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Merry Christmas from Comcast: We’re Raising Your Rates (Again)

Phillip Dampier December 14, 2016 Comcast/Xfinity, Competition, Consumer News 2 Comments

Tis the season for rate increases. Fa-la-la-la-la, La-La-La-La.

Comcast is bringing itself some Christmas cheer this holiday season with more of your money going into its pocket as the cable giant announces nationwide rate hikes that will cost customers an average of 3.8 percent more in 2017. Comcast blames much of the increase on others.

“We continue to make investments in our network and technology to give customers more for their money—like faster internet service and more Wi-Fi hotspots, more video across viewing screens, better technology like X1 and a better customer experience,” Comcast said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the costs we are charged to carry popular networks continue to increase significantly, especially broadcast television and sports programming, which are the largest drivers of increases in price adjustments.”

Customers may not feel like they are getting more for their money with Comcast’s data caps and overlimit fees, which increasingly affect customers except in the northeast (for now). Cable TV customers will generally see a published rate increase of around $1 a month, which sounds like a pittance until you scrutinize the rate hike more closely.

Bill padding is where the real money will be made in 2017:

  • Broadcast TV Fee: Was around $5 in most markets, but Comcast intends to charge $2 more, bringing the fee to $7 a month;
  • Regional Sports Surcharge: Whether you watch sports channels or not, you will be expected to pay $2 more next year for those channels, with fees rising to $5 a month.

The absence of viable broadband competition in states like Maryland, bypassed by Verizon FiOS, means Comcast can raise broadband prices almost at will.

TV Predictions notes officials in Montgomery County, which includes the suburban Washington, D.C. cities of Bethesda and Rockville, have been notified of $5 a month rate hikes on broadband, taking some internet access pricing above $80 a month:

  • Internet Plus will increase from $77.95 a month to $82.95 a month;
  • Internet Pro Plus with Showtime will rise from $81.95 a month to $86.95 a month;
  • Internet Pro Plus With HBO will increase from $84.95 a month to $89.95 a month;
  • Premier XF Double Play package will increase from $182.95 a month to $187.99 a month, taking Comcast closer to the $200 cable bill.

Standalone internet pricing is now just as expensive as a deluxe cable television package, despite the fact it costs Comcast only a fraction of the amount it charges to provide the service:

  • Performance plan will rise from $69.95 to $74.95 a month;
  • Performance Pro plan will go from $79.95 a month to $84.95 a month;
  • Blast plan will rise from $82.95 a month to $87.95 a month.
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Josh
Josh
7 years ago

Oh goodie. Slightly different prices in Illinois. For now the Internet rates are SLIGHTLY lower (though complete with caps), but they are adding $7 to cable TV bills. Considering Hulu right now is $6 a month TOTAL, is this really the route they want to go? I might actually subscribe to a reasonably priced cable package-especially since you can supposedly get a cable card through the mail now and do a self install rather than having some guy “install” it for you. But In my area even BASIC cable is $38.14! It was like $12 when I quit less than… Read more »

Elbert Davis
7 years ago

Armstrong Cable is already more expensive than Comcast for similar speeds. Guess Comcast is trying to catch up with the other monopolies.

Armstrong charges (for cord cutters)

Name Price Speed Data Cap Price for 1TB
Zoom $49.95 50 Mbps 200 GB $209.95
Zoom II $64.95 100 Mbps 300 GB $204.95
Zoom III $99.95 200 Mbps 400 GB $219.95
Zoom IV $129.95 300 Mbps 400 GB $249.95

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Stop the Cap!