Cable company plans to increase basic rate

Starting in March, those with Ely’s basic cable television package will see a $1 increase in their monthly bill.Charter Communications, the local cable provider, has notified city officials that the monthly rate for their 12-channel basic service will jump from $12.45 to $13.45.Those with the basic package will be the only ones seeing a price hike, according to a letter from company public relations manager Mike Hill.Charter is lowering its monthly rate for expanded basic service from $25.54 to $24.54, in order to offset the increase for the basic package.As few as five percent of Ely’s cable customers will see an overall increase in their bill, according to Hill.“Very few people have just the basic service,” said Hill. “As such we try to discount as we add service.”Hill attributed the hike to an increase in business costs ranging from energy to recruiting to staff training prompted the jump in basic service programming.“Like everything else in the community, things are going up,” said Hill. Hill said Charter is exploring enhancements to its service including the addition of broadband internet connections.Charter, the fourth largest cable company in the nation, operates franchises in Ely, International Falls, Duluth and many other Midwestern communities.The increase generated some city council discussion last week.While the city has no control over cable television pricing by the franchisee, council member Mark Zupec pushed for a meeting with company representatives to discuss both the price hike and reception issues.The council will invite a Charter representative to appear within the next two months.