Legacy programming price increase - Effective April 30th

  • Thread starter Thread starter ExVuTechRep
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i think you missed my point...my point was that the customer signed up for the service, knowing they were getting a promo price...the promo price is over, so it is back to regular price...you can't say "Hey, my price just increased for no reason", when that isn't the case.

and as you stated, there are options...reduce the package or cancel the service, of course, you will pay the same or more with other providers, and as you stated, the market does drive the prices, and the market has driven them up.
 
ExVuTechRep:

Can you tell me if ultimate 7 is also slated for abolishment?

I am on that package. I would like to stay on that package.

I would be okay with a 5 dollar increase, if it allowed me to change my programming, but keep the legacy packaging.

I wanted to get HDNet the other day and they wouldn't let me. Wow, I thought what a company. I can't give them more money, because it's not enough money, so they're happy to take none at all. What a business model.

Anyway, here's why it is important to me and maybe you can help, maybe not.

RDS is going HD next October and will have all 82 Hab games on in HD. I have RDS right now, but pay only a dollar for it (that use to be offered) per month. I would want to get RDS HD next year. Willing to pay for it, not willing to lose Ultimate 7.

Any help here?
 
OTOH, Bell isn't obligated to market legacy packaging forever. As a business, it certainly is sensible to try to migrate folks in the least disruptive manner.

As a shareholder, I'd want to know if most existing customers are paying around $54/mth for 180 or so channels in Digital Essentials, why should some customers continue to get about the same thing for $34/mth?
 
Because that's what we signed up to pay???

Those of us on the legacy package signed up under certain terms and conditions and have had no problems with all the price increases over the years as we realize it's the cost of doing business. But this is just a blatant cash grab. Unless someone can prove me wrong, my reading here and elsewhere gleans the info that Evu wants us to migrate to the new package because it is too costly and time consuming for them to support the legacy packages. They switch channels around, add channels, and make other changes but because there is no standard packaging, instead of being able to make a blanket change for everyone, they have to field calls from us legacy packages because channels have gone missing and such. OK no problem. I understand this completely.
So of absolutely no benefit to me, and to give all the benefit to Evu, they want to charge me an additional (approx.) $270 per year.
Isn't this backwards? If they want me to make a change solely for their benefit, shouldn't I be offered an enticement instead of being reamed?
 
I think the legalities of charging a system access fee and multi-receiver fee only to customers with certain packages can be questioned and fought. I know that there has been at least one class action against mobile phone companies (or one in particular) regarding a system access fee. How can you legitimately charge some customers for having more than one receiver and not others regardless of the price structure? Bell is opening itself up to problems by having a multi-tier system which actually discriminates against customers. If I were still a customer of theirs, I'd be willing to challenge this in Small Claims for past and future charges which are very much discriminatory.
 
Genesis is the internal name for the new package system.

BTW, I am a legacy customer since 2003. The statement on the bill is weird. It says, "The initial term of your ExpressVu agreement will expire within 60 days. ... the price for Digital Standard will increase to $31. ...". So I guess the legacy rate for the basic package is going to $31. I think the old rate was $26. The only programming package itemized on the bill is Ultimate 7.

Note that legacy customers were not getting a better deal for $26. The old basic package does not include US nets, PBS, TVO, City and several other channels that are included in the new Digital Standard. Note also that legacy customers also get hit with $9 in extra charges for "MRF" and "System Fee". So that brings the base rate for legacy customers to $40 plus the cost of the US Nets and PBS/TVO themes + $1 for the 2nd US Nets (for City). That's about $51 for the same channels that Genesis customers get for $31, if anyone was unlucky enough to package it this way. Note also that there are heavy discounts for "Ultimate" packages which is why they were cheaper to buy.
 
These providers ALL require a commitment of 12-24 months dependant on what you sign up for, and they will try to sign you up for the longest term possible.
It's only when you go with basic service that you are not required to have an agreement.

Nem, who likes to clarify with the proper answer.
 
Man, this blows... I have the Super 7, I think? Which is now legacy... I loved it so much because I don't have any sports or news... None of the new packages let me do that in quite the same way ( If I want the learning chanels, I'm now required to have the News channels )... Which I don't want... They just keep increasing the price so that it becomes less and less advantageous to keep my legacy package.
 
starchoice, take a look at the agreement Bell and you must mutually accept in order to get access to the programming. It stipulates that a system charge and a multi-receiver fee may be added to your bill. In order to access the service from Bell, you must agree to this contract. If you don't wish to pay the system charge, you just have to refuse the agreement you have with Bell and cancel your services.
 
then you need more friends. ;)

all kidding aside, when we get our next F&F offer, i will gladly email you a copy so if there is anything you would like, you can get it from your local bell store.

i gave out a few copies to people in here (and on another forum i frequent) during these times.
 
I think the simple solution is to lock the programming of subscribers on legacy packages, and require a package change to receive additional channels (HD or SD). The incentive to change is new channels. If you choose not to switch, you would still be getting what you originally paid for, nothing more.

-Mike
 
I'm on a legacy package from way back. I'm also on a Bell bundle that includes my phone and internet access. If they increase any 1 of these they're going to lose me as a customer including my home phone. My local cable co was recently offering all 3 for $89/mon.
 
but you also most likely chose Networks as one of your themes...now it's included in Digital Standard, so you don't need to choose that theme...also, Learning was one theme, and News and Learning is one theme, so you are still only choosing one theme pack.
 
At one time Bell had a few thousand HD subscribers so it was easy to swallow incremental programming fees for the small number of channels. Now it has over 40 channels and 100,000+ HD subscribers. It costs extra $$, in either a shared arrangement, or a flat fee per HD subscriber, regardless of whether anyone watches the channel. I'd guess more than half the $10/mth goes into the pockets of HD programmers. So that's why the "decided" to charge for the HD package.
 
I'm in a similar situation as visiter555. No need for HD yet. My "older" package is as follows:

Super 7 $43.99
Superstations 4.95 less $1.00 discount
US Networks 1.00
System charge 5.99

Tax in total $62.62

I haven't seen any new package that comes even close channel wise and price wise.
 
i have sold ExpressVu since it's inception...while there weren't any promos out for about the first year or so, ever since there always was...so i never understood the statement "I never got a deal when i signed up" that i hear often, even in the store, and from people who bought a year ago.

i can assure you, the HD package was NEVER supposed to be allowed as a theme pack...it was ALWAYS to be charged...some CSR's didn't know any better (see, some things never change) and the billing system (at the time) would allow such a substitution (another reason why they changed the billing system) and you have a bunch of "angered" customers who feel entititled to keep what should never have been offered in the first place.
 
generally, if you compare what your cable company offers, to what bell offers, they are almost the exact same price when you compare apples to apples...the "bundled savings" cable companies offer is really only perception.
 
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