Oceanic’s most
popular cable service
goes up $2

The increase reflects higher
costs, such as for pro
sports, the firm says

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Oceanic Cable will increase the monthly charge for its most popular service package by 5.5 percent on Jan. 1 and raise some smaller charges as well, putting the total bill for its standard service about $2 higher.

The main change, announced on Oceanic's new-look program listing Channel 12, is a $1.59 addition to the monthly charge for what Oceanic calls its standard service, lifting it to $30.47 a month from $28.88.

Standard service is the combination of basic service -- primarily the local channels and public-service channels -- and value service, which adds CNN, Fox News, the Disney Channel and other news and entertainment venues.

Kit Beuret, a spokesman for Oceanic, said today that the changes were detailed in customers' bills last month. He said the increase reflects higher costs incurred by Oceanic, mostly for programming, such as paying for professional sports events.

Oceanic also will add 15 cents to the monthly rental for cable boxes. The state franchise fee, a percentage of Oceanic's total revenues, will also increase.

For customers with standard service who haven't chosen to pay extra for movie channels or other add-ons, the total monthly bill will be about $34, including taxes and state and federal fees.

Oceanic raised its standard-service rate by 5 percent last January.