View Full Version : Change in Programming Offer from D*
Received a call from D* the other night. I am currently on the old Total Choice Plus for 57.99 Month plus PP, HD Access, and DVR Service of 5.99, 10.00, and 6.00 respectfully. I have three HD-DVRS (2 - HR20 and 1 - HR22). They are offering me for two dollars more a month (I am sure that is what he said) all premiums PLUS Sunday Ticket for five months and free DVR access on all receivers for the same time period.. At the end of five months I can call and cancel and revert to whatever basic package I would like except of course Total Choice Plus since it is no longer offered. If this is all true it sounds to good not to take but I am concerned about losing TC Plus. If I am reading the newest programming rates properly it looks like I would have to get their Choice Extra Plus HD DVR at 75.99 to be comparable to what I now have. If I am right that would be tree dollars more a month. Am I missing something????
You have to sign up for a 30 year commitment though. lol
Jeremy W
09-26-09, 03:11 PM
You have to sign up for a 30 year commitment though. lol
You're only off by about 28 years.
Shades228
09-26-09, 03:12 PM
Received a call from D* the other night. I am currently on the old Total Choice Plus for 57.99 Month plus PP, HD Access, and DVR Service of 5.99, 10.00, and 6.00 respectfully. I have three HD-DVRS (2 - HR20 and 1 - HR22). They are offering me for two dollars more a month (I am sure that is what he said) all premiums PLUS Sunday Ticket for five months and free DVR access on all receivers for the same time period.. At the end of five months I can call and cancel and revert to whatever basic package I would like except of course Total Choice Plus since it is no longer offered. If this is all true it sounds to good not to take but I am concerned about losing TC Plus. If I am reading the newest programming rates properly it looks like I would have to get their Choice Extra Plus HD DVR at 75.99 to be comparable to what I now have. If I am right that would be tree dollars more a month. Am I missing something????
Nope you have it all down. It's just depends on if the deal is worth it to you or not.
Shades228
09-26-09, 03:13 PM
You have to sign up for a 30 year commitment though. lol
You're only off by about 28 years.
Actually he's off by 30 and you're off by 28. There is not an agreement with this unless he upgrades equipment.
Received a call from D* the other night. I am currently on the old Total Choice Plus for 57.99 Month plus PP, HD Access, and DVR Service of 5.99, 10.00, and 6.00 respectfully. I have three HD-DVRS (2 - HR20 and 1 - HR22). They are offering me for two dollars more a month (I am sure that is what he said) all premiums PLUS Sunday Ticket for five months and free DVR access on all receivers for the same time period.. At the end of five months I can call and cancel and revert to whatever basic package I would like except of course Total Choice Plus since it is no longer offered. If this is all true it sounds to good not to take but I am concerned about losing TC Plus. If I am reading the newest programming rates properly it looks like I would have to get their Choice Extra Plus HD DVR at 75.99 to be comparable to what I now have. If I am right that would be tree dollars more a month. Am I missing something????
Yes, all the movie channels, and NFL sunday ticket & free dvr service ;)
Jeremy W
09-26-09, 03:24 PM
Actually he's off by 30 and you're off by 28. There is not an agreement with this unless he upgrades equipment.
Of course, you're right. I misread what the OP said, I saw "free DVR" and thought he was getting new equipment.
The Merg
09-26-09, 05:52 PM
The offer is truely that you are paying for Sunday Ticket over the course of 5 payments and are getting the Premium Plan for free during that time period. At the end of the five months, it reverts to the Premium Plan at $109.99/month, which after including HD and DVR service ends up being $125.99/month. If you elect to not keep the Preium Plan, you would have to revert back to one of the current plans of the Choice Xtra. The closest for you would be the Choice Xtra HD DVR Plan at $75.99, which would be $2 more than you pay now ($57.99 + $10 + $6 = $73.99). This is an effort by DirecTV to try to get those who were grandfathered with the TC Plus plans onto their current plans.
- Merg
Thanks to all who gave their input. It appears it is as I thought. I will wait to see if they actually do call back and if so I will take them up on it if it truely is only 2 dollars a month more. Thanks to all again.
fredandbetty
09-26-09, 10:16 PM
Thanks to all who gave their input. It appears it is as I thought. I will wait to see if they actually do call back and if so I will take them up on it if it truely is only 2 dollars a month more. Thanks to all again.
Good luck, Wonder where MY phone call is??? :lol:
jsquash
09-26-09, 10:36 PM
Thanks to all who gave their input. It appears it is as I thought. I will wait to see if they actually do call back and if so I will take them up on it if it truely is only 2 dollars a month more. Thanks to all again.
You might want to make sure that you are getting Superfan with that deal if you want to watch the games in HD. I think a lot of the other people that got this deal had to ask for Superfan for free or just pay for it.
Boston Fan
09-26-09, 10:41 PM
Thanks to all who gave their input. It appears it is as I thought. I will wait to see if they actually do call back and if so I will take them up on it if it truely is only 2 dollars a month more. Thanks to all again.It's true, except it won't be $2 more...since you are also getting the free DVR service, it will actually be saving you $4/month during the five months. I got the same deal, although in my case it was even money since I moved from the grandfathered Total Choice package. :)
Actually he's off by 30 and you're off by 28. There is not an agreement with this unless he upgrades equipment.
I would double check this. I was offered a similar deal and it did include a commitment (with no change in Hardware). Better safe to get it in writing.
Good luck, Wonder where MY phone call is??? :lol:
Same place my call back is evidently :lol:
I would double check this. I was offered a similar deal and it did include a commitment (with no change in Hardware). Better safe to get it in writing.
If they call back I will certainly ask. Even though I don't plan on going anywhere for the next two years :D
Shades228
09-27-09, 11:40 AM
Did you tell them to call back?
It's true, except it won't be $2 more...since you are also getting the free DVR service, it will actually be saving you $4/month during the five months. I got the same deal, although in my case it was even money since I moved from the grandfathered Total Choice package. :)
Did you also get Superfan included?
Did you tell them to call back?
Yup, he said he would. We'll see.
cadet502
09-27-09, 01:25 PM
Yup, he said he would. We'll see.
When you talk to them, tell them to give me a call.;)
.
You do realize that the NFL Sunday Ticket auto renews next year.
dpeters11
09-27-09, 04:48 PM
You do realize that the NFL Sunday Ticket auto renews next year.
True, but that is easy to cancel as long as you do it early enough. I'm hoping for a call myself :)
Well they called back a little while ago however it did not go well. The CSR that called was barely understandable and did not know more than what he was reading, which is ok since he was polite and stopped to ask what he didn't know. His supervisor finally came on because he could not answer two questions. He said if I reverted back to a comparable Extra Choice Plus program that I would gain an additional 12 channels that I did not currently have making up for the additional two or three dollars a month in price and when I asked what they were he couldn't tell me. Also I asked about HD for Sunday Ticket and he said yes then I asked him to verify it and his supervisor came on. She also couldn't tell me what additional channels I would receive if I reverted back. She acknowledged 6 were from the extra pack but didn’t know what the other 6 were. Then she acknowledged I would not receive Sunday Ticket in HD and when I said that could be a deal breaker for me she simply said " this is a onetime offer today only and thank you for calling D*" then hung up without giving me an opportunity to accept the offer anyway. She should have given me the opportunity to take it anyway. Oh well. :nono2:
You can always try calling back and try to get a good CSR (CSR roulette). Maybe they'll be willing to budge more for you.
You can always try calling back and try to get a good CSR (CSR roulette). Maybe they'll be willing to budge more for you.
Maybe I will try that tomorrow.............
slacker_x
09-29-09, 02:24 PM
You do realize that the NFL Sunday Ticket auto renews next year.
It auto-renews but they start billing so damn early that you can cancel it long before the season starts, and even if you do pay for 1 month they'll credit it back as long as Sunday Ticket hasn't started.
xmetalx
09-29-09, 11:29 PM
Well they called back a little while ago however it did not go well. The CSR that called was barely understandable and did not know more than what he was reading, which is ok since he was polite and stopped to ask what he didn't know. His supervisor finally came on because he could not answer two questions. He said if I reverted back to a comparable Extra Choice Plus program that I would gain an additional 12 channels that I did not currently have making up for the additional two or three dollars a month in price and when I asked what they were he couldn't tell me. Also I asked about HD for Sunday Ticket and he said yes then I asked him to verify it and his supervisor came on. She also couldn't tell me what additional channels I would receive if I reverted back. She acknowledged 6 were from the extra pack but didn’t know what the other 6 were. Then she acknowledged I would not receive Sunday Ticket in HD and when I said that could be a deal breaker for me she simply said " this is a onetime offer today only and thank you for calling D*" then hung up without giving me an opportunity to accept the offer anyway. She should have given me the opportunity to take it anyway. Oh well. :nono2:
unbelievable. they have the tools right in front of them. why did it take a csr and 2 supervisors to tell you whats easily accessible for them? to my knowledge, you gain 12, and lose 6 (going from Total Choice Plus to Choice Xtra) Don't ask me to name them all, a few are XM stations, the rest I don't remember. In regards to the NFL ST in HD, you would need Superfan (5 payments of $20) for those HD games.
Also, it sounds like you were talking to an outbound telemarketing firm, and not an actual D* CSR. (which is not to say all D* csr's are competent, but I can guarantee you those outbound firms are sales reps for many different companies, which is why they're unfamiliar with channel lineups/etc)
unbelievable. they have the tools right in front of them. why did it take a csr and 2 supervisors to tell you whats easily accessible for them? to my knowledge, you gain 12, and lose 6 (going from Total Choice Plus to Choice Xtra) Don't ask me to name them all, a few are XM stations, the rest I don't remember. In regards to the NFL ST in HD, you would need Superfan (5 payments of $20) for those HD games.
Also, it sounds like you were talking to an outbound telemarketing firm, and not an actual D* CSR. (which is not to say all D* csr's are competent, but I can guarantee you those outbound firms are sales reps for many different companies, which is why they're unfamiliar with channel lineups/etc)
That makes sense. Thanks.
jganyard
10-01-09, 09:12 AM
I called into DTV Movers Connection and received the same offer. I confirmed multiple times each with 2 different reps that this would not extend my committment to DTV. They both told me explicitly that only adding new receivers would extend a programming committment. I also checked my account online after they changed my package (they changed it then, though I don't move for 2 weeks) and there was a "No Annual Committment" line item.
The offer however does not include HD Access, that's an additional $10 per month.
mreposter
10-09-09, 08:15 PM
I just got the same call from a third-party tele-marketer. He wasn't very knowledgeable about Directv service and kept tripping over lines in the script and talked very quickly, making the whole thing confusing.
I wanted to check back here in the forums, so I told him I would not make an immediate decision. He said he would set me up for a call back. He did confirm that this offer did not extend any contract commitment.
So does this really lower your bill by a $2 or does that not include the $10 HD charge?
rudeney
10-09-09, 09:24 PM
I was told it would be $2 more per month. I didn't take it because I didn't need the programming they were offering and also didn't want to lose my TC+ grandfathered subscription.
Jeremy W
10-09-09, 10:44 PM
I was told it would be $2 more per month.
That's correct. DirecTV isn't calling everyone up to try and get them to pay less.
The Merg
10-09-09, 11:26 PM
I just got the same call from a third-party tele-marketer. He wasn't very knowledgeable about Directv service and kept tripping over lines in the script and talked very quickly, making the whole thing confusing.
I wanted to check back here in the forums, so I told him I would not make an immediate decision. He said he would set me up for a call back. He did confirm that this offer did not extend any contract commitment.
So does this really lower your bill by a $2 or does that not include the $10 HD charge?
It should be $2 more. You probably pay $57.99/month and the offer is for $59.99/month. You are paying for Sunday Ticket for 5 months and getting the Premium Package for free. After that time, you then pay for the Premium Package unless you downgrade to one of the Choice Xtra packages. HD service is on top of the $59.99/month rate they offered you.
- Merg
I also have the total choice plus package and was offered the same deal. I repeated the offer to the dtv rep premium package and sunday tix included. Which they said yes. I received my bill this week to see a charge for sunday tix. (59.99) I called to inquiry and they said the offer was explained wrong. The offer is premium channels for free for 5 months with the ability to get sunday tix. (Or as DTV says premium channels with sunday ticket). They transferred me to some other agent in which I cancelled the premium channel offer and reverted my programming back to the total choice plus package I had originally.
TBlazer07
10-11-09, 07:27 AM
Eventually they will be moving everyone to the current packages so you might as well take some freebies now because eventually there won't be any option. It already is happening for some other DirecTV type of customer accounts. They probably are hiring outside telemarketers to ramp up the process. I was told it would be $2 more per month. I didn't take it because I didn't need the programming they were offering and also didn't want to lose my TC+ grandfathered subscription.
Boston Fan
10-11-09, 08:21 AM
I was told it would be $2 more per month. I didn't take it because I didn't need the programming they were offering and also didn't want to lose my TC+ grandfathered subscription.
That's correct. DirecTV isn't calling everyone up to try and get them to pay less.
It should be $2 more. You probably pay $57.99/month and the offer is for $59.99/month. You are paying for Sunday Ticket for 5 months and getting the Premium Package for free. After that time, you then pay for the Premium Package unless you downgrade to one of the Choice Xtra packages. HD service is on top of the $59.99/month rate they offered you.
Don't forget that the DVR fee is included for the 5 months, so if you are currently paying the DVR fee, factor that savings in to determine how much you might be saving. In my case, since I was on the grandfathered TC plan, my bill ended up exactly even ($53.99 TC + $6 DVR).
rudeney
10-11-09, 02:27 PM
Eventually they will be moving everyone to the current packages so you might as well take some freebies now because eventually there won't be any option. It already is happening for some other DirecTV type of customer accounts. They probably are hiring outside telemarketers to ramp up the process.
Yeah, but why would I want to take some "freebies" that I would not use and pay more per month to get them? And then I'd also have to remember to call and cancel so I wouldn't be charged full price when the offer ended.
If D* does force me to change from TC+, then so be it, but I just don't see the value in paying more for something I don't want or need, even if it is only $2/mo.
kycubsfan
10-11-09, 06:47 PM
I took it. I have no use for Sunday Ticket (won't bother with SuperFan) but the wife is enjoying the buffet of movie channels, I'm happy to have all the RSNs back, and I'm saving money for the time being.
Boston Fan
10-11-09, 09:30 PM
Yeah, but why would I want to take some "freebies" that I would not use and pay more per month to get them? And then I'd also have to remember to call and cancel so I wouldn't be charged full price when the offer ended.
If D* does force me to change from TC+, then so be it, but I just don't see the value in paying more for something I don't want or need, even if it is only $2/mo.
You'd actually be saving $4/mo for the next 5 months if you are currently paying a DVR fee.
rudeney
10-12-09, 11:50 AM
You'd actually be saving $4/mo for the next 5 months if you are currently paying a DVR fee.
It wasn't presented that way. The telemarketer quoted my current price, then the promotional price, and even noted that it was $2 more per month, but that I;d be getting all the extra programming. When I declined, she even said, "But it's only $2 more!"
I'm still on the TC package, and quite happy with it. But I would be tempted to take this offer if they call just to get ST. After the offer expired though it would cost me $6 more per month because I would want Choice Extra since Choice doesn't have some channels I like.
For me, I did not end up taking the offer. Even tho they did tell me about the included DVR fee which would have lowered my overall bill for five months. With Sunday ticket, all the premiums and no DVR fee for 5 months it was a very tempting offer even tho at the end I would lose TC+ and end up paying $2 more. The kicker for me was the Superfan. I could not see getting Sunday Ticket without HD. Whats the point. I am not too interested in all the premium channels as we get all movies thru Blockbuster on line and without HD, Sunday ticket for me wasn't worth it since I am still local for my teams.
EricRobins
10-12-09, 12:13 PM
... They transferred me to some other agent in which I cancelled the premium channel offer and reverted my programming back to the total choice plus package I had originally.
Are you sure you were able to go back?
Shades228
10-12-09, 12:30 PM
Are you sure you were able to go back?
The timeline of his story would indicate he had it for less than 30 days. If he had gone past that than he wouldn't have been able to go back.
mreposter
10-12-09, 02:17 PM
I ended up taking the deal over the weekend. I watched a couple of movies, which was nice - having all the movie channels made finding something worth watching much easier than just having HBO or Starz.
In the end, it'll cost me more when the 5 months are up and I have to move to the new packages, but since it's quickly turning to winter, having the extra programming will make the cold nights go by quicker.
Plus, when this is over, D12 will be live and there will be lots of new HD channels to enjoy! I guess this means the programming packages won't be changing in March, just the prices.
fredandbetty
10-15-09, 01:31 PM
I sure hope so, I may just have to answer the phone when they call ( IF they call... LOL)
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