TimeWarner Chat Session

NPR reported on some legislation  that would require your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to keep a history of your Internet Protocol (IP) address for up to 18 months.  The intention is to make it easer for authorities to track down who has been visiting certain sites....the site server keeps a log of in-bound IP addresses.  Let's say they find a child porn server and download the addresses.  They could then have the major ISPs scrub the list for any hits and, allegedly, track down the pervs.  There's a lot of problems with their theory, like pervs can use proxy servers to hide their identity.  Regardless...it got me thinking....how long does TimeWarner keep my IP history?  So I asked them via chat...here's the transcript.

Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable Chat

We hope that your session with Technical Support was helpful

Below you will find the chat transcript that you requested. We recommend you keep this for future reference. Our Customer Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! - if you need to contact us again, please visit __________ for any questions relating to your Time Warner Cable service, or for Road Runner specific assistance please visit ________.

Daemon Carter:    Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. At the end of our chat you will be given the option of taking a brief survey. My name is Daemon Carter. Please give me a moment while accessing your account.

Daemon Carter:    I understand you want to know if Time Warner cable tracks your IP address,am I correct?

me:    pretty sure you keep track of my IP address...wondering how long you keep track of it after i've either left TWC or been assigned a new one.

Daemon Carter:    It seems this issue needs to be escalated to the National Road Runner team right away. They are our internet experts.

Daemon Carter:    One moment please, while I transfer your chat to National Road Runner support team.

me:    thx

Daemon Carter:    Do you have any further questions before I transfer you?

me:    no...that's it

Daemon Carter:    Again my name is Daemon. Thank you for chatting with Time Warner Cable. We value you as a customer and are here to assist you 24 hours a day,7 days a week. If you would like to take a brief survey, please click on  End Session  and the survey will load.

Daemon Carter:    Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst

Brad:    Hello! Thank you for choosing Road Runner Internet Technical Chat Support.

My name is Brad, how may I assist you?

me:    wondering how long TWC keeps track of my old IP address...either after I've left TWC or been assigned a new one?

Brad:    Do you want to enquire about your last connection record?

rick_:    nope...just trying to find out what TWC's policy is for keeping track of my old IP addresses....

Brad:    IP's are dynamic, they change. Are you referring to account number?

me:    how often do they change and under what circumstances?  talking about my home office...not a mobile laptop.

Brad:    The ip's we provide to residential customers are dynamic ip's. They change in every few hours.

me:    my external ip address, xx.xx.xx.xxx hasn't changed in months...been the same since at least june 7th

me:    not as interested in how often they change...would like to know how long you guys keep track of who was assigned what ip address in the past.

Brad:    Where you a commercial customer?

me:    no...always residential

Brad:    Okay.

Brad:    I do not have your information to look for details. That is why I have to ask you every question.

me:    understand...really just trying to find out what the policy is...not too worried about my current address

Brad:    Okay.

Brad:    Rick,Is there anything else I can help you with?

me:    well...i'm still trying to find out what the policy is....do you know?

Brad:    If you have any queries related to account information, billing, plans, offers, I can transfer the chat to the right department for you. Do you have any such queries?

me:    not sure....do they know what the policy is?

Brad:    If you can tell me or specify what kind of policy information your looking for, I will surely check that for you.

me:    i'm trying to find out how long you guys keep track of IP assignments.  you said IP address change...how long does TWC keep track of who had what IP address and for what period of time?  for example, does TWC know who was assigned IP 12.34.56.789 from 1 June 10 - 1 January 11?

Brad:    Let me check that please.

Brad:    Sorry ____, we do not have this information to whom it was assisgned the IP address. I will provide you the local office number, they will be able to give you in formation regarding the IP policy.

Brad:    Please wait while I take out the contact number.

me:    hold on brad....the local office transfered my to you guys...so sending me back there isn't going to help.  we're talking about a corporate policy.

Brad:    Okay, but am sorry____, we do not have this information. We only give support for internet connectivity issues and email issues.

me:    ok.  besides the local folks who transferred my to you, who can i talk with that may know what the policy is?

Brad:    If your taking a new connection the concerned department will be able to assist you in this.

me:    i don't understand?

Brad:    The information your looking for can be handled by the concerned department, that gives new internet connections.

me:    great...let's chat with them...

Brad:    Please wait, as I will transfer the chat to the concerned department. They will help you in this regard.

rick_:    thx

Brad:    Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst

Ruby Benito:    Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. At the end of our chat you will be given the option of taking a brief survey. My name is Ruby B. Please give me a moment while I access your account.

Ruby Benito:    I understand you want to know how TWC tracks the information regarding the IP address.

me:    hi ruby.  i'd like to know how long TWC keeps track of IP assignments after a new IP is assigned or i leave TWC.

Ruby Benito:    Hi! Mr.________.

Ruby Benito:    I really wish I could provide you the the information about IP assignments. However, please know that this is the billing department and I am unable to assist you with your concern.

Ruby Benito:    I apologize that you were transferred incorrectly.

Ruby Benito:    I will surely transfer the chat to the correct department.

me:    great!! and what department is that?

Ruby Benito:    I will be transferring you to the specialist who will provide you the IP address information.

me:    thx

Ruby Benito:    You are welcome.

Ruby Benito:    Again, my name is Ruby B. Thank you for chatting with Time Warner Cable. The survey will load once you close the chat. Please give me a moment, while I transfer the chat.

Ruby Benito:    Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst

Glen:    Hello! Thank you for choosing Road Runner Internet Technical Chat Support. My name is Glenn, how may I assist you?

me:    hi glen.  trying to find out how long TWC keeps track of old IP address assignments.  when mine changes, or i leave twc, how long do you guys keep the data on file?

Glen:    Give me 2 minutes of your time while I check the account information.

Glen:    May I have the phone number on the account please?

rick_:    i think it's _________...or _________...

Glen:    I am unable to pull up the account with that numbers. Could you please provide me the full account number?

me:    hold on

Glen:    Okay.

me:    ________________?

Glen:    Let me check.

Glen:    Thank you for your time and patience.

Glen:    ____, in this regard you need to contact your local office as we do not have information in our records.

Glen:    However, I can provide you the local office number.

me:    Glen...this is a corporate policy.  i already contacted the local office and they directed me to another...and then another...and then another and finally you.

Glen:    ______, our local office department will have this information. We don't have information regarding that in our records.

me:    i'm not looking for information on my specific account or ip.  i'm looking for the TWC policy.

Glen:    Give me a moment.

me:    thx

Glen:    Thank you for your time..

Glen:    Rick, as for a residential customer we will assign dynamic ip addresses..we do not track record of old ip addresses.

me:    glen...my ip address hasn't changed since at least june 7th.

rick_:    so TWC doesn't keep track of who had an ip address after another one is assigned to them?

Glen:    Yes.

Glen:    Rick, ip address will have an lease time. If that time expires, ip address will change automatically.

rick_:    ok,....how long is the lease time on a residential ip address?

Glen:    We don't have that information in our records. Please contact your local office in this regard.

me:    ok...what's their phone number?

Glen:    Give me a moment while I get your local office number.

Glen:    Here is the local office number: __________

Glen:    Is there anything else I can help you with?

me:    nope. thx

Glen:    You are welcome.

Soooo....4 specialists later the best I can tell is TWC allegedly doesn't keep track of IP addresses at all.  Of course they also said mine changes routinely...except it hasn't changed since early June.  Go TWC.