charter communications (tab 1)

Like millions of other Americans, Rick Hansen has joined the HDTV revolution. The Upstate pharmacist purchased his fi rst big screen, high-defi nition television a year ago.

The sleek, 63-inch Toshiba hasn’t failed to deliver. “It is fantastic,” says Hansen, who notes that the life-like im-ages set his three dogs to barking when-ever they see one of their kind pictured on the screen.

HDTV sales are growing steadily as viewers become more enchanted with its clear, vivid images. About one of every three new televisions purchased nation-wide today is in the HD format, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

And those sales are revolutionizing the way Americans watch — and think — about home entertainment.

But with this revolution come waves of misinformation, leaving many consum-ers feeling technologically adrift.

Pat Hayes, Charter Communications regional director of technical operations, is among those cautioning the public to be informed and savvy. “Everything (Charter) advertises as high defi nition is true high-defi nition content,” he says.

That isn’t always the case with traditional cable’s competitors, who sometimes overstate the availability of true high-defi nition programming.

For example, satellite dish providers

Not all

HDis created equal

S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

As consumers enter the high-definition age, misinformation, confusion abound

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claim they will offer as many as 100 HD channels by the end of the year; however, there aren’t 100 true HD channels currently available.

According to Hayes, several factors determine viewer access to HDTV. For one thing, you must own a high-defi nition television. And for another, the signal must be broadcast in a digital format.

The Federal Communications Commission has seen to the latter, mandating that all television pro-gramming be broadcast digitally by 2009.

The third piece of the puzzle is that programs must be produced in authentic HD format. And that’s the real rub — many production companies are yet to make the switch to the new technology. If a program isn’t recorded in true high defi nition, it’s only a digital reproduction.

So while an increasing number of shows are avail-able in high defi nition, many others still aren’t. For those that aren’t, an HDTV and digital signal don’t matter.

Hayes says Charter is committed to offering cus-tomers an increasing array of true HD programming as it becomes available. The company plans to add 10 or more true HD stations to its current lineup by the end of 2008.

It’s all part of a broadcasting industry that is being driven by a technological advancement that, surpris-ingly, is more than half a century old.

In 1949, French engineers created the fi rst public high-defi nition network. Yet the new technology wasn’t commercially viable because broadcasters at the time lacked the bandwidth necessary to transmit HD sig-nals. That changed in the 1990s with the emergence of digital technology.

With its higher speed and greater capability, the digital image has become the industry gold standard. And broadcasters, with encouragement from the FCC, are scurrying to embrace it.

Charter has invested in the necessary infrastruc-

ture and is already delivering a state-of-the-art digital signal to every home it serves in this market.

But the industry shift doesn’t necessarily mean consumers are keeping up with the learning curve. “I think 90 percent of the public have some information,” says Glenn Ashley, sales manager at Jeff Lynch, one of the Upstate’s electronics retailers. “Less than 10 percent have a true handle.”

Part of the confusion has to do with distinguishing between digital and HD. A digital signal is required to receive HD programs but not all digital signals are broadcast in the actual high-defi nition format.

Defi nition is determined by the number of lines of resolution appearing on a television screen — the greater the number the crisper the image. Standard defi nition carried over the traditional analog format consists of 480 lines of resolution, each stacked on top of one another.

To qualify as true high defi nition, a television im-age must include at least 720 lines of resolution, says Hayes. There is an even higher resolution of 1,080 lines also available.

The FCC’s mandate, which itself is a source of confusion, applies only to broadcasters who must convert to a digital signal by early 2009. Anyone with a digital converter box, like the ones already issued to traditional cable subscribers, can continue to enjoy all their favorite television programs on their current sets indefi nitely.

In addition, traditional cable operators broadcast HD networks that don’t require an HD converter or box. Also, HDTV cable cards can be inserted into existing TVs, a choice that may be preferred especially for wall-mounted TVs.

A high-defi nition set, on the other hand, is a luxury purchase for the increasing number of Americans prepared to pay for its superior images and greater convenience.

Ashley takes a break from his work on the sales fl oor to talk about this new generation of products that sur-round him. The average customer, he says, will spend between $1,000 and $3,000 for a 42-inch HD screen, though a 70-inch model is available for $10,000.

He promises that no one will be quizzed on what they know about HD and that his job is to assist cus-tomers in choosing a TV set to meet their needs.

“I think 90 percent of the

public have some information. Less

than 10 percent have a true

handle.”GLENN ASHLEY,

sales manager at Jeff Lynch, one ofthe Upstate’s electronics retailers

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2 S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E 3

The Difference Is Dramatic

• Up to 5x sharper than standard TV

• High-quality Dolby Digital surround sound

• The best movies, sports, concerts, primetime TV and local broadcast networks.

Add Charter HDTV® to your Charter Digital Cable®

Call our dedicated hotline:

1-866-980-3055See an HD demo on charter.com atwww.charter.com/hdtvdemo

NEW!Charter HD On DemandWatch your Hi-Def favorites — on your schedule!

• Watch over 100 HD shows and Hollywood hits On Demand— go to Channel 999

• Stop, start, pause, rewind and fast forward with your remote

• No trips to the video store and no waiting

Plus...

• Includes ten of the top-rated networks in HD

• Charter’s HD DVR lets you record all your HD favorites

And, there’s no need to worry about set-up or installation — we do it for you.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ENJOY CHARTER HDTV®?

• A High Defi nition Television

• A Charter HD receiver

• HD programming from Charter


in a fl ash

One of those choices is to decide between LCD and plasma screens, each of which has its advantages. LCD sets aren’t susceptible to glare, while plasma offers superior contrast.

But the greatest advancements in HD technology are found inside the unit, where smaller components process information faster and produce larger, more detailed images.

Lighter and more versatile, today’s sets can be placed on a table, mounted on a wall or even attached to an articulat-ing arm for maximum viewing pleasure. “There’s no doubt that TV technology is on the fast track,” Ashley says.

Those advancements include the accessories as well.Digital recording devices and services like Charter’s

Video on Demand are giving viewers a level of conve-nience they’ve never known before.

Hansen, who doesn’t get off work until 7 p.m., has programmed his Moxi Box, the digital media recorder he rents as a Charter subscriber, to record Channel 4’s evening news and the NBC Nightly News to watch after he settles in for the night.

Yet it’s the HD—with images so clear they reveal ac-tors’ facial blemishes — that has him sold.

Same goes for Hayes. Since purchasing their fi rst HD set recently, his family has little use these days for the old technology.

“We’ve migrated toward watching a lot more content in HD as opposed to the 32-inch screen in the other part of the house,” he says.

Gary Hyndman is a writer living in Greenville, SC.

[ C O N T I N U E D

F R O M P A G E 2 ]

“A good neighbor is… responsive, cooperative, helpful, resourceful, trustworthy,” read the five posters prominently displayed on the walls outside Charter Communications’ Human Resources office.

The posters aren’t merely decorative. For neigh-borliness is crucial to the way the local cable provider approaches the Upstate communities it serves. “It’s important as a company to give back,” says Lizz Walker, Charter’s public relations manager.

As an expression of that value, Walker is coordinating the company’s new Holiday Food Drive. Employees and customers are being asked to drop off their donations of nonperishable food items at all Charter business locations through the end of the year to help stock area soup kitchens and food banks.

A box chocked full of food in the lobby of its Simpsonville Call Center suggests the project is making a difference. “There’s just been a wonderful response,” Walker says.

It’s just one of numerous community and charitable events Charter sponsors, every-thing from Greenville’s MLK Dream Weekend to the Gaffney Peach Festival. And there are discussions within the organiza-tion about doing even more, such as launching a drive to collect school supplies for deserving children.

Yet those collective activities only scratch the surface of the Charter story. Unseen by the public is the thousands of hours its nearly 750 associates donate individually to improve the lives of people in their communities.

Take for example Darrell Hewett, a Charter Business account executive, who dressed in drag three years ago to compete in the Womanless Beauty Pageant that raises money for cancer research. “It almost ruined my career,” he says in jest. “I’m still paying for it.”

It’s just one of a number of extra curricular projects to which the North Carolina native has given his time, including Habitat for Humanity, a term as chairman of the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce board and his recent appointment as an elder at Fountain Inn Presbyterian Church.

In addition, Hewett helps with the chamber’s Breakfast with Santa and the annual Mauldin Christmas Parade. He also skipped a recent Sunday worship service for a good cause, riding his motor-cycle in a Toys for Tots fundraiser.

“It’s good to share your talents with those less

fortunate than ourselves,” he explains. “That’s our charge in life.”

Kyle Gallman, a Charter administrative coordina-tor, explains employees feel empowered to do community service because they work in a supportive corporate culture.

After her mother died of ovarian cancer in 1997, the former Marine sergeant became passionate about donating her time to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life held annually in Spartanburg County. When she e-mailed human resources to ask for permission to solicit par-ticipation from her co-workers for that event, the response came back at once.

“It was just yes, yes, yes,” she says.

Gallman also participates in the Marine Corps’ annual Toys for Tots drive to provide Christmas gifts for deserving children. Last holiday season Charter employees volunteered their time and the company provided its trucks to transport 600 toys donated at Charter locations to the collection site.

And a Dress Down for Cancer Week she introduced raised $750 from Charter employees to fight cancer.

Teresa James, a regional liaison for Charter who has been with the company since 1992 says neighborliness is a value that tends to filter down

from the top of the organization. She recalls how company managers collected money to give one of their sick employees an all-expenses-paid trip to Charleston before she died.

James is busy herself these days chairing a com-mittee for her Zeta Phi Beta sorority that is working to establish a Stork’s Nest at New Jerusalem Baptist Church’s Covenant House in Greer. The Stork’s Nest, in conjunction with the March of Dimes, will help ensure

low-income women receive proper pre-natal care as well as well baby check ups after delivery.

Juggling her time between work and such a labor-intensive project has proven challenging. But

James says her employer has come through, allowing her to leave work early to tend to her volunteer activi-ties. “Charter’s been really good to me when it comes to my charitable work,” she says.

“We have all just been so blessed. I think that is why we do the volunteer work we do. It’s the right thing to do.”

Local cable provider excels at ‘good neighbor’ policyCharter employees go that extra mile

Charter locations accepting donations for its Holiday

Food DriveAbbeville – 306 S. Main St.

Anderson – 520 Hwy 29 Bypass N

Greenville – 17 Lindsay Ave.

Greer – 107 Middleton Way Suite 10

Simpsonville – 2 Digital Place

Spartanburg – 725 Union St.

Charter sponsored community activities and eventsHoliday Food Drive, Upstate

MLK Dream Weekend, Greenville

Gospel Fest, Greenville

Stingers Baseball Team, Spartanburg

Drive Baseball, Greenville

Gaffney Peach Festival, Gaffney

Colombian Fest, Greenville

Palmetto Club of Deaf Softball,Spartanburg

Family Reunion, Greenville

2007 Snow Day, Simpsonville


Charter’s HD line up*CHANNEL PROGRAM770 HD Net

771 HD Net Movies

773 ESPN HD

774 ESPN2 HD

775 Discovery HD Theater

792 MHD

793 Universal HD

794 Golf Channel/Versus HD

795 A&E HD

796 History Channel HD

797 TNT HD

798 Fox Sports Net South HD

777 HBO HDTV-East

778 Showtime HDTV-East

779 Cinemax HDTV-East

790 Starz HDTV-East

783 WLOS-DT ABC

784 WYFF-DT NBC

helpcanbecause you

Help local food banks and pantries this holiday season.

Donate canned goods and non-perishable foods at your local Charter offi ce.

www.charter.com888-GET-CHARTER

* More than 10 new HD channels coming in 2008!


Fast. Powerful. Reliable. With Charter’s

high speed Internet, you need never again endure the lengthy waiting time it

takes to use traditional dial-up service.Charter is ready to pump data into your

home at the lightning speed of either 5 megabytes or 10 megabytes per second.

And there are plans to introduce even faster 16 megabyte per second service in 2008, guaranteeing it will remain among the fastest high speed services in the industry.

The key, says Tobie Sprinkle, a Charter network engineer, is a growing customer base that enables the company to continue its investment in state-of-the-art digital technology and equipment. “It means a more robust network,” says Sprinkle.

More robust, as in 90 times faster than dial-up and three times the speed of DSL. That means you can download your favorite music, shop or pay bills online or surf the Web in a fl ash.

Charter customer Rick Hansen appreciates the fact his family can be online and use their home phone at the same time. And there’s no waiting to connect as with dial up. Charter high speed is ready and waiting on you at the touch of a key.

Another customer Pat Borden enjoys the added convenience of Charter’s wireless high-speed service that allows her to access the Internet from a computer anywhere in her home.

Wireless Internet, of course, is revolutionizing

telecommunications, allowing both business and residential users the advantages of mobility without sacrifi cing their ability to stay connected in a fast-paced world.

And Charter technicians are there not only to do the necessary installation but also to provide expert instruction to new subscribers. For even greater convenience, Charter sells and leases Wireless modems.

Then there is Charter’s technical support center staffed round-the-clock by trained, friendly professionals ready to walk you through any problems that arise. For those issues that can’t be readily resolved, technicians make in-home appointments.

High speed subscribers also receive a free security package that is easy to download from Charter’s Web site. It includes anti-virus, fi rewall and spam fi ltering software.

The service protects

subscribers against threats from hackers spreading viruses and engaging in identity theft. “(Customers) need to be concerned,” says Sprinkle. “Identity theft continues to grow.”

As do concerns about minors being exposed to inappropriate and unwelcome Internet content.

For that, Charter engineers have designed parental controls that

restrict Internet access and can even be programmed to shut down at a particular time.

Factor in the availability of up to 10 e-mail addresses with each

account, multiple computer access and discounts for bundling services

and ordering new service online, and you can see why a growing number

of customers are making the move to Charter.

“I would recommend Charter to everyone,” says Pat Borden, a loyal customer

for the past six years.

Want to know more about Charter high speed Internet service?Visit charter.com, click on “High-Speed Internet” and then “Frequently Asked Questions.”

Local cable provider setting the standard for high speed Internet

Charter gets therein a fl ashfl ash

threats from hackers spreading viruses and engaging in identity theft. “(Customers) need to be concerned,” says Sprinkle. “Identity theft continues to grow.”

everyone,” says Pat Borden, a loyal customer for the past six years.

Want to know more about Charter high speed Internet service?

and equipment. “It means a more robust

More robust, as in 90 times faster than dial-up and three times the speed of DSL. That means

Visit charter.com, click on “High-Speed Internet” and then “Frequently Asked Questions.”



The key, says Tobie Sprinkle, a Charter network engineer, is a growing customer base that enables the company to continue its investment in state-of-the-art digital technology and equipment. “It means a more robust network,” says Sprinkle.


provider setting the standard for high speed Internet

telecommunications, allowing both business and residential users the advantages of mobility without sacrifi cing their ability to stay connected

As do concerns about minors being exposed to inappropriate and unwelcome Internet content.

in a fl ashin a fl ashfl ashin a fl ashCharter gets therein a fl ashCharter gets there

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even be programmed to shut down at a particular time.

Factor in the availability of up to 10 e-mail addresses with each

account, multiple computer access and discounts for bundling services

and ordering new service online, and you can see why a growing number

of customers are making the move to Charter.

“I would recommend Charter to

and three times the speed of DSL. That means

Fast. Powerful. Reliable. With Charter’s

high speed Internet, you need never again endure the lengthy waiting time it

takes to use traditional dial-up service.Charter is ready to pump data into your



The key, says Tobie Sprinkle, a Charter network engineer, is a growing customer base that enables the company to continue its investment in state-of-the-art digital technology and equipment. “It means a more robust


in a fast-paced world. And Charter technicians are there not only to

do the necessary installation but also to provide expert instruction to new subscribers. For even greater convenience, Charter sells and leases Wireless modems.

Then there is Charter’s technical support center staffed round-the-clock by trained, friendly professionals ready to walk you through any problems that arise. For those issues that can’t be readily resolved, technicians make in-home appointments.

High speed subscribers also receive a free security package that is easy to download from Charter’s Web site. It includes anti-virus, fi rewall and spam fi ltering software.

The service protects

subscribers against threats from hackers spreading viruses and engaging in identity theft. “(Customers) need to be concerned,” says Sprinkle. “Identity theft continues to grow.”

to 10 e-mail addresses with each account, multiple computer access

and discounts for bundling services and ordering new service online, and

you can see why a growing number of customers are making the move to

Charter.“I would recommend Charter to

everyone,” says Pat Borden, a loyal customer for the past six years.

setting the standard for high speed Internet



Larry Kelly cancelled his BellSouth service to subscribe to Charter Telephone. Rick Hansen said goodbye to Vonage in favor of Charter.

They are among thousands of Upstate residents who are making the switch motivated by the local cable company’s ability to deliver on the promise of greater convenience, quality service and fi nancial savings.

Chris Deisenroth, Charter’s phone network manager, says the company introduced broadband phone service to its Upstate customers about 18 months ago. During that time it has become an important — and growing — feature of its package of services, with new phone installations averaging 350 to 400 each day.

In August 2002, Charter launched its newest product in Wausau, Wis., becoming one of the fi rst to offer residential phone service over a local broadband network. The company has systematically expanded coverage to many of its nearly 6 million subscribers in 29 states, including the Upstate.

Charter’s state-of-the-art broadband services were made possible by a $3.5 billion system-wide upgrade. “We’ve already got the infrastructure in place for many years,” Deisenroth says. “So we don’t leave anything out on the table.”

He says Charter is marketing its newest product to existing business and residential customers, promising them competitive pricing through bundled services.

Hansen, a pharmacist who already subscribed to Charter’s high speed Internet and digital cable, added phone service fi ve months ago. He says bundling saves him between $200 and $300 per month.

Part of his savings has been realized with the disappearance of long distance charges. Where AT&T

billed him an average of $150 per month, as a Charter subscriber, he enjoys long distance service at no additional cost.

“Bundling is the key to the consumer,” he says.While other telecommunications providers

inundate customers with a myriad of confusing choices, Charter keeps it simple. A single plan

includes unlimited nationwide and local calling as well as 11 other popular features such as voice mail, caller ID and call waiting.

There’s no long-term service agreement to sign, installation and switching are free and Charter service works with a customer’s existing phones, jacks and phone numbers.

Kelly, a production controller with Lockheed Martin, says bundling the package of services also appealed to him. “That was the drawing card right there,” he says. “It’s convenient for me.”

He can count on receiving just one bill each month, gets immediate assistance when problems arise and as a bonus, people are friendly when he goes to pay his bill.

Besides the savings and convenience, Hansen says he’s been pleased with the sound quality of his new phone service. “It really works better than Vonage,” he says.

That’s because unlike other VoIP providers, Charter’s service doesn’t depend on an Internet connection. Instead, phone signals come directly into your home via the company’s crystal clear digital lines.

“We are a traditional phone service,” says Deisenroth.

With Charter’s digital phone service, staying in touch has never been so easy and inexpensiveWith Charter’s digital phone service, staying in

a bundle


Want to know more about Charter phone service?

Visit charter.com. Click on “Telephone” and then “Frequently Asked Questions.”


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charter communications (tab 1)

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