DIRECTV Raising Monthly Prices For HD
Customers will lose three channels unless they pay $4.99 extra, says e-mail notice.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (October 18, 2007) -- DIRECTV has notified subscribers that they will lose three longtime HD channel favorites unless they pay an extra $4.99 a month starting December 15.
In an e-mail sent to customers this week, DIRECTV said HDNet, HDNet Movies and Universal HD will be moved to a new programming package called "DIRECTV HD Extra Pack."
The three channels have been available for years as part of the satcaster's basic $10 a month HD package,
However, on December 15, the HD Extra Pack, which will also include three recent channel additions (Smithsonian HD, MGM HD and MHD), will cost an extra $4.99 a month.
Both new and current customers will be required to pay the $4.99 monthly fee for the six high-def channels. That will be in addition to the $10 monthly fee DIRECTV customers pay for the remaining HD channels.
DIRECTV says it now offers 74 High-Definition channels, having increased its national HD channel count from nine to 47 in the past three weeks.
In the e-mail to current customers, DIRECTV says the six channels in the HD Extra Pack will be available as part of a "free preview" until December 15.
The six channels apparently were chosen for the HD Extra Pack because they do not have a standard-definition companion channel, although Discovery's HD Theater, which is not in the Extra Pack, does not have a companion standard-def channel, either.
A DIRECTV spokesman was not available at press time. But a call to DIRECTV customer service today confirmed that current customers ---as well as new subscribers -- will have to pay the $4.99 a month fee for the HD Extra Pack
Customers will lose three channels unless they pay $4.99 extra, says e-mail notice.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (October 18, 2007) -- DIRECTV has notified subscribers that they will lose three longtime HD channel favorites unless they pay an extra $4.99 a month starting December 15.
In an e-mail sent to customers this week, DIRECTV said HDNet, HDNet Movies and Universal HD will be moved to a new programming package called "DIRECTV HD Extra Pack."
The three channels have been available for years as part of the satcaster's basic $10 a month HD package,
However, on December 15, the HD Extra Pack, which will also include three recent channel additions (Smithsonian HD, MGM HD and MHD), will cost an extra $4.99 a month.
Both new and current customers will be required to pay the $4.99 monthly fee for the six high-def channels. That will be in addition to the $10 monthly fee DIRECTV customers pay for the remaining HD channels.
DIRECTV says it now offers 74 High-Definition channels, having increased its national HD channel count from nine to 47 in the past three weeks.
In the e-mail to current customers, DIRECTV says the six channels in the HD Extra Pack will be available as part of a "free preview" until December 15.
The six channels apparently were chosen for the HD Extra Pack because they do not have a standard-definition companion channel, although Discovery's HD Theater, which is not in the Extra Pack, does not have a companion standard-def channel, either.
A DIRECTV spokesman was not available at press time. But a call to DIRECTV customer service today confirmed that current customers ---as well as new subscribers -- will have to pay the $4.99 a month fee for the HD Extra Pack
