Can I downgrade service while on Bell contract?

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mclaugd1

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Hi all. With money tight and fees going up, I wanted to know if I could downgrade my TV channels (HD Essentials down to HD Basic + timeshifting) while still on a 2 year contract.

Signed up in April, bought my 9242 outright and got the free installation with 2 year contract. I believe I'm also getting the "Offer credit for 12 months" of $10 off.

Opinions?
 
Absolutely, you can. You'll lose a lot of channels, but your contract and promotions do not prevent that.
 
You certainly can... Downgrades are performed on the first day of your billing cycle. Even if you call today the channels won't be removed right away.

By doing a "downgrade" you cancel all the price protection your contract offers. You are probably receiving monthly credit due to the fact that you are a new client. To maintain those credits there is probably a minimum programming required (for example you need to have a 52$ programming to obtain these credits.)
 
I do not disagree, but cable/satellite companies are known for increasing prices way above the normal inflation rate.
 
I would agree with that statement. They do have that reputation. I don't know all of the factors that affect a price increase, either. Obviously, it's more than just inflation at work.
 
Maybe you don't get paid to post here, Roman, but do you work for Bell?

You've mentioned another poster's time with Bell, but not your own. Funny, that.

BTW, you said something about one losing channels and paying the same money. Well, not really, as there is such a thing as inflation. So, Bell doesn't get the added income they were looking for, and bud is not paying more. I think, in some ways, the sat/cab companies are cutting their noses off. No wonder so many folk choose to maximize gain when dealing with said companies.
 
Sorry, dude. I hate to burst your bubble, but I have no ulterior motives in posting here. I mentioned ExAgent EV's "time with Bell" because she has freely discussed it here before.

If you want a little of my background: I found this site as a result of my looking for OTA info for my parents. You can find any other info you may desire to know about me from my previous posts, and anything beyond that is none of your business. Frankly, it's starting to sound like a witch hunt, and I only wanted to post comments in this forum to help people.

I find I get the most objections when I reply to comments that are exaggerations. I try to show people how not to over-react, and to maybe take a look at things from a different angle. If you find that offensive, then I don't have to post here. I thought I was actually being pretty impartial at times. When I hear people spouting nonsense, I reply with my opinion. Sorry if my opinion is that disturbing. I won't be losing sleep over your opinion of me.

And as far as "paying the same", of course Bell doesn't make as much money when you remove programming. That wasn't my point. My point was that a customer who removes programming because of a price increase shouldn't pat himself on the back and feel smug about it. He's just losing out.
 
Lots of off-topic and rude posts removed.

Insulting other members is a five point infraction, meaning do it twice and you will be banned.

I don't care what anyone's politics or beliefs are but this forum requires all members to show respect for others.
 
That's my theory on AMC. They added AMC, so now they have to raise the price of the premium movies to help fund it. Also, the US Superstations are in HD now.
 
"That's my theory on AMC. They added AMC, so now they have to raise the price of the premium movies to help fund it."

Isn't that a form of negative billing? BTW, in my opinion AMC is not a premium movie channel.
 
So let me get this straight: we complain when Bell doesn't have one channel. When Bell gets that channel, we complain because the price went up, and we complain about where they put it. :confused:

It's hardly an example of negative billing. You're going to complain because you're now getting the four US Superstations in HD and AMC (sd and hd) and you have to pay for it?

As I said, that was just my theory on AMC. AMC may not be a "premium movie channel" in your opinion, but it's similar to the US Superstations and to The Movie Network with its Showcase series and HBO Canada, so it's a logical fit. Plus, it may not have been Bell's decision to bundle it in with that package.

I think we're way off-topic now.
 
"we complain when Bell doesn't have one channel."

I am not sure if others have complained, but AMC is not a channel that I want.

"When Bell gets that channel, we complain because the price went up"

If it is not a channel that I want, and the price went up because of it, then yes, it would be logical to not be happy about it.

"we complain about where they put it"

Of course, if it leads to a price increase of the existing bundle. It cannot be rocket science to offer it stand-alone, so I don't end up subsidizing those who do want it.
 
OK just have to weigh in on this my friend -- Any change is going to raise complaints. And actually not changing is going to raise complaints as well. So yes you're absolutely right.

However, this is the risk Cable and Satellite companies run when they package programming together. (Tiering, packaging.. call it what you like) They take people paying 10 dollars a month for 4 channels, then they say we`re adding 2 channels to this `package` oh and BTW we`re giving you a deal on them, it will only cost you $2 more a month. (I`m just making up numbers here, the principle is what I`m going for.)

Fact is, many customers will be more than happy to get the added channels and hey it`s only 2 bucks a month, that`s great. But then there will be some people who were happy with their old plan and don`t want to pay extra for new channels that they don`t want.

Why do the cable companies add the channels... Because they want to increase their fees. But to make it more pallatable, they add new services.

So it`s actually worse than negative option billing... It`s no option billing. Pay it, because you have to.

And yes I agree, this should probably get it`s own thread now.
 
Just to be clear, this was just conjecture. It could be they're raising the rates for completely different reasons.

And yes, a lot of people have been asking for AMC and Turner Classic Movies. There's a whole thread about AMC here, and I presume it's not just people asking why they added a channel nobody likes.
 
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