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Charter Communications History

Charter Communications, Inc. was founded in 1993, and while the company has grown dramatically over the past two decades, our roots take us back to the pioneering days of cable. What began as mom-and-pop businesses in the late 1940s with cable strung from hilltop to homes has morphed into the advanced, high-tech cable industry that Charter is at the forefront of today.

With a network spanning more than 875,000 miles, Charter serves more than 32 million customers in 41 states through the Spectrum brand. Our vast infrastructure helps fuel innovation and delivers a robust offering of advanced services including faster broadband speeds, better video products, voice service, and a mobile offering to support customers on-the-go. Charter is a leading broadband connectivity company positioned to provide innovative services at a great value to meet customers connectivity needs today and into the future.

1948

First U.S. cable systems are founded

Cable gear in data center

1964

Newhouse begins operating cable systems with the purchase of its first system in Alabama, branding it NewChannels


1973

Warner Communications forms Warner Cable

Warner cable logo

1979

Newhouse forms second cable company, MetroVision, in partnership with former Cox executives 


1981

Newhouse adds Vision Cable to cable assets, to serve over 500K customers, and later becomes Bright House Networks


1989

Time Warner Inc. forms through merger of Warner Communications and Time Inc., together serving more than 5.5 million subscribers


1992

Warner Cable and American Television & Communications (ATC) combine to form Time Warner Cable


NY1 News Launches in New York City

Spectrum News NY1 logo

1993

Charter Communications, Inc. is founded in St. Louis. Acquisitions of cable systems across the country begin

St Louis city skyline

1994

Time Warner Entertainment and Advance/Newhouse form cable partnership


1998

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen buys a controlling interest in Charter, which he kept until 2009


1999

Charter begins trading publicly on the NASDAQ stock exchange under symbol CHTR

Charter Communications 1999 logo

2001

Charter earns a spot on Fortune 500


2003

Advance/Newhouse begins operating Bright House Networks with approximately 2.2 million customers in Alabama, California, Florida, Indiana and Michigan

Bright House logo

2007

Time Warner Inc. spins off Time Warner Cable. Time Warner Cable begins trading publicly on the NYSE


2009

Charter completes financial restructuring under chapter 11, emerging as a stronger company under new equity ownership


2012

Thomas M. Rutledge is appointed President & CEO. Headquarters moves to Stamford, Conn


2013

Charter debuts the Spectrum brand for products and services

Spectrum logo

Spectrum completes acquisition of Optimum West


2015

Charter Launches Spectrum TV App on Roku Platform


2016

Charter closes transactions with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks to become the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., serving more than 25 million customers

Charter Communications modern logo

Charter launches Spectrum Internet Assist, a new standalone low-cost, high-speed broadband service.  

Boy on computer

2017

Charter announced plan to make $25 billion investment in broadband infrastructure and technology over four years


McAllen, Texas Bilingual Call Center opens, as part of larger commitment to bring all offshore, overseas call center jobs back to the U.S.

Call center worker with headset on

Spectrum Completes All-Digital, upgrading the network across the footprint.


2018

Spectrum Internet Gig Rollout is Completed

Internet gig

Spectrum Mobile launches


Spectrum Announces Plan to Launch Originals

Spectrum Originals, LA's Finest

Spectrum Housing Assist surpasses 25,000 homes improved 

Two women painting a home and smiling

Spectrum Networks launches 24-hour news network in L.A., the company’s 26th local news channel.

Spectrum News 1

Wifi 6 Router debuts. Spectrum becomes first U.S.-based broadband provider to introduce the next generation wireless standard, using 802.11ax technology​ which improves WiFi coverage in the home. 


2019

Spectrum TV App becomes available on Apple TV

Spectrum TV App logo

Spectrum Mobile surpasses 1 million lines


Spectrum Enterprise Launches Managed SD-WAN Service nationally 


Spectrum launches advanced in-home WiFi


2020

Spectrum Mobile launches 5G service

Logo of Spectrum Mobile

Spectrum News launches its local news App to Spectrum residential customers including internet-only customers.

Spectrum News App

Charter surpasses 30 million customers milestone

30 Million Customers

2021

Charter Communications Launches New Multiyear, Multibillion-Dollar Initiative To Expand Broadband Availability

Man expanding wires on pole

Two people standing next to each other smiling

2022

Charter's Inaugural RDOF Build Kicks Off in Rural El Paso County

Worker on telephone pole

3 people playing video games

Worker standing by van

Charter's corporate headquarters in Stamford CT

Charter logo on an office wall

2023
Family watching TV on their couch, viewed from behind

Xumo begins nationwide rollout of its first streaming devices in Charter and Comcast households

Family watching Xumo programming on their couch, viewed from behind