Spectrum increases monthly price of Internet Assist from $14.99 to $17.99
Several weeks ago a reader named Larry left us a comment that caused us to run off and do a little research. It said:
Today I received another piece of mail from Spectrum. It appears the price of Internet Assist has increased to $17.99 since the old price is not on the new mailing.
Over the last couple months they’ve been sending frequent marketing ads (almost weekly) for Internet Essentials.It’s always different fancy cards and letters. I hope this isn’t a ploy to get customers on then start increasing prices for low income customers all the time. I remember a time when Senior Basic was $10 a month. They gradually increased the price until it was almost as much as everyone else was paying and then dropped the program entirely.
Well, it turns out that Larry was 100% correct — Spectrum has, indeed, increased the price of it’s low-income internet access program by $3.00 per month as of November 28, 2019.
No one will ever mistake us for mathematicians, but according to our calculations that’s a 20% increase.
Why, Spectrum, why?
Why have you increased your price when AT&T is able to offer equivalent service for as little as $5 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when Comcast’s Internet Essentials is still just $9.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when Cox Cable’s low-income internet plan is just $9.95 per moth?
Why have you increased your prices when PCs for People still offers its internet plan for just $10 per month (with a few upfront costs thrown in)?
Why have you increased your prices when MediaCom still offers its low-income internet plan for just $9.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when BrightHouse Networks still offers its low-income internet plan for just $9.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when SuddenLink still offers its Economy Internet plan for just $14.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when Cablevision still offers its Economy Internet plan for just $14.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when Eagle Communications still offers its low-income internet plan for just $9.95 per month?
Why have you increased your prices when Midco still offers its low-income internet plan for just $9.95 per month?
It’s not like Spectrum is squeezed for money. According to the company’s 2018 annual report, it generated more than $43 billion in revenue and free cash flow of greater than $2 billion. It’s hard to justify Spectrum’s willingness to screw low-income Americans when the company is doing so well.
Unfortunately, all we can do is commiserate with our readers. And hope that this is not the beginning of a trend.
Tanya Lack says
Yeah I’m not impressed with spectrum at all at first I was only paying $19.99 per month then they raised it to$ 24.99 per month for spectrum assist and here I’m reading on the internet that it’s only supposed to be $17.99 so that’s a bunch of BS, and I told them that if it goes up again I’m dropping them and switching to something else, it just sucks to and I’m sure they know it, becouse my area doesn’t have very many internet companies around that offer decent affordable internet services !
Rick Everhart says
You did not keep your promise to time warner,because you raised ours from 14.00 Dollars a month to 28.00 a month. Went up three times after you took over, we don’t even have high speed. Can’the afford this.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Sorry to hear about your problem but we cannot do anything to help you. This is an independent informational website and is NOT affiliated with any Lifeline free government cell phone service provider.
Jenna says
99% of these are for low inching families & Srs , which is great ,however, most are not available in Maryland . The ones that ARE in MD , have either an expensive start up fee or do not include individuals that are under 65 and yet are on DISABILITY.
I, who am on DISABILITY at 54 and have been since 07 ,apparently do not qualify since I’m not a Sr. Nor do I have’ a household of children that need the internet.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
You can find all the low-income plans available in your state at this link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/states
Jaime Smith says
So in order to receive low income internet I am required to have a child? or be over 65. I pay taxes and find it ironic that I have no discount or assistance available for internet services because of my choice to not have children.
I am paying $60 a month to Spectrum just for internet, so why do I suffer without assistance when I need it most? Because I don’t have children? Again, I pay / have paid my taxes to support public schools and the students families to get free meals, multiple times a day, but when I need help paying my internet bill I am screwed… is it because my need for internet is not as crucial to survival as a senior citizen or a childs need for internet is? Somehow I find that to be a joke considering how people are required to “fill out online applications online” only for jobs, employment opportunities are often only found online, housing is often only available online, news/public information on tv is really only available with internet…good luck getting clear channels if you don’t have internet, coupons are all online now, must I continue?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
You’re preachin’ to the choir, Jaime.
GILBERTO ZUBELDIA says
I WILL LIKE TO APPLY FOR CHEAP INTERNET FOR 14.99 OR 17.99
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Here’s where you can find a list of all the companies that offer low-income internet in your state, Gilberto. We list the towns and cities each company covers, but you should double check with the companies to make sure they offer it at your specific address.
https://www.cheapinternet.com/states
Patricia Gray says
Why is Dixon Springs, Tn. NOT included in any low income internet essentials plans with any company. There is a low income trailer park with 50 mobile homes in Dixon Springs, Tn. 37057; where i do believe every resident is low income, foodstamp, medicaid, free/ reduced price lunches Or in some form of poverty everyday yet they are always overlooked!!!
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
None of these programs are available everywhere in the country, Patricia. So there are gaps all over the country where none of them are available. But do you know for sure that none of them are available in Dixon Springs? Give them a call to find out if any of them provide service in that area. You may be surprised.
Larry says
Did you miss anyone? Haha! Good comparison! BTW isn’t BrightHouse now owned by Spectrum? Or am I thinking about something else?
Thanks for posting this. It’s nice to know someone is holding their feet to the fire but I’m not holding my breath. The cable industry has always made poor excuses for gouging whenever they can. The industry also has the worst customer service. And they charge for service calls when their own service doesn’t work. They’ve had a monopoly far too long. Any competition is welcome but seems to happen ever so slowly. Internet should be practically free by now since new equipment is much faster and cheaper. Bandwidth costs them less than ever.
I’m still on PC’s for People for now, hoping at some point they will offer 5G modems with no data cap.
Thanks again!
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Yes, Bright House is now owned by Charter.
Russell D Jones says
I must have internet. I don’t drive anymore and all my needed accounts are managed over the internet as well as the only entertainment I’ve got. I am 68 yrs old with several medical issues. My soc. check is only $972 per month. That’s under $ 12,000 per year. Try living on that. I pay Frontier $ 55 per month for my internet service out of that little check and I feel that it is flat out ruthless. People don’t need to make their fortune off of our elder’s. And I am aware that it is because there are really only two major companies that are keeping the prices so ridiculously high selling chunks to smaller companies. And flat out robbing the American people. So tiered of the already filthy rich taking advantage of us all by monopolizing everything in our lives with unprecedented greed. SHAME ON YOU!!!
Hoagy says
yes Spectrum’s sia for “disabled” seniors in Ellensburg, Washington 98926 requires us to be over 65 AND social security-disable classification . However Soc Sec automatically reclassifies ALL disabled into “Retired” classification at 65 years of age without exception! therefore, none of us qualify!!