WASHINGTON, June 24, 2024 – A Phoenix-based internet service provider has plans to add a few dollars to broadband bills next month, but customers may opt out by choosing from a few widely used payment methods.
Cable One, which serves about 1.1 million residential and business customers across 24 states, announced it will increase the cost of high-speed internet by $5 a month beginning July 1.
A spokesperson said Sparklight customers can avoid the payment increase by enrolling in paperless billing or AutoPay via a debit card or a checking or savings account. A corresponding $5 credit will cancel out the increase, the spokesperson said.
Sparklight is one of several brand names used by Cable One.
Cable One said that this payment procedure discount was reflective of a wider trend among ISPs.
“This practice of providing a credit to customers who enroll in AutoPay is fairly common in our industry,” the spokesperson said.
AutoPay typically increases payment efficiency because it automatically deducts money directly from bank accounts. Cable One also confirmed that customers on a promotional rate will not experience a price increase.
Other major ISPs, including Charter Communications, have increased broadband rates effective in July. Charter is the second largest provider in the U.S., with more than 30 million subscribers.
Charter announced it will increase its base internet prices by $3 a month, its second price increase in the last six months. Charter lost 72,000 internet subscribers in the first quarter.
“While our services have been impacted by rising costs, we strive to keep prices as low as possible,” a Charter representative told CNET.