Comcast vs. Charter

Every consumer wonders where he or she can find the best cable services. Consumers need a television connection so that they can enjoy the wide variety of stations that are available. They need an Internet connection so they can browse the Internet and perform tasks such as school work and regular work. They need phone connections so that they can communicate with friends, family members and business associates. Comcast and Charter Communications are two companies that are rivals in the cable industry. Each of them uses a different approach to entice and services its customers. The following provides a brief comparison of the two companies. 

Company Information

Comcast was founded in 1963, and its headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company started as Comcast Holdings, and it has been offering telecommunications services since the day it opened. Charter Communications was established in 1993, and its headquarters is in Stamford, Connecticut. Both of these American companies offer telephone, Internet and television services to the masses. Charter is the 10th largest telephone service provider according to its subscriber numbers. Comcast is the largest Internet provider in the United States by its revenue and consumer volume. 

Contracts and Agreements

Contracts are agreements that last approximately 12 months. The customer usually agrees to maintain service from a certain company for a designated time period. The company promises a low rate to the customer in exchange for his or her commitment to the contract. Failure to keep the agreement may result in a breach of contract, which will initiate an early termination charge for the release from the contract. Comcast currently offers some services without contracts and some service with contracts. The provider will allow some customers to have service with no contract, but they expect advance payment for the services. Charter is currently offering contract and no-contract deals to people who switch from another provider to the company. Both companies may conduct a credit check on a potential customer. 

Technology

Both Charter and Comcast use digital HD technology for their television services. Charter and Comcast use two different approaches with their setup boxes, however. The X1 box that Comcast offers may provide the consumers with a richer experience because it uses advanced IP hardware. However, the Charter box, which is similar to the Comcast box, uses a cloud-based technology that allows the box to last longer within the household. 

Bundle Deals

Both companies offer bundle deals to their potential customers. Bundle deals are deals that offer several products to the customers for one low monthly price. Charter is currently offering single select services, two-service select bundles and three different Triple Play Select packages. Their bundle packages include 12-month contracts. However, Charter offers to pay early termination fees for any person who chooses to change providers. The company promises to pay up to $500 in early termination fees for their new customers. 

The current price for single television service is approximately $60 per month. The price for single Internet service is approximately $40 a month. A consumer can select an Internet + Voice package or an Internet + Television package. Charter handles its two-service bundles by issuing a separate contract for each service. The prices for a two-service bundle is approximately $50 to $80 a month. 

The Tripe Play Packages start at $30 per month per service and they escalate from there. Those packages include unlimited nationwide calling, 60 Mbps speed Internet service, and at least 125 channels in the television service. The channel lineups include ESPN, CNN, Lifetime, Discovery and more. Charter offers a wealth of business services for struggling companies, as well. 

Comcast Bundles

Comcast uses a slightly different approach to its bundles than Charter uses. Comcast offers single services as well as a Double Play and a Triple Play package. Their Triple Play packages include Internet service, telephone service and television service. The cheapest Triple Play plan is approximately $90 a month, and it includes unlimited nationwide calling, 50 Mbps Internet speed and 140 channels. The company requires the customer to sign a 12-month contract for the deal. Comcast offers some additional bundles that require a 24-month contract. Those deals may offer something additional such as a $100 Visa card. 

Single Internet services are as low as $19 a month. However, they are services that have a slow 3 Mbps Internet speed. Faster Internet speeds start at approximately $40 a month. A single television package will cost the consumer approximately $50 a month, but a package that includes Internet and television costs approximately $90 a month. The customer receives a larger discount if he or she purchase a bundle with more than two items. 

The only edge that Comcast may have over Charter is that consumer may be able to obtain Comcast services in more places than Charter services are. Both companies have enticing deals, excellent services and timely customer service efforts.