The maximum fees Comcast can charge California customers are about to skyrocket as part of a general rate increase Comcast has announced for some areas effective July 1.
Comcast’s official notice of rate increases for certain cities in northern California show some fees up double, even triple, what customers used to pay for service.
The average Comcast California TV customer will pay 11 cents more a day for the company’s “Digital Starter” package. Xfinity’s “Performance” package, now $1.51 a day, will rise to $1.61 a day according to the Times-Herald newspaper.
The largest fee hikes come when customers arrange for a service call. Comcast will now charge $50 an hour for custom installation work (up from $33.75). Activating a pre-existing outlet for cable service during an installation increases from $7.75 to $25. If you call to activate an outlet after your service is installed, the price doubles that at $50.
Other increases will cover converter boxes, inside wiring, remote controls, and general service fees.
But Comcast spokesman Andrew Johnson tells the newspaper customers should ignore the rate increases, which he says can be avoided by shopping for a Comcast sale or promotional offer.
“You should look at it like an auto dealership’s list price on a car,” Johnson said. “No one pays that price.”
Comcast also urges customers to consider doing installation themselves, which often means no service fees. Johnson still calls Comcast Cable a bargain, even with the average 5.2% rate increase Comcast customers will pay for their ongoing service in the coming year.