Want to know when D* is launching the new HD Channels?

[rad]

I thought what he said was no new increase this year; as in how he answered based on the context of the conversation/the questioning. Come 2008, or especially in the normal spring of the year review, I see it as totally expected.

I never thought that it would never increase from $9.95, my understanding was just that when they fire up all the new channels there would not be a surprise in your bill for all the new channels. Come spring of course you'll probably be seeing that notice of increase on the bill.

 

[uncrules]

From what understand is the new packages would only be for new HD customer. exisiting HD customers would get all the HD grandfathered in.

That's how I interpreted the info in the pdf.

 

[High Technology]

While you can certainly add me to the list of those will will be disappointed with the additional $4.99 charge, I am not convinced they will grandfather all of us (despite their rhetoric to "the street" that there would be no additional charges). I hope I am wrong, but consider the following:

If you look at the Powerpoint, there are two categories of existing customers -- those "with legacy HD equipment" and those considered to be "remaining legacy customers". Only those with legacy HD equipment are grandfathered -- the remaining legacy customers are subject to the $4.99 charge for the HD-Extra Pack. Depending on how they define legacy HD equipment, it could be that those who have the MPEG-4 capable boxes wouldn't be grandfathered (i.e., the legacy equipment could be the non-MPEG-4 capable boxes). That would make logical sense since they will only get their current programming after the upgrade -- no gain or loss of channels.

Again, I hope I am wrong, but someone's gotta pay for all of those new satellites. Frankly, I've thought the $9.99 now was overpriced, but I also didn't think we'd end up getting "hundreds" of HD channels at our current monthly rates. On the other hand, Cablevision is advertising "no extra charge for HD" and has been slowly adding channels so this may be a competitive need for DirecTV.

 

[purtman]

As far as dates are concerned, it says "9/6/07" on the cover page.

 

[vurbano]

Well if it gets pricey, then 2 yrs is it for me. I will purchase series 3 Tivo and go to FIOS. Suffer for years paying for garbage HD PQ and then they raise the price, or make a bunch of bologna packages you have to buy when they have been getting away with fraud for so long? FK that.

 

[Jimbo]

Well if it gets pricey, then 2 yrs is it for me. I will purchase series 3 Tivo and go to FIOS. Suffer for years paying for garbage HD PQ and then they raise the price, or make a bunch of bologna packages you have to buy when they have been getting away with fraud for so long? FK that.

I would imagine NO ONE will have to change their packages, they will be able to keep the same packages thatb they currently have, those that are now New to D* will have to decide on the New Packages, at least thats the way it's always been.

btw, V, If the HD was so bad, why did you keep it ?
Theres NOTHING that says you had to pay for the HD package.
I use to activate the HD package in the fall and shut it off after the Super Bowl.

Jimbo

 

[n4uaj]

I may be wrong but it looks like on the sample bill this customer musta added hd in the middle of the month and got a 4.99 credit off the 9.99 charge..also if this is a real thing those of us that already have the hd package are grandfathered in anyway.

 

[n4uaj]

After further review of the sample bill maybe that is an existing customer like myself who is paying the 9.99 HD charge getting a 4.99 credit so he actually pays less for hdnet universalhd etc....unless they are going up on the basic packages I cant really see an increase cause I am paying now for choice plus or whatever it is called now then 9.99 for hd access..when the new channels come I will still have the same package with sd and hd simulcast plus the hd access that may then be 4.99 so unless my arithmetic done got off I would save 4.99.

Bill

 

[FlyingJ]

After further review of the sample bill maybe that is an existing customer like myself who is paying the 9.99 HD charge getting a 4.99 credit so he actually pays less for hdnet universalhd etc....unless they are going up on the basic packages I cant really see an increase cause I am paying now for choice plus or whatever it is called now then 9.99 for hd access..when the new channels come I will still have the same package with sd and hd simulcast plus the hd access that may then be 4.99 so unless my arithmetic done got off I would save 4.99.

Bill

I think I need an interpreter.
V is threatening to leave again....yawn......

 

[vurbano]

btw, V, If the HD was so bad, why did you keep it ?

Because after being a customer I could get free equipment. The FIOS DVR is pathetic and I didnt want to buy any more equipment. I also wanted to see if FIOS was really after HD subs or the bulk of cable subs which is SD. I will be able to tell by their HD channel expansions. Its too early to switch to FIOS unless you are going to buy a 300 dollar series 3 Tivo IMO. So I decided to see what D* had in store but if they are going to sign people up and then raise prices and make you buy additional packages then thats just Fkd up. And I suppose someone has to be around to give an honest opinion of D* HD PQ and not just a bunch of shills.

 

[vurbano]

I think I need an interpreter.
V is threatening to leave again....yawn......

dont orgasm just yet. I will be here at least 2 more years.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

So I decided to see what D* had in store but if they are going to sign people up and then raise prices and make you buy additional packages then thats just Fkd up.

Get used to it because E* and D* have been doing this for years. All these providers are about making money,Nothing else. Fios will be no different. Right now Fios is still trying to get a Customer base,so right now they are nice as pie I'm sure,when they are as big as D* and E*,you can bet any amount they will be playing the same games as everyone else.Just remember its Verizon a HUGE Corp.,not a nice small time family owned business.They want all your money too.

 

[gadgtfreek]

As a contractor, one thing Ive noticed is that as a company grows, its harder to upkeep high customer service and satisfaction.

Verizon should be doing great now with only 400-500k subs, question will be:

What will happen when they have 13mil and 16mil like E* and D*

 

[n4uaj]

Well I was writing that after midnite about half asleep but basically I was saying that right now I pay 9.99 for HD Access which seems to be about the same as their "new" HD extra pack. So unless they raise the price of my base package (Total Choice Plus) I just don't see an increase in there.

Bill

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Well I was writing that after midnite about half asleep but basically I was saying that right now I pay 9.99 for HD Access which seems to be about the same as their "new" HD extra pack. So unless they raise the price of my base package (Total Choice Plus) I just don't see an increase in there.

Bill

Well D* doesn't have Total Choice plus anymore.Its called Choice Extra and its $54.99 per month. The last time I had Total choice plus it was only $48.99. So you must be grandfathered in . That package you have has been gone since March.If you switch you base package now,you will be paying more.And "Plus HD " package is $69.99. It includes everything in Choice extra pack,plus HD and DVR.

 

[n4uaj]

Yea I knew the name had changed and I did some math when the "plus" package came out and even with dvr included it would be a few bucks higher so I stayed with the old one. The one I got now is 51.99 plus dvr and hd which works out to about 67 bucks so if they drop my HD Access to 4.99 I'm still in good shape..cant wait to drop hbo for starz when they light up hd.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Yea I knew the name had changed and I did some math when the "plus" package came out and even with dvr included it would be a few bucks higher so I stayed with the old one. The one I got now is 51.99 plus dvr and hd which works out to about 67 bucks so if they drop my HD Access to 4.99 I'm still in good shape..cant wait to drop hbo for starz when they light up hd.

I'm not a big fan of HBO either,but I still have it.Starz pack should be real good. What I really want is ActionMax 5StarMax OuterMax,and @MAX,added to our Cinemax package. If Directv can add these to the line up,That would be awesome. This is what I wish for ,In HD by the way!!

 

[gadgtfreek]

I had last years choice xtra or whatever it was, I just changed mine online to the 69.99 choice hd/dvr package. I like to keep on the newest package because sometimes you can miss packages. My inlaws are on a very old package and he does not get some channels that he would if he'd update it.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I had last years choice xtra or whatever it was, I just changed mine online to the 69.99 choice hd/dvr package. I like to keep on the newest package because sometimes you can miss packages. My inlaws are on a very old package and he does not get some channels that he would if he'd update it.

I do the same ,I have the Plus HD pack as well. I don't like Showtime or the Sports pack.And I think I may Drop HBO.So not really worth me getting the Premium package.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

When you think about it, why should we have to pay extra in the first place? The government mandated the change to digital transmission, so these channels will be transmitting in HD anyhow. (Don't waste space arguing how they don't have to transmit a HD signal, just a digital one. Eventually they will all be HD regardless). So when everything is HD, whats different (besides HD) from when they were analog or just OTA? I can see paying for the premium packages, we've always done that. It's still the same channels, just broadcast in a different frequency spectrum.