Bell TV Pricing, themes and programming package discussion

  • Thread starter Thread starter prettysteve
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Absolute bottom price:

Keep in mind that the $20/mth charge is only good for 1 year (then the $10 promo is not longer applied) and only if you bundle with other Bell services ($5 per month off on each service). There is also a one time $10 PPV credit and a one time $25 credit if ordered online. New customers only.

Technically, this also includes the $1 optional Time Shifting, so you could get it for $19/mth :) (there doesn't seem to be a way to unselect the extra $1/mth online though)

But keep in mind this also only applies if you are renting, so you have to add back in the rental fee (and must be an HD receiver per OP so the minimum rental cost is $10/mth, otherwise minimum $3/mth for SD) bringing the minimum back up to $30/mth for 1 year ($23 for SD).

[edit] as I was navigating the Bell site, it seems they changed the amount as I was online. They are now showing a $10/mth bundle discount. (Ontario and Quebec only - promo until the end of the year) so $18/mth for SD and $25/mth for HD + taxes, base programming only.
 
lars NO problem It's there in glorious colour but I still don't know for sure as I have been told "NO" by many BELL CSR.
I normally call a few and chat to a few online and always get different replies to the same question. :D
 
That was the case but Bell changed the rules this year. Now you need to buy the SD channel (when it exists) to get the corresponding channel for all the HD themes. That means, to get HD variety, you must also purchase 3 SD themes. Unless you purchase enough SD themes to get 4 HD themes for $10, you may be forced to purchase 3 HD themes for $15 or purchase an extra SD theme to qualify for a fourth HD theme. Bell's packaging is getting totally crazy. I left *C due to their poor theme pack organization but now Bell is far worse than *C ever was.
 
I figured it was too good to be true, didnt' have the time to fully go through and look at the details attached to the offer that is posted on the web site, was just pointing out that they are advertising that and HD Build your own bundle is available with that starting price.

As i've seen in the past with the vast majority of the offerings for BTV you can quickly get up to the $100 range getting just the essential channels that the vast majority of ppl want to watch and it generally turns out that you're better to take one of thier prepackaged bundles than to try and build your own.
 
I was Grandfathered into this program and now they are taking channels away what was the point to this so they can treat loyal customers like door mats, you must rememeber you phone
Bell India how can I give you excellent service!!!!
 
I told Bell to shove it yesterday for this very reason. I do not watch SD. I don't watch 90% of the channels they force us to subscribe to in order to get the channels we do actually watch.

I called, asked for assistance in fixing my programming to suit my needs, was told that dropping three theme packs would save me a grand total of $1 (clearly part of their marketing ploy), and asked to cancel. Retentions then came back with 30% off for a year, giving me the price I was happy with paying.
 
Until they completely change the packages again.... I've been with BEV for a long time and everytime the CSR told me that by changing to the new package it was exactly the same for either the same price or cheaper he was basically lying because I ended up losing a few channels that i regularly watched and in order to get those few channels I would have to subscribe to even MORE themes...

This blatant false advertising on the HD themes shows us yet again we may have the freedom to change our package but in the end it costs us more to have the same channels we've always had.

I understand yearly price increases because after all it's a business, but these deceptive ways of making you pay more for the same channels well.... I guess its Bell's TradeMark
 
Yeah, I was pretty impressed when I found that out too. I thought I was going to end up paying a lot more once I upgraded to HD, and then I discovered it was already included! I didn't take any HD themes since I don't watch most of those channels very often, and the times that I do, the shows aren't recorded in HD anyhow.
 
Well, I called Bell yesterday to give this a try and was on the phone for over an hour because I wanted to be put back to the grandfathered HD package.
Initially I was told I would not lose any channels that I currently have if I went to 4 themes for $10. I was leery but she assured I would keep all exsisting channels plus now get NG and SC, so I said ok. Things did not go well...after checking guide many channels were missing, Discovery,Equator,Oasis,Treasure.
Called back and got a very good CSR who explained if I wanted NG I needed to get 5 themes for $15 and the other CSR was wrong.
I told her to put me back to my original HD package which she did through her supervisor because the old code is no longer available to the CSRs.
I also told the CSRs about the letter posted here by Haystack but they never heard of that.
So after a good hour on the phone I'm back where I started, I was not willing to gain 2 channels and lose 4.
 
i believe that is what i got, in the end it was the winback line. Im booked...

All in first year 137.67(alll hidden fees)
All in second year 162.67 (all hidden fees)

Confirmation and appointment in hand.. not to bad of a deal.
 
Nope. I recently used the website to make a change to my programming. It didn't mention an contract length or other restrictions.
 
Your wrong there. The old rule was you had to sub to the SD theme to get the HD, the new rule is as Baal reports.

Baals link is from Feb 09
 
The charge for extra receiver is not a new rule at all...

I signed up for ExpressVu 5 years ago with 2 rentals 3100 and was charged 4.99$ for the programming on the second receiver. When I got my training at ExpressVu I realised that they have been making a mistake all that long (from 2003 till April 2006) and I was supposed to be charge 2.99$ since I suscribe to Super
 
So TSN2 is gone now? I'll have to check when I get home. At this rate there won't be any HD left on the old package. I'm sick and tired of giving Bell more money though.
 
Need a little help/advice before I make changes.

Here is what I currently have:
Pick 6 themes
- more movies
- Sports 1
- News/Learning 1
- Variety 1
- Lifestyle 1
- Variety 2
Digital Standard
TSN/RSN HD
HD Value pack

I am getting 40% off through retentions.

The Bell site says that "changing my package may result in loss of any credits from the price guarantee" found in my contract.

I would like to keep my bill the same or lower, and get back the three HD channels we lost. I don't mind giving up a theme pack to do that.

What should I do?
 
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