I view this "increase' as a "leak" on purpose and the way it was fed out to some by various ways as D* having room to possibly change some of their HIGH increases and I bet they have assigned monitors to all the boards to see if they can hold to that exact increase or not. Just like the government and other companies do all the time and then the final product may be the same or lower depending on the feedback.
New prices/packages?
- Thread starter Willis
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 160
- Views 29K
- Status
There is another angle. It's weak, but it's still there.
You're not getting the OTA signal from D*, but you are using their tuner to display it... and if that tuner flakes-out, you're calling D* for tech support. Regardless of whether you're getting their HD signal, they are obligated to support your hardware as long as it's active on your account.
If history is any indicator, you are 100% wrong. These "leaks" have always been accurate.
Question from someone considering switching from cable to D*:
if I get the Premier package for $100 and the $11 HD access fee, I get:
all basic channels
all premium movie channels
locals
HD versions of all the above (where available)
an HD DVR
for $111/month before tax? That's not bad. Or am I missing any hidden/other fees?
BTW if it is $111 that's actually cheaper than the E* equivalent:
$90 America's Everything
$20 HD
$5 Locals
$115 total
if I get the Premier package for $100 and the $11 HD access fee, I get:
all basic channels
all premium movie channels
locals
HD versions of all the above (where available)
an HD DVR
for $111/month before tax? That's not bad. Or am I missing any hidden/other fees?
BTW if it is $111 that's actually cheaper than the E* equivalent:
$90 America's Everything
$20 HD
$5 Locals
$115 total
according to that pricing 10 HD channels will be included on Feb 6th, what are the extra 3? as we only get 7 now- TNT, ESPN2, Espn, Discovery, HDNet, HDnetmovies, and universal) forgot they do give us the NBA HD channel, and VS, but still those arent full time channels, anyone venturing a guess?
Two stations that I have seen mentioned as coming out early this year are the new Versus/OLN channel and National Geographic HD. HGTV could be the third.
Does anyone have any idea how long D* will allow us to use the "old packages" ?
I am sure there must be a set time frame....Just thinking, I wonder how adding the Sports Pak or HBO in say March would affect ones "old package" status?
I am sure there must be a set time frame....Just thinking, I wonder how adding the Sports Pak or HBO in say March would affect ones "old package" status?
The 10 HD cannels are the HD Pack (7), HBO, Showtime, & HD PPV.
Nothing new until the sats go up.
Nothing new until the sats go up.
I dont think this is correct as if thats the case then even if I dont pay for HBO, I get HBOHD? and HD PPV??? all included in that price, I think there are seperate HD channels being added.
I agree with you , if that is the case I should get HBO HD and the others included in the $10.99
DirecTV’s Turn for Rate Hike
from multichannel.com
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408223.html?display=Breaking+News
Following in the footsteps of its direct-broadcast satellite rival, DirecTV is raising its rates this year and renaming its program packages, the nation’s largest satellite provider confirmed Thursday.
DirecTV, with more than 15 million subscribers, will raise its prices on average just under 4% this year, director of public relations Robert Mercer said. The rates and increases on its packages for new and current customers will be different.
In a report Thursday, Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet wrote that DirecTV’s new price for its basic package, Total Choice, will be $49.99 per month, up $5 from the prior $44.99. That tier will be renamed Choice.
DirecTV’s Total Choice Plus offering, formerly $49.99, is now $5 more, at $54.99, and it is being renamed Choice Xtra, he wrote.
But Mercer said those rates and name changes will only apply to packages for new subscribers. DirecTV’s existing Total Choice subscribers will see their package only rise $3 per month, to $47.99, and existing Total Choice Plus customers will be paying $2 more, or $51.99.
Both new and old subscribers will see their Total Choice Premiere renamed Premiere.
News of DirecTV’s rate hike follows EchoStar Communications’ announcement late last year that its Dish Network will raise rates an average of 3%-4% this year and rebrand its program packages.
“DirecTV’s pricing action is larger than EchoStar’s in both absolute and percentage terms, and it is more heavily focused on the highly subscribed, lower-service tiers,” Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett wrote in a report Thursday.
“While EchoStar is holding the line at the low end -- and, thereby, emphasizing its value advantage to price-sensitive consumers -- DirecTV is aggressively raising prices at the low end and keeping high-end rates flat, emphasizing their positioning as the premium provider of video, in our view,” Moffett wrote. “The move, which is consistent with their 2007 emphasis on HDTV, can be expected to further differentiate the two services at their respective ‘high-end/low-end’ poles.”
The price increases for new DirecTV subscribers kick in Feb. 6, and for current customers, the increases are effective March 1, according to Mercer.
from multichannel.com
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408223.html?display=Breaking+News
Following in the footsteps of its direct-broadcast satellite rival, DirecTV is raising its rates this year and renaming its program packages, the nation’s largest satellite provider confirmed Thursday.
DirecTV, with more than 15 million subscribers, will raise its prices on average just under 4% this year, director of public relations Robert Mercer said. The rates and increases on its packages for new and current customers will be different.
In a report Thursday, Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet wrote that DirecTV’s new price for its basic package, Total Choice, will be $49.99 per month, up $5 from the prior $44.99. That tier will be renamed Choice.
DirecTV’s Total Choice Plus offering, formerly $49.99, is now $5 more, at $54.99, and it is being renamed Choice Xtra, he wrote.
But Mercer said those rates and name changes will only apply to packages for new subscribers. DirecTV’s existing Total Choice subscribers will see their package only rise $3 per month, to $47.99, and existing Total Choice Plus customers will be paying $2 more, or $51.99.
Both new and old subscribers will see their Total Choice Premiere renamed Premiere.
News of DirecTV’s rate hike follows EchoStar Communications’ announcement late last year that its Dish Network will raise rates an average of 3%-4% this year and rebrand its program packages.
“DirecTV’s pricing action is larger than EchoStar’s in both absolute and percentage terms, and it is more heavily focused on the highly subscribed, lower-service tiers,” Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett wrote in a report Thursday.
“While EchoStar is holding the line at the low end -- and, thereby, emphasizing its value advantage to price-sensitive consumers -- DirecTV is aggressively raising prices at the low end and keeping high-end rates flat, emphasizing their positioning as the premium provider of video, in our view,” Moffett wrote. “The move, which is consistent with their 2007 emphasis on HDTV, can be expected to further differentiate the two services at their respective ‘high-end/low-end’ poles.”
The price increases for new DirecTV subscribers kick in Feb. 6, and for current customers, the increases are effective March 1, according to Mercer.
I've been talking with DTV about the HD packages and have some input to add. The Story: During the Buckeye/Gator game on 1/8/07, my DTV Phillips Tivo box decided to reset itself. I called DTV to complain. Spoke with a Customer Retention person (declined to talk with Tech Support) and they cut me a deal on the HR20 w/ 5LNb Dish. The deal was $99 for upgrade on rental box ($199/3 months, w/ $100 discount applied first month) along with 4 months free HD service. They didn't mention anything about a new 2 year contract either. I scheduled to have it installed on 2/3/2007 and became very anxious to see what I was getting. I looked online regarding the HD channels they would be giving me and only saw a list of 7 channels plus the KC area locals. I immediately went to the web and e-mailed my concern of the number of channels they had and my desire to see more channels (I compared my level of service to my inlaw's Dish HD service). The next day was the CES announcement that the CEO made regarding the improved service that DTV will be offering this summer (~August). I was happy. My question was answered pretty quickly. That night (1/9/07) I received an e-mail from customer support addressing my concerns and saying that improved service was on the way this summer. I then received 2 more e-mail with regard to my inquiry from different reps and got the same basic answers.
Tuesday (1/16/2007), I received a call from a DTV rep regarding if my questions had been fully answered. (I was flaberghasted by the amount of attention I was getting.) I told them Yes, except that now I was wondering what the new packages would be. The rep said that they had received an e-mail regarding it a few days earlier and began filling me in with the levels that are being quoted in the other posts (about $5 more than current levels). From what the rep said, this is what I gather. They will begin offering the new pricing in March even though the increase in national HD channels won't occur until Jun, July, and/or August when DirecTV-10 and DirecTV-11 launch and pass testing. The new prices will include DVR service fees as the service will be a standard for all new customers and old customers who renew. The rep then said the new packages are supposed to keep the existing channels and add all of the national HD channels (although we won't really know if this is true until it happens). Existing customers will then have the option of keeping the existing services and rates or upgrading later.
I'm happy with the answers I received, however I did express my concern to the rep when he told me that if I chose to sign with the new package in March, that my rates would be increasing $5 over what I am paying now without me receiving any additional services. The rep then tried to justify it to me by saying that there were some upfront costs that needed to be covered by the company and that this was the only way. I gave him a quick piece of my mind regarding that B$ and the conversation ended. Anybody else have any thoughts on this?
Tuesday (1/16/2007), I received a call from a DTV rep regarding if my questions had been fully answered. (I was flaberghasted by the amount of attention I was getting.) I told them Yes, except that now I was wondering what the new packages would be. The rep said that they had received an e-mail regarding it a few days earlier and began filling me in with the levels that are being quoted in the other posts (about $5 more than current levels). From what the rep said, this is what I gather. They will begin offering the new pricing in March even though the increase in national HD channels won't occur until Jun, July, and/or August when DirecTV-10 and DirecTV-11 launch and pass testing. The new prices will include DVR service fees as the service will be a standard for all new customers and old customers who renew. The rep then said the new packages are supposed to keep the existing channels and add all of the national HD channels (although we won't really know if this is true until it happens). Existing customers will then have the option of keeping the existing services and rates or upgrading later.
I'm happy with the answers I received, however I did express my concern to the rep when he told me that if I chose to sign with the new package in March, that my rates would be increasing $5 over what I am paying now without me receiving any additional services. The rep then tried to justify it to me by saying that there were some upfront costs that needed to be covered by the company and that this was the only way. I gave him a quick piece of my mind regarding that B$ and the conversation ended. Anybody else have any thoughts on this?
Why would you want to sign up with the new package, when your current package would only increase $3 at the most?
Personally I am interested to see what DirecTV will do for us folks that have the the H10 NS H10-250 units. Since I own my units, what are they going to do when St. Louis finally gets local HDs on the satellites. I know that this has been discussed before, but has anyone got a definative answer?
Also, will the "HD enabling fee" include the channels in the former HD pack, or would I have to pay extra $$ for them also?
I too like this idea, I rally don't thionk the price will be much more than I currently pay anyways.
Unless of course you don't do HD, then the price increase would really bite.
Jimbo
Last edited:
I have been expecting the SF package to go away for awhile now, not saying it will, but they could integrate the HD cost with the NFL ST all together like they are doing with the programming packages....
So MAYBE next year we won't have a SF seperate package.
Just thinking out loud, I have not heard anything from anyone about this happening.
Jimbo
- Status
