Spectrum Cable Customers Can Expect Higher Rates Beginning in November
If you're a Spectrum cable and/or internet customer, expect to see your bill go up beginning in November.
According to a report from KENS-TV, the following price hikes will appear on most customers' bills:
- A broadcast TV surcharge increase from $8.85 to $9.95 per month
- A Spectrum receiver (cable box) fee increase from $6.99 to $7.50 per month
- An internet service price increase from $54.99 to $59.99 per month for customers who also subscribe to TV services
- An internet service price increase from $64.99 to $65.99 per month for internet subscribers who do not subscribe to TV services
Ars Technica reported two additional increases:
- A digital adapter fee increase from $4.99 to $5.99 per month
- A Latino TV channel package price increase from $7.99 to $8.99 per month
According to the Ars Technica article, a spokesperson for Charter (the company that owns Spectrum) said, "The price of Spectrum Internet reflects the dramatically faster speeds and investments we've made in reliability and quality. Spectrum Internet starting speeds are up from 30 or 60Mbps last year to 100Mbps (and even 200Mbps in some markets)."
The company also cites the cost of carrying broadcast TV stations, and further defends the increases by stating that their receiver rental rates are lower than competitors and they do not place data caps on internet service.
I don't know about you, but I'm grandfathered into a Time Warner package from before Spectrum's takeover two years ago. I get the feeling the company is constantly trying to screw me out of it, and the local alternatives can't beat my old rates.
It'll be interesting to open my next bill and see if they try to pull a fast one on me.
Are you a Spectrum customer? How do you feel about these rate increases?