EPB employees work in the all-new, state-of-the-art Distribution Center designed to compliment the citywide Smart Grid and fiber optic network.Starting in January, EPB television customers will have to pay a little more for service, as the TV, phone, electricity and Internet operator passes down increased costs pushed on it by "virtually all" of the local and national TV programmers it carries.
"The content providers are increasing their costs regularly," said John Pless, EPB spokesman. "And we've noted in some cases that we see increases every six months. These are the networks that provide the content, and these are local TV outlets, as well as national."
The newest price changes affect the three tiers of TV service (bronze, silver and gold) that EPB offers.
The most basic, bronze tier package (channels 2-13) is going from $12.99 to $14.99. The silver package (channels 2-78) is going from $59.99 to $67.99, and the gold package (194 total channels) is going from $71.99 to $80.99.
Add-ons such as premium channels, HD service, the sports package and other equipment and repair services will not be affected by the change.
Other TV service operators often raise prices at the beginning of the year, citing higher distribution costs.
Pless said Monday that of EPB's roughly 62,000 fiber-optic customers, around 75 percent (roughly 48,000) take TV service, either independently or in a bundle with other fiber-optic services.
EPB's fiber-optic TV service was launched in September 2009, and Pless said that despite programmers continually charging operators such as EPB more for content over the years, this is only the second TV rate hike for EPB since fiber-optic TV was launched.
TV programmers are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, and state-level authorities said Monday that they can't interfere.
"The states are pre-empted from regulating this area, and unfortunately, we do not have any information on this," said David Foster, chief of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority's utilities divison.
FCC officials did not respond on Monday.
Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.