Comcast Cable Rates Rise Again In Mississippi
Itawamba County Times 1/8/2008
Effective Jan. 1 Comcast Cablevision of Fulton has raised the rates of their programming services on most programming packages.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that the cable company, which provides television service throughout north Mississippi, has raised its programming rates. The company has already distributed letters to its consumers informing them of the changes.
Limited basic service has increased over 10% a month, expanded basic and the full basic package have also risen. Digital programming has also seen an increase. The monthly cost of the basic Digital Preferred package has risen. Other digital packages with price increases include silver, gold, and platinum. These annual price increases reflect increases in company operating expenses, according to information released by Comcast to its customers.
SEC filing information in 2006 suggests that company’s operating expenses increased due to excessive compensation to the CEO and other top executives. Brian Roberts, the chairman and chief executive of Comcast Corp. received a 36% increase in salary, bonus and other compensation for 2005, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. At that time, while Comcast shares fell 22 percent, Brian Roberts took in $12.8 million — comprising a base salary of $2.37 million, a bonus of $7.7 million and $2.7 million in other compensation.
While the price of service is going up, Comcast and although this is the third change in cable rates within the past three years as well as similar annual price changes since January of 2004, Comcast feels that the company will continue to do well and stay competitive by listening to its customers.
Residents in Mississippi tired of Comcast rate increases are switching to DIRECTV.