New fee for Comcast subscribers

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Comcast telephone customers can expect to see a new fee on their next bill. Starting on the first of this month, the company instituted a new regulatory recovery fee.

The government requires communications companies to contribute to federal funds to make communications services accessible, and now Comcast is passing that cost on to consumers.

Laura Brubaker, a spokeswoman for Comcast, told 22News that the money also goes toward supporting municipal and state programs.

Customers told 22News that they are frustrated about paying a new fee.

"It really is too much, enough!” said Eddie Ruiz of Holyoke. "It makes a huge difference, we get a little raise, but all the fees go up and everything goes up, so it’s kind of tough.”

Brubaker says the fee is a very small percentage of a customer's bill.