Choice Xtra Classic vs. Choice Xtra

[acjohnson55]

Hey folks,

I'm having trouble figuring out if I'm going to lose anything by "upgrading" to Choice Xtra. It looks like when the new Choice Xtra first came out, it lost Tennis, Golf, CBS Sports, and NFL channels. But today, it looks like Choice Xtra actually retains all those, plus adds MSG and YES. Yet, Choice Xtra Classsic says it has 210+ channels vs. Choice Xtra's 205+. I'm I missing anything here? I just don't want to make the switch and then find out that I've lost out somehow.

 

[mitchflorida]

i don't think you will get tennis, nhl, or chiller. msg and yes depends on where you live.

 

[Mr Tony]

Choice Xtra Classic has these channels that the new Choice Xtra does not

Boomerang
CBS Sports Channel
Chiller
Golf Channel
NHL Network
Sprout
Style
Tennis Channel

MSG & YES are only available if you are in the correct market to get them as your RSN

 

[lparsons21]

Yet the channel lineup from D* still shows Golf Channel as in Choice Xtra.

 

[acjohnson55]

Choice Xtra Classic has these channels that the new Choice Xtra does not

Boomerang
CBS Sports Channel
Chiller
Golf Channel
NHL Network
Sprout
Style
Tennis Channel

MSG & YES are only available if you are in the correct market to get them as your RSN

Okay, so apparently my market does have MSG and YES, so that's that.

But I'm looking at the channel lineup in the package listing, and I see the following missing from Choice Xtra, but present in Choice Xtra Classic:

Bommerang
Chiller
Style

But I see CBS Sports and Golf are on the listing for Choice Xtra. Maybe I'm just in the correct market for those too?

The following appear to be missing from both packages, but in fact, I can tune them on Choice Xtra Classic:
NHL
Sprout
Tennis

It seems dishonest of DirecTV to make it appear online as though I'd not be losing those channels in the upgrade...

 

[jcrandall]

So the original channels moved from Xtra to Ultimate this past February was:
Boomerang, CBS Sports, Chiller, Golf, NHL, PBS Sprout, Style, and Tennis.

Recently, Golf Channel and CBS Sports were moved back from Ultimate to Xtra for new customers instead of just being part of "Xtra Classic."

So now it is just six channels that are "grandfathered" for Choice Xtra Classic:
Boomerang
Chiller
NHL Network
PBS Sprout
Style
Tennis Channel

 

[Mr Tony]

good to know

 

[lparsons21]

That change gives me more flexibility, glad to see it happened.

 

[RandallA]

I don't know if I'm ready to lose my cartoons (Boomerang).

 

[Mo Fly]

well i stayed with xtra classic because the golf channel is a must for me. how much cheaper is choice xtra?

edit

ok, well i just went to the website and it looks like choice xtra is the same price as xtra classic. so why would anyone go with choice xtra if they already had xtra classic?

 

[acjohnson55]

well i stayed with xtra classic because the golf channel is a must for me. how much cheaper is choice xtra?

edit

ok, well i just went to the website and it looks like choice xtra is the same price as xtra classic. so why would anyone go with choice xtra if they already had xtra classic?

You get to keep Golf.

There's really no compelling reason to move over from Classic, other than the fact that they make life a pain in the ass if you don't, by not letting you make adjustments to your package online.

 

[rapidturtle]

I don't know if I'm ready to lose my cartoons (Boomerang).

I just signed up with D*, and went with the choice xtra. I was a little bummed out the Boomerang channel wasn't in there.

 

[Blueridge66]

I've had a recent experience of Classic vs xtra...... about 8 mos. ago I bundled DTV with Century Link.... all was well until a couple months ago and my bundled bill went up $8 with a note on the bill I had changed packages, which I hadn't. After several calls I was told it was because Classic wasn't a "qualified" package. But after going thru several CSR's I was told it was a mistake and Classic was a qualified package and they credited my bill. The next month comes along and the same thing but this time I was told the previous CSR made a mistake and Classic didn't qualified..... so life is too short to fuss with them and I "unbundled" DTV rather than spending more phone time and elevating my blood pressure. Bottom line is don't care getting everything on one bill anyway.

 

[Jimbo]

I've had a recent experience of Classic vs xtra...... about 8 mos. ago I bundled DTV with Century Link.... all was well until a couple months ago and my bundled bill went up $8 with a note on the bill I had changed packages, which I hadn't. After several calls I was told it was because Classic wasn't a "qualified" package. But after going thru several CSR's I was told it was a mistake and Classic was a qualified package and they credited my bill. The next month comes along and the same thing but this time I was told the previous CSR made a mistake and Classic didn't qualified..... so life is too short to fuss with them and I "unbundled" DTV rather than spending more phone time and elevating my blood pressure. Bottom line is don't care getting everything on one bill anyway.

YA, I'm suppose to get a "Employee Discount" with our agreement (D* and ATT) but ATT seems to not understand the word EMPLOYEE.
I don't live in an ATT area so I cant use thier service, however I am still an EMPLOYEE and should get a $ 10 p/m discount, but for 4 years now going on 5 they nhave failed to add my discount, got tired of it and quit trying.

 

[jcrandall]

I feel ya Jimbo...

I give AT&T $150+ a month for wireless. That's well more than I'd spend on a basic landline and DSL, if they were available in my area which they are not.

Either way, the $5 bundle discount is only available for DSL customers, no wireless. Worst part is it took at least 5 phone calls for someone to explain that instead of just transfering me.

Kinda weak that the AT&T employees only get $10 off when their landline customers get $5.

 

[Mr Tony]

I've had a recent experience of Classic vs xtra...... about 8 mos. ago I bundled DTV with Century Link.... all was well until a couple months ago and my bundled bill went up $8 with a note on the bill I had changed packages, which I hadn't. After several calls I was told it was because Classic wasn't a "qualified" package. But after going thru several CSR's I was told it was a mistake and Classic was a qualified package and they credited my bill. The next month comes along and the same thing but this time I was told the previous CSR made a mistake and Classic didn't qualified..... so life is too short to fuss with them and I "unbundled" DTV rather than spending more phone time and elevating my blood pressure. Bottom line is don't care getting everything on one bill anyway.

I've had my Directv bundled with Qwest (now CL) for 2+ years with no issues. Nothing has ever changed on my plan unless I made changes

 

[bobvick]

I've had my Directv bundled with Qwest (now CL) for 2+ years with no issues. Nothing has ever changed on my plan unless I made changes

Do you get a single bill from CenturyLink or do you get one from DirecTV too? I have separate billing with a $5 credit on the DTV bill for being a CTL customer. Mine has been bundled for about 18 months with no problems.

 

[Blueridge66]

I've had my Directv bundled with Qwest (now CL) for 2+ years with no issues. Nothing has ever changed on my plan unless I made changes

Initially there were no problems for about 8 months. I have xtra Choice Classic. Then CL decided Classic was not a qualifying package and rescended the $5 credit. They were willing to continue to bundle however. I would think if they bundled they would give the credit. As I said I threw in the towell after numerous calls and onflicting results.
Another smaller problem I had run into was past billing statements. Since I was bundled, access to statements prior to the bundling date were not available from DTV.

 

[Jimbo]

I feel ya Jimbo...

I give AT&T $150+ a month for wireless. That's well more than I'd spend on a basic landline and DSL, if they were available in my area which they are not.

Either way, the $5 bundle discount is only available for DSL customers, no wireless. Worst part is it took at least 5 phone calls for someone to explain that instead of just transfering me.

Kinda weak that the AT&T employees only get $10 off when their landline customers get $5.

I agree, and whats worse is they won't honor it unless I UP my package again....

When att originally started the agreement in Feb of '08, that was when the Choice packages first came out (think that what the Choice back then), I had the TC+ and they wouldn't honor the $ 10 off because I wasn't on the NEW package, even though they were the SAME package with a different newer name.

Oh well, I'll KEEP my Grandfathered TC+ thank you !

It would have cost me $5 tom upgrade to the new package, so it would have only saved me $5 anyways.

 

[Mr Tony]

Do you get a single bill from CenturyLink or do you get one from DirecTV too? I have separate billing with a $5 credit on the DTV bill for being a CTL customer. Mine has been bundled for about 18 months with no problems.

no bill from Directv. One bill from CL that has my internet and Directv on it. If I call Directv for billing issues (only had to once) they (Directv) refer me to Centurylink. But everything else I call Directv for. Also Directv considers this auto pay (to get the free HD credit) even though I send a check to Centurylink (or just pay online)