CHARTER TO RAISE CABLE FEES.Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer GLENDALE - Charter Communications' 50,300 local subscribers face a rate increase June 1, including 63 cents more a month for basic cable, a $2.88 increase for expanded service and an additional $1 for some premium channels. The City Council will review the proposed increase at its Tuesday meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Because the basic cable rate increase - the only aspect of the hikes subject to city approval - meets Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC), independent executive agency of the U.S. government established in 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest. regulations, the council is expected to take no action, essentially approving the hike. The channels slated for $1 hikes are: HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy priced at $13.95 per month; Showtime at $13.95; The Movie Channel at $11.95; Cinemax at $11.95 and MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. (all movie services) at $21.95. Tom Belcher, Charter's group vice president of operations, said the rate hikes are justified because of recent improvements, including the addition of eight channels and the investment of $25 million in high-tech equipment. ``Even though we are going up in price, the price per channel remains the same - 49 cents per channel per month,'' Belcher said. In the next few months, Charter plans to start offering video on demand, which allows subscribers to access 400 or 450 movies on a pay-per-view basis. ``You can stop it, rewind it, fast forward. You can keep the movie for 24 hours Adv. 1. for 24 hours - without stopping; "she worked around the clock" around the clock, round the clock ,'' he said. Charter remains in dispute with the city over its wire maintenance plan fee, an option offered to subscribers. The city asked Charter to lower the fee from 95 cents to 4 cents in November and February, and ordered the company to refund the balance to subscribers. Charter balked balk v. balked, balk·ing, balks v.intr. 1. To stop short and refuse to go on: The horse balked at the jump. 2. at the orders, which the FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. supported in a recent ruling. ``The city and Charter have been in intense discussions. We expect a resolution not before long,'' said Belcher. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion