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Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008

Comcast will hike cable rates Jan. 1

Comcast announ- ced that it will increase rates Jan. 1 for its basic television subscribers.

Rates for limited service will go from $16.50 to $18. The expanded package will be $39.99, up from $38.

Phone and Internet subscribers won't see any increases, nor will the ones with the company's triple-play deals, Comcast's spokesman Bryan Byrd said.

The company must increase rates because of the bad economy, higher gas and health care costs and what the company pays for programming, he said.

-- Scott Jason