SPECTRUM has tacked on automatic fees which the TV, cable, and internet company is calling broadcast TV surcharges.
The surcharge is due to the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992.
The law enables local US broadcast TV stations to negotiate with cable and satellite providers for consent to carry their broadcast signals.
Stations have recently increased their prices for the distribution of their signals to Charter Communications customers, which is bad news for users.
This means that Spectrum and other potentially other providers pass the charges down to customers.
Spectrum said that the signals used to be available at little to no cost but have since increased.
Read More on Automatic Surcharges
“The prices now demanded by local broadcast TV stations have necessitated that we pass these costs on to customers,” the company said on its website.
Customers are now likely seeing a surcharge of about $3 to $5 per month.
The fee took effect last year.
“We're in favor of changes to this law, and if those changes are successful, we'll remove the additional charges,” Spectrum added.
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CHARGIN' IT
Spectrum has various other surcharges it tacks on to customers' monthly bills.
The provider has up to 19 fees - not including other statewide surcharges.
Spectrum has what is called a Business License Fee where a fee or tax that is assessed on Charter for doing business in your state or locality that is then passed onto the customer.
It also has a E911 Charge (9-1-1 fee) imposed by local government to help cover the cost of 911 service.
However, it's up to the customer's local government to determine whether to provide a 911 system.
All costs associated with the 911 systems are collected by the phone company through your monthly telephone bill.
Next up is the Regulatory Cost Fee which is put onto the customer for FCC operations and charges supporting telephone number systems and telephone number portability.
Another fee customers see on bills is the Secure Connection Fee.
Spectrum charges this fee claiming it covers the cost of devoting: "considerable resources to the development and implementation of measures designed to ensure that the connection between a Spectrum receiver."
OTHER PROVIDERS CHARGING FEES
Spectrum customers aren't the only ones footing the bill for many charges.
AT&T has added a partial-month credit or surcharge for customers who change their plans mid-pay period.
The company charges all its customers in 30-day pay cycles and AT&T will pro-rate charges for those who upgrade plans during their 30-day payment period.
"If you change your plan or add-ons in the middle of a bill period, you’ll see partial-month charges or credits on your next bill," the company claims on its website.
A customer that jumps from a $35 per month line will pay $1.16 per day, and a $50 line will cost $1.67 a day.
If a customer upgrades ten days into the cycle, they'll pay $11.60 for the first part of the month and $33.34 for the second part.
However, customers who downgrade will receive a credit for the next 30-day pay period.
Just note that a simple way to avoid the added fee is by waiting until the end of the pay period to upgrade any service.
Cable, internet, and TV providers aren't the only companies charging fees.
Read More on The US Sun
Levi’s stores have added an automatic processing surcharge.
Plus, Walmart tacked on an automatic surcharge for a common convenience.
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