Charter no longer allowing BYO modem?

Man-of-Leisure · 2025-07-05T21:10:37+00:00

In high-split upgraded areas, it looks like Charter is no longer allowing you to bring your own modem. The option to use your own equipment disappears from the website in high-split areas, and there’s a note saying you’re required to use their modem. Doesn’t this violate the FCC rule which requires them to allow you to use your own modem? Comcast allows you to bring your own 3.0 or 3.1 modem in 4.0 upgraded areas, you just won’t get the faster speeds.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech Other than there were no DOCSIS 3.1 modems qualified for use on Charter

Their own fault for not certifying them, when they were working fine on Comcast and many other providers.

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure Their own fault for not certifying them, when they were working fine on Comcast and many other providers.

They don’t certify them, Kyrio does just like they do with a separate program for Comcast modems. It was an outcome of the FCC ruling over Charter not allowing customer owned modems 13 years ago.
https://kyrio.com/charter-retail-modem-testing-program/

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech In any case, I think the FCC will take issue with the option to bring your own modem disappearing from the website.

And there are high-split retail modems on the market now that they could allow also.

Not everyone needs symmetrical, and DOCSIS 3.0 is still plenty fast. Comcast is still putting all of their prepaid customers on 3.0.

Even fiber wasn’t always symmetrical lol, I remember back when I had Verizon FiOS years ago we had 75/35Mb BPON, and they made it symmetrical after I had moved and gone back to Comcast.

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure And there are high-split retail modems on the market now that they could allow also.

They need to finish their Kyrio certification process for Charter COAM modems.

Man-of-Leisure Not everyone needs symmetrical, and DOCSIS 3.0 is still plenty fast. Comcast is still putting all of their prepaid customers on 3.0.

Not everyone has symmetrical in high-split areas nor are the low income plans you have to call in for in the high-split areas.

But symmetrical plans are all they sell online to new customers in high-split areas. Everything else you have to contact Spectrum for.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech the low income plans you have to call in for

Lol I literally just showed you a screenshot of the website where you can order that plan.

Many addresses pre-qualify for it, so it’s just on the website automatically.

MacLeech Everything else you have to contact Spectrum for.

There’s no indication that they offer the non-symmetrical tiers to new customers in high-split areas.

Motorola870

It was posted on reddit last week a tech had to do rescue calls because they couldn’t activate customer owned modems. The system doesn’t allow them to be added. Either their don’t have separate config files anymore or the reps keep trying to force high-split tiers to the modem and it won’t work.

Even techs can’t close out work orders with customer owned modems. They tried getting me to swap last year with a trouble call had to have a supervisor over ride it. The way I am taking it is they don’t want to support BYO and are very likely violating the FCC rules. They have a tool similar to Comcast’s iHat.

MacLeech

Motorola870

Motorola870 It was posted on reddit last week a tech had to do rescue calls because they couldn’t activate customer owned modems. The system doesn’t allow them to be added. Either their don’t have separate config files anymore or the reps keep trying to force high-split tiers to the modem and it won’t work.

Even techs can’t close out work orders with customer owned modems. They tried getting me to swap last year with a trouble call had to have a supervisor over ride it. The way I am taking it is they don’t want to support BYO and are very likely violating the FCC rules. They have a tool similar to Comcast’s iHat.

In the end, it was done by a supervisor override. They don’t want customer owned modems on symmetric plans. Like I said they will make it a pain in the ass to do, but they will do it.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech Like I said they will make it a pain in the ass to do, but they will do it.

If it’s that difficult for an existing customer to keep their modem, I can’t imagine they’d let a new customer bring their own modem if the system doesn’t allow it and there’s no config file for them to push to it.

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure The config files are obviously there, as the existing low-split modems are still working.

First line support can’t pick old non-symmetric grandfathered plans that support low-split modems in high-split areas. Supervisors have to override. A pain in the ass, but doable.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech First line support can’t pick old non-symmetric grandfathered plans that support low-split modems in high-split areas. Supervisors have to override. A pain in the ass, but doable.

You’ve asked them this? Or do you work for them?

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure You’ve asked them this? Or do you work for them?

Neither. It’s been their SOP for 25+ years. First line support can’t pick grandfathered plans.

It would be stupid to have the “bring your own modem” option available on symmetric plans since there currently aren’t any approved modems that support them, but you do you and keep pushing for it.

Otherwise, “bring your own modem” is still available on every other (non-symmetric) plan.

If you’re so bent on having your own modem in a high-split area just hook it up and contact tech support to provision it in place of the Specteum supplied modem.

vaxvms

Man-of-Leisure Be sure to let us know what happens.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech Neither. It’s been their SOP for 25+ years. First line support can’t pick grandfathered plans.

Others seem to disagree with you, and say it’s not possible.

Either way, the point is they removed the option on the website.

CBusdude

To be completely honest, with the recent reversal of the Chevron case by the Supreme Court I could 100% see Charter taking this challenge to the courts saying the FCC no longer has the authority to force them to require customer owned modems. I could be wrong though!

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech Otherwise, “bring your own modem” is still available on every other (non-symmetric) plan.

The non-symmetric plans aren’t available in high-split areas to new customers lol

You haven’t shown any evidence that someone can activate their own modem in a high-split area as a new customer.

MacLeech It would be stupid to have the “bring your own modem” option available on symmetric plans since there currently aren’t any approved modems that support them

The disclaimer on their website clearly says you may get slower speeds with your own modem.

And Comcast does it just fine on their website in 4.0 areas.

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure The non-symmetric plans aren’t available in high-split areas to new customers lol

The low income, Internet Assist 50/10 and Internet Advantage 100/20, plans are available and they’re not symmetric.

Motorola870

MacLeech Actually they are. Spectrum bumped them up to 50/50 and 100/100 with leased modems. The broadband label website shows symmetrical on these tiers.

MacLeech

Good to know. Which area? When I was checking in Reno, NV they were popping up as asymmetric.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech Which area?

All of the high-split markets.

I saw the same when I checked Rochester, NY when you said it was impossible to sign up for Internet Assist on the website lol

I just checked an address in Reno, same thing. (Also, Internet Assist was available to order at the random address I checked in Reno too…)

Also, the 100Mb plan isn’t low-income. Seems to be available pretty much everywhere, and is a response to fixed wireless. Same as Comcast’s “NOW” for $30.

Motorola870

MacLeech Dallas metro.

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