Fun FCC Factoids

More interesting tidbits to share from the FCC cable pricing report

Alan Breznick, Principal Analyst, Heavy Reading

January 4, 2007

1 Min Read
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Remember that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cable pricing study from last week? The one that enraged cable execs because it stressed how much monthly cable prices have gone up and ignored per-channel rates? (See FCC Jabs Cable Costs, Pricing Policies .)

Well, it turns out that there are some other interesting tidbits to share from the report. For one thing, while expanded basic cable rates rose 5.2 percent to $3.04 a month, basic digital tier rates edged up a scant 1.2 percent to $12.99. Plus, the average number of digital channels offered in this package rose 7.7 percent to 33.7 channels. So it looks like digital customers may be getting a better deal than their analog counterparts these days.

In other findings, the FCC study found that: 37 percent of all cable customers now subscribe to digital video service; 87 percent of all cable subscribers are served by systems with 750 MHz capacity or more; 96 percent of all subs are served by systems offering Internet access; and 42 percent of all subs are now offered cable phone service.

All these numbers date back to the start of 2005. So they're all undoubtedly higher today. How much higher is anyone's guess.

— Alan Breznick, Site Editor, Cable Digital News

About the Author

Alan Breznick

Principal Analyst, Heavy Reading

Alan Breznick is a business editor and research analyst who has tracked the cable, broadband and video markets like an over-bred bloodhound for more than 20 years.

As a senior analyst at Light Reading's research arm, Heavy Reading, for six years, Alan authored numerous reports, columns, white papers and case studies, moderated dozens of webinars, and organized and hosted more than 15 -- count 'em --regional conferences on cable, broadband and IPTV technology topics. And all this while maintaining a summer job as an ostrich wrangler.

Before that, he was the founding editor of Light Reading Cable, transforming a monthly newsletter into a daily website. Prior to joining Light Reading, Alan was a broadband analyst for Kinetic Strategies and a contributing analyst for One Touch Intelligence.

He is based in the Toronto area, though is New York born and bred. Just ask, and he will take you on a power-walking tour of Manhattan, pointing out the tourist hotspots and the places that make up his personal timeline: The bench where he smoked his first pipe; the alley where he won his first fist fight. That kind of thing.

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