November 24, 2015
Gene J. Puskar/for PhillyVoice
In this Feb. 15, 2011 file photo, a Comcast logo is displayed on an installation truck in Pittsburgh.
If your New Year's resolution is to spend less money on cable, then you may not like this news.
Comcast released its new rate card, Philly Mag reported. The card shows which services in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties will go up in price and which will go down next year. Hint: there's more of the former than the latter.
"Our investment in the X1 user interface has been extremely popular ... as we make these and other investments, we periodically need to adjust prices due to increases we incur in programming and other business costs," wrote Comcast executive Sharon Powell in a letter to an officer in the city's Division of Innovation and Technology.
The price changes will take effect on Jan. 1. Note that customers who are in a "SurePrice" plan, a promotional price place or a minimum term agreement with a specific rate will not see an increase in their Comcast bill.
Here's a summary of the changes:
• Almost every Triple Play Package is increasing by $1.50.
•Almost every Double Play package is going up by $3 or $4.
• Adding HBO to a package is now cheaper, as the price fell from $21.95 to $15.
• Four premium channels (Showtimes, Starz, Cinemax and The Movie Channel) are now $12. This is a decrease in price in most packages but an increase in price for others.
• A BlastIt Speed Upgrade will cost $1 to $4 more depending on the plan while an Extreme 150 upgrade will cost $3 to $4 less depending on the plan.
• Limited basic TV service in the Philadelphia area is going up between 30 cents and $1.15. However, expanded basic services will go down by the same amount.
• The broadcast TV fee will increase from $3 to $5, the regional sports fee will increase from $1 to $3 and the field collection charge (for when customers do not pay the bills or return equipment) will increase from $25 to $30.
• Some digital services are increasing in price -- while others are decreasing. The biggest decrease in price is $17.95 for the Digital Premier package. The biggest increase is $4 for Digital Preferred Plus.
• Some Internet-only plans are increasing by $3-$4. The Extreme 505 Xfinity Internet Service is dropping from $399.95 to $299.95.
• There are small changes in price (less than a dollar) for some video equipment and installation fees.
You can see the full rate card here.
