New Channels Mean Rate Boost for Cable TV

We are very disturbed by what appears to be a flagrant abuse of power resulting in a 30% forced rate increase by Community Cablevision since its recent acquisition of new channels.

According to published rates in the Community Cablevision Guide, “Three Star Service,” for a charge of $16.95, entitles the customer to 37 channels, and a manual box is included in this rate. However, the current manual cable boxes are equipped to receive only 36 channels. Therefore, in order to receive all 37 of the channels to which he is entitled in “Three Star Service,” the customer must now get a new “remote” box, for which he is now billed an additional $4.50 per month.

Furthermore, Community Cablevision also changed one of the channel’s numbers, so that Channel 17 (TNN) previously available on the 36-channel box as part of the “Three Star Service” is now Channel 37, forcing customers who want the same service they previously had for $16.95 to buy a new box and pay the additional rate.

In addition, Community Cablevision raised its “Three Star Service” monthly rates $1, which appeared on the monthly bills for November. The end result of this is that all Community Cablevision customers who still want the same channels that they were receiving before this change now have to pay $22.45, a rate increase of 30%.

When we called Community Cablevision, we were told that they had received many complaints, but that there was nothing we could do. Community Cablevision has abused its power and should have its license revoked.

JIM and MARGO SORENSON

Irvine