Charter Phone® FAQ
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- Can I keep my current phone number?
- Will Charter Phone® customers need to purchase additional phones or equipment?
- What is VoIP Technology?
- What happens to my Charter Phone® service if the electricity goes out?
- What happens to my Charter Phone® service if the cable goes out?
- What equipment is needed for Charter Phone® service?
- Is there a service contract requirement for Charter Phone®?
- Is Charter Phone® service reliable?
- How many different telephone lines can I have with Charter Phone® service?
- Does Charter Phone® work the same way as traditional phone service?
- Can I watch cable and make or receive calls at the same time?
- Are Charter Phone® calls routed across the Internet?
Q: Can I keep my current phone number?
A: Yes, you will be able to keep your existing phone number and receive Charter Phone® Service. This means that you will continue to receive calls from your family and friends without having to notify them of a new telephone number. (We do need to verify portability with each phone number.)
Q: Will Charter Phone® customers need to purchase additional phones or equipment?
A: Customers with touch tone phones will not need to purchase new equipment. The customer's existing telephone wires and phones will work with Charter Phone® Service. There is some equipment that needs to be installed, but the customer is not responsible for purchasing or leasing the equipment. Charter Phone® service will not work with rotary phones.
A: Voice over IP (VoIP) is the technology that Charter Phone® uses to carry phone calls. VoIP provides voice telephony services using Internet Protocol (IP). This allows you to make telephone calls using Charter's broadband network. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital packets that travel over the broadband network and then converts these packets back to a voice signal at the other end of the call. VoIP allows you to call anyone with a regular phone number and works the same way as traditional telephone service.
When placing a call using Charter Phone®, you'll hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have. Your call will be placed using VoIP technology, but the call will be just as crystal clear as with traditional telephone service.
Q: What happens to my Charter Phone® service if the electricity goes out?
A: Our network has a built-in emergency battery backup that will provide telephone service for most customers for eight to ten hours, but the length of backup time will depend on your actual talk time.
Your Charter Phone® NIU (Network Interface Unit) is monitored from Charter's Network Operations Center or Regional Operations Center 24x7. Charter Communications proactively monitors the network on an individual basis. If the power goes out, one of our service representatives will contact you to verify that a problem really does exist and schedule a technician to investigate the trouble.
Q: What happens to my Charter Phone® service if the cable goes out?
A: In order to maintain continuous phone service, our local telephone service will automatically reroute itself if a line in your area is damaged. Although there are extreme situations that would result in a loss of service, we are required to maintain a reliability rate of 99.9 percent for local telephone service.
Q: What equipment is needed for Charter Phone® service?
A: In some areas two pieces of customer premise equipment are used: a Network Interface Unit (NIU) and a Local Power Supply Unit (LPSU). A NIU is a box that connects the coaxial cable from the drop and the twisted pair telephone line inside your home. The LPSU provides the power needed for Charter Phone® Service.
Q: Is there a service contract requirement for Charter Phone®?
A: No. We are confident that once someone tries Charter Phone® they will be pleased with the service.
Q: Is Charter Phone® service reliable?
A: Charter Phone® service is required to meet the same standards of service and reliability as any other telephone provider. These standards are outlined by the state Public Service Commission (PSC).
- Missouri Public Service Commission - http://www.psc.mo.gov/
- Wisconsin Public Service Commission - http://psc.wi.gov/
- Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy - http://www.mass.gov/dte/index.htm
Q: How many different telephone lines can I have with Charter Phone® service?
A: The number of lines available in your area depends on the technology used in your area. Areas that use Voice Over IP (VoIP) support up to two telephones lines. Non-VoIP areas support up a maximum of four telephone lines.
Q: Does Charter Phone® work the same way as traditional phone service?
A: Inside the customer's home, the only difference is that Charter Phone® does not work with rotary phones. Outside the customer's home we take advantage of state of the art broadband technology and, in most areas, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology. This allows us to deliver crystal clear calls and advanced calling features.
Q: Can I watch cable and make or receive calls at the same time?
A: Charter Phone® Service does not interfere with your television viewing. In fact, thanks to the power of broadband technology, there is a whole family of products to choose from, such as cable, phone and high-speed data services.
Q: Are Charter Phone® calls routed across the Internet?
A: No! Charter keeps the calls on their private broadband network until our switch delivers the call on the PSTN (public switched telephone network). Calls are just as secure with Charter as with any other telephone provider.