AT&T (NYSE: T) U-verse broadband and TV users are being hit with a number of rate increases for their video and broadband tiers.
Beginning with bills that were received on Jan. 26, the telco increased the prices of its U-verse TV plans by $3: U-family, U200, U300 and U450 TV packages jumped to $62, $77, $92 and $124 per month, respectively.
This new increase also affects grandfathered plans, including the U100 to $64 or $69, depending on when they were first ordered; and U400 will be $119 a month.
In addition, AT&T said that its "Broadcast TV Surcharge" is now $3 per month in all markets except for Flint, Mich.; Indianapolis; Huntsville, Ala.; Topeka, Kan.; and Lansing, Mich., where it will only be $2.
Similar to the way it and other providers have justified such increases, AT&T said in a notice sent to customers that: "These changes reflect increased business costs, including costs associated with higher programming fees."
Besides the TV service, standalone U-verse broadband service prices will increase by $5 beginning in March. AT&T said users can avoid the fee by purchasing a bundle of wireline and wireless services.
The lowest Basic broadband tier package will rise to $33, while the High Speed Internet Max Turbo and High Speed Internet Power tiers will become $71 and $81 a month, respectively.
"By bundling your internet services with other AT&T U-verse products this price increase will not affect you," AT&T said in the notice. "AT&T wireless or AT&T DirecTV customers with AT&T U-verse Broadband can avoid this price increase by combining their services onto a single bill."
The one silver lining in the new price increases is that the telco is going to increase the upstream speeds of its Max Turbo U-verse tier (24 Mbps down, 3 Mbps up) to 5 Mbps upstream, according to a report in Broadband Trends. However, an AT&T spokesperson was not able to confirm these increases by deadline.
For more:
- see the price increase notice
Related articles:
AT&T's Q4 consumer wireline revenues rise to $5.6 billion on strong U-verse gains
AT&T U-verse revenues rise 28 percent to $3.1B, subscribers top 10 million
AT&T U-verse subs top 9.4 million in Q2, 45 Mbps speeds coming soon
AT&T forecasts strong U-verse adds in Q2 2013