Comcast Claims Sneaky Fees Are its Way of Being 'Transparent' Comcast continues to covertly jack up the company's prices via hidden fees it claims are simply the company's way of being "transparent" with its customers. In Oregon, users are facing an array of new rate hikes courtesy of Comcast's "broadcast TV" and regional sports fees. In Oregon, these fees are being increased from $11 a month, combined, to $14.50. More specifically, Comcast is informing customers in the region that beginning October 1, the monthly cost includes a $1.50 increase in the broadcast fee, a $2 increase in the sports fee, and a $1 increase in the modem rental.

We've long noted how Comcast's broadcast TV fee simply takes a part of the cost of doing business (in this case programming) and buries it below the line, allowing Comcast to falsely advertise a lower rate. Since its introduction in 2013, Comcast has slowly but surely increased the fee every year. Comcast is facing an ongoing lawsuit over such fees, plaintiffs arguing Comcast not only uses the tactic to covertly raise rates and falsely advertise a lower price, but to help make direct price comparisons with competitors more difficult. Comcast initially charged $1.50 when the fee first appeared back in 2013, but now charges upwards of $6.50 more per month in many markets -- a 333% increase in just three years. Comcast, for its part, continues to try to claim that its use of entirely bogus and misleading fees is just the company's way of being "transparent" with its customers. "We continue to make investments in our network and technology to give customers more for their money - like faster Internet service and more WiFi hotspots, more video across viewing screens, better technology like X1 and a better customer experience," Comcast Oregon spokeswoman Amy Keiter tells the Oregonian. These fees, Keiter insists, "allow us to be more transparent with our customers about the factors driving price changes, and represent only a portion of our costs of carrying broadcast and regional sports networks." That's the That's the same line Comcast has been using for several years now, and it doesn't magically get any less false with repetition.







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Most recommended from 44 comments



camper

just visiting this planet

Premium Member

join:2010-03-21

Bethel, CT 14 recommendations camper Premium Member Transparent? Yes. Sneaky? Yes.

Comcast is being transparent about how sneaky they are with these add-on fees. keason

Premium Member

join:2002-05-02

Ann Arbor, MI 9 recommendations keason Premium Member They keep increasing the net prices with fees What comcast bills me for Internet, TV and HBO:



Originally Advertised: $99

2 years ago: $109

Now : $119

Next month's estimate: $156



future months: $0, because I'm disconnecting. Winterman

join:2009-10-29

Wasilla, AK 6 recommendations Winterman Member Bad Marketing It is all in the presentation. Telecom folks never seem to understand this. Folks would rather pay $50 than $30+$10+$5+$2+$2+$1. elca_bond

join:2011-07-23

Orlando, FL 4 recommendations elca_bond Member There is a very simple answer for this. Advertise the out the door price including the fees and leaving the taxes out of it because it varies by area. I don't understand why is it so hard for them, unless they use this to their advantage in some way???