Time Warner raising rates
By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer Friday, November 20, 2009Time Warner Cable customers will see prices rise as part of a statewide increase beginning in December.
Cable customers with the broadcast station package will see costs increase from $9.30 a month to $10.20 a month. The cable programming package will increase from $45.15 a month to $48.75 a month.
Basic cable, which consists of both the broadcasting and cable programming, will rise from $54.45 to $58.95.
The increases will take affect with the first billing cycle of December 2009.
Time Warner officials say sports and broadcast programming costs are the largest contributor to the price increases.
Dan Jones, Time Warner vice president of government relations, told Orangeburg officials the price increases were given careful consideration.
“The value customers receive goes beyond the pure price,” Jones said in a letter to the city. “We’re offering customers more local programming, increased video on demand content, more high definition channels and enhanced cable television options.”
Time Warner serves an estimated 12,000 customers in Orangeburg County, mostly around the city of Orangeburg.
Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller said City Council has no power over the price increases.
“It is out of our hands,” Miller said.
The rate changes include:
* Digital cable — basic cable, digital programming tier, digital equipment and navigator interactive guide — from $72.35 to $76.95
* Digital cable and Road Runner High Speed Online — from $117.30 to $119.95
* Digital cable and digital phone unlimited nationwide — from $117.30 to $119.95
* Digital cable, Road Runner High Speed online and digital phone unlimited nationwide — from $157.25 to $159.90
* Digital box — from $7.24 to $7
* DVR service, primary outlet — from $9.95 to $10.95
* Road Runner Lite — from $24.95 to $27.95
* Road Runner Basic, bundled with cable or digital phone — from $32.95 to $37.95
* Road Runner High Speed online, bundled with broadcast cable, basic cable or digital phone — from $47.95 to $49.95
* Road Runner High Speed online, bundled with digital cable — no change
* Earthlink, bundled with broadcast cable, basic cable or digital phone — from $47.95 to $49.95
* Earthlink, bundled with digital cable — no change
T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551.
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