Update 08/04/2006 @ 8:57 PM EST: Time Warner Cable Raleigh, NC has apologized for providing misinformation!
Update 07/31 @ 9:22PM EST: TWC has contacted a user on TiVoCommunity.com to let him know that TWC will provide CableCARDs for the Series3 TiVo.
In case you don’t already know, Time Warner Cable in Raleigh, NC has said that they won’t support the Series 3 TiVo. Now it looks like TWC in Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley) is saying the same thing.
I received the following email from Phil which contains a response he received from TWC in Los Angeles (his email address has been removed upon his request).
To: Editors of Engadget, Gizmodo, ZatzNotFunny, TiVoBlog and Tivo Pony
re: TimeWarner in Los Angeles — NO Cable Card for Tivo Series 3Here’s the answer from Los Angeles Time Warner (San Fernando Valley)
A big fat NO.
Let’s light a fire under these guys — throw the FCC at ‘em whatever… who’s
with me?PK
[If you run this -- please remove my e-mail address.]
—— Forwarded Message
From: “Cust.Ops”
Reply-To: “Cust.Ops”
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 18:45:36 -0700
To:
Subject: Re: FEEDBACK_Customer_Service (KMM1035923V50920L0KM)Hello
Thank you for your inquiry. We do offer Cable Card technology, however, we will not install Cable Cards onto equipment aside from the television itself.
We will not support any 3rd party equipment devices such as Tivo.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via our Live Online Help. Our Live Online Help Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 9 AM to 7 PM at:
http://www.TimeWarnerLA.com/chat/ .Time Warner Cable
(888)TW-CABLENow you can pay your bill online or with your digital remote! Just visit http://www.TimeWarnerLA.com/PayXpress or tune to channel 1 and select “Interact.”
Original Message Follows:
————————** THIS IS MESSAGE HAS BEEN FORWARDED BY THE ONLINE FEEDBACK SYSTEM **
TIME WARNER CABLE WEBSITE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
Thursday, July 27, 2006, 10:35:47The following inquiry was received through the TimeWarnerCable website feedback form.
NAME: XXXXXXXX
E-MAIL: XXXXXX@XXXXX
PHONE: XXXXXXXXXXXXMESSAGE:
I am a current customer of Time Warner for Cable Modem service. For TV, I switched to satellite a few years ago — BUT I am expecting to return to Time Warner for Cable TV service later this year.However, my coming back to Time Warner is dependent on the answer to one very important question.
Will you be supporting CableCard installation in the new Series 3 TiVo which is about to come out? This is a CableLabs certified device and should fall under the FCC mandate for CableCard support.
I’ll be a customer of yours again, IF you will be supporting this. It all depends on whether the new TiVo Series 3 will have your CableCard support. Please let me know asap.
Best Regards,
XXXXX
What if anything can we do to fight this? Anybody know who we should contact? I’m willing to host a letter or email template that everybody can send to the FCC (if that’s who we should be contacting).
Does anyone know how we can legally press this issue? I mean how about a class action lawsuit for all the subscribers of Time Warner against Time Warner? I’m sure there has to be a lawyer out there ready to take up this cause, as they are violating FCC regulations, on a loophole the calls the device a TV, versus a 3rd party device. Why not install a simple monitor on the Tivo Series 3 then, and we can call it a TV?
I’m a Time Warner customer who’s been waiting for the last two years to get a Tivo Series 3, and this is truly monopolistic and anti-competitive, and anti-consumer.
Any Lawyers in the house?
Chris
Realistically, this will be resolved by the time the series 3 launches. In the meantime, it will be a question of how big of a black eye Time Warner gets for posturing and trying to dissaude people from going the TiVo route.
Time Warner is required to abide by FCC regulations, because they are operating services regulated by the FCC. If _you_ have been told by Time Warner, or any other cable company, that they will not provide you with a CableCard for a CableLabs certified third party device, then you should file a complaint with the FCC with the full information regarding that, as well as writing a letter to the head of your local Time Warner affiliate and someone at the VP level of Time Warner.
If you are among those of us following this from the sidelines, wondering why Time Warner’s head is firmly entrenched where the sun doesn’t shine, well, continue watching, and feel free to ask any/all of your local cable providers whether they will provide CableCard for third-party CableLabs certified devices, i.e. not just TV’s.
Alex,
Yes, the cablecard must be activated to function using a registration screen and some number sent to the cableco. It would be possible to do this yourself but I suspect that the cableco wants to verify the device in which the card is installed is authentic and allowed to use the cablecard.
I think the whole thing amounts to “won’t support” or “won’t allow” Support has a lot of meanings. It can mean they will not set it up themselves, and will they will not help you with any problems you have with the unit to get it working (Much like not helping a customer setup their VCR) Or it could mean that they only allow their tech to install the cards, and they will not install it in these units and def facto, the will not allow you to use a Series 3.
I expect TW is taking this opportunity to scare as many people into getting one of thier units until the Series 3 is released. Then it will become clear exactly what they mean, and they will be forced to allow these devices on their network in some fashion.
tim,
I think you are right but the scary thing about it is that I’d hate to buy a Series3 TiVo only to find out that TW won’t install the CableCARD and they won’t allow me to install it. Know what I mean?
[...] Alex: tim, I think you are right but… [...]
Anyone know if there are other cableco’s that are not wanting to provide a cablecard for the S3? I am with Mediacom who seems to be reluctant in these matters?
Your worst fears have come true….
I have a Tivo Series 3 and I live in Los Angeles. Time Warner Cable is now saying that CableCARD is not available in this area and will not be made available anytime soon.
I’m turning the FCC on them (I have access to really good class action lawyers).
I find this hard to believe. Did you ask to talk with somebody else? Sometimes you just need to talk with the right person. I need to call TWC later in the week for my S3 TiVo. I’ll be sure to keep everybody informed with how it goes.
Time Warner has a cable in my yard that needs to be buried for over a month now. Your calls don’t get returned and they are arrogant when you speak with them. They want to charge to more for less service. Whatever happened to “the customer is always right”? It’s a shame this company doesnt care about its customers.
Is this site only for TiVO problems?If so, where can I post a terrible problem talking to a Time Warner customer service rep AND the repair service rep. Someone on top needs to hear and address my problem, which I’m certain isn’t a rare case.
Thanks in advance if ANYONE can direct me to the right blog site! HELP. Those recorded ‘helper recorded assistants’ need to be BANNED FROM THE PHONE SYSTEM – these COMPANIES DON’T CARE A HILL OF BEANS ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS! Anyone out there who feels the same???
In Hollywood here… had to fight (10…12…15 calls to TW) to get cablecards (no multipass available). They were installed into Series3… Maybe it helps if you don’t tell them it’s TiVo cause I don’t think the installer cares about that.
Total pain…but stay feisty & you might get your way… and fight to have that $20 installation fee credited… Of course it ALL depends on who answers the 888-TWCABLE call.
saylahv