment neighbors confirmed equivalent poor results; if your neighbors do too then it is probably something only TW can improve.
  2. Be Patient. Real results may take numerous calls (and hours) stretching across several months when the problem is not confined to your home
  3. Have a goal of what you want - ie, getting performance that you are paying for, credit for service you are not getting, getting someone to be interested in really resolving your issue and helping you
  4. Document everything.  Time and Date of Calls:  Ask and record: Name of person(s) you speak to, what office you are speaking to; incident number or appointment number.  Some service reps do not record detail on your account record - ask if the do.  Keep this information available for every call you make and even after you get results
  5. Go through the channels; the protocol of trouble shooting. Take all the steps that your are asked to do. If you do not do this escalating the call to a higher level will waste your and Time-Warner's time.  These trouble-shooting steps overtime may need to be repeated to satisfy TW. By repeating them, you will have further evidence if you need to demand escalation, credit, etc. 
  6. Understand that the cable is a business.  It became apparent to me that the service reps taking my calls sometimes seemed more interested in protecting Time Warner's income on my account rather than helping me.  These souls are taught this, don't be unkind and rude to them but insist that your problem be addressed or be escalated to someone who is interested in helping you
  7. Don't get personal, vulgar or lash out when you get angry but insist that you get action, or get the call escalated.  Your rudeness will be recorded and if you must escalate you may have already been labeled as someone TW does NOT want to help.  If you get so PO's you cannot control it , hang up and call back after you have a chance to think about it and calm down - I had to do it twice.
  8. Consider the alternatives.  My building has Time Warner and RCN.  Verizon Fios trucks are seen on the street installing cabling.  Overall I have liked Time Warner but I did have an option.  Don't threaten to change unless you have options and don't make this threat until you have exhausted how far you are willing to go in troubleshooting.

I had three computers in the apartment as I worked through this trouble shooting. The main computer is a Win 7 64 bit machine, the Home Theatre Media Center is a Vista 32 bit, and the laptop was a Windows XP laptop.  All 3 computers were used to confirm the poor performance.  The tests and TW technician appointments were actually in two separate apartments on two separate floors as I had to move between apts because of a fire  

What it takes to get the 'upgrade' to an as expected internet speed (do all your testing during peak usage periods (7pm to 11 pm)

As you move through the troubleshooting, always ask "What is the next step" as you talk to those helping you.

  1. Do speed test (works only if you have Time Warner in New York during peak periods, ask your neighbor to confirm similar results, log your results over several weeks.  FYI if you do not currently have TW and still want the speed, use SpeedTest.Net
  2. Call TW support, follow through on all their trouble shooting and testing.  Once your complete their testing without improvement - do speed test again - assert that the results are not what you are paying for !

    This is where you can start to ask to escalate - if the initial support staff cannot acknowledge your unacceptable speed, INSIST that your want to speak to the next higher level of support! They will likely transfer to road runner support.  Follow through and record who what where.

    Road Runner may not be able help but ask they acknowledge your speed issue and record it on your record
  3. Make the appointment with the on-site technician - record the incident numbers - the technician appointment should be as late in the day as possible so he can confirm your 'peak period' speed results.  The Tech will likely replace your modem.  The Tech will talk to his 'plant', supervisor or other tech - your should ask questions, log and record who what where and when - Get incident numbers, names, where, phone numbers, etc
  4. ---The following steps assume the technician confirms your poor performance once they visit your home.  If they cannot you will have to start over at the beginning at a later date in order to prove your poor performance ----
  5. Call tech support with the confirmed poor performance and logged information. Request credit on your bill for the poor performance until the issue is resolved. (It is best if you call during supports daytime hours - it's easier to reach experienced representatives and experienced supervisors if you must)
  6. Get your neighbors to go through these steps - the squeaky wheel gets the grease
  7. The initial level of support will likely NOT be cooperative in giving credit or telling you when the issue will be addressed - ask (INSIST) to speak to a supervisor.

    As I went through these steps - three different times over months - this initial support level follow up call gave me a 'plant' phone number and technician name - telling me to call them for information, credit and speed improvement - THIS IS (later stated by TW as) WRONG,  This is where I lost it after getting to this point in troubleshooting three times
  8. Get the supervisor name and location.   The supervisor may not be able to tell you when the problem might be improved but she can give you initial credit if you demand it (this is where I lost it again - during the supervisor's stonewalling about 2 months internet cost credit after I had worked on this issue for 2 months).
  9. My supervisor conversation at this level occurred after I had had 3 on-site technician visits. The supervisor said that an onsite tech would have to visit  to take some readings of the connection (this would be the FOURTH).  I argued the absurdness of this and finally I asked for this supervisors supervisor - she would not give me the information.  I objected to being asked to take a 4th day of my life for technical visits of the same problem. This is where I stated that there was competition in the building and I would move to it if there were not results  - again I demanded 2 months credit and finally got it.  The super said there was nothing she could do without the visit - I made the appointment
  10. I had logged all of my steps ('proof') without results.  I did not want to move from Time Warner and go through an installation with another carrier and other changes but my patience was exhausted.  I gave it one last shot:
  11. I called the Time Warner corporate headquarters and found they had a 'consumer advocate'. 
  12. My simple statement to the advocate "I cannot seem to find someone that is interested in resolving my problem"  I again reported my issues, in detail, with dates, times, incident numbers, namesetc. 
  13. The advocate contacted the correct supervisory department / person.  I was called back within 3 hours - after telling my story for a fifth and last time - I was given an introductory cable rate for 12 months (a significant savings).  The fourth technician service call was cancelled as unnecessary
  14. Within 5 business days of my contacting the Consumer Advocate at headquarters, my cable speed in increased to a satisfactory rate of over 30 Mbps at the fastest times and always over 12 Mbps during peak periods
  15. The advocate called to confirm that my problem was resolved.  Time Warner retained this consumer

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The following was written before the November 2010 update

See our Time Warner Internet problem below, end of this general review

We've posted a similar Time Warner Internet Review, of Road Runner in New York and New Jersey (NYC and NJ) as comments on other web sites.  It is our opinion that the performance we receiving for our Road Runner Internet service in Queens New York is over-priced and not fair and honest in our TW cable rates and service levels

It is our opinion that speed problems and issues with Times Warner Cable and Internet of NYC continue and are not resolved or even addressed in Queens New York.  We do not believe that we are getting what we are paying for.

  • The Time Warner cable internet service gets continually slower from 9 am until from 5 pm to when it becomes less than 3 mps (its 6 pm now and we are getting 2.1 mps in 5 tests in 30 minutes).
  • The Road Runner and Time Warner speed degradation continues and progresses thought the day, beginning when people are using the local connection
  • The Time Warner Cable of NYC Internet speed rates service usually averages less than 900 kps to 1.5 mps over 30 minutes of multiple tests from 7 pm to midnight.
  • This happens every day
  • We get 20 to 25 mps from Road Runner Internet service from Time Warner, midnight to 5 am or 9 am
  • Per customer service we are at the highest tier level of service and our Internet speed should be minimum at 10 mps or better but do not get this speed for over half the day.
  • We had to have the cable modem replaced a few months ago. The TW technician says that Time Warner now has about 10 Internet speed 'service levels' (speed rates) although they are not announced - consumers are not fairly informed. (The Time Warner Cable of NYC for New York and New Jersey lists 3 levels)
  • It's our belief that it is time to reduce our Time Warner cable internet and cable subscription level to 'Standard' where they promote 10 MPS. Or subscribe to a lower level - ?
  •   We believe that at 10 MPS we can deal with in the early AM speed at the "standard level"
  • Our service DOES NOT include Time Warner Internet Phone Service
  • We think that Times Warner Internet service should be as reliable as electrical service. It is far from that in Queens New York. For example, in January and February 2010, Time Warener internet service was sporadic at lease 10 days of the period during mid-day and sometimes evening

We note that Time Warner of NYC and NJ does not post their pricing levels for all levels of service on their internet site

Our cable bill (April 2009) says we are paying $42.00 for our internet service as part of our "It's all here" package (supposedly the highest internet cable speed.)  The last time we looked, and can remember, the unbundled rate was around $75.00 per month.

We are looking forward to Verizon's FIOS service competition in Queens New York (NYC - although we will pay a 'few bucks' more for Time Warner's cable and internet excellent customer service.  Verizon's FIOS customer service sucks according to our friends who have the

Below - Our Time Warner Internet in 2010 and how to we get results

Summary:

We have been with Time Warner since 1992

Get Money Out

Money has bought our government. Sign the online petition to Get Money Out of our politics

Talk about it, tell your friends

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Time Warner Digital Phone, Cable and Internet Review

Highlights:

- You can see remarks about Time Warner Digital Phone service on our Vonage Review Page

- Our Experience with Time Warner Customer Support for Internet and Cable has been largely Exceptional

-  We expect Time Warner Internet to be as reliable as electricity - it is not

- Queens New York Speed by Time Warner Internet is not acceptable for the price.

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We only take time to write reviews when we find exceptional value, exceptional service

Or when we feel short changed, taken advantage of, or feel ripped off. 

This review is our opinion or a reflection of our experiences.

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 We are not selling anything here. We are impassioned by Timer Warner Customer Service

We appreciate Time Warner of NY and NJ Customer Service but are disappointed with the internet speed

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