Brighthouse being bought by charter.

[Villages contractor]

Anyone else hear of this? It wouldn't let me post the article because I'm new. Being a brighthouse customer myself living in wildwood I'm more than a little concerned. Although I have been considering other options anyways as the technology with brighthouse is getting behind the times.

The article reads:

Tampa Bay, Florida � In a $10.4 billion deal, St. Louis-based cable provider Charter Communications is buying Bright House Networks and its close to 2 million subscribers.
For the average customer, based on Charter's history, don't expect your bill to go down anytime soon, or for customer service to get better.
Charter is already established in Missouri, California, Texas and elsewhere. Now, the company is moving in to Florida.
Here's what the acquisition means for you.
Ask a cable customer about their bill and you get a pretty standard answer.
"It's already high enough, if it's gonna go any higher, I'm definitely going to be changing my service," said Bright House customer Liz Green.

Share MediaShow Caption
But with Tuesday's shocking announcement that Bright House Networks is selling to Charter, Bright House customers want to know "will my service change?" and "will my bill go up?"
USF media business expert Justin Brown says the answer to both is "yes."

"I think the bill will increase as it has over the years. The name is just gonna change," Brown said.
Brown says midsized cable companies like Charter and Bright House are under huge pressure to combine to survive.
"The Netflixes of the world are coming out and people are cutting the cord and cable subscriptions," he said.
In a message to employees, Bright House CEO Steve Miron said: "We strongly believe as our competitors get larger and we increasingly compete with both national and global brands, that it is critical for Bright House Networks to gain as much scale as possible."
GOT A COMPLAINT?:State agency wants to hear about it
Brown says that scale may come at a price for customers especially with the hundreds of online complaints knocking Charter's service.
"I wouldn't think they're going to get a better service than they already have. If anything it's going to get worse given Charter's record," Brown said.
One reason, as cost go up and customers go down, it's getting harder to make money in the video cable business.
Bright House will still be a minority stakeholder in the company, and it will take months for the deal to close.
This is what 10 News found about Charter on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index: Charter Communications received a 64 out of 100. Last year, they dropped 6 percent to 60.
Here's how they compared to other providers in 2014:
DirectTV scored 69
Verizon Fios got 68
DISH Network scored 67

[mixsonci]

I'm already changing over from Brighthouse to Century Link at the end of the month. I'll be paying almost $100 a month less for more and better channels. Looks like I'm making the change just in time. I already pay Brighthouse over $300 a month. The really one good thing about Brighthouse, however, is...I find their customer service very helpful and nice to work with when I have an outage of cable or wifi.

[Jaggy]

I'm already changing over from Brighthouse to Century Link at the end of the month. I'll be paying almost $100 a month less for more and better channels. Looks like I'm making the change just in time. I already pay Brighthouse over $300 a month. The really one good thing about Brighthouse, however, is...I find their customer service very helpful and nice to work with when I have an outage of cable or wifi.

paying over $300 A month, I sure hope you don't have to call OFTEN for outages!! I have comcast and I complain about the customer service but then again, I rarely call because we don't have outages !!! ( Dang, I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me !! )..

[Medtrans]

I'm already changing over from Brighthouse to Century Link at the end of the month. I'll be paying almost $100 a month less for more and better channels. Looks like I'm making the change just in time. I already pay Brighthouse over $300 a month. The really one good thing about Brighthouse, however, is...I find their customer service very helpful and nice to work with when I have an outage of cable or wifi.

Wow...$300 a month. I pay 187 for cable with 2 DVR boxes and 1 HD box, phone and Internet. I love BrightHouse and their customer service is awesome. Hope it stays the same.

[Villages contractor]

Wow...$300 a month. I pay 187 for cable with 2 DVR boxes and 1 HD box, phone and Internet. I love BrightHouse and their customer service is awesome. Hope it stays the same.

The experts say that it probably won't. I know a few people who work for brighthouse that are frightened about the merger to say the least. The total merger dollar amount for charter buying time warner cable and brighthouse will be 65B dollars. They are also absorbing all the debt for both companies. I don't see a company like charter dropping prices or improving customer service, and neither do the industry experts.

Tom from villages AV knows a guy who sells centurylink. From what I know it would probably save the customer paying $187 about $60 a month and give them more channels...

[Villager Joyce]

The experts say that it probably won't. I know a few people who work for brighthouse that are frightened about the merger to say the least. The total merger dollar amount for charter buying time warner cable and brighthouse will be 65B dollars. They are also absorbing all the debt for both companies. I don't see a company like charter dropping prices or improving customer service, and neither do the industry experts.

Tom from villages AV knows a guy who sells centurylink. From what I know it would probably save the customer paying $187 about $60 a month and give them more channels...

You have two threads going --- one about brighthouse and one about comcast. My question is not meant to be rude or judgmental. Just wondering if you have skin in the game and what game?

[Villages contractor]

You have two threads going --- one about brighthouse and one about comcast. My question is not meant to be rude or judgmental. Just wondering if you have skin in the game and what game?

That's a valid point. These are questions that I get pretty frequently working in the villages when it comes to the pros and cons of multiple providers. Full discosure I have contacts in all the companies I talk about. I also sell and install alarm and surveillance systems. I am biased against cable companies and for telecom companies (especially ones with direct fiber connections) because I know the technology. And I represent them all fairly. I'll be on here as a sponsor soon, but right now I'm just trying to create a dialog with the community and pass along some valuable information. In my day to day I have met thousands of people who aren't keeping up with the industry and I'm just here to offer accurate information :).

[Villager Joyce]

That's a valid point. These are questions that I get pretty frequently working in the villages when it comes to the pros and cons of multiple providers. Full discosure I have contacts in all the companies I talk about. I also sell and install alarm and surveillance systems. I am biased against cable companies and for telecom companies (especially ones with direct fiber connections) because I know the technology. And I represent them all fairly. I'll be on here as a sponsor soon, but right now I'm just trying to create a dialog with the community and pass along some valuable information. In my day to day I have met thousands of people who aren't keeping up with the industry and I'm just here to offer accurate information :).

Fair answer. Thanks!

[Villages contractor]

Fair answer. Thanks!

Not a problem. I love the villages and would never want to work anywhere else.

[Matzy]

I have had a good experience with Charter in St. Louis. The point is that you have to make very clear what you want, what you have to pay and make a deal for years ahead. (Charter was much cheaper compare to AT&T with the same service).

[Villages contractor]

I have had a good experience with Charter in St. Louis. The point is that you have to make very clear what you want, what you have to pay and make a deal for years ahead. (Charter was much cheaper compare to AT&T with the same service).

I'm actually from kirkwood and one of my good army buddies works for charter so that's where I got my experience with them as well. The point I'm trying to make is that when companies take on massive debt in the service industry the service pretty much never improves. There are pros and cons to everything the main thing consumers need to realize is that telecom, and cable providers have an oligopoly and no matter who you go with the price will be the same in the end. You either pay or play like Tom has said many times before. If you know what to say you can always get your bill down, it's the technology, content, and customer service that make or break a company.

[BarryDC]

I'm not familiar with any companies in TV that provide direct fiber optic connections. Are there any?

[rubicon]

Oligopolies like the cable companies being addressed here end up the same when it comes to price. You can start out with a discount but then it end the prices jump and the charges for boxes modems etc gradual increase. So pay then now or pay them later.

Go back years on similar TOTV threads and you will read posters who move from one carrier to another and back again.

We have been with Comcast since we moved here 9 years ago and overall the experience has been good. Yes there are some issues that annoy me but then I have called and they addressed them.

cable bills are like insurance premiums you hate them but then you realize you are getting utility for your dollar; albeit you may feel it s over priced.
For villagers who like to watch TV, use their computers like the phone system paying the charges is a necessary evil.

[Villages contractor]

Oligopolies like the cable companies being addressed here end up the same when it comes to price. You can start out with a discount but then it end the prices jump and the charges for boxes modems etc gradual increase. So pay then now or pay them later.

Go back years on similar TOTV threads and you will read posters who move from one carrier to another and back again.

We have been with Comcast since we moved here 9 years ago and overall the experience has been good. Yes there are some issues that annoy me but then I have called and they addressed them.

cable bills are like insurance premiums you hate them but then you realize you are getting utility for your dollar; albeit you may feel it s over priced.
For villagers who like to watch TV, use their computers like the phone system paying the charges is a necessary evil.

Absolutely! But the consumer must also realize the profit margin for these services is astronomical. It costs a company more money to lose a customer then it does to reduce rates and retain them. Knowing the right department, extension, or having a direct line to an account manager makes a world of difference.

[Trayderjoe]

I am a current Charter customer in Michigan and am looking to drop them. I searched through the website when I logged onto my account to find a phone number to call for customer support, until I remembered to look at my bill and found it there (no, I couldn't find it otherwise on their website). I have had three service calls in the last month and a half, replaced two modems and a DVR and I still have problems. They checked the lines both in and out of the house and the service tech couldn't find a problem, so he replaced the connectors on the lines. My internet connection still keeps dropping. It doesn't look good for us when we move down there full time if our choices are Comcast or Charter.................

[dbussone]

I am a current Charter customer in Michigan and am looking to drop them. I searched through the website when I logged onto my account to find a phone number to call for customer support, until I remembered to look at my bill and found it there (no, I couldn't find it otherwise on their website). I have had three service calls in the last month and a half, replaced two modems and a DVR and I still have problems. They checked the lines both in and out of the house and the service tech couldn't find a problem, so he replaced the connectors on the lines. My internet connection still keeps dropping. It doesn't look good for us when we move down there full time if our choices are Comcast or Charter.................


Forget Comcast unless you have masochistic tendencies. BrightHouse works well here. You may need to check which cable companies are available where you will be living. Not all cable companies are available throughout TV

[mtdjed]

The Brighthouse change will likely lead to poorer service because that is what all of these providers do to increase profits. Have been with Comcast since we have been here for 8 years. We have seldom had problems with Comcast service. But we have minimum service which is Basic at $46 per month. We get all of the local channels plus weather, Tru TV , Fox , Food, plus a number of other stations in Spanish, religious , advertisement. I am not bragging about this as the choice is limited and getting more limited as they are gradually limiting the stations more.

Several years ago when they were forced to go to Digital from analog, they gave free devices that accommodated this change. Then they started charging $3/mo per each TV.

Kind of like the airlines with bags, seat assignments, meals, drinks etc. We don't like it but are accustomed to the constant rise.

We all wait for the new technology advancement that will lower our rates while the tech giants work to exploit it into more $.

If only antenna advancement could get us back to free TV. What a dream.

[Villages contractor]

I am a current Charter customer in Michigan and am looking to drop them. I searched through the website when I logged onto my account to find a phone number to call for customer support, until I remembered to look at my bill and found it there (no, I couldn't find it otherwise on their website). I have had three service calls in the last month and a half, replaced two modems and a DVR and I still have problems. They checked the lines both in and out of the house and the service tech couldn't find a problem, so he replaced the connectors on the lines. My internet connection still keeps dropping. It doesn't look good for us when we move down there full time if our choices are Comcast or Charter.................

Contact Tom from villages AV in the responses above. The option here are:

Cable: bright house (aka charter), Comcast (aka xfinity)
Fiber to the premises: centurylink prism.
Satellite: direct TV, dish network.

After talking to some of my insider contacts, looks like the merger will be done by the end of the year.

Tom can hook you up with contacts for each of the providers, he is the go to guy for AV in these parts.

[Villages contractor]

As far as the change from brighthouse, the management, the service tech, the front counter in Wildwood and Belleview, the support staff will still be the same. We will continue to provide the great customer service that we have been providing. The only thing that will be changing is the name on the trucks. As most of our customers in The Villages can attest to, we go above and beyond to make the customer experience a memorable one. We pride ourselves in making our customers needs number one. For more information on getting service if you live south of CR 466A call or email me.

Lysander Jimenez
Direct Sales Representative
Brighthouse Networks
352-414-6756
Lysander.jimenez@mybrighthouse.com

That sounds good in theory, but my research shows that brighthouse will be a minority partner at best. And as a DSR it's really above your pay grade to be making statements like this when your company isn't being clear on what will be happening at all. Industry experts are suggesting exactly the opposite. There will be changes, and you really shouldn't misrepresent your company by saying there won't be when you have no direct control over what is happening.

I'm sorry but this reminds me of when AT&T bought Cingular and they ASSURED their customers nothing would change when nearly every single thing did.

Charter is not buying brighthouse as brighthouse, they are purchasing their network and customer accounts. When they have done that they can do completely as they see fit.

[Villages contractor]

Let us also consider that brighthouse networks as its own entity is a privately traded company, and this deal will make it public. Anyone who knows anything about the market will tell you there is no possible way things will stay the same. After the merger the stock holders will have control.

[vette]

Most cable companies offer big discounts for new customers but jack up the prices as soon as the promo period is over. Especially be aware of 2 yr contracts but only a one yr promo. After 12 months the cost for that special promo skyrockets and if you try to cancel you get hit with an early out fee because you're in a 2 yr contract. When u get a special promo offer make sure u can discontinue that service and return to what u had without any penalties.

[Finallyfree]

The sale was contingent on Comcast buying Time Warner. That purchase proposal has been withdrawn. We will be keeping Brighthouse, they have only been wonderful to work with and we will only change if that changes (which we don't anticipate). Having had both Comcast and Charter in GA, if we have to have one of them it would be Charter in my book. Don't Panic folks, it will be ok.:D

[Shimpy]

paying over $300 A month, I sure hope you don't have to call OFTEN for outages!! I have comcast and I complain about the customer service but then again, I rarely call because we don't have outages !!! ( Dang, I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me !! )..

Hey Jaggy I agree. I know Comcast has lots of haters but I pay $231 a month for phone, cable and internet and rarely have a problem and this includes extra sports channels I watch. I had gone to Century Link a couple years ago but found too many outages and they only offered 9 free movies on demand while Comcast offered I'm guessing over 100.

[Steve & Deanna]

Competition is good. Too bad all said cable companies can't come into an area and compete. That said, a 'leading consumer magazine' claims that most of these companies are a poor value.

[Villages contractor]

The sale was contingent on Comcast buying Time Warner. That purchase proposal has been withdrawn. We will be keeping Brighthouse, they have only been wonderful to work with and we will only change if that changes (which we don't anticipate). Having had both Comcast and Charter in GA, if we have to have one of them it would be Charter in my book. Don't Panic folks, it will be ok.:D

If you do a little more digging you'll find that your looking at an outdated article. Charter withdrew the proposal then entered a new proposal for both time warner and brighthouse networks. Anytime a cable company takes on 65.7B in debt all at one time and millions of new customers it's not going to be good for the end user. Ride the wave I guess, but as someone who has been in the telecom and cable industry for over 15 years I can say with absolute certainty not everyone is going to be happy when the future becomes the present.

[Villages contractor]

Hey Jaggy I agree. I know Comcast has lots of haters but I pay $231 a month for phone, cable and internet and rarely have a problem and this includes extra sports channels I watch. I had gone to Century Link a couple years ago but found too many outages and they only offered 9 free movies on demand while Comcast offered I'm guessing over 100.

Yeah a couple years ago centurylink prism wasn't very good. They have made a ton of changes since then and wouldn't cost you $230 a month. The product they have is identical to AT&T uverse and Verizon fios.