Blow the whistle on cable companies

[azsouthendzone]

Here's what you get for the $70 a month HD Plus DVR package:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/moreInfoOffer.jsp?productId=prod880026


Note the HD channels. And also, pretty skimpy IMO on the other channels from what Cox offers.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4360044

Things change. These also include the regional sports networks as well, like FSN-AZ, so if you want to see Matt Leinart-Under the Lights in HD, you will be able to. I think pricing is also being altered by the end of the year to drop the $10 HD fee, which to be fair I'm sure they will find a way to stick it to you in other ways.

 

[ARZCardinals]

Direct TV is only in business because they have NFL Sunday Ticket. The rest of their features dont even come close to what cable offers. i will say that i am pissed that NFL Net. was free last year and now I have to pay for it.

you're not playing the system

call d-tv up and complain that you're going to switch to cable.

They gave me...
superfan package free
every movie channel free - yes every movie channel, not porn nor ppv for one year
lowered my bill by 10 bucks per month
all dishes and hd receivers free


play it right and you'll get it all

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Take away the locals (which I think you are wrong anayway) and it is still far and away more than anyone else.

The new channels came up today. Be jealous Cox subscribers. You won't have these for a long, long, time.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4360044

The only channel there that Cox hasn't had in a long time, or that I am jealous over is HDNet. I'd really like that channel.

 

[football karma]

you're not playing the system

call d-tv up and complain that you're going to switch to cable.

They gave me...
superfan package free
every movie channel free - yes every movie channel, not porn nor ppv for one year
lowered my bill by 10 bucks per month
all dishes and hd receivers free


play it right and you'll get it all

so true--

I found to really get their attention, and to save time on the phone-- you have to go down the auto voice response "cancel my service" choice--

First couple times went with the "talk to a customer service rep" line -- but the offers were mediocre --

when I then went to cancel, and explained I was doing so to switch to Cox cable, they immediately ponied up --

 

[azsouthendzone]

The only channel there that Cox hasn't had in a long time, or that I am jealous over is HDNet. I'd really like that channel.

Currently Cox doesn't have: Animal Planet, Big Ten Network, CNN-HD, History-HD, Smithsonian-HD, TBS-HD, The Movie Channel-HD, Science-HD, Weather-HD, TLC-HD, Versus-HD, Golf-HD, HD Net, HD Net Movies, all regional FSN networks, Yes Network, Altitude 1 and 2, and NFL Network or do they? This is just today. By the end of the year it won't even be debatable. Cox doesn't have the capability to keep up with satellite's potential.

 

[AntSports Steve]

Last time the NFL and Direct TV renewed their contract, I calculated how many new subscribers the NFL Ticket would need to beat Direct TV's exclussive offer and it was around triple the number of new subscribers.

I don't know if the NFL would gain revenue if the NFL Ticket was avaliable on all systems. Direct TV just pays so much extra, it's hard for the NFL to beat.

Personally, I think the NFL should go for the fans on this issue and drop their exclusive deal.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

here's what po's me about Directv.I have the HD package and i buy the MLB,NFL, college football packages. Well, i tried watching a MLB game that they broadcat in HD but i couldn't get it. Even though i have the HD package AND the mlb package, they wanted extra money to watch the mlb game in HD WTF. I hate when they nickel and dime you to death. It's just liek they cahnged it a couple years ago where you have to purchase the superfan package to watch the NFL on their HD channels. I also called and got Superfan free(only the first year) by threatening to switch but that usually only works once and now i have to pay the 99$. Whoever said it is right, if they'd ever lose exclusive rights to the NFL, they'd be out of business.

 

[Shane]

here's what po's me about Directv.I have the HD package and i buy the MLB,NFL, college football packages. Well, i tried watching a MLB game that they broadcat in HD but i couldn't get it. Even though i have the HD package AND the mlb package, they wanted extra money to watch the mlb game in HD WTF. I hate when they nickel and dime you to death. It's just liek they cahnged it a couple years ago where you have to purchase the superfan package to watch the NFL on their HD channels. I also called and got Superfan free(only the first year) by threatening to switch but that usually only works once and now i have to pay the 99$. Whoever said it is right, if they'd ever lose exclusive rights to the NFL, they'd be out of business.

There customer service and price is FAR better than any cable company I have ever delt with so I doubt it.

I have been with them forever and have had no problems.

 

[cardsfanmd]

For anyone who doesn't already know this: Most new HDTVs come with a built in tuner. Mine gives me all of the pay per view and porn for free.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Yeah, this pisses me off every year. Time Warner Cable has monopolized Southern Cali and they refuse to carry NFL network! I call every year and get the same bs...

The avg bill for just above basic cable is around 100 per month.. TW just raised rates by 45% in June after a pretty significant increase the year before.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

For anyone who doesn't already know this: Most new HDTVs come with a built in tuner. Mine gives me all of the pay per view and porn for free.

how does that work? don't you have to get your DTV signal throught their receiver?

 

[40yearfan]

gimmick. 100 channels includes local channels from major markets.

Thats like including ABC in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston, and counting that as 3 new channels.

Here's the channels that just came on line today and will come on line in October. Pretty good line-up.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4360044

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Currently Cox doesn't have: Animal Planet, Big Ten Network, CNN-HD, History-HD, Smithsonian-HD, TBS-HD, The Movie Channel-HD, Science-HD, Weather-HD, TLC-HD, Versus-HD, Golf-HD, HD Net, HD Net Movies, all regional FSN networks, Yes Network, Altitude 1 and 2, and NFL Network or do they? This is just today. By the end of the year it won't even be debatable. Cox doesn't have the capability to keep up with satellite's potential.

Yes, there are some channels that Cable doesn't have. But then again, I won't be able to get the big ten network, for example. They wouldn't offer it to us.

Like I said, the only channel that I feel is really lacking is HDNet. Cox is planning on bringing regional FSN channels, TBS, CNN and GolfHD shortly.

 

[bratwurst]

Here's the problem with the exclusivity deal, especially you guys paying for superfan would know this - if Cox had it, and Time Warner had it, and Dish Network, and etc etc, there would be competition in the market. So the price would come down. No more rising cost for this NFL crap every year, no more paying $100 more to get the games in HD, or adding the Red zone channel.

In fact, not only would I bet the pricing would be better, but the different companies might even push the envelope with even more content, like the short cuts + more stuff to download to your DVRs.

This is economics 101.

Any which way, I'm not buying it again next year. At some point, like maybe 2 years ago, I got priced out. I'm just now admitting it.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Not gonna happen guys. Its just like the EA Sports Madden deal. It is all about money, and unlike most companies, the NFL is religion, and no matter what they do to nickle and dime you, they will always get you to come back. It is this type of stuff that has helped create the empire. Anyway, from someone who has experienced Cox and Directv, there really is no comparison with the quality of picture, channels, price, and customer service. Trust me, Cox wants to nickle and dime you too. Its all business. It is just up to you to pick the best one for you. if you are cable subscriber and constantly are thinking about NFL Sunday Ticket, chances are you are making the wrong choice.

 

[Russ Smith]

Last time the NFL and Direct TV renewed their contract, I calculated how many new subscribers the NFL Ticket would need to beat Direct TV's exclussive offer and it was around triple the number of new subscribers.

I don't know if the NFL would gain revenue if the NFL Ticket was avaliable on all systems. Direct TV just pays so much extra, it's hard for the NFL to beat.

Personally, I think the NFL should go for the fans on this issue and drop their exclusive deal.

You mean triple the number of existing sunday ticket subscribers? I have no idea what that number is, and what the number of cable subscribers is.

But they can lower the cost to Directv and make up the difference with cable companies. In fact in that case I should stop complaining it would just result in my cable rate going up!

 

[cardsfanmd]

how does that work? don't you have to get your DTV signal throught their receiver?

I just unplu my TV from the cable box and hook it directly to the wall and vwaalaa!!!!!! free movies and lots of boobies.

 

[Lloydian]

gimmick. 100 channels includes local channels from major markets.

Thats like including ABC in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston, and counting that as 3 new channels.

Well, that's not true. Currently, DirecTV has HD locals for 5 channels each in dozens of markets, so if that was part of the number, they would have been claiming it for a year.

It is true, however, that the number includes the many varieties of HBO, Showtime, Starz, etc. and PPV HD channels, but the figure of 70 represents national networks in HD. That's huge compared to anyone.

As to a price comparison:
DirecTV is slightly higher in cost, but you get so many more channels, it should be easy to choose. In addition, Qwest bundles with DirecTV for phone and Internet (albeit at 1.5 mb instead of Cox's rate of around 5 mb) to bring the price significantly lower.

Reasons to stay with Cox: No equipment to purchase (see the advice on eliminating this one), no issues with landlords, cheaper mirroring of programming if you have multiple televisions.

Reasons to go to DirecTV: More programming for about the same money, availability of Sunday Ticket.

 

[Austin Zonie]

I just unplu my TV from the cable box and hook it directly to the wall and vwaalaa!!!!!! free movies and lots of boobies.

That really works? You have all the functionality + all channels?

 

[Gaddabout]

I hate my cable company, but I get NFL Network. I could do without the films reliving the 49er dynasty.

Thank you! I feared I was caught in an infinite loop because the 49ers were on every time I switched over. It was like the NFL version of Groundhog Day.

 

[DEEEFENSE!!!]

I have had Quest cable for 13 years. 2 years ago they offered a free package for a couple weeks, that included N.F.L. network. They then wanted to charge for the package that also included about 10 other channels I would never watch. August of '06, while channel surfing I ran across the channel I watch daily(yes,N.F.L. network)at no extra cost! I have told many a football fan to get rid of Cox and go with Quest.

 

[Red Dawn]

NFL network went up on High Def yesterday along with some other channels listed previously. I have been calling Direct TV for some friends getting them deals to upgrade to high def. The initial deal DTV offers for an existing customer is $299.00. I ask to speak to customer retention, and after a little haggling the final deal in both cases was $199.00 + 19.95 shipping...offset by a $100.00 programming credit, $10.00 credit for HD for 12 months, and free upgrade to 5 lnb dish and HD DVR; basically the upgrade is free. I also got them 6 months free HBO and Starz and 2 months free showtime. You also have to commit to DTV for 2 years (not a big deal, and i heard the practice is being examined by the courts). Sunday ticket was offered in another package deal but neither wanted it.

This was for existing Direct TV customers. I'm sure they have deals going if someone wants to switch to Direct TV, or for new customers.

 

[RonF]

Here's what you get for the $70 a month HD Plus DVR package:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/moreInfoOffer.jsp?productId=prod880026


Note the HD channels. And also, pretty skimpy IMO on the other channels from what Cox offers.

Here are some of the new HD channels that were online, effective yesterday. There are other channels, such as, FOX Business channel scheduled for next month.

New HD Channel Lineup - 9/26/2007

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Talk about the new DIRECTV Channels: New DIRECTV HD Channels Discussion

Below is the list of new HD channels that are now available on DIRECTV.
Available channels based upon programming packages.

List of new HD channels (each line is a discussion thread link)
A&E (Channel 265)
Animal Planet (Channel 282)
Big Ten Network (Channel 220)
CNN (Channel 202)
The Discovery Channel (Channel 278)
The History Channel (Channel 269)
The Movie Channel East (Channel 544)
NFL Network (Channel 212)
Showtime West (Channel 540)
Showtime too (Channel 538)
The Smithsonian Channel (Channel 267)
The Science Channel (Channel 284)
Starz Comedy (Channel 519)
Starz East (Channel 522)
Starz West (Channel 540)
Starz Edge (Channel 520)
Starz Kids and Family (Channel 518)
TBS (Channel 247)
TLC (Channel 280)
Versus / The Golf Channel (Channel 604)
The Weather Channel (Channel 362)

Use this link for a more Detailed DIRECTV HD Channel Listing