Cogeco Shows Corporate Greed- Raises Prices By 66%

Here’s the bad news. I currently pay $26.50 + taxes per month for ‘Basic Cable.’ Under the new system, I would now be charged $43.99 + taxes for the first 12 months. Folks, that’s an increase of $17.49 per month or an increase of 66%! COGECO is the company that sent me an information package last month showing me ways in which I could save money by combining cable, phone and Internet services, proudly proclaiming that “Life’s Better with Cable.” Whose life, COGECO shareholders or mine? The hypocrisy is beyond belief. This latest initiative is a disingenuous example of price gouging, taking advantage of the fact that cable services are basically a monopoly, and citizens can’t just pick up the phone and call another cable company. Approaching people at their homes during the supper hour with tool kit in hand, threatening to immediately disconnect part of their cable service amounts to intimidation and disrespect. I had been watching a tournament on the Golf Channel, and when I declined this outrageous increase, I saw the technician on my lawn moments later, disconnecting the above mentioned channels, including the Golf Channel that reverted to a blank screen. This action illustrates the real corporate image that is behind COGECO and so many other companies. Do they really have the customers’ interest and welfare at heart? Do they really want to ‘save’ customers money? I think the answer is obvious. I don’t know about you, but I am unwilling to pay 66% more for my television cable service, and have refused the offer. If thousands of people did the same, maybe COGECO would have to get off its high horse. We need the federal government to keep companies like COGECO in check, or they will continue to gouge us at every turn. COGECO acts as a monopoly and in these situations where there is no alternative cable service, the federal government and the CRTC must insist on reasonable increases in keeping with inflation.