New Bell HD Packages (formerly titled: Bell HD Price Increase)

  • Thread starter Thread starter haystack
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Not a bad brochure. Just a couple of observations and questions:

1. APTN HD is already here not "Coming Soon"
2. How can COSMO TV be part of both Digital Standard and Lifestyle 1 ?
3. HD Variety packs (both) don't show the indicator that means you also have to take the equivalent SD channel (e.g. TSN/Raptors). Does this mean that they are not coupled?
 
How is this exactly going to work for existing customers.... are they just going to start charging us more for what we already have???
 
I disagree that most subs will decrease their HD content. I think folks with HDTV would like to decrease their SD content.
 
It looks to me that we should all stop thinking of the old All-In-One pricing. That promotion is now history except of course for current subscribers who for now can continue as before with no change to pricing/offerings until they decide to make changes to their HD.

For NEW subscribers and old subs who want to change their HD offerings, the way I read it is that for $32.00 you get both the Digital Standard and a set of free HD channels compromising the Canadian networks, major US networks, CITY TV HD and APTN HD. A good deal really as long as you are not interested in sports or the few HD specialty channels offered by BEV.
 
With the constant complaints about crappy HD channels being added, I don't know how you can arrive at that conclusion!? At least people will have the opportunity to pick and choose, like they do now with SD channels. I also think many will find the base HD package enough. It's the equivalent to what you would get OTA in HD.

-Mike
 
tvman, understood. I can only speak from my own experience but I've never known Bell to remove channels a person had previous to a free preview period after the preview period ended.
 
Thanks for the correction, Sorry for getting ppl a bit off topic.

Anyways so the point i was trying to make was essentially answered anyways. Expect to pay a little more for wierd packages while they try to get some of the cost back now from the limited number of ppl who have HD for being the first bunch to get onto the service (Not that it hasn't been running for a while but more ppl are finally migrating to it).

It's like any other new release. PS3 = $700 for the first 6 months to get all those ppl that abosolutly have to have it to pay some crazy amount and then drop it to $500 to get the rest to start buying. So we'll see some price increases and then some stabilizing once more and more come online.

Kind of sucks but i just can't go back to watching sports in SD anymore.
 
Will these HD packages be included in the regular package deals? (ie 5 theme packs for a certain cost, etc...)
 
Talked to a CSR today about these new HD packs and what would happen to current HD package suscribers, she said after the free preview of Showcase and NG, current suscribers will have to pay the extra $ if they want that package. She said these theme pack will always be 5 until more they are 4 channels per pack (As new channels come in).
 
I realize I may be in the minority here, but I'm happy about finally having a bit of a choice when it comes to BEV HD.

I don't get much use out of many of the channels they've included in the HD theme packs, aside from TSNHD and RSN HD. Fortunately for me, these channels have pick and pay options ($2.50 a piece). So I called today and removed the $10 theme pack and selected those two channels only for a total of $5. Net effect is a $5/month savings. Not the optimal situation (I'd love if the SD/HD tiering disappeared), but not all bad news.
 
It would be nice to be able to decrease the SD version of the channels except the only problem is is that most ppl only have 1 HDTV. I watch TV on 3 different TV's in my house, 2 SD and 1 HD.

It would be better if they did what they're doing in the reverse. HD customers pay for the HD packages and receive the SD version of the channel included so that you can watch on SD TVs. Thats the way I'd market it. Market a complete HD package seperate completly from the SD packages, include your basic bundles and then pick and choose from there. Granted there isn't all the HD channels which they should be carrying by now. It just seems the whole process is one long drawn out process which needs to be sped up.

Is it the actual sat's up in the sky that are causing the long delays for new HD channels or is it paper work? Becasue if its paper work thats kind of a joke concidering the SD version of most channels already exists, how hard could it be to obtain the rights to the HD version?
 
Wow 12 channels in 5 themes, what value.


I just cancelled all my HD because of this nonsense.
 
Yes if you cut down the amount of HD channels you get it's saves money. The same amount of HD will cost you $5 more with the new pricing.
Some existing HD channels are divided into 5 new HD themes $5 each
SPECIAL 4 HD themes for $10
So if you want all 5 HD themes its $15
The only way HD goes down is if you drop HD channels
 
Has anyone tried to change their programming online ?

I logged in for fun and disabled the old HD pack and am trying to pick 4 HD themes for 10$.
I chose
- HD Variety
- More HD Variety
- HD World

And I'm trying to select any 1 of the 2 Sports ones but since I haven't selected a sports theme back (I don't watch any) , it won't let me select them. It says Sports 1 is a pre-requisite

So it's forcing me to choose 3 themes for 15$, + 1$ for the US Networks time shifting
 
Interceptor, after looking at that brochure a second time it has OasisHD and TreasureHD listed under 'Free Previews.' If those are the channels you lost then I stand by my previous assertion in this case as those channels are clearly indicated as previews with no expectation that you should continue getting them without an extra charge.

I'd like to add though that when I originally subscribed to HD channels none of the High Fidelity channels were available but they did add both OasisHD and TreasureHD at no extra charge other than the BS charge to stay on the old package. Other channels had also been added over time, both HD and SD, and I can't recall ever losing any channels.
 
Call me a pessimist but I don't think expressvu changed the HD package so they could decrease the amount of money they receive in subscriptions. If they felt the new package would decrease the amount they received in subscriptions they would not introduce it at this time.
 
I'm in favor of these HD packs. I wasnt fair to consumers such as moi.. to have to pay $10 so I could enjoy the US HD networks, and MC HD. With this new packaging, I get all of the Canadian and US networks in HD plus the MC HD 1\2. I couldnt be bothered with channels like Oasis, Rush or HDNet.
 
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