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Specific increases will vary according to the package customers have and the rate they're currently paying, Hargray officials said. The company cited the rising cost of programming in announcing the rate increases.
The new monthly rate of $54.99 for premium service will represent an increase for many residential customers, said Andrew Rein, Hargray's vice president and general manager for residential services.
Rein declined to say how many customers would be affected or how many customers the company now has.
For budget-conscious customers, Hargray will offer a reduced lineup of channels called "digital lite" for $47.99 a month. That figure also would represent an increase for many customers, Rein said.
At either service level, the company is offering a guarantee that rates will not increase until 2011.
Rein said the company recognizes the economic climate is a difficult one, but he said the company increased rates because its own costs have risen.
Providers have increased fees by 30 percent since 2004, while Hargray has raised its prices by less than 10 percent, Rein wrote in a letter to customers.
"These rates are really bringing us up to market," Rein said. "This was the year we felt like we needed to make up some of that."
In an open letter dated Jan. 22, Hargray chairman and CEO Michael Gottdenker encouraged customers to support local business and said Hargray is creating ads featuring local businesses to help weather the recession.
Hargray began to notify customers of the increases Feb. 1.
