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Is Time Warner Cable’s Internet outage really fixed?

December 16th, 2008, 4:28 pm · 30 Comments · posted by

**Update, 12/22/08**: I’m still getting reports from readers of Time Warner Cable Internet outages, so I’ve decided to offer a weekly update until the issue is fixed. Read the latest at “The weekly Time Warner Cable status report.”

Time Warner Cable

Last week’s massive Internet outage among local Time Warner Cable customers was resolved as of last Thursday, Dec. 11. At least that’s what Darryl Ryan, the company’s area media guy told me. 

Some readers disagreed.  I heard from many folks about the outage after Ryan told me it was over. Several let me know that their Internet still wasn’t working over the weekend. And this morning, one commenter said his Internet was still down and he had to resort to dial-up (ack!).

And the strange thing is that Time Warner’s Southern California web page no longer has a link to “network status,” which other Time Warner outlets still do (like Dallas). I found out about this after I called technical support to complain about my own Internet service last week. The service rep tried to direct me to that link, not knowing it was no longer there.

So, for all the frustrated readers, I called Time Warner again.

Everything is still fixed, Ryan responded. While there may be residual complaints stemming from the mass outage last week, any other outages are unrelated.

Occasionally, there are outages in service, he said. And if customers spot an issue, they need to call: 1-888-TWCABLE (888-892-2253). You enter your home phone number and a customized message will tell you whether cable in your area is having technical difficulties.

Ryan said that the ‘network status’ link on its customer help page was removed last month in favor of the phone-based support system. The status page was hard to understand with dates all over the place. But too bad Time Warner can’t figure out how to fix that so we can all check network status online without picking up the phone.

For everyone whose service was down, Ryan said Time Warner will credit your account for the lost days, time. Again, it’s pro-active — you have to call to get the credit. 

In the future, if service is ever down, I encourage customers to call Time Warner and get it on the record. Otherwise, they may think the issue only affects a handful of people. And while you’re at it, send me an e-mail  so I, too, can keep track of widespread outages. And please be specific with the issue. Thanks!

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 30 Comments

  • Gadgetress says:
    December 29, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    Charles — Just today(12/29/08), Time Warner has again told me there are no outages in Orange County. If you could be more specific as to what outages you’re experiencing, I’m happy to send the complaint to my TWC contact. E-mail me at thegadgetress @ ocregister.com

  • Richard says:
    December 31, 2008 at 2:14 pm

    Time Warner has the worst sevice and always try’s to blame customer equipment and they have been at my house at least 6 times with the last tech. telling me his supervisor would work on this himself on Monday 12/29/08 and he even gave me the Supv’s card with his phone number on it. So on Wed. 12/31/08 I called this number and got a voice mail saying the supv. will not be back until 1/4/09.
    My service has now been running at around 100-300 kbps instead of 15 to 20 mbps for (3) weeks now.
    My next call will start with the P.U.C.

  • Brian says:
    January 1, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    It is new years day and my service has once again crapped out with TW cable hi speed. I am on the Eagle Rock Circuit NE Los Angeles City. The service has been spotty all month, but the last few days have been on/off.
    Yesterday the 31st was mostly off. The want to send out a tech but I think this is network related and not my location. It was working this AM but once again has died out. Thank god I have a work supplied USB AirCard and I am able to use that. Please let me know if these outages sound familiar.
    Brian in Glassell Park

  • Keith says:
    January 2, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    As of January 2, my internet has been slow at best and non-existent at the worst. Even when I get connected, it times out rather often.

    I heard the same thing from the TW people — “The outage has been solved.”

    I am not buying into that pack of lies, coverups, and mistruths.

    For that reason, I’ll be leaving Time Warner. Any suggestions as to better internet access? How’s DSL these days?

  • Brian says:
    January 6, 2009 at 7:53 am

    My TW HighSpeed Cable has been basically non-op for the entire month of December and now going into January 2009, It has gotten worse. Yesterday I was told to be at my home from 3-5pm to await the arrival of a technican to diagnose my problem. No one called and no one arrived so I called TW at 5pm to ask if the tech was still coming, they assured me it was an open ticket. I called again at 6pm and asked if they were still coming, finally they called me back and told me the tech would be there within 30 minutes. The tech never called me as I had requested, instead he drove around my hillside wasting more time. Finally the tech was at my home after 7pm. He connected a cable tester and said it looked good and then he replace my cool Motorola Cablemodem with some USED modem that he dug out of his truck. He got it to sync up and left after he inspected all my inside cable at my insistance to avoid them saying it was rodent damage etc. The tech had me sign paperwork and left and within minutes of him leaving my connection was once again DOWN. It “Porpoised” all night as usual. I called TW back and supposedly an area “Supervisor” is going to call me and meet me at my home at my convenience. I am very disappointed with both the product and the level of repair service supplied by TW cable. I am located in the Los Angeles/Eagle Rock service area. If anyone from TW is monitoring this blog, you have some very unhappy customers around my hood. I found yesterdays waiting for no one to show up a horrible experience that there was no reason for. The tech has a cellphone, why could he not call me at 3pm and tell me he won’t be out to my home until 6 or later?
    I hope to get them out to repair what is probably an issue on the pole and nothing to do with my cable modem.

    Brian in Glassell Park

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