DirecTV Price Increase Effective 2/27/08

[bsexton]

Have'nt we had an increase every year for the last 4 years of $3 , or has it been 5 years , My question is when does it stop, will we all be paying $200 to watch Tv by 2020 .

Don't be silly. It'll be more than that... you forgot to account for inflation.

 

[Jimbo]

Vurb, I normally agree with you, but this time, no. Actually its time to CANCEL your service and tell them why. D* used to pride themselves being cheaper than cable. It isn't anymore. CANCEL. its just tv.

And, just in case anyone wants to know, yep, I did. Cancel that is. But it was the abortion of a DVR that put me over the edge.

Local cable here is still much more for the same programming.

Jimbo

 

[Stargazer]

Wow, a $5 increase on their highest package plus DVR fee not included? That is $11 plus tax that is $12!!!!! OUCH!!!!! Tv is really getting to the point to where it is getting outrageous. Think of how expensive tv is going to be in 5-10 years. It is like gas, guaranteed to go up in price and won't drop! I can see Dish Network charging the DVR fees in their AEP package now just like DirecTv done. Some people have probably seen as much as a $15-20 increase in just the past 2-3 years.

 

[kingofku]

Have'nt we had an increase every year for the last 4 years of $3 , or has it been 5 years , My question is when does it stop, will we all be paying $200 to watch Tv by 2020 .

Well, when I started driving gasoline was about 29 cents a gallon....so you might not be too far off!

 

[eScNuK3r]

Price Increase

For of you who want to get rid of the protection plan. Service call fees are $79.95 without the protection plan. The plan itself maybe good for all of those failures of equitment. But for the price increases I would definetly let D* know your feedback or escalate to an superviors and get 6 months free of HD Extra Pack. Which most people still see as that is an rip off, but we will see. And for the remote control replacements they are $15 dollars. But the retail price for HD-Dvr dropped to $199, but they might charge you $0 to $99 for the installation and then $19.95 for shipping and handling for an idiot technican to come out and install it wrong or damage your home. Where does the price increases stop... I want to know that.

 

[Jhon69]

For of you who want to get rid of the protection plan. Service call fees are $79.95 without the protection plan. The plan itself maybe good for all of those failures of equitment. But for the price increases I would definetly let D* know your feedback or escalate to an superviors and get 6 months free of HD Extra Pack. Which most people still see as that is an rip off, but we will see. And for the remote control replacements they are $15 dollars. But the retail price for HD-Dvr dropped to $199, but they might charge you $0 to $99 for the installation and then $19.95 for shipping and handling for an idiot technican to come out and install it wrong or damage your home. Where does the price increases stop... I want to know that.

To avoid another commitment when you replace a DVR don't you have to have the protection plan?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Local cable here is still much more for the same programming.

Jimbo

Not in my town! Now they are all the same price.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

To avoid another commitment when you replace a DVR don't you have to have the protection plan?

Yes!

 

[gadgtfreek]

Well, In my case I have to move to Norfolk soon. D* does not have hd lils and will be about $8 higher per month than Cox. Easy decision.

 

[FlyingJ]

This is good!

Looks like DISH Network is still a good deal afterall even after the price increases!

Very smart Einstein.

 

[Indiana627]

Local cable here is still much more for the same programming.

Jimbo

Local cable here (TWC in Buffalo) would still be more for MUCH less HD channels. I did a price comparison yesterday after reading this thread.

 

[bidger`]

Local cable here (TWC in Buffalo) would still be more for MUCH less HD channels. I did a price comparison yesterday after reading this thread.

Well, TWC here (Elmira, NY) mentions "Home of free HD" in their mailers, but when you only offer a dozen HD channels and only 2 of the broadcast networks in HD (NBC and PBS), you should be ashamed to charge for it.

How did this blindside anyone? All the providers do it in tandem, you see a rate hike for one, you should know you're down the line. And if you think by switching providers you insure you'll never see another rate hike, there's a certain bridge in a NYC borough I could sell you.

 

[Mike0616]

Local cable here (TWC in Buffalo) would still be more for MUCH less HD channels. I did a price comparison yesterday after reading this thread.

Same here in the sunny south. Comcrap is more than D*, but they are catching up on HD. They now have 10 (yes, ten) HD stations, including locals that I get OTA and are still using the fantastic ever reliable moto 64xx boxes (aka toasters.)

While D* is far from perfect, they are the best option in this market, if they would just get the HD LILs here, but then what would I have to complain about?

 

[DNiermeyer]

A few things that were missed from the letter we received:

All older (expired) packages will also increase by $3

Distant Nets will increase to $1.99 for one feed (I don't remember what both E and W increase is)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Here is the complete email which was sent to retailers.

2008 PROGRAMMING PACKAGE RATE ADJUSTMENT IN FEBRUARY

In our effort to continue to bring customers the best television entertainment,
we have an on-going business need to recoup the rising costs of programming
that is passed onto us by our content providers. Effective February 27, 2008,
DIRECTV's programming prices for new and existing Direct to Home (MDU and JDU)
customers will be updated as follows:
Package Name Current Price Increase New Price
(Effective 2/27/08)
FAMILY(tm) $29.99 $0.00 $29.99
PREFERRED CHOICE(tm) $29.99 $3.00 $32.99
CHOICE(tm) $49.99 $3.00 $52.99
CHOICEs XTRA(tm) $54.99 $3.00 $57.99
PLUS DVR(tm) $59.99 $3.00 $62.99
PLUS HD DVR(tm) $69.99 $3.00 $72.99
PREMIER(tm) $99.99 $5.00 $104.99
Additionally, HBO will increase by $1 to $14, with premium service combinations
that include HBO also increasing by $1. All other premium channel prices will
remain the same.
Customers that are new to DIRECTV and joined under a National Offer Promotion
from Q4 06 thru Q4 07 will be price protected for 12 months from their
activation date.
Formal letters were sent out via U.S. mail, so please keep an eye out for the
full details.

 

[DSS Fan]

Pretty soon, One will have to get a part time Job to just pay the Satellite Bill. Ouch!

 

[DanG48]

I think for what we have got from Directv, channels, reception quality, etc. the $3.00 is not bad. Check with people around the US with cable and see what they have paid the last few years. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!!

 

[whalerfan]

If you object then the best option is to cut services back.

I'd be happy to. But what you're saying = Al la Carte!

 

[Indiana627]

Well, TWC here (Elmira, NY) mentions "Home of free HD" in their mailers

Same here, though I really don't understand what they're trying to say.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I said that when the price of sat tv went over $100.00 a month I would cut back , but I didn't. I added HD instead and have been paying over $135.00 a month for the last year . THis year with either DISH or DIRECTV you will see a $5.00 increase on their AEP /PRemier packs. AT least Directv will allow you to cut down to a dvr plus pack and it covers ALL the dvrs on your account. DISH only covers one and you have to pay $6.00 for an hd dvr vs $5.00 for an sd dvr. DIRECTv seems to care about keeping the price for dvrs down for the lower choice pack subs and DISH seems to care about only keeping the price down for the AEP subs with dvrs. I would cut down to a dvr advantge pack with DISH but get hit with $11.98 in dvr fees for doing so and lose programming . AT least DISH has followed DIRECTV with their 10.00 hd pack . I can drop my hd programming by $10.00 and absorb the $5.00 price increase with AEP and still lower my bill by $5.00 this year.

BUt in the end I will have to decide what is more important. WE have had 8 years of price increases with no end in sight. I started AEP at $69.99 and now it will be $99.99 with locals. THat is a $30.00 increase in over 7 years . IF this keeps up and my salary doesn't , I will have to decide whether all this extra programming is worth it. I could always go with ota now that it is all in hd . That may be where we are all headed if the yearly price increases keep up. When Americans finally have enough of these price increases they will cut down on programming and extras and push back . Then they will have to cut down on the inflated price of programming. Does anyone really think that HBO is worth $14.00 a month?