Cable company fee hikes are harmful

PHOTOGRAPHER: Letters to the Editor

Time-Warner/Spectrum started a new digital service on Jan. 17 in our area. The cost for this digital service is free the first year, but after that, it is $6.99 plus taxes per month. This is a yearly fee of over $80, depending how many TVs you have. I have the following questions:

1) At what meeting did the FCC approve this increase and where was it published in the Federal Register?

2) How can Time-Warner/Spectrum add this charge per month when each municipality has its own franchise agreement?

3) How can Time-Warner/Spectrum take a fee increase just because it has upgraded its technology? Now you need two boxes to use their cable service;that is about $160 a year.

I’m a senior citizen and on a fixed income. Cable TV service is a necessity, not a luxury for us. It’s our sole source of communication with the outside world.

Why isn’t there a sliding scale for seniors? If we don’t want digital service, we should have an option not to get it. Seems odd they can’t just upgrade our current box and not charge extra.

The scary part is that Spectrum said it was going to be good for its customers when it merged with Time-Warner. This is what I call an administrative rip-off. They are the only game in town.

This type of stuff will not make America great again.

Robert J. Godlewski

Rotterdam