First Bell TV drops HD Net, Now the Movieola is Cancelled - But Subscription Rate Increases What Gi

[jsattv]

First Bell TV dropped my most favourite Channel - HD Net on Dec 7, now I notice on my Monthly Bill that "Movieola TV" will soon be dropped. All of this is being done in light of a Subscription Increase starting this month. That's a real deal for us Bell Customers, ie. Drop Channels and Increase Subscription Rates! What is happening with pennypinching Bell TV?? Time to change to Shaw TV?

 

[Slartibartfarst]

Greed.

Don't forget we will also loose Baby First TV.......

But we did just gain 2 new HD Channels, so it is not all bad, just mostly bad.

 

[jsattv]

Which 2 new HD channels did we just get?

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

Before investing any new hardware $ in Bell, southern subs would be wise to wait until N6 replaces N1 later this year - to see what the new footprint is.

As for Bell Satellite, Bell has more or less pulled the plug on it - no further investment as this has been a money loser from day 1. All their future investment will be in fibe TV. So the future is clear for Bell subs - more HD Lite, lower PQ as 27 more HD channels are added to existing transponders this year.

 

[jsattv]

Before investing any new hardware $ in Bell, southern subs would be wise to wait until N6 replaces N1 later this year - to see what the new footprint is.

As for Bell Satellite, Bell has more or less pulled the plug on it - no further investment as this has been a money loser from day 1. All their future investment will be in fibe TV. So the future is clear for Bell subs - more HD Lite, lower PQ as 27 more HD channels are added to existing transponders this year.

Jumbo, Its pretty hard to believe that Bell TV could be losing money with their very large Sat TV customer base, - isn't it more than 1 million Customers Canada wide alone? What do you mean by lower PQ? Also I heard that Bell were also looking into and / or installing TV to the Home on copper wired pair, like MTS did in Manitoba. MTS has some 75,000 Customer on TV to the Home, High Speed Internet, as well as Telephone Service. This is a great way to utilize the existing copper pair to the Home.

 

[QCK]

jasttv, it is trure Bell TV has never made money and everything Jumbo said is correct. They will also not spend the money to go to MPEG4 which pretty much says they have no desire to invest anymore then necessary to get by in their satellite service.

 

[peano]

Yup. Jumbo is correct. Worst PQ of any satellite provider. Worst customer service. Highest prices.

 

[MCIBUS]

Assuming all this is correct, I could see BTV shutting down and sub leassing the spots 82 & 91 to Dish or DTV? Or is it Telesat that owns those spots? In any case I could see that happening?

 

[Mr Tony]

82 would be useless as the coverage area is mainly Canada and the 1st or 2nd state in as you cross the border. 85% of the US cant see 82W

And honestly neither D* nor E* would need them....or from an equipment side be feasible.

Directv has 99 KA/101/103KA/110/119 and 95KU for International. If you get International programming (non English or Spanish) you need 2 dishes. Otherwise everyone else gets a nice neat DIsh setup

SD only...101 or maybe 101/119
HD...99/101/103 for major markets and 119 added for minor markets
Spanish...119 is added on either one

There is nothing on 110 right now for Directv


Dish uses 61.5/72/77 for Eastern Arc and 110/119/129 for Western Arc. Dish rolled out a new setup with one dish for either arc...the only thing that changes is the LNB

 

[vurbano]

I know I will get beat up by the old Marc Cuban devotees but the loss of HDnet is no great loss really. The programming is not really compelling anymore. It was great once because at the beginning it was the only game in town really. But we have come a long way since having only 5 HD channels and watching vanderbilt play Yale in football doesnt cut it anymore.

 

[QCK]

^^^ Not if you are an MMA fan, nothing comes ahywhere even close to the covereage and events that are offered from HDNET.

 

[jsattv]

I know I will get beat up by the old Marc Cuban devotees but the loss of HDnet is no great loss really. The programming is not really compelling anymore. It was great once because at the beginning it was the only game in town really. But we have come a long way since having only 5 HD channels and watching vanderbilt play Yale in football doesnt cut it anymore.

Besides the MMA stuff, it's pretty hard to beat their Sunday Night 2 - 3 hour concerts ie John Forgetty, James Taylor in last 3-4 months, the HD Movies, as well as their great Shuttle Launch coverage which will end this year, - I know I can get these Launches on my FTA Receiver but this was very convenient as you could easily pre record them on the PVR. No doubt about it, this is nothing but a cost cutting move at the expense of the Bell TV Subscribers. Less TV programming but more money for a Subscription Increase in January.