Comcast has angered consumers with its recent decision to move popular channels like Spike TV and CMT to a more expensive tier, Multichannel News reported.

According to the report, the channels, which also include POP (the former TV Guide Channel), have been moved from the Digital Starter package to the Digital Preferred tier. To get the channels on the latter tier, customers will have to pay an additional $9.99 per month, the report indicated.

In a statement, Comcast attributed the changes to a need to compensate for “increased programming costs.”

The move has sparked outrage from both subscribers and Viacom, the company behind Spike TV and CMT. In addition to claiming the change was made in violation of its agreement with Comcast, Viacom also noted Comcast alone would be the one to absorb extra dollars made from the change.

Accusations of greed were also hurled at Comcast by angry subscribers on Twitter using the hashtag #Comcast. One Twitter user went so far as to predict that the move would push more customers to DirecTV.

Though a fairly regular practice among cable providers, channel shifting has becoming increasingly fraught as networks seek to retain viewers in the face of a growing trend toward thrift in consumer cable spending.

Last year, Disney’s ESPN filed suit against Verizon over the way the provider was distributing the sports channels in its Fios Custom TV service. A few months later, Disney was forced to trim its TV profit outlook – and ultimately around 300 jobs – thanks to a loss of ESPN subscribers.