Buzz
Cable companies are preparing to raise their prices, as reported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In an effort to maintain low advertised rates, they plan to increase fees instead. Consumer Reports details the expected hikes, depending on the provider.
According to the FCC's annual report, many cable providers have introduced 'broadcast fees' or 'regional sports fees' to cover the increasing costs of major channels. These extra charges are a way to pass along costs to customers without altering the advertised prices.
While this may seem a bit underhanded, Consumer Reports reached out to major providers to get a clearer picture of how much more customers will be paying. Here are a few examples from their findings:
AT&T: Subscribers can expect to pay an additional $2-$8 per month for most video packages, although the U-basic plan remains unaffected. They are also raising the broadcast TV surcharge from $5 to $6 per month.
Comcast: This year, Comcast has already raised prices by an average of 3.8%. Their broadcast TV fee will rise from $5 to $7 per month, while the regional sports fee will increase from $3 to $5 monthly.
DirecTV: DirecTV has increased prices for nearly all packages by $2 to $6 per month. Additionally, a regional sports channel fee of up to $2.56 will be charged, with the amount varying by location.
Be sure to check out the full article on Consumer Reports, which includes more providers and additional details on this growing trend. You can find the link below.
Image courtesy of Victor Semionov
