Optimum internet subscribers may see some price decreases, although one fee is going up.
A Cord Cutters News reader said they received a notification of a price increase to the “Network Enhancement Fee,” which is going up by $1.50 to $6 a month. A company spokeswoman confirmed the increase, and noted that the fee “is used to support the continued investment and enhancements we make to our network and infrastructure to ensure we deliver the best technology, experience, and service to our customers.”
Two of Optimum’s internet plans are going down. The Optimum Internet & 300 Mbps plan and Optimum Internet & 500 Mbps plan are each going down by $10 to $99.99 and $119.99, respectively. The last 10 Mbps internet plan, however, is going up by 5 cents to $25.
The changes run counter to a year of relentless price increases for various services, whether it’s satellite TV provider DIRECTV or live-streaming service YouTube TV. Disney+ raised its prices twice in less than 12 months. Most of those price increases have been blamed on the cost of programming and inflation. On Tuesday, Cord Cutters News reported that Spectrum was also raising its rates this month.
Altice USA CEO Dennis Matthew said on the company’s third-quarter earnings conference call in November that the company would be moving to the new rates in early 2024, noting that it would have a marginal impact since so few customers actually pay the full rate.
The changes also come ahead of the FCC’s broadband “nutrition labels,” which direct internet providers to provide simplified, clear pricing information for its plans.
Optimum, which is owned by Altice, last raised its internet prices in May 2022, increasing the rate by $10 for new customers.
Correction: The previous story incorrectly said the prices were going up.