Charter Ranked as Superior Provider of Online Experience

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.