Local cable television rates are scheduled to increase next month.

A letter mailed last week to Mediacom customers indicates that the standard rate for new subscribers to the company’s family cable service will rise to $57.95 a month.

The new rates will first appear on customers’ November billing statements.

“While we continue to take every measure to keep costs in check, cable programming and operational expenses such as fuel and healthcare benefits have consistently risen,” said Larry Peterson, Mediacom’s regional vice president.

Area Manager Dale Haney did not return a call seeking comment on the increase Tuesday.

The company is preparing for a conversion to all-digital broadcasting on Nov. 19; 60 new cable channels will be added to the local lineup on that date, Mediacom officials said.

An open house at Mediacom’s local office on North Plum Street Oct. 9-11 allowed subscribers to pick up converter boxes that would allow older television sets to receive the new digital signal.

About 12 miles of fiber optic cable were added to the city system in late June and early July in preparation of the conversion.

The upgrade will also allow for some high-definition broadcasting, said Randy Hollis, Mediacom’s senior manager for government relations.