Charter Communications Massachusetts is also focused on containing DBS penetration.  Charter Communications Massachusetts DBS customer count is a bit more than 6,000, about 8.4% of the population, according to Media Business Corporation That's not low enough for [cc].

"The priority now is telephone, telephone, telephone, followed by the triple-play bundle. You have to stay ahead of what's competing with you and transform We've reached the point where customers have alternative choices on every product we market. If we don't leave them delighted with what we do, they may make the choice to go somewhere else."

Charter Communications Internet believes digital phone is living up to early internal projections. Almost 7,600 customers signed up for the system's telephone offering five months after it was launched last August. So far this year, Charter has installed digital phone for another 8,000 customers. A considerable number of those phone subscribers are also taking digital cable and/or high-speed, based on their satisfaction with Charter's phone service, although she declined to provide specific numbers.

When telephony was launched,  Charter Communications Massachusetts marketing director created a promotional campaign that placed equal emphasis on the ability of customers to retain their current phone numbers and on the offering of a monthly rate lower than Verizon's. "People in this area have had their numbers for years and don't want to change them at any cost for any provider, Staying with the same number is a gigantic selling point."

charter broadband internet charges $34.99 a month for digital phone (as part of a digital TV/high-speed/voice bundle), while Verizon's state rate is $39.95 per month for features similar to Charter's, including unlimited long distance and caller ID.

For this promotion, as well as for rollouts of HDTV, DVRs and local VOD, Charter used a mix of top 40 or soft rock radio station commercials, cross-channel promos, local print and outdoor billboards.

Since Worcester residents get their broadcast TV from Boston or Springfield-based stations (there's no city-based major broadcast channel), Charter Communications Massachusetts avoids broadcast promotion. It's too costly for the audience in mind, Jerome says.

But soon, charter internet service may make an exception to better attract Latinos in Worcester, who make up 15% of the population, according to the 2000 Census. He is talking to WUNI-TV, Univision's Boston affiliate, about an extended buy.