The overall average monthly rate for cable service in the U.S. — including basic and expanded basic cable programming services and equipment — increased by 5.4% over the 12-month period ending January 1, 2004, from $42.99 to $45.32, according to the latest FCC figures. The report also provides information on the number of channels offered in each tier of service, the average capacity of cable systems, and the percentage of cable subscribers that are offered advanced services such as digital service, Internet access, and telephone service.
The FCC report also analyzes the price increases between cable operators that face competition and those that do not. It finds that the average monthly rate for basic and expanded basic cable programming services and equipment increased by 3.6% for the group of cable operators that face effective competition and by 5.6% for the group of operators that do not face effective competition.
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