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Comcast to increase cable rates
Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 7:53pm
Citing rising costs to provide its services, Comcast is raising rates on its cable video customers by an average of about 3.5 percent, according to a letter sent to Mayor Karl Dean this week.
Although cable television rates will rise, Comcast will not issue an increase to cable internet or digital voice customers.
Comcast customers will be made aware of the increase in a letter soon to be mailed out. The letter states that costs associated with new programming, particularly for sports, have gone up. Comcast spends $6 billion a year on programming, according to the letter.
“While we are highly focused on controlling our costs for the benefit of our customers, price adjustments are a necessity in view of the increased cost of doing business in this challenging economic environment, including gas prices, healthcare costs, increases in the cost we pay for programming, and technology and service improvements,” Comcast Director of Government Affairs Terri Weldon said in a statement.
“Even with these pressures, our average customer will pay only about 3.5 percent more next year, well under the rate of inflation.”
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Filed under: City News
Huh, satellite (Dish and Direct) has the same programming costs yet no increase. Wonder why that is?I am paying $30/month less with Dish than I did with Comcast and I have at least 50 more real CHANNELS and 4 times more real HD CHANNELS. Comcast can crow all they want about all the HD 'content' but it does not count if you are padding their numbers with OnDemand and pay-per-view. Everyone do themselves a favor and let this be the excuse for finally changing to either Dish or Direct. Don't even wait for ATT. Something needs to be done to get their attention. They obviously do not respect the sheep here.
I wonder how it is that AT&T can offer nearly the same channel lineup I have with Comcast now but charge $40 a month less. AT&T arrives here in December, right?
Comcrap has cut back on internet services by dropping access to newsgroups and limiting access in order to reduce costs. They pay the same for programming that Dish and Direct TV pay, so why do they need another rate increase?
What really gripes me about this is how Comcast keeps removing channels from regular cable and putting them on digital channels, yet, they don't lower their costs for removing them. This is definitely the time for me to finally make a change.
Just one more reason to never get cable.
You guys, sheesh. You're making it up that Comcast pays the same for programming as the DTH stars, you have no idea.They're just adding more sports channels for the mouth breathers, and the rest of us get to pay the freight.And no, at&t won't be any better.
And another thing: if they pay so much for programming, why don't they get some decent programming on? I'm so sick of all the infomercials and the same movies over and over and over again!
What irks me is the extra charges of Internet only. I would happily drop comcrap for satellite but I NEED my cable modem and they tack on $15 monthly to the already exorbitant rate for modem only service.
Kosh, DSL. I was worried when I dropped Comcast as well. Turns out ATT/Bellsouth runs DSL just about everywhere now. DSL is great. Even with a lower rated speed it is considerably faster than the shared higher speed I was getting from Comcast. Taking a lower speed also is cheaper.If you don't want another monopoly, other companies may provide the DSL. Go to broadband.com and see what is available at your particular address.
AT&T won't be here soon enough for me---but of course, that's why comcast is doing this. Come next spring or summer, they will be able, when AT&T arrives, to say, "Hey, we are giving you a 10% discount...." What REALLY rips me is the way they price things for "new customers" vs. those of us who are in the base... I guess it is about time to make a swap..
If I didn't have so much company, I would actually get rid of my cable service. The only channel I watch on a regular basis is HGTV and those shows are getting very repetitive and I can do without them now. I do record The Young and the Restless on my DVR box though. Can't do without that show.
thanks Jeff
I get basic service and the HD equilivents. It's about $25 per month. I get to see sports and news, I'm happy. As a grad student and full time employee, I don't have time to watch all the fluff channels.