Lillian Rizzo

Cable and telecommunication companies are leaning heavily on their broadband businesses to propel growth as demand for pay TV subscriptions declines. They are using a range of tactics to shift consumers onto faster, premium speed tiers. In some cases, that means boosting speeds free temporarily, then raising fees later. Some consumers say that when they call to complain about their bill, the provider assuages them by offering a higher speed at a promotional rate that eventually gives way to a higher price.