Thursday, 06 July 2017 20:00

Blue Ridge Cable to hike internet pricing $2.00/month starting July 1, 2017

Here is the letter received from Blue Ridge:

Dear Customer:

Internet access is an integral part of all of our lives and the consumption of data and need for speed has increased dramatically over the years. Almost every household has multiple Internet enabled devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs and gaming systems) consuming massive amounts of data and challenging network capacity. In anticipation of these needs, we have invested millions of dollars into network and speed improvements.

Here are just some of the enhancements we will be making in the next couple of months or have made over the last year to your high speed Internet experience:

~ Coming soon - doubling our download speeds on our most popular speed tiers (all areas to be done by September, 2017)
~ Coming soon - increasing our upload speeds (all areas to be done by September, 2017)
~ Coming soon -we will be rolling out super-fast DOCSIS 3.1 - starting with a 350 Mbps download speed
~ Coming soon -a new in home Wi R mesh system to give you the best in class Wi R experience
~ We've increased our data allowances

Enhancing and maintaining our network and technology is costly and yet our rates for high speed internet service have remained unchanged since 2009. Adjusting prices is not something we take lightly and for the past 8 years we've worked hard to control our costs so that we could provide you with fast and reliable Internet. While we continue to do everything we can to control our costs, we find it is necessary to adjust prices for high speed Internet service. Effective July 1, 2017, high speed internet price will be increasing $2.00/month on each service tier. (emphasis added)

Our pledge is to continue to invest in our High Speed Internet infrastructure so you have the best Internet experience possible.

Thank you for being our customer. We appreciate that you choose Blue Ridge as your internet service provider.

Blue Ridge Communications


Editor's Comments:

I find it disturbing that while Blue Ridge Cable gives themselves a raise for the same internet service that they've been providing for years, we the taxpayers in Barrett Township also have to pay a "Franchise Fee" to Blue Ridge Cable.  This is per pdfOrdinance 68 with the Barrett Township Supervisors, granting Blue Ridge Cable an "exclusive franchise" for our area.  How is this not considered a monopoly?  Where is the competition?  

For comparison, I'd like to point out a true "for the people - by the people" initiative in Chattanooga, TN.  First, they built a hydroelectric power plant, harnessing the water flow of the Tennessee river.  (We have flowing water in the Poconos, too!)  This is much safer and cleaner, compared to coal or nuclear power.  Once Chattanooga's power system started generating so much money that they didn't know what to do with it - they then built their own fiber-optic, gigabit-speed internet service.  I believe that this is the type of thinking that we need in our area.  

 

Last modified on Wednesday, 15 December 2021 13:20