John Corn
12-02-02, 11:24 AM
Just in time for the holidays, cable rates are on the rise.
The Comcast-owned AT&T Broadband led the charge with a ballsy 8% increase in its Massachusetts franchises.
The move came only two weeks after the Federal Communications Commission ( news - web sites) approved the Comcast/AT&T merger, insisting that while rates probably wouldn't go down, they certainly weren't likely to go up.
Comcast proper is hiking fees in the FCC ( news - web sites)'s own backyard. Subscribers in Washington, D.C., will pay an average of 3.5% more in December, following a 5% increase earlier this year.
Full Story (http://tv.yahoo.com/news/va/20021201/103880556600.html)
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Cable may see hostility on rates
Given a choice between angering Wall Street or consumers, whom do you think cable operators pick?
That didn't take you long, did it?
You may have had some help, though, if you're one of the millions of subscribers who are starting to receive the familiar annual letters telling you how much rates are about to jump.
Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox and Cablevision Systems are among the operators that either have raised, or plan to raise, prices in the 4%-to-8% range, well ahead of inflation, which is virtually flat. The average basic cable bill, now at about $34.52 a month, is up 45% since cable was deregulated six years ago.
Wall Street analysts clearly understand why prices continue to rise. Basic cable is still the main event, and that business is mature. Operators will be grateful to just hang on to their 71 million or so basic subscribers.
Full Story (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20021202/bs_usatoday/4664863)
The Comcast-owned AT&T Broadband led the charge with a ballsy 8% increase in its Massachusetts franchises.
The move came only two weeks after the Federal Communications Commission ( news - web sites) approved the Comcast/AT&T merger, insisting that while rates probably wouldn't go down, they certainly weren't likely to go up.
Comcast proper is hiking fees in the FCC ( news - web sites)'s own backyard. Subscribers in Washington, D.C., will pay an average of 3.5% more in December, following a 5% increase earlier this year.
Full Story (http://tv.yahoo.com/news/va/20021201/103880556600.html)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cable may see hostility on rates
Given a choice between angering Wall Street or consumers, whom do you think cable operators pick?
That didn't take you long, did it?
You may have had some help, though, if you're one of the millions of subscribers who are starting to receive the familiar annual letters telling you how much rates are about to jump.
Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox and Cablevision Systems are among the operators that either have raised, or plan to raise, prices in the 4%-to-8% range, well ahead of inflation, which is virtually flat. The average basic cable bill, now at about $34.52 a month, is up 45% since cable was deregulated six years ago.
Wall Street analysts clearly understand why prices continue to rise. Basic cable is still the main event, and that business is mature. Operators will be grateful to just hang on to their 71 million or so basic subscribers.
Full Story (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20021202/bs_usatoday/4664863)