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Rogers Giveth New $2 Paper Bill Fee, Taketh Away Two Popular Channels

Phillip Dampier May 29, 2013 Canada, Consumer News, Rogers No Comments

Toonie-reverseRogers customers may now have to pay to read their monthly bills.

Eastern Canada’s biggest cable company wants you to use your broadband service to check your balance, unless you are willing to pay a $2 monthly “paper bill fee.”

Rogers had charged new wireless customers (along with anyone making changes to their account) a $2 paper billing fee since 2011, but now everyone will pay if they want a hard copy.

At the same time the company is adding a new billing fee, it is taking away two popular cable channels in a move the company describes as part of “our ongoing commitment at Rogers to deliver a superior television experience.”

Fewer channels might bring better value if the company reduced the cost of your cable package, but don’t worry about that:

“Please be assured that there will be no change to your Rogers cable TV rates and all other aspects of your service(s) will remain the same,” a company letter said. “We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause.”

give takeThe inconvenience will be greatest for fans of BBC World who will now have to upgrade to a high-end package to keep watching the popular global news channel. It was stripped out of the basic lineup.

Spike is also getting the spike, kicked into a higher-end package at the same time existing customers see no corresponding decrease in their rates.

The sneaky price increase is not going over well with many Rogers customers, according to the Toronto Star.

“I locked into a year’s contract at a specific price for the VIP package,” Sara Harrel told the newspaper, “and Rogers changed what I get for that price.”

Another reader, David Dorken, found when he called Rogers that BBC World News would cost an extra $2.79 a month and Spike TV was in a package that would cost an extra $5.99 a month.

“That’s right, folks, same television for only $8.78 extra a month or $105.36 a year. I’ve cancelled my cable and Internet,” he said.

Rogers spokeswoman Patricia Law countered that most customers (although not all) would see some new channels — such as ABC Spark and FX Canada — added to their service as they were losing Spike TV and BBC World.

How many customers were clamoring for either replacement is unknown, but the effects of complaining are not. Rogers customers threatening to walk often get special concessions like a lower rate or more channels to compensate.

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