OT: DirecTV price increase coming...

[Tekneek]

http://www.twice.com/index.asp?layout=story&doc_id=130801&display=breakingNews

Meanwhile, DirecTV will impose between $1 and $3 price hikes on its basic packages, beginning March 1.

Under the new terms, Total Choice with local channels was hiked $1 to $39.99 a month; Total Choice Plus with locals was hiked $3 to $42.99 a month; and Total Choice Premier with locals was hiked $3 to $90.99 a month.

Those services without local channel services will rise $3 to $36.99 per month for Total Choice; $2 to $39.99 for Total Choice Plus and $2 to $87.99 for Total Choice Premier.

Also laid off 50 employees.

[FBPro]

Bummer, still the best thing going however.

[gstelmack]

Gee, it'll be my second price hike in about 5 years of DirecTV service. I'm still much happier than I was with cable.

[Cringer]

Huh. Well, not a deal breaker for me, especially with them finallybringing local channels to my area come april. We have no Fox so i can get the east/west Fox channels from DirectTV, and for some reason the local ABC said we could get the east/west ABC even though i can pick it up fine. The one that pisses me off is CBS comes in kinda crappy no matter what i do and they won't let me get that on directTV, damn them! So as much as i will miss the east/west fox and abc (love watching car chases on the LA news) it will be nice to have CBS come in clear.

[JonInMiddleGA]

My DishNetwork rate went up $1/month starting with February.
To soften the blow, the bill included a coupon for a free PPV movie.

[FBPro]

Had Dish for a few years, glad I made the Directv switch this year.

[Franklinnoble]

If DirecTV wasn't the exclusive provider of NFL Sunday Ticket, I wouldn't have it.

[Tekneek]

If DirecTV wasn't the exclusive provider of NFL Sunday Ticket, I wouldn't have it.

I am contemplating switching to Dish because their NHL Center Ice offering is superior to DirecTV's. Dish actually shows the pre and post game shows on Hockey Night In Canada broadcasts, and DirecTV often cuts them off before they even announce the three stars of the game or do a recap. Additionally, lately Dish Network has been offering both feeds (if both teams are broadcasting) on games which would definitely be more interesting. Those folks are paying the same subscription fee as me and getting a lot more for that money.

DirecTV will, most likely, have a lock on Sunday Ticket for as long as the NFL wants to offer the package at all.

[Franklinnoble]

DirecTV will, most likely, have a lock on Sunday Ticket for as long as the NFL wants to offer the package at all.

Well, I know that they just renewed that proprietary deal, so we're stuck with DirecTV for the next few years, but I can't imagine that the genuises at the NFL won't come up with a way to get the package out to a larger audience and make more money with it.

[Tekneek]

Well, I know that they just renewed that proprietary deal, so we're stuck with DirecTV for the next few years, but I can't imagine that the genuises at the NFL won't come up with a way to get the package out to a larger audience and make more money with it.

I have read statements from NFL representatives that they have no interest in opening it up to a wider audience. They just decreased the audience with this new deal. The previous one was open to DirecTV AND C-Band (big dish). They cut the big dish distribution out of this contract. I saw a statement once that basically said they would sooner stop offering the package before they let it go to cable. Times may change, of course.

[Craptacular]

I'm debating whether or not to get Dish, DirectTV, or keep my cable (Charter). The key issues are:

1) I must keep high-speed internet access, and I'd prefer to keep Charter for that, but the price is kind of steep if you don't have cable TV.

2) Charter started offering HDTV service here a couple of months ago. Right now, it's HDNet and HDNet movies (worthless) on cable, and the three major network affiliates, but they are negotiating to add other cable channels. I have a nice antenna ready and waiting in the garage for off-air HDTV, but I haven't bought an HDTV receiver. If I get Dish or DirectTV, I'll get one of the combo receivers, although they are still pretty pricey.

[Ksyrup]

With the baseball, hockey, and football packages, my DirecTV bill is under $130 only 1 or 2 months a year. An extra dollar or three ain't gonna make a difference.