For Madison area cable customers, there is good and bad news. The bad news is that cable TV subscriptions will increase again Feb. 15. The good news is the increase will be $1.60 per month, the smallest increase since Charter took over in Madison in 2000.
The price increase results from several factors, according to Charter Communications Director of Marketing Jeff Lambert.
\We see increases in programming expenses year in and year out,"" Lambert said. ""Virtually every channel on your line-up, like ESPN and USA, we have to pay for the programming on these services. We [also] have [increases in] business expenses.""
According to UW-Madison Professor of Telecommunications Barry Orton, cable companies raise fees every year since no legislation regulates them.
The subscription increase is smaller this year than in the past because of competition from dish television companies, according to Orton.
""[Cable companies] are well aware that if they raise [the rates] too high, people will flock to dishes,"" Orton said.
UW-Madison student Nicole Noonan, a fifth-year senior, said she was not too concerned with the subscription fees rising.
""It's not that much. It's not a big enough increase to make us stop using Charter,"" Noonan said. ""[However], if I didn't have three roommates splitting the cost, I might not do it.""
Charter will also increase the Internet access charge for the use of their high-speed cable Internet access purchased outside of package deals. The charge will go up five to 10 dollars, depending on the speed of the Internet access.
""I think those prices are still pretty good compared to the competition,"" Orton said.
Charter will alert their customers of the price change in the most recent bill.
