[03/13/01] People with cable TV service in Vicksburg and Warren County will pay more, starting May 1.

Although there are some variations, basic service is rising $1.45 per month and tier service is rising 75 cents.

With the $2.20 increase plus other fees, receiving channels 2 to 62, with no premium channels, will cost about $37 or $38 per month.

Cableguard, a home wiring insurance service, will also see a slight increase to 64 cents a month, up from 45 cents.

Beau Balch, general manager of Vicksburg Video said the reason for the increase is rising programming costs.

Current rates are $11.50 for basic service, channels 2 to 24, and $20.75 for Tier service, channels 25 to 62. The increase will be $12.95 for basic and $21.50 for tier. Taxes and other fees are also placed on cable bills.

Balch said a new channel, the 24-hour news service MSNBC is to be added to the cable lineup at the end of March. Other amenities are also being planned. Digital cable is now being offered in several areas and the digital system has 170 channels and includes Pay-Per-View channels, music channels, and dozens of movie channels, such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and The Movie Channel.

Despite new additions to the system, some cable subscribers are not pleased with the rate increases.

“It’s already too high,” Len Williams, a Vicksburg Video subscriber, said. “The channels are good, but I don’t think they should be increasing the rates again. Some people pay more than others already.”

However, Balch said the Federal Communications Commission controls the rates and Vicksburg Video, owned by WEHCO Video in Little Rock, Ark., still has the lowest rates in Mississippi.