Bell Tv Billing questions

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vlidou

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Hi,

I have been a customer with Bell for over a year now & I am not clear on why I seem to pay more than what is advertised on the Bell web site.

Here is what I am paying:

* 6 Themes and Premium Movies $47
* 3 HD Themes $15
* Digital Standard $34
* US Timeshifting $1
* Digital Service Fee $3
Total Monthly charges $100 (before taxes)

Taken from the web site (Vancouver/BC prices - I know that Ontario is a bit cheaper)

HD Extra - $84 a month

Includes:
* Digital Standard
* Free HD channels
* Network time shifting (U.S. and Canadian networks)
* Choice of 4 HD Theme Packs
* Choice of 7 Digital Theme Packs
* Choice of one Premium Movies Pack (free for 2 months)

Now when I click on details, here is what I see:

HD Extra package $84/mo.
* 4 premium HD theme packs $10/mo.
* Offer credit for 12 months1 -$10/mo.
* Rental credit on additional HD receivers for 24 months -$7/mo.
* Complete and customized installation Free
* Premium Movies free for 2 months Free
* One-time online credit -$25

Questions:
* Why does it show $10 next to the '4 premium HD them packs' if it is "included" into the HD Extra package? Is that something else?
* Why I am charged $1 a month for the us timeshifting when it is "included" in the HD Basic?
* Can anyone confirm that if I go with the HD Extra package, I should be charge $84+Digital Service fee=$87 per month (+tax). With that, I would get everything I have today + 1 HD & 1 Digital theme pack? Am I missing anything?

Thanks a lot!

Vincent
 
The pricing is not that much different in Ontario, where I am from, but I can say that your billing is high. You are getting the right discount on your 6 themes, which should be $23.00. Now, you usually do not get a discount on the Premium Movies unless you are bundled with 7 themes or more. As for the HD themes, it is $5 per theme, but if you take 4 themes, you save $5.00, and you can get all 5 themes for $15.00. If you still want to pay $15.00, get the 2 other themes you do not have. As well, if you get the 5 HD Themes, then you will not pay for us timeshifting. The question about the $1.00 for us timeshifting, you do not get it free with HD basic, you only get The West coast feed (because you are out West) for free and will have to pay extra for the East Coast TimeShifting. I hope this helps!
 
Hi, thanks for helping with this.

So you think that i will pay less if i get 7 themes instead of 6 ? (discount for premium movies).
You say about the time shifting : "you do not get it free with HD basic", but on the bell web site, it says:

HD Basic $25
* Free HD channels
* Digital Standard programming package
* Canadian and U.S. Network Time Shifting

So why does it appear in the HD Basic list of things?

Can anyone with the "HD Extra" pack confirm you get 7 themes + 4 hd themes + movie channes for for $84+$3 = $87 per month
 
Regarding the HD themes, the key thing to notice is that for $10 you can get 4 HD themes plus U.S. HD timeshifting. If you subscribe to fewer than 4 HD themes, they charge you $5 each, and U.S. HD timeshifting is $1 more. Thus, it doesn't make sense to subscribe to 2 or 3 HD themes -- it's cheaper to get 4.

(Note that, if one of your HD themes is HD Sports, you must also subscribe to the SD Sports 1 theme. If you don't already have or want that particular SD theme, choose the other 4 HD themes.)

Also, if you go for the 4 HD themes, which includes U.S. HD timeshifting, you'll probably want to drop U.S. SD timeshifting to save another $1.
 
That's because Bell treats Canadian and U.S. SD timeshifting as part of their "basic" service, but in a tiny footnote they mention that you can opt out of U.S. SD timeshifting for $1 less. It's that optional $1 charge that appears on your current bill.
 
From Footnote 1:

[1]
With new account on a 2-yr rental contract. $50 (Digital TV) or $100 (HD TV) fee applies; credited on the account upon activation before taxes. System must be activated within 60 days from ordering. Applied as a $10 credit for 12 months on the account before taxes.

So that $10/month discount seems only for new customers (that's why the wepage says "From $84/month". If you are an existing customer it is $94 + $3 service fee out west.

7 Theme packs: $31
Premium Movies: $18
Digital Standard $34
US Time Shift $1
HDTV: $10 for 4 pack, or the old grandfathered HDTV pack. ($15 for all 5 theme packs.)
Digital Service Fee $3

= $97/month (or $102 with the 5 hdtv themes)

... TV is expensive.
 
No.
Premium movies plus 6 SD themes cost $21 + $26 = $47
Premium movies plus 7 SD themes cost $18 + $31 = $49

I think the best you could do without dropping any of your current channels (and without phoning Bell and threatening to leave) is as follows:

$34 - Digital Standard
$21 - Premium Movies
$26 - 6 SD Themes
$10 - 4 HD Themes (includes U.S. HD timeshifting)
$ 3 - Digital Service Fee
----
$94

That would save you $6, give you one more HD theme, and replace U.S. SD timeshifting with U.S. HD timeshifting.
 
Thanks everyone. I've just made the changes (bell.ca). Adding one SD theme and one HD theme makes the bill $4 cheaper every month!

The online tool is actually quite useful - you can see in real time the monthly fee changing as you add/remove channels/themes

Vincent
 
Just to be clear:
Adding the HD theme reduced your bill by $6.
Adding the SD theme added $2 back onto your bill.
 
Did you know that if you subscribe to HD US Timeshifting that a glitch gives you Standard Definition US Timeshifting without having to pay that extra $1 for it?
 
I understand you're being nice, but don't shout across the street to let everyone know. There are bell rats out there and they will cut off this HD time shifting glitch when they find out. :cool:
 
Stan, yes, you are right - I added one theme as it was only $2 extra.

I don't really care if they remove the SD US timeshift, as I would always watch the HD version anyways?
 
In the past, there have been programs broadcast on one or both of the SD PBS channels that did not appear on their HD counterparts. I don't know if that still happens. All the other US networks simultaneously broadcast the same programs on their SD and HD channels, as far as I know.
 
Out of the blue a credit for $73 showed up on my bill . Description said "Save Offer 2 months free". I did loose my 40% discount this month. Anybody in the same boat.
 
haystack, that "Save Offer 2 Months Free" is a retentions offer. Someone in your household must of called and spoke to a Customer Loyalty Specialist. Remember you are only eligible for two retentions save offers in any rolling 12-month period.

Stan Dev, until last winter many PBS stations carried their local SD feed and a national 100% HD feed. Now they carry a HD simulcast of their SD feed.
 
I guess you never read where I said it was out of the blue, meaning no one from my end contacted them let alone made a deal on my behalf.
 
Thanks for the info, cslusarc. So that means U.S. HD timeshifting can now serve as a complete substitute for U.S. SD timeshifting (unless you sometimes prefer to receive the SD version of a show because it takes up less room on the PVR).
 
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