Time Warner Cable Raises Rates (Again), Adds 'Broadcast TV' Fee

[douglas9]

Users in our Time Warner Cable forum inform us they too are taking part in rate hike season festivities, the cable operator informing users that prices will be going up for many users starting March 1 for both cable TV and broadband services (not to mention set top box rentals).

Time Warner Cable is also starting to charge users a $2.25 "Broadcast TV" fee next month, which as we've been discussing is something most cable operators have been doing as a way to sneakily bury retransmission fee hikes from broadcasters in below the line fees.

That allows cable operators to not only sock you twice for content (since such programming hikes generally should be included in the overall cost of business and the existing rate hikes), but it allows them to misleadingly leave advertised rates the same. It also lets them increase prices for users in price-guarantees or under contract.

As with most rate hikes, the notices are accompanied with the insistence that the hikes are about bringing you added "value," and necessary because of all the great upgrades the companies have been busy with. Except in Time Warner Cable's case those upgrades have been slow in coming, the company considerably slower than Comcast in deploying faster DOCSIS 3.0 speeds or new TV technologies.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-to-Raise-Rates-Again-Adds-Broadcast-TV-Fee-127822

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. At&T invented a new fee.

It suddenly appeared a few months ago, 61 cents, all by itself. NO reason for it, except that there are no regs anymore about the communication companies.

[Shoulders of Giants]

2. Buy Rokus for all your TVs, HD attenas, and subscribe to Hulu and Netflix.

There will be big upfront costs. However, you can generally find Rokus on sale for around $40. No need for the more expensive ones, unless you must absolutely have 1080p. All the lower end model Rokus have the same amount of content, but can only do 720p, not like it actually matters. Browse slickdeals.net and you will find HD antennas on sale all the time for about 10-20 bucks to watch local channels with. I did all this 3 years ago and shut off cable. After that, I only spend $16 a month for Hulu and Netflix. When you take in to account the price of cable now, you will be money ahead well before the end of the year, and be more likely to find stuff you want to watch. Now after three years for me, I wouldn't be surprised if I have saved over $1000 total by canceling cable, even when I take into account the high upfront cost for the roku - antenna alternative.