What is a Franchise Fee?

In our continuing efforts to provide you with the best possible service, we periodically audit customer accounts to ensure accuracy. In a recent audit of accounts, we uncovered that a routine billing system update had inadvertently prevented your account from being billed correctly up to the last three months. We have fixed the issue and moving forward will apply the correct amount to your monthly bill statement. Additionally, we’re including the unbilled amount that was incurred up to the last three months in a current or upcoming bill statement.

Q. I just received this information. Do I need to make payment today?

A. We would be happy to take your payment today if you are able to make one. If you are not, we can review other options for payment. You may also make a payment online with your Credit or Debit card by logging into the My Account portal.

Q. Can I make a payment arrangement?

A. We would be happy to discuss our payment arrangement process with you. Please contact our Business Care team at 1-877-570-0500.

In our continuing efforts to provide you with the best possible service, we periodically audit customer accounts to ensure accuracy. In a recent audit of accounts, we discovered that a billing system update had caused proration inaccuracies in your billing statement. We have fixed the issue and moving forward will apply the correct amount to your monthly bill statement.

Q. Is there an impact on the balance of my account? 
A. No. We’re happy to report that since we were able to catch the error quickly, it had no impact on the current or previous balance of the account.

During a recent audit to ensure we're providing you with the best possible service, we uncovered an unintentional error in your bill statement. The correct standard monthly charge for static IP address service and/or leased modem has not been applied for some time. We have since corrected this oversight, and starting with your September billing cycle, you will see the applicable charges reflected on your statement.

Q: Why wasn’t I notified in advance of this increase?

A. We mailed a letter and placed notices at least 30 days prior to the adjustment in your bill statements – we apologize that you missed those notifications.

Q: When will I see the increase in my bill?

A. The cost of the service(s) will be included in your September bill statement.

Q: Is there anything that can be done to lower my bill?

A. If you would like to review your current plan features, please visit business.sparklight.com or call (877) 570-0500. We value your business and will continue to provide you with the latest products and technical advancements, while maintaining the highest level of reliability and customer care.

A. During a recent audit to ensure we're providing you with the best possible service, we uncovered an unintentional error in your bill statement. It appears that we've not included the standard monthly charge for one or more of the following ancillary services: Business Wi-Fi, Static IPs and/or Voicemail for some time. We have since corrected this oversight, and starting with your next billing cycle, we'll begin charging your account for one or more of the services, if applicable to your account.

Q: Why wasn’t I notified in advance of this increase?

A. We mailed a letter/placed notices at least 30 days prior to the increase in your bill statements  – we apologize that you missed those notifications.

Q: When will I see the increase in my bill?

A. The cost of the service(s) will be included in your February or March bill statement, depending on your billing cycle.

Q: Is there anything that can be done to lower my bill?

A. If you would like to review your current plan features, please visit business.sparklight.com or call (877) 570-0500. Your satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us and we look forward to providing the best high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi services for your business.

At Sparklight Business, we’re committed to providing you with quality TV programming at a competitive price and we make every effort to minimize costs. In our contract negotiations with networks, we work hard to ensure you don’t suffer unfair price increases as a result of unreasonable rate demands. Over the past several years however, the networks have increased their fees at an alarming rate, and we’ve absorbed the programming costs as overhead in providing the service you subscribe to. Despite our best efforts to control these dramatically increasing programming costs, Sparklight Business, like other cable and satellite companies, must pass a portion of these costs on to our customers’ monthly cable bill.

Q. Why wasn’t I notified in advance of this increase?

A. We placed notices in your February (starting with January Cycle 27) and March billing statements regarding this increase – we apologize that you missed those notifications.

Q. Is there anything I can do to lower my bill?

A. Sparklight Business offers a variety of bundle packages that could save you money. I would be happy to go over those with you now so that we can find the best package to meet your needs.

Q. Why should I stay with Sparklight Business when I can get my service cheaper somewhere else?

A. Sparklight Business’ pricing and services are highly competitive with other cable and satellite companies. We offer a variety of bundles for cable, internet, and phone service that can help you save money each month. Plus, we offer the most reliable phone and internet service in your area as we know connectivity is critical to your business. That’s why we also offer 24/7 customer support, so that you’re always up and running, and if we’re not able to meet those expectations, we’ll make it right with our 30-day money back satisfaction guarantee.

We understand that billing increases are never easy, which is why we do our best to minimize costs while still providing our customers with the best TV programming at a reasonable price.  

Sports Surcharge

Q. Why did my Sports Surcharge increase?

A. Sports programming has become one of the biggest drivers of programming cost increases for cable and satellite providers, and now represents more than one third of Sparklight Business’ programming costs. Despite our best efforts to control these sports programming fees, Sparklight Business, like other cable and satellite companies, can no longer continue to absorb these increased costs. This surcharge covers a small portion of our costs to carry increasingly expensive sports programming, including ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports, Tennis Channel, and Regional Sports Networks. 

Q. What kinds of sporting events are you talking about?

A. Networks are now paying billions of dollars for the ability to broadcast college and professional sporting events, including football, baseball, basketball, hockey, car racing, tennis, golf, soccer, the Winter and Summer Olympics, and more.  Networks then pass these fees on to cable and satellite providers.

Q. Why wasn’t I notified in advance of this increase to the Sports Surcharge?

A.  We placed notices in your February (started with January Cycle 27) and March billing statements regarding this increase – we apologize that you missed those notifications.  

Q.  Other companies don’t have a Sports Surcharge, so why do you?

A.  Actually, nearly all cable and satellite companies, including DirecTV have been billing customers a Sports Surcharge for the past several years.      

Q. Why can’t I just pick the channels I want to watch since I don’t watch sports?

A. Unfortunately, programmers set certain rules or guidelines for how their channels can be sold to customers, including what channels must be sold together, where the channels are positioned, and which cable packages can contain their channels.  This prevents us from allowing customers the option of selecting their channels a la carte.  

Broadcast Surcharge

Q. Why did the Broadcast TV Surcharge on my statement increase?

A. This Broadcast TV Surcharge reflects a portion of the rapidly escalating charges levied by the owners of your local broadcast TV stations, including NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and others.  

The retransmission consent fees that local broadcast TV stations charge Sparklight Business to carry their channels have increased nearly 90 percent over the past three years.  This is despite the fact that broadcast TV stations use spectrum granted to them for free by the federal government, and customers can pick these signals up for free with an antenna. Despite our best efforts to control these dramatically increasing retransmission consent fees, Sparklight Business, like other cable and satellite companies, can no longer continue to absorb these increased costs, and must pass these fees along to our customers.   

Q. Why can broadcast TV stations charge for carriage of their signals?

A. Broadcast TV stations distribute their signals over the air, using free spectrum granted to them by the federal government. In effect, taxpayers are subsidizing the distribution of broadcast, or "network-affiliated," TV signals. These same broadcast TV stations are then allowed by the government to charge cable and satellite companies to retransmit their signals, and if cable and satellite companies don't agree to pay, broadcast TV stations can force us to drop their channels, thereby adversely impacting our customers. 

Q. Do other Cable or Satellite providers have this charge?

A. The majority of cable companies and DirecTV have been charging a Broadcast TV Surcharge to cover a portion of the retransmission costs from local broadcast TV stations for the past several years. 

Q. Can I drop these channels and get these channels over the air?

A. The FCC requires Sparklight Business carry these local broadcast TV channels in our packages; therefore, we are unable to sell TV services without these channels.

Q. Are all local broadcast or network-affiliated TV stations charging Sparklight Business? 

A. The majority of all local broadcast TV stations require significant payment from any cable or satellite provider to retransmit their programming and it is a portion of their charges that are reflected in the Broadcast TV Surcharge. 

Your billing statement is not only used to provide you with the amount that is due for that month, but also serves as a way for us to communicate important updates with your account. See below for instructions on how to read your monthly statement.

• Special Messaging Area: Any extra notes that require your attention.
• Contact Info: If you need our hours of operations, phone number, address or website. 
• Your Info & Account Number: Your account number, name and address will appear on all payments you send us.
• Account Summary: May included previous balance, payment, adjustments, partial month charge, monthly charge, installation charge, taxes, and other details.
  • Previous Balance: Your previous balance should always be zero unless we did not receive a payment for a previous month. If there is an amount listed, it is due immediately. If you have sent in the payment at the time we are printing your bill, that payment will not be reflected on your statement and you will see a previous balance. Please call to ensure we received payment.
  • Payment Received: This will reflect the last payment we received from you and that has been credited to your account.
  • Monthly Fee: Monthly fees for your service are billed one month in advance. New customers will see a greater monthly fee on your first bill. This is a partial month of service from your activation date to the end of your first billing period and a full fee for your next month billed in advance.
  • Taxes and Fees: Taxes and Fees associated with your account.
  • Due Date: Date the total amount of your bill due. Payment of the total amount must be made upon receipt of the statement.
  • Billed From - Billed To: The period covering this billing statement.
  • Special Information: Any extra notes regarding your statement such as if you are signed up for Easy Pay.

Balance Due: Any total outstanding balance.

Operator Assistance or Directory Assistance (e.g. 411).

Sparklight Business SPIN # is 143016933.

Sparklight Business offers a variety of bundle packages that could save you money. I would be happy to go over those with you now so that we can find the best package to meet your needs.

We are committed to providing our customers with quality TV programming at a competitive price and we make every effort to minimize costs. In our contract negotiations with cable networks, we work hard to ensure our customers don't suffer unfair price increases as a result of unreasonable rate demands. Over the past several years, however, cable networks have continued to increase their fees at an alarming rate. Additionally, as with other companies, supply chain challenges, labor shortages and market inflation have increased our operational costs. Despite our best efforts to control these dramatically increasing costs, Sparklight Business, like other cable and satellite companies, must pass a portion of these costs on to our customers.

Q. Why wasn't I notified in advance of this increase?

A.  We placed notices in your November/December billing statements regarding this increase – we apologize that you missed this notification. 

Q. Is there anything I can do to lower my bill?

A. Sparklight Business offers a variety of bundle packages that could save you money. Please give us a call, and we would be happy to go over our plans with you: 1-877-570-0500.

Q. Why should I stay with Sparklight Business when I can get my service cheaper somewhere else?

A. Sparklight Business' pricing and services are highly competitive with other cable and satellite companies. We offer a variety of bundles for cable, internet, and phone service that can help you save money each month. Plus, we offer the most reliable phone and internet service in your area as we know connectivity is critical to your business. That's why we also offer 24/7 customer support, so that you're always up and running, and if we're not able to meet those expectations, we'll make it right with our 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee.

We understand that billing increases are never easy, which is why we do our best to minimize costs while still providing our customers with the best TV programming at a reasonable price.

Q. Why did I receive a $.02 increase to my FCC Regulatory Fee?

A.  This is a fee charged by the Federal Communications Commission. This is the first time Sparklight has increased this fee in more than 10 years.  

Q. I read/heard that the $10 monthly Bonus Bundled Discount will be removed. Why?

A. Your 3-month Bonus Bundle Discount is set to expire. We will adjust your next bill statement accordingly to reflect the removal of the $10 monthly discount that was initially applied starting with your August 2022 billing statements.