ExpertSatellite

Cable television viewers in Lufkin had a surprise in their first bill of the new year — a rate hike of $2.

The increase is because of an increase in programming costs, said Gene Regan, spokesperson for Suddenlink Communications. Programming costs are the fees the cable company pays to networks to carry their programs, he said.

Programming costs went up 8 percent last year, Regan said, and about 20 percent in the last two to three years.

There has been an increase in other costs, too, such as fluctuating gas prices and normal business expenses other than programming costs, he said.

Last year, the rate for basic cable television in Lufkin went up $3.10 a month.

"We increased our rates last year, and before that it had been two years (since an increase)," Regan said.

Limited basic cable now costs $14.99, up from $12.99, and complete basic cable costs $44.99, up from $42.99.

The increase in Lufkin is below the average increase in East Texas and other areas which saw cable prices go up by 6.4 percent, Regan said. The increase in Lufkin was 4.7 percent.

He said the company was "doing everything to keep costs down." These measures included "looking for operating efficiencies" and providing more and better services more economically, Regan said. The company is also investing more than $200 million nationally to upgrade its network in different places, he said.

In spite of rising cable rates, Regan said, rates of high speed internet and DVR have remained the same.

Suddenlink serves about 11,000 customers in Lufkin.
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