Local Internet provider Excite@Home may be removing its services the Madison area, leaving 13,000 residents without Internet connections.

Excite@Home, known around the area as Charter@Home, has provided cable modem Internet service in Madison through Charter Communications for the past two years.

Excite, based in Redwood City, Calif., has petitioned the federal bankruptcy judge for permission to terminate its existing contract with Charter on Nov. 30.

Excite filed for bankruptcy reorganization Sept. 28.

Since that time, Charter has been working with its customers, sending emails and postcards notifying them of the situation.

“We want to make it clear that it is @Home that is going bankrupt — not Charter,” said Jo-ell Teixeira, Charter’s regional public relations manager. “Our priority is providing customers with options. We don’t know what will happen with @Home; we may still be able to provide @Home for our customers, we may not. That decision will be made November 30.”

Teixeira said current customers might want to make the transition to Charter Pipeline, Charter’s own Internet service, to ensure a continuous Internet connection.

Charter has already begun offering customers in the area the option of several different speeds of Internet connection.

Customers can wait for the Nov. 30 Excite decision, but they risk losing their Internet connection if the contract is terminated.

Charter is unsure how many customers will stay with the company if the contract is terminated.

UW-Madison junior Shradha Oza is one client who intends to stay.
“We had Charter put in our apartment in September, and it took a long time to have it installed,” she said. “I think we’ll end up staying with them. There really aren’t other options.”
Current customers who wish to transition to Charter Pipeline can do so by calling 866-227-9649 or by visiting the website www.charter.com/installer. A service ID code and password, sent with Charter’s informational mailings, will be needed to make the transition.
Charter is sending Charter Pipeline set-up CDs to customers today.