▁as ▁a ▁digital ▁stream ▁over ▁the ▁Com cast ▁network , ▁signal ▁is ▁converted ▁to ▁analog ▁plain ▁old ▁tele phone ▁service ▁lines ▁at ▁the ▁cable ▁mode m , ▁which ▁outputs ▁on ▁standard ▁analog ▁R J - 1 1 ▁j acks . ▁ ▁C able ▁television ▁Com cast ' s ▁cable ▁television ▁customers ▁pe aked ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁with ▁about ▁ 2 4 . 8 ▁million ▁customers . ▁Com cast ▁had ▁lost ▁customers ▁every ▁year ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁quarter ly ▁gain ▁in ▁customers ▁since ▁their ▁peak ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Com cast ▁serves ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 1 . 7   mill ion ▁cable ▁customers . ▁The ▁average ▁cost ▁Com cast ' s ▁Digital ▁Basic ▁cable ▁subscription ▁has ▁increased ▁ 7 2 % ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁Q 4 ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Com cast ▁added ▁ 8 9 , 0 0 0 ▁new ▁video ▁subscri bers ▁which ▁was ▁their ▁best ▁result ▁in ▁ 8 ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁prices ▁of ▁subscri ptions , ▁since ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Com cast ▁charges ▁a ▁Reg ul atory ▁Rec overy ▁F ee ▁of ▁varying ▁size ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁" rec over ▁additional ▁costs ▁associated ▁with ▁government al ▁programs ." ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0