Watching basic cable on your TV used to be simple. But if the FCC has its way, basic cable won’t be so basic (or free) anymore.

Under a recent Federal Communications Commission rule change effective Dec. 10, millions of television owners who do not currently have a cable box will have to get one for every set, according to public service consumer resource guide Consumer World.

And for some consumers, that could mean an additional monthly rental fee to access cable down the road.

“The FCC has once again found a way to pick the pockets of cable customers,’ Consumer World founder Edgar Dworsky said in a press release.

Under the FCC’s new rule, local cable TV operators can now scramble their signals, which means a set-top box will be required on every TV to view programs. Those boxes cost around $10 each per month, according to Consumer World.

Before someone says “just put up an antenna”, remember that there are people who, because of their location, only have access to one or two OTA networks. If I lived in a metro area like LA or SF, I would certainly do that, but I don’t.

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