(Updated again 6/28/2016)
It's impossible to find out the actual cost for cable tv since the companies have gone to "below the line" fees/services charges. Particularly obscene is the passing on of broadcast stations fees below the line. It's part of the TV package for heaven's sake. Do you put on an "ESPN" fee below the line when that contract changes? Hypocrisy big time.
So to help out (if you ever find this blog...) here are complete prices for a cable tv configuration from Wave Broadband in western Washington--who bought the rights from Broadstripe, who were formerly Millenium Cable.
Costs July 31, 2015 / December 31, 2015 / June 28, 2016
ITEM
|
JULY ‘15
|
DEC ‘15
|
JUN ‘16
|
Local
Broadcast Cable
|
25.95
|
25.95
|
25.95
|
HD
DVR
(includes
HDTV access)
|
17.00
|
17.00
|
17.00
|
Broadcast
TV Stations Fee
(Local
Broadcast TV Negotiated Fees)
|
7.60
|
7.60
|
9.65
|
Interactive
Equipment Fee
(Channel
Guide for the DVR)
|
2.00
|
2.00
|
2.00
|
Expanded Content Fee
(First level expansion beyond broadcast channels—around 70
stations)
|
45.09
|
48.34
|
52.33
|
Subtotal
|
97.64
|
100.89
|
106.93
|
Regulatory Recovery Fee
|
1.96
|
2.02
|
2.14
|
PEG Fee (public/education channels)
|
.12
|
.12
|
.12
|
FCC Fed Reg Fee
|
.12
|
.12
|
.12
|
Franchise Fee
|
5.41
|
5.59
|
5.91
|
Local Utility Tax
|
10.77
|
11.12
|
11.76
|
Grand Total
|
$116.02
|
$119.86
|
$126.98
|
Increase/(decrease)
|
+9.4%
|
What I HATE most is the price is constantly going up! Practically every month! What reason does Wave have to hold down prices if there is no fixed contract with its clients? While I have a choice to move to Comcast, I'm waiting for Century Link's fiber-optic service to arrive.
This constant price increasing is what makes people leave for another service.
So for Basic Cable +HD Channels +DVR for one TV that is the real monthly price. Here's a list of the channels you receive. Many are dups, i.e. low-def and HD for the same channel.
They will throw in one free converter so you can watch HD programs on another TV. After the first one it's $4/mo. (+taxes)
(July '16) Included Converter will revert to $4 charge beginning Jan. 2017.
