The new Charter Communications is revamping its Spectrum service offers in a radical attempt to refashion the reputation that the company has gained over several years. This shift is in a bid to propel the operator to better serve customers with improved value available. CEO Chris Winfrey revealed a series of updates programmed to enhance reliability and thus boost customer satisfaction. The reforms are a way of committing the company to becoming a better service operator.
Spectrum starts Monday charging new prices for its internet service. Spectrum will now charge $30 a month for 500 Mbps internet and $40 for 1 Gbps, when bundled with cable TV or two mobile lines. The company is also boosting internet speeds for existing customers free of charge and axing a $0.99 fee it had added to most Spectrum plans.
Spectrum is branding openness and customer-centric practices through its new “Life Unlimited” initiative. That comprises price transparency that flags taxes and fees upfront, no annual contracts, and provision of two guarantees: Price protection for up to three years, and credits for the durations of service outages greater than two hours when the interruption was directly attributed to company-related issues but excludes weather or natural disasters.
This program fits into the larger Charter strategy for dealing with problems in the cable sector, like stalled broadband expansion, declining cable TV subscribers and growing competition from cell phone companies. Winfrey said that as much as delivering critical services that often need to be installed within homes made it challenging to raise perceptions of customers, He added that change in this narrative comes first through creating value by competitive pricing and packaging.
A new service platform, that will be implemented in 41 states this week, introduces features meant to enhance the travel experience. The terminal has to be designed with elements of natural light and earthy and industrial materials inside the structure, so it doesn’t feel like a place, but a residential space.
Recent actions by Charter reflect volatile periods, including the stock price at the company currently experiencing extreme swings and its broadband customer growth slowing. Spectrum’s mobile business, which launched in 2018, is growing well. Among the strategic matters that the company is stressing are bundled services-plus ad-supported Disney+ and ESPN+ as ways to retain and acquire customers.
As Charter continues to evolve against the shifting media landscape, Winfrey’s approach reflects a bigger effort to innovate and adapt in a competitive market.
