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Are You Interested in Cable a la Carte?

A study conducted in 2006 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may be able to help you with reducing your cable bills. The FCC discovered that many subscribers would save money if cable companies offered programming on an a la carte basis.

With an a la carte system, you pick the channels you want, rather than having a set programming list. The FCC found that if the system was put in place, you could see up to a 13 percent reduction in your cable bills.

The cable industry insists that a la carte cable will ultimately reduce choice because channels with smaller audiences will not have the support needed to continue broadcasting. Reacting to pressure from the FCC and lawmakers, several cable providers, including Time Warner and Comcast, have recently released plans to offer family friendly packages; however, they have held back on any plans to provide cable a la carte. Several government officials believe that these new cable options still do not give consumers enough choice.