All-In Video Pricing 'Uninformative,' Cable Interests Tell Media Bureau

Making cable operators provide an "all-in" price in ads and promotional materials "would be intrusive and uninformative," according to cable interests. In a docket 23-203 filing last week recapping a meeting with FCC Media Bureau Chief Holly Saurer, NCTA, Comcast, Charter and Cox said fees vary from region to region. In addition, they said all-in pricing would necessitate geo-targeting advertised prices, "which is highly impractical [and] technically challenging," or that the ads and promos would have to reflect a wide range of fees that might not apply and would be of little use to consumers. They said any all-in price requirement should let cable operators exclude fees that vary based on location, as long as operators include a statement in the ad that refers to those fees and indicates the amount depends on the customer's location. The FCC's all-in price proposal also should exclude fees that are variable for each subscriber and government-imposed taxes and fees, the cabers said.