Cox Raises Basic Cable Rates in Arizona

According to The Business Journal of Phoenix, Cox Communications Inc. is raising its basic cable rate by $2 in response to higher operating and programming costs. The cost of Cox's 22-channel basic service will increase to $17.95 a month from $15.95 beginning Feb. 15. The Cox "Classic" package will increase to $39.95 a month from $37.95 and there also will be a 95-cent increase in the monthly cost of premium channel packages like Showtime and HBO. The Cox rate increase amounts to 5 percent. As the cost to carry channels steadily increases for cable and satellite providers such as Cox, Vice President Ivan Johnson said eventually those increases have to be passed back to customers. Customers who are tired of paying higher prices for cable are switching to DIRECT TV satellite television.