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DirecTV Set to Raise Prices

1997 Views 25 Replies 17 Participants Last post by restart88, Feb 12, 2004

jones07

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2004

DirecTV Set to Raise Prices, Readies New Offer

DirecTV will increase the prices for its base packages between $1 and $3, depending on the package, beginning March 1, SkyREPORT has learned.

The pricing for the packages with local TV channels are as follows: Total Choice with locals, $39.99 a month, a $1 jump; Total Choice Plus with locals, $42.99 a month, a $3 increase; and Total Choice Premier with locals, $90.99 a month, a $3 jump. Without locals, package prices are: Total Choice, $36.99, a $3 jump; Total Choice Plus, $39.99, a $2 increase; and Total Choice Premier, $87.99, a $2 increase.

Packages with foreign language channels, premium networks and HDTV selections will not change, along with prices for pay-per-view and the DirecTV DVR service.

As for its upcoming national offer, DirecTV will offer new customers its Total Choice with Locals package for $29.99 for the first six months of a subscription, a $60 savings. Customers who purchase new equipment, agree to a one-year commitment and subscribe between March 1 and July 17 will be eligible for the offer. The Spanish-language DirecTV Para Todos package with locals also will be offered at the discount.

http://www.skyreport.com/#Story1

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1 - 20 of 26 Posts

Monstermile

· #2 · Jan 23, 2004

Just got a notice today that Dish is going up $1 for Americas Choice 100 (now named AC120).

restart88

· #3 · Jan 25, 2004

I'm not sure I want to pay an extra $3 a month for less desirable programming than ever. This may be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

Tomo_kun

· #4 · Jan 25, 2004

Well, they are adding channels and 7S is going to be up soon, so that will be new and exciting. There is a rumor that started at TiVocommunity saying that we are going to supposedly have flat mirriors.

(angry that i cant post links untill i have 5 posts)

restart88

· #5 · Jan 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomo_kun
Well, they are adding channels and 7S is going to be up soon, so that will be new and exciting. There is a rumor that started at TiVocommunity saying that we are going to supposedly have flat mirriors.

(angry that i cant post links untill i have 5 posts)

Great. 74 shopping channels and the TV guide channel. Just what I was dreaming of.

I can't so much blame D* or E* for the overpriced crap being offered by the media companies. I just wish I knew how to get someone to start making better shows.

Speaking of media, do networks REALLY think everyone wants to see 3 hours of made up reality shows five nights a week and 10 hours of amateur sports on the weekends, or has their viewer base eroded so much that people who live on this type of programming are the only viewers left?

300 - 500 channels and hardly a thing to watch!

Guess it's about time to turn off the tube and pick up a good book.

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Poncho

· #6 · Jan 26, 2004

Does the price increase affect those who just signed a 1 year contract?

Dmon4u

· #7 · Jan 26, 2004

No, D*'s been good at that - no cost increase for you.

Hydra427

· #8 · Jan 30, 2004

I was chatting with a rep the other day and she had informed that when you subscribe for the premium service that they are planning on not charging for TIVO & HDTV. I think the plan is also to include multiple receivers. That would be great for me with 6 of them now and adding #7 with HDTV when RCA releases their new set. Like I said this was coming from a rep so I don't know how much is factual. Thanks, Hydra427

MIKE D-CO5

· #9 · Jan 30, 2004

So do you mean they will be dropping the mirroring fees if you sub to the top premeir pack and hd? If they do then that would kill old Charlie and Dish since he just added all these new cable like fees.

Bob Lafleur

· #10 · Feb 2, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomo_kun
There is a rumor that started at TiVocommunity saying that we are going to supposedly have flat mirriors.

What do you mean by "flat mirrors"?

- Bob

Bob Lafleur

· #11 · Feb 2, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by restart88
Great. 74 shopping channels and the TV guide channel. Just what I was dreaming of.

I really wish we could just pick the channels we want and pay "a la carte"... I don't like having to pay big $$$ to get the few channels I want and having to take a load of crap with them.

Pretty soon you'll go to the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk and they'll tell you "Sorry, we don't sell single gallons for $2.00 anymore. You have to buy a combination of a gallon of milk and a gallon of prune juice for $4.00".

Oh well.

- Bob

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MrBeetle

· #12 · Feb 2, 2004

Alacarte doesn't work.

The only reason why ESPN charges $4 a person instead of $10, and why networks like FoodTV, HGTV, Style, CNN, and many others exist is because they are piped into everyone's house.

If it was alacarte, they would either charge alot more, or simply go out of buisness.

And, don't knock the shopping channels. Yes, you may never watch them. Yes, they eat up bandwith. However, they can be : A) Horribly compressed, so they take up as little as possible, and B) a very nice revenue generator for the company. Yes, we get PAID to watch them - which (believe it or not) does have a correlation to how much you pay as a subscriber.

Bob Lafleur

· #13 · Feb 3, 2004

Quote:

If it was alacarte, they would either charge alot more, or simply go out of buisness.[/b]

Don't you think that if there was a la carte, some of these channels might be encouraged to create programming that people might actually want to watch?

Oh, maybe not. HBO is essentially a la carte (you can choose it or not choose it), and a lot of people pay for it, even though IMHO it's not worth it.

- Bob

Bob Lafleur

· #14 · Feb 3, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBeetle
and why networks like FoodTV, HGTV, Style, CNN, and many others exist is because they are piped into everyone's house.

Who cares how many of these "networks" we have? wouldn't you rather have 50 channels all creating interesting programming in a competitive atmosphere than 300 channels all creating crap because they know it will get piped into everyone's homes no matter how bad it is?

- Bob

restart88

· #15 · Feb 3, 2004

Dish used to be a'la carte. It was called Pick 10. I think Direct had a tier system instead or something.

I was told years ago that there would be no more individual picking of channels because of the structure of the contracts. I guess it means enough people want programs that wouldn't be available or would cost too much.

I think it's only fair Congress step in and allow individuals to pick their own stations. It seems only fair since like 3 companies own 80% of all the electronic media and they have little incentive to improve what they peddle. JMO.

sdwow

· #16 · Feb 3, 2004

With a C-Band satellite TV system, you still can "a la carte".... For how long is the question.... Since most people rather commit to the small dish industry with it's artifact induced picture quality, the choice will be gone.

Choice, the best SD AND HD picture quality and low cost subscription...

Size does make a difference.....

kelliot

· #17 · Feb 4, 2004

Someone start a petition to the FCC or Congress to mandate a la carte so we can stop paying for everyone's garbage channels.

strong

· #18 · Feb 8, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Dmon4u
No, D*'s been good at that - no cost increase for you.

I install D* and today a CSR told one of my customers that they would have to pay the tax on the increase! The increase, along with a corresponding credit, will be shown on the bills. The tax on the increase, however, would not be credited.

Needless to say, my customer was not happy that he had already had an increase and he hadn't even signed the one year contract yet!

Come to think of it, that would be a great way for additional revenue. Make the increase $1000 and tell customers that they wont have to pay it...just hit them with the 'tax' payment behind their backs.

restart88

· #19 · Feb 8, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by strong
I install D* and today a CSR told one of my customers that they would have to pay the tax on the increase! The increase, along with a corresponding credit, will be shown on the bills. The tax on the increase, however, would not be credited.

Needless to say, my customer was not happy that he had already had an increase and he hadn't even signed the one year contract yet!

Come to think of it, that would be a great way for additional revenue. Make the increase $1000 and tell customers that they wont have to pay it...just hit them with the 'tax' payment behind their backs.

Of course you know that tax revenue is supposed to go to the state.

Still, in states like ours the 13% tax (for DBS) on $1k is nothing to treat lightly. What on earth does FL give the consumers for that 13%? I asked and was told better telephone rates (which have also increased twice since the DBS tax went to 13%!).

I love a lot of things about FL. Being snowed early and often by the government isn't on one of them.

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Steve Mehs

· #20 · Feb 9, 2004

Quote:

Dish used to be a'la carte. It was called Pick 10.

Ah yes the old Dish Picks programming package that was never advertised, 10 channels for $15. It was a good idea, but there was a lot of restrictions due to the providers not wanting their channels be a la carte. Plus at the time, AT40 was only $5 more for 4 times as many channels.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

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