We’ve recently informed you of rate changes taking effect on July 1, 2023. These adjustments are necessary due to the enhancements we’ve made in customer care and substantial investment in high performance internet, as well as the increase in costs from network programmers and local broadcast TV stations.
Network Investment
We’ve made major Investments in our state-of-the-art, high-capacity fiber-broadband network to provide faster internet with enhanced reliability needed for work-from-home, distance learning, telemedicine, gaming and more. Over $400 million has been invested in the last two years alone to expand and maintain the Breezeline network and infrastructure.
Customer Care Enhancements
Breezeline customers are now able to make payments via Western Union. Western Unions can be found in many grocery stores, Walgreens, and Walmart stores throughout our service areas. Western Union’s website also lists Breezeline for simple online bill pay, as well.
And the Breezeline website is now available in Spanish at es.breezeline.com, or navigate to the Spanish or English site by using the “Choose Language” toggle in the upper left navigation of Breezeline.com.
Internet Speeds
While the prices of many goods and services have skyrocketed over the last year, internet prices have been well behind the overall rate of inflation. And, on a cost per Mbps of speed basis, most internet customers are paying less for more speed than ever before. At the same time, speeds and reliability have been continually enhanced due to our ongoing investments in our network and infrastructure.
Local TV Stations
Broadcast TV stations charge video providers like Breezeline to carry their programming. These “retransmission fees” are the result of a 1992 federal law that requires cable operators and other providers to obtain permission to carry local broadcast stations. While we work hard to negotiate the best deal we can on your behalf, broadcasters set the rate for these fees, not cable companies.
Nationally, TV station revenue from retransmission and carriage fees from distributors continue to rise, from $14.1 billion in 2021 to $14.46 billion in 2022 and fees are expected to rise again to $14.83 billion in 2023.
Sports Fees
TV rights for sports are the highest they’ve ever been because broadcast and cable networks continue to escalate what they pay for sports TV rights. This forces them to charge Breezeline and other TV providers higher fees, which has a significant impact on your monthly bill. A recent report estimates that the total value of sports media rights in the U.S. for leagues like the NFL, Major League Baseball and the NBA will surpass $30 billion by 2025, up from $25 billion in 2023 and $14 billion in 2015.
Handful of Media Giants Own Most TV Networks
A few media giants own more than 90% of popular cable TV networks on our lineups. They use their size to demand higher fees and to impose distribution requirements on TV providers like Breezeline. While they continue to demand higher fees, we continue to work hard to keep costs under control for you.
