Cable Firms Expected to Boost Services, Fees

AT&T; Corp., AOL Time Warner Inc. and other operators of cable television systems plan to keep customers by selling new products and doubling their bills as a way to combat slowing growth and satellite competition, consultants say.

The companies, appearing this week at the Western Cable Show, the industry’s second-largest gathering, are likely to discuss how they’ll raise subscription fees to $100 a month from about $45 by selling fast Internet access and digital TV. The Western Cable Show began Sunday in Anaheim. It features more than 250 exhibitors.

Networks such as Fox, HBO and USA scaled back spending at the convention in the face of a slowing economy. Executives from those companies will attend the convention, though they won’t be buying exhibit space as in years past.

Registration for the show by Nov. 16 was down 38% from a year ago, when about 33,000 people attended the meeting, the largest after the National Cable Telecommunications Assn. show.