ST. LOUIS, June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past
several years, Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) has
provided the fastest Internet service in the markets it serves(1).
As Charter maintains its speed advantage, it also provides a
superior online experience with expanding product capabilities,
resulting in growth leadership.
Netflix, Inc. the world's leading Internet subscription service
for movies and TV shows, has for the second consecutive time ranked
Charter the best-performing Internet Service Provider (ISP). The
rankings are based on monitoring by Netflix of each ISP from
October 2010 through May 2011, indicating that Charter provided the
highest-quality streaming of all ISP networks during the months
measured, consistently outperforming all other ISPs, including
AT&T, Verizon, Qwest and others.
Charter customers are accustomed to speed superiority, and have
experienced free speed upgrades in 2010 and 2011. Charter is
committed to providing the best online experience and exceeding
consumers' growing broadband needs. Third-party customer
satisfaction surveys demonstrate dramatic improvements in customer
satisfaction with Charter, most notably among new customers.
Charter believes that while speed may attract attention, customers
are won, and will remain loyal, through providing an exceptional
customer experience.
That experience includes a robust product offering that evolves
with the needs of its customers. "Charter's latest Internet service
enhancement is Cloud Drive, which provides customers a
protected, convenient way to back up and share digital data," said
Rich DiGeronimo, Charter's Senior
Vice President, Product and Strategy. "We're also integrating our
TV and phone services with broadband through planned launches of
next-generation TV service through TiVo and Phone Manager.
We're moving in the direction of all services working seamlessly
together to provide the best communications and entertainment
experience possible."
As Charter continues to enhance its Internet experience, it has
become the growth leader, adding more Internet customers than any
other provider during the first quarter of 2011 in the communities
it serves(2).
"I couldn't be happier with the quality of my Charter Internet
service," said Charter customer Steven
Bolen. "It doesn't matter if I'm streaming an HD movie from
Netflix or downloading songs from iTunes, I have the fastest, most
reliable speeds of any provider in my area."
Internet customers across Charter's footprint are noticing the
enhancements the company is making to its products and significant
improvements to the customer experience. Here is what some of them
have to say in social media(3):
"I made a good choice. Charter is way faster than AT&T."
"Dropped #ATT Internet and got #Charter Internet for less money
and twice the bandwidth. Goodbye 6mbs, hello 12mbs'"
"My internet is all shiny and new. (Just switched to Charter.
Way faster than my old DSL connection.)"
(1) Faster claim based on a comparison to internet download
speeds averaged across all of each of AT&T/BellSouth, Qwest and
Verizon's broadband internet offerings in areas serviced by
Charter. See comScore, Inc., Throughput Report, Q1 – 2011.
(2) centris, Flowshare report for 1Q11. Charter added more
Internet customers in the 10 million homes Charter passes with
Internet service than any other provider in those markets.
(3) Unsolicited comments made by actual Charter customers online
on social media sites.
About Charter
Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) is a leading broadband communications
company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides a full
range of advanced broadband services, including advanced Charter
TV® video entertainment programming, Charter Internet® access, and
Charter Phone®. Charter Business® similarly provides scalable,
tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to
business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet
access, data networking, business telephone, video and music
entertainment services, and wireless backhaul. Charter's
advertising sales and production services are sold under the
Charter Media® brand. More information about Charter can be found
at charter.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
This release includes forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), regarding, among
other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business
and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and
expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking
statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will
achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations.
Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks,
uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, the
factors described under "Risk Factors" from time to time in our
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Many
of the forward-looking statements contained in this release may be
identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe,"
"expect," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "will," "may,"
"intend," "estimated," "aim," "on track," "target," "opportunity,"
"tentative," "positioning" and potential," among others.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this
release are set forth in other reports or documents that we file
from time to time with the SEC, and include, but are not limited
to:
- our ability to sustain and grow revenues and free cash flow by
offering video, high-speed Internet, telephone and other services
to residential and commercial customers, to adequately deliver
customer service and to maintain and grow our customer base,
particularly in the face of increasingly aggressive competition,
the need for innovation and related capital expenditures and the
difficult economic conditions in the
United States;
- the impact of competition from other distributors, including
but not limited to incumbent telephone companies, direct broadcast
satellite operators, wireless broadband and telephone providers,
and digital subscriber line ("DSL") providers and competition from
video provided over the Internet;
- general business conditions, economic uncertainty or downturn,
high unemployment levels and the significant downturn in the
housing sector and overall economy;
- our ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to
raise prices to offset, in whole or in part, the effects of higher
programming costs (including retransmission consents);
- the effects of governmental regulation on our business;
- the availability and access, in general, of funds to meet our
debt obligations, prior to or when they become due, and to fund our
operations and necessary capital expenditures, either through (i)
cash on hand, (ii) free cash flow, (iii) access to the capital or
credit markets including through new issuances, exchange offers or
otherwise, especially given recent volatility and disruption in the
capital and credit markets, or (iv) other sources and our ability
to fund debt obligations (by dividend, investment or otherwise) to
the applicable obligor of such debt;
- and our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures
and credit facilities, any violation of which, if not cured in a
timely manner, could trigger a default of our other obligations
under cross-default provisions.
All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person
acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by
this cautionary statement. We are under no duty or obligation to
update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this
release.
SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.