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Frequent Question Categories
Billing - Frequent Questions
What is a franchise fee?
A franchise fee is a fee collected and paid directly to the city, village or township in which you live for use of public rights of ways and the community's expenses associated with the regulation and administration of cable TV services. Up to five percent of Time Warner Cable's total revenue goes back to the cities and/or counties.
What is included in the "Fees and Taxes" charge listed on my monthly bill?
The "FCC Fee" represents the payment made to the Federal Communications Commission for the cost of regulating the cable industry.
The "Franchise Fee" is computed on the total monthly service and is paid directly to the city or county in which you live for the use of public rights of way and the administration of cable TV franchises.
"Copyright fees" are paid to the Copyright Office and are primarily related to our use of "distant" television signals from Chicago and Atlanta.
The "local access fee" is collected to provide funds for the operation of local access channels by the city.
The "Sales Tax" is calculated on the total monthly service including fees at the current rate for the city and county in which you live.
What is a "prorated" or "partial" month?
Partial month adjustments called prorations appear if you have made changes in your service during the previous month. The difference between your old and new monthly rate is "broken down" to begin charging or crediting your account as of the day the change was made.
Why is my cable service billed in advance?
Time Warner Cable charges a standard monthly rate for your service that is due at the beginning of your billing cycle. In effect, you pay before you attend the event, just as you do with other forms of entertainment. Cable service charges are not based on usage and therefore are not calculated at the end of your billing period, the way the local utility and telephone companies are able to bill.
Why was my last payment not reflected in my current bill?
If we received your payment after we printed your next month's bill, it will not show up on your current statement, but will show up on the following month's statement.
Is there a fee charged when my payment is late?
Yes. Any balance left unpaid from your previous statement is charged a late fee. If there wasn't enough money in your bank account to cover your check to Time Warner Cable, there is a Return Check Fee. Past due accounts will also be assessed a collection and/or reconnection fee. Please visit our Rate Card for details.
When is my payment due?
Payment is due 20 days from mailing. Separate 30-day reminder notices are mailed to accounts that have not been paid within the current month and are then subject to disconnection if payment is not received promptly.
What should I do if I have a problem or question about my cable bill?
Take a look at the Billing section of this web site for some general information about our billing practices. You can submit questions about your bill directly to us online by clicking on this web site link: Billing Contact Form. Or you can call us directly. Notifying us guarantees that we will address your billing problem. In the meantime, please pay all charges except the disputed amount to prevent your account becoming past due.
Why is my bill more (or less) than usual?
If in the past month you made a change in your level of service, ordered a Pay-Per-View movie or event, received a credit, or if your payment was not received before the new bill was printed, your balance may be more or less than your normal monthly rate. If you have questions about a specific charge, you can contact us directly online by clicking on this web site link: Billing Contact Form . Or you can call us directly.
Is there a charge when I make changes to my service?
Yes. The amount of charges will vary depending on the type of work to be done and whether the changes can be completed over the telephone or require a visit to your home. See our Rate Card in the Products and Services section on this web site for a description of these charges.
Programming - Frequent Questions
Does Time Warner Cable ever survey customers to find out which channels they are watching?
We are very concerned about the interests of our customers. Our job is to satisfy as many customers as we can.
Just like other businesses, we occasionally hire professional research firms to objectively poll our customers. We are interested in what people are watching, and how they feel about our customer service, picture quality, prices, how we stack up against other entertainment options, etc.
We also stay in touch with the interests of our customers by paying very close attention to the comments and requests you make to our customer service and technical staff every day.
How do you decide when and which channels to add?
Our programming decisions are based upon several criteria. FCC guidelines require us to offer a number of "Must Carry" channels. We are also required to carry certain public education and government channels. Consumer research, including, but not limited to, tally feedback from customer service calls and mail, surveys, telemarketing contacts and other types of feedback are an important part of our decision-making process. We listen attentively to the voices of our customers and care about what you think. Give us your thoughts and feedback by filling out our Contact Us Form.
Who decides what movies will be shown on Pay-Per-View (PPV)?
We receive our PPV movies on several satellite-fed channels, much like CNN or HBO. Time Warner Cable tries to carry as many of them as possible so you always have several choices. When a big movie is released by the Hollywood studios for PPV, you may see it scheduled continuously on one or more channels. This way, you have several opportunities to watch or tape it. After a day or two the newest movies go into rotation with other current films. For a list of current movies and events on Time Warner Cable's PPV channels, click on this web site link: Pay-Per-View.
Why are certain programs occasionally BLACKED OUT?
This is due to Syndicated Exclusivity (SYNDEX) protection which has been requested by a local broadcaster and which we are legally required by FCC regulation to provide.
Is there an additional charge for digital or high-definition channels from broadcasters?
If you subscribe to our basic broadcast level of service, you are able to receive all the digital or high-definition broadcast signals that we have the rights to provide, and for which we get a sufficient signal, at no additional cost. However, some digital television sets may require additional equipment to receive these signals, which we are happy to provide at a reasonable fee.
Parental Controls - Frequent Questions
What can I do to control what my child watches?
There are two main ways you can control or influence what your children watch. You can help them easily find quality programming, and/or you can use technology to block out programs you don't want them watching when you're not around to monitor their television use.
What technology can I use to prevent my children from watching certain programming?
Time Warner Cable offers options for all customers to block programming. If you don't subscribe to digital programming (or you're not sure whether or not you do), please call us and we'll discuss the various options for you based on your needs. If you're a digital customer, your set-top box (digital terminal) has built-in parental control features. Parents can use these parental control features to block out any channel, program or program ratings category they think would be inappropriate for children to watch alone. Click here for user instructions.
How can I easily find good children's programming?
Because we offer so many channels and choices, sometimes sorting through them all to find the programs you want is time consuming. To see a list of excellent educational children's programming with brief descriptions, click on A Parent's Guide to Children's TV or browse a list of family-friendly programs at ControlYourTV.org. Another great idea is to give your kids a button of their own on the remote control. Program The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel etc. into the remote's "favorite channel" button. Show your kids where this button is and tell them they can find their favorite programs just by pushing that button. To order one of our digital packages that includes this remote, sign up now.
My kids watch too much TV. What can I do about it?
TV is what you make it. It can be a waste of time, or it can be a gateway to learning. Parents and children have a lot of choices when the TV is turned on. Although kids may gravitate toward cartoons, it doesn't take much to switch them over to Animal Planet, The History Channel, Discovery Kids or ABC Family.
Here are some things parents can do to improve TV time:
- Watch TV with your kids. Find out about their viewing habits. Help them find the incredible science and travel shows further up the cable dial. Set a "favorite channel" button on your remote control for each of the kids.
- Look through the program guide before turning on the TV. If there's "nothing on," don't turn it on. For a monthly list of great educational programming for kids, please see A Parent's Guide to Children's TV. For a list of family-friendly cable programs, browse a list of programming at ControlYourTV.org.
- Set a maximum amount of time your kids may watch TV each day.
- Set rules such as, "No TV until all homework and chores are done, " and stick to them!
- Make a videotape or Digital Video Recording whenever you watch a science show for later viewing by your kids.
- If you have little ones in the house, be sure to discuss the difference between fantasy and reality while they watch. They tend to believe whatever they see.
- If something on TV strikes your kids' interest, find a book in the library on the same subject. Use TV as a catalyst for reading.
- Take advantage of the choices Time Warner Cable provides. If your children are stimulated in a positive way by what they're viewing, leave it on. Sit down and watch with them – then talk about it.
Repair - Frequent Questions
If I have a problem with cable do I have to pay for repairs?
Time Warner Cable offers free repair service calls for problems related to your cable service. Some problems can be solved quickly and easily without a cable service technician. Check out this web site link: Troubleshooting, for some easy answers to common problems. If you have a problem that you can't solve on your own, let us know by using the form provided at this web site link: Customer Service Form, or simply call our repair department, and our friendly staff will help you.
Do I have to be home for a repair visit?
Although there are occasions when repair work can be accomplished outside your house, we need you inside to check your reception. We want the job done right the first time and you’re the best judge of what looks "right."
At what hours will a repair person come to my house?
You may schedule a service call with our repair department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We try to provide same-day service when possible. Repairs after 3 p.m. may be subject to next-day service if necessary.
What causes outages or interruptions in my cable service?
Service outages can be put into three major categories.
- Utility power company outages.
Our cable system relies on electricity to operate, just as your TV set does. If there is a loss of utility power to our processing equipment, television service may be interrupted until the power is restored. In some cases the utility power outage affects an area where our processing equipment is installed, but not the area where a customer lives. In those circumstances the television will have electric service, but the television signals are not processed due to the loss of electricity in another utility service area. As soon as we become aware of the utility power company outage, a technician is sent to restore power to the processing equipment using portable generators.
- Equipment Damage
An automobile hitting a telephone pole, a fire in an alley and a construction company cutting a cable line while excavating are just a few examples of damage that can occur to a cable system that cause an interruption in service.
- Equipment Failure
Traditionally cable systems were designed using a series of amplifiers strung together, originating from the cable television company's reception site. If any one of the amplifiers failed, the rest of the amplifiers past it would go out as well. Think of it as a string of holiday lights. Our new fiber optic design minimizes the number of amplifiers that could cause this type of failure.
I've heard about something called "sun outages." What's that?
Sun outages occur when a satellite transmitting programming orbits directly between the sun and earth, and the sun overpowers the satellite signal. These interruptions cause you to receive a "snowy" picture that usually last about 10 minutes. Sun outages typically happen in March and October. If the interruptions last longer than 10-15 minutes, please call our service department.
Equipment - Frequent Questions
Why do I need a converter if my TV is cable-ready?
If you have a cable-ready TV and only subscribe to basic services, you do not need a converter. However, with a converter you can:
- subscribe to movie channels such as HBO and Cinemax;
- subscribe to higher tiers of service;
- use the parental control function to "lock out" unwanted channels;
- view current hits on pay-per-view without the hassles of a rental;
- have some changes in service done without anyone coming to your home.
Why do I need a converter with my new TV?
If you subscribe to our Standard Service package or any of our premium services, a converter is required to descramble the signal to your TV. A converter is also required to access Pay-Per-View.
I've heard the term "cable theft." How does someone steal cable?
"Cable theft" occurs when people watch cable delivered signals without paying for it. There are many ways to steal cable. The first is to tamper with the cable lines to bring service to a home that isn't paying for it. The second is to use an illegal converter or descrambler that will deliver channels of programming that are not being paid for. The third is to receive services that were connected to a home in error and not report it.
But does cable theft really hurt anyone?
It's a huge problem for honest customers as well as Time Warner Cable.
Just as when any product is stolen, cable theft causes costs to go up for all paying customers. This is both because there are fewer paying customers to contribute to overhead costs, as well as increasing system maintenance and repair costs.
Cable theft also frequently causes interruptions to the cable service of paying customers and worsens signal quality for nearby homes. It's estimated that cable theft results in a loss of $4.1 billion annually to the cable industry.
If you suspect any cable theft that you would like Time Warner Cable to investigate, please send an email to Security@twcable.com.
What happens if someone is found to be stealing cable?
If we are notified of a potential illegal connection, we will investigate and either convert the viewer to a paying customer, disconnect the person or bring criminal charges. If the person is convicted, cable thieves can be fined up to $1,000 and/or may receive up to one year in jail.
Subscriber Privacy - Frequent Questions
What is this Subscriber Privacy Notice that I received?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires us to periodically notify customers about the rules and regulations covering what type of customer information we may collect, how it is used and what your rights are. This notice is mailed to current customers once a year and provided to new customers with their installation packet. You can also review this notice by clicking on this link: Subscriber Privacy Notice. The notice does not require you to take any action.
What kind of customer information do you keep?
In order to provide quality service, we keep information such as your name, address, telephone number, social security number, credit, billing and payment information, damage and security deposits, maintenance and repairs, what equipment you have, pay-per-view events you ordered, and customer satisfaction research. The Subscriber Privacy Notice provided on this web site and mailed to current customers once a year, gives more detail on the information we maintain.
How do you use the information you keep about your customers?
We use the basic customer account information to keep you informed about your service, to make sure you are properly billed for services you receive, for tax and accounting purposes and for telemarketing or other information calls based on the services you subscribe to and your buying history.
Who do you share customer information with?
We have very strict guidelines on the release of customer information. We only provide access to this information to employees who need to know for installation, service, repair, billing and certain marketing functions. We also provide access to this information to authorized government tax or regulatory authorities and other legal entities that have a legal right to inspect our books and records.
Do you give my name to direct mail services?
Unless you object, Federal law allows us to disclose to advertisers your name, address and the information on your subscription services. The information we disclose cannot include the extent of your viewing or use of a particular service. If you do not want this information released to advertisers, or if you do not want to receive information about special offers from other third parties, you can notify us by clicking on this web site link: Contact Us Form, or you may notify us in writing at:
Time Warner Cable
Richlands Office
1430 Second St .
Richlands, VA 24641
Can I get a copy of the information you have about me?
We can arrange an appointment during regular business hours for you to come see the information we have on your customer record. The law requires that you give us 30 days notice to review your customer record in person. We are not allowed to mail or fax this information. You can inform us of your desire to review your account information using the form provided at this web link: Contact Us Form, or by writing to us at:
Time Warner Cable
Richlands Office
1430 Second St .
Richlands, VA 24641
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