• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
TechTime Warner Cable

Your Time Warner Cable Bill is Going Up

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 22, 2015, 2:19 PM ET
Time Warner Cable Inc. employees helps a customer inside the Time Warner Cable Inc. store in New York, N.Y., U.S., on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.  Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg
Time Warner Cable Inc. employees helps a customer inside the Time Warner Cable Inc. store in New York, N.Y., U.S., on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergPhotograph by Michael Nagle — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Time Warner Cable customers will start to see their bills go up in mid-January, the company has confirmed.

Broadcast TV fees, which offset the cable provider’s costs to access local affiliate channels, will rise $1 to $3.75 per month. Surcharges for cable sports programming will jump $2.25 to $5 monthly. Meanwhile, monthly cable modem rentals will increase $2 to $10.

“Our new prices reflect our continued investment in the performance and reliability of our networks and equipment, along with the rapidly rising costs of programming, especially local broadcast channels and cable sports networks,” a Time Warner Cable spokesman told Fortune on Tuesday.

Costs for local broadcast channels is up 85% since 2013 while sports programming is up 116% since 2008, the company said. It added that it has spent $2 billion on upgrading its network this year.

Time Warner Cable, which owns several regional sports networks, is just the latest television provider to lift its prices. Satellite broadcasters Dish (DISH) and DirecTV (DTV) both announced this month that they would raise rates for some of their services. AT&T’s (T) U-Verse customers will also see some rate hikes.

SIGN UP: Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

Like Time Warner Cable, all of the companies blamed the rate hikes on the higher programming costs. They say they are merely passing that cost on to customers.

Up until 15 years ago, local broadcast affiliates owned by companies like CBS and ABC would only rarely charge cable companies for their content, the providers say. In recent years, however, those networks have started charging under the theory that their programming is valuable.

Major broadcast networks did not respond to requests for comment about their fees or declined to do so.

Meanwhile, sports programming has also become a big cost center. Channel owners are able to command high prices because of sports fans who have a huge appetite for major sporting events and sports newscasts. In negotiations with cable providers, sports channel owners have significant leverage. An increase in the number of regional sports networks has also helped to inflate costs.

WATCH: For more on Time Warner Cable, check out the following Fortune video:

Cable company critics, however, are not entirely convinced by the argument for the price hikes. They say the providers should provide more transparency.

Cable providers typically list any taxes and surcharges on customer bills. But the companies fail to do so while marketing cable packages. Customers who neglect to read the fine print can therefore receive bills that are higher than what they expected. In 2010, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a remedy, but it never passed.

In addition to the previously mentioned price hikes, Time Warner Cable plans to increase the cost of Internet access for most customers. Five of six tiers will rise $2 per month (the exception is the lowest tier that costs $14.99 monthly). The company is also setting a uniform price of $11.75 for its monthly cable box rentals. Depending on where you live, that could mean as much as a $1 increase or $1 cut.

Time Warner Cable (TWC) also plans to raise the price for Cinemax and Starz from $12.95 to $14.99 monthly. However, a Time Warner Cable spokesman says that those costs will only apply to customers who pay for its television service only. Customers who get a bundle from Time Warner Cable, which can include TV and Internet or TV, Internet, and phone, will not see any rate hikes. Time Warner Cable’s Movie Pass subscription, among other services, is also getting more expensive.

Customers who are paying for broadcast and sports programming under promotional packages will not see their bills rise until after their discounts expire. The same is true of those who are getting cable modems under a discount.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Kevin O'Leary wears a silver and black suit with a chain of basketball cards around his neck.
AIData centers
From the Trump administration to Kevin O’Leary, there’s a new narrative that China is to blame for plummeting data center popularity
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
30 minutes ago
JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla and founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo: Michael Faas/Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Why China is outpacing the U.S. power grid
By Andrew NuscaJune 10, 2026
54 minutes ago
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
Startups & VentureFinance
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
By Shawn TullyJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
Bankingdigital and mobile payments
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
By Angelica AngJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Man in a white shirt and jacket.
InnovationBrainstorm Tech
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
9 hours ago
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026
InvestingWall Street
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
17 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.