Oregon Regulators Warn of Frontier Install Price Hike

The cable franchise regulator in the Beaverton area of Oregon is warning consumers about a new $500 installation fee telco Frontier Communications is charging new FiOS video subscribers. Frontier, which bought out local wireline operations in 14 states from Verizon in 2009, has been weighing various options to control the cost of the FiOS video operations it also acquired. In January, Frontier announced a 46% rate increase, but has not yet put it into effect. It instituted the $500 installation fee to new FiOS video subscribers in March, a fee an official at the local regulator, known as the Metropolitan Area Communications Commission, termed "simply ridiculous and unjustified."