Cable Rates Going Up

Fewer households are subscribing to cable TV, and cable rates are going up, the Federal Communications Commission reported.

The FCC said the number of cable subscribers fell by 1 million over the last year — but average revenues jumped 10.8 percent from June 2004 to June 2005, the Detroit News reported.

The FCC said rates were rising faster than inflation.

Most viewers don’t have a choice of cable providers, the newspaper said. but Detroit area viewers have three. Cable prices went up this year for all three, the newspaper said, but not by as much as in markets with no competition.

Comcast Corp. hiked southeast Michigan rates 4.5 percent last week, more than a year after a 7 percent jump.

WOW Internet, Cable and Phone raised rates 5.5 percent this year and last year.

Bright House Networks plans to boost rates 2.4 percent, the first increase in five years, the News reported.