Bell TV Pricing, themes and programming package discussion

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prettysteve

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Have you called to complain or threatened to quit? I was in the same boat but after a 10 minute conversation with a Bell rep, I got the additional theme package, and am paying 30% less than I was.
 
Thanks for the info reidw, sorry for the repeat, I did search, just not very well :(



I've been an HD sub since they started charging for HD. I don't remember when that was, I had HD in the early days when they had just 1 or 2 HD channels that weren't even dedicated to a specific network.

The way it worked at the start when they began charging for HD, and as far as I can tell had continued to work is that for $10 I got all the HD channels for which I had an SD sub.

As new channels got added that continued, and when straight HD channels like 'Rush' and 'HDNet' came along, those got added also.

As was pointed out, that changed today as I have lost Showcase HD even though I am already paying for Showcase SD, which is insanity.

I can't even choose to subscribe online, the system won't let me select both 'HD Channels' and 'More HD Variety'.

Looking at the Bell.ca packages, I get all of the HD channels but 3:
National Geographic, to which I don't subscribe in SD
Showcase, which I do
Raptors, which is out of my region
 
Yup, my HD Showcase and Discovery are gone too. I also subscribe to these chanels in SD and am just a little pi$$ed that they are not included in the HD pack. I have been subscribed to the HD package ($10.00) since it's inception so I guess a call is in order. On another note, the subj channels do not even show up in red when I choose "all channels". They are just not there.

I would much rather that they put the "specialty HD chanels" like OASIS, TREASURE, etc into an additional subscription package and include any HD programming that is coincedintal with your subscribed SD package in your $10.00 grandfathered pack.
 
Ok, I understand now. I thought I would not have to change anything.

I called in and they put a note that I still qualify for the free 6 months and to call back to change programming after I decide what I want. I'm thinking of just stickign with what I have since if I change, I will lose the HBO HD channels which I'm currently getting.

Are these in free preview mode only or can I expect to keep these for a long time? If that disappears I would switch to a very basic HD package
 
I'm wondering if there is a way for me to get a package with only HD channels or almost only HD channels... that is all I really care about.

I don't care about the movie network or NBA TV or Equator etc.

Here is a list of what I really want, from lyngsat.

800 CTV HD East
801 Global TV Ontario HD
802 CBC HD East
803 City TV Toronto HD
804 CBC HD West
806 CTV HD West
807 Global TV BC
813 A&E
815 WHDH-TV (NBC - Boston)
816 WCVB-TV (ABC - Boston)
817 WBZ-TV (CBS - Boston)
818 WFXT-TV (FOX - Boston)
819 WGBH-TV (PBS - Boston)
820 KING-TV (NBC - Seattle)
821 KOMO-TV (ABC - Seattle)
822 KIRO-TV (CBS - Seattle)
823 KCPQ-TV (FOX - Seattle)
824 KCTS-TV (PBS - Seattle)
825 WGN-TV (CW - Chicago)
826 TLC
828 National Geographic Channel
836 HBOEast
837 HBOWest
838 Showcase HD
845 The Score
846 Rogers Sportsnet HD 3
848 TSN 2
850 TSN HD
851 Rogers Sportsnet HD 1
852 Rogers Sportsnet HD 2
853 Discovery Channel HD

Maybe not even HBO if you need the movie package to get it.

What is the cheapest way to get these channels?
 
I just Bundled my Services. Save 5 bucks each on cell, home phone and Satellite. Transfered my numbers from Rogers.
I talked to them about reducing my Satellitte bill. They gave me all sorts of option on dramatically reduced services.
OR, They want me to Increase Services and pay MORE, to get a better deal.
 
Actually, I brought up Direct TV. YOU brought up Bell. Since you obviously are just quoting what you have read about Bell reception in Florida, here is a litte info: there is a 3700 that functions perfectly at my mother's winter place in Ft. Lauderdale. All it takes is careful aiming.

Please, let's let this end here. This thread is about Bell HD themes and pricing. I have done my best to contribute to that discussion, and I made a joke about Direct TV.
 
Yes, I noticed today that I am now getting the SD time shift channels as well. Can't wait for my bill... lol
 
Mosse57, you must keep your programming for a full billing cycle. If you add your programming in the middle of the billing cycle you can remove it as of the "Bill-From" date at the beginning of the second billing cycle.
 
Unfortunately I never got around to making a transition. Can someone tell me if it still cost at least $58/month to get the HD basics with Bell? What's the cheapest package to get most of the important HD channels? $58/month is still rather pricey.
 
You would have to add the News and Learning 1 theme ($8), and like Pinza said only CNN SD is available.
But at that point with 2 SD themes, an extra $4 would get you 3 more SD themes.
 
Low def (SD) may work but HD won't work about 200 miles south of the border due to the footprint of the new satelite.
While I was in Arizona last winter I checked with RVrs and 9 out of 10 are now using StarChoice as it's footprint covers north America with LD and HD and StarChoice dosn't shut down their Canadian customers that travel. In fact, they will even help their subscribers while traveling in the US or even Mexico.
StarChoice even delivered a system to me so that I could take it south for a friend who left home without having it installed in his new 5th wheel. When it was installed he just called in and had it turned on. He lives in Victoria during the summer.
Great service and programing. Bell has better PVRs though.
 
Does anyone know if RDS is added once you subscribe to NHL Centre Ice?

That was the case with me...and then once hockey season ended, RDS disappeared.

Anyone?
 
We will say we have cleared up that Raptors HD is linked to SD sports 2 not 1.
Now we find you will get RDS HD if you sub to the SD theme LE Monde EN Francais but you will not get RDS HD if you Sub to the RDS HD theme HD More Sports? As I pointed out in post #73
If you sub to HD more sports and want the RDS HD listed in this theme you have to sub to the linked SD theme. :confused:
 
Well some good news on this.
I just got off the phone with Bell TV and it turns out only TSN and Sportsnet on SD are required to subscribe to the HD versions of the same channels.
Discovery HD, A&E HD, etc, can be subscribed to in HD on their own.

Checking it out vs. Rogers, Rogers charges $8.95 for their HD Specialty pack which pretty much gets you the same as 4 HD theme packs from Bell for $10.

So it's not as bad as I had originally made it out to be; with the $10 HD subscribtion, I droped News & Learning 2 which had National Geographic and Discovery Civilization that I cared about, which means a net loss of Dis. Civilization. That was an 8th theme pack costing an extra $5 a month, so netting $5 more per month I'm happy again with the HD channels.
 
This is something I might have to try, spent some time on the phone arguing yesterday, then sent an email and got a response today:

"You have already subscribed Variety 1 theme pack and you will definitely get Showcase East and West channel....Regarding Showcase HD channel, I would like to inform you that free preview for showcase HD channel has been closed on January 29th, 2009. If you wish to get this channel now, you need to add More HD Variety theme pack on your current programming. I have verified your account. You have HD Value Pack on your current programming and we are charging $10.00 per month for the same."

Basically the same thing as on the phone. They agree I should be getting HD channels for the ones I have an SD subscription to, but I have to pay more for Showcase HD. It's like talking to a wall.
 
Thanks everyone for the information (I love Digital Home). Gotta run though the Bell guy just showed up for my install :cool:
 
I'm sure I read a year ago that these two stations were in free preview until February, 2009, so I knew this day was coming! I decided to bite the bullet and order the 5 HD theme packs, but I dropped the $3 Leafs television channel which I wasn't watching anyway. So the NET increase is $2.00.

-Mike
 
I'm fairly certain these two channels were never intended to be grandfathered into the $10 HD package, same with TLC HD. They will probably be the first theme to go MPEG4 too, whenever that begins.

-Mike
 
You might want to rethink that decision to switch. Unless digital access fees, no lifetime warranty on hardware without paying a surcharge, blanket simsubbing no matter where you live, more expensive pick n pay channels and sports packages excite you.
 
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