DeKalb residents may see a 5-percent increase in their cable bills this summer, city manager Jim Connors said Thursday.

The city is considering renegotiating a 15-year agreement with AT&T that expires in May. The basic rate for city cable currently is $9.51 a month, but residents could see those bills rise to $9.98 & a 4.9-percent increase — as early as July 1.

Officials have 60 days from April 1 to review the proposed rate hike. Connors said the city will seek a six-month extension for AT&T negotiations, but to dispute the rate increase and search for another cable provider could cost DeKalb residents more in the long run.

The company’s efforts to improve its services have been unsatisfying, Connors noted.

“AT&T was supposed to improve the reception of [channels] 2 and 5 by 1995, but city documents show they did not break the threshold for the agreement, and therefore, there is no need to extend the agreement,” he said.

To persuade DeKalb to renew its cable agreement, AT&T wants to show officials models of recent agreements it has made with other cities. Connors expects to have a full report by next week.

“We’re looking to see what other towns have done, to see whether 4.9 [percent] is appropriate,” he said.