Cancelled after Years and Years

I’m guessing on this part. I think ATT is doing carriage contracts in the same way it has always done. Bundles of channels at differing subscription levels. Those contracts may turn out to bite them in the butt if they try to jigger the channel lineups to get a competitive price that is still profitable.
In all of this I think the term “premium customer” they like to bandy about will disappear as they’ll find their definition not be fit those going to streaming.


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It's not rocket science, it's just a matter of AT&T imposing their will, to the extent possible, on the network owners. Here's what AT&T would ideally want: a main package that includes locals, plus the ~40 most popular national cable channels (including, of course, all of AT&T's own content: HBO Max, TBS, TNT, CNN, Boomerang, etc.). Exclude regional sports networks and all other pricy all-sports channels with the exception of the "must-haves": ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, NBCSN and maybe SEC Network and/or ACC Network and/or Big Ten Network (depending on area). Negotiate the carriage prices as low as possible for the included channels, then slap an everyday price on it that gives AT&T a sustainable profit margin.

That's it, really. Everything else is about mopping up the details. What happens to all those channels that didn't make that main package? They get included into a step-up base package and/or into one or more optional add-on Extra Packs. To the extent possible, structure things so that the cost of sports channels are borne only by those customers who actually *want* them.

 

They should want a package WITHOUT locals and WITHOUT ESPN if they really want to go after the non sports crowd. Let them pick up their locals via OTA, or simply do without the local channels which are no longer worth the price for people who aren't sports fans. Seriously, only a tiny fraction of non sports fans would think having local channels is worth $15/month (plus are the biggest reason your bill goes up every year)

 

As someone who cannot get locals OTA I would have to disagree that locals are not important to non sports fans. They are THE most important channels. You need them to be able to watch network TV and local news.

 

I don't watch sports, but I do watch locals. Locals don't account for the RSN fee. I have the Preferred Xtra package which has all my locals and no RSN. I'd definitely love to drop ESPN. Isn't it like $8/sub now?

 

Do you believe they are important enough to pay $15/month for? I watch some programs on network TV, but I don't consider network TV and local news be worth $15/month. I mean that's about what you'd pay for Netflix or HBO - do you think the locals are better than either of those ways to spend $15/month?

If I wasn't a sports fan and my cable company allowed it, I'd drop the locals. I can get local news from the web (and mostly don't care anyway) and most of the network programs are free to stream a week or two after they're on TV. At least when I've missed them due to weather pre-emptions, I've been able to watch later on the network's web site. Maybe some of them I had to login with my cable company but I'm sure some of them were totally free to stream without credentials...you just have to wait a bit.

 

I'll have to say, I'd rather watch locals then Calibre on Netflix. With most of the licensed content going away, that's going to be standard fair. No, I wouldn't pay $15 for them.

 

Yes I would pay $15/month for locals. Most of the shows we watch are on the networks and I have a wife that would flip out if she had to wait even a day and then have to go find it somewhere else. Probably why I'll never be rid of linear cable/sat of some type. Now if I it were just me I could do it the way you explained. Right now I record shows during the week as I work nights and then watch everything on the weekend so that would not be an issue for me. We have been on a 3 week trial of Youtube TV starting two weeks ago when our DirecTV trouble started with sat 103cb. She absolutely hates everything about it.

 

Finally seeing the light, huh? Good post! Like you, I have no use for locals...except for sports. I can do something most people can't: I can tell you exactly how many series on locals I've watched in the last calendar year...

Rich

 

Is there a more frustrating company to deal with than AT&T? I'm serious. I cancelled my DTV and Internet with them about 10 days ago. I been with DTV about 13 years. But I couldn't stand it any longer. Today I get a bill. I called AT&T. They said they showed I owe nothing. I asked why they sent a bill then. She responded that they bill ahead and this was my next months service. I asked if they knew I cancelled. The CS rep said yes so I asked what next month service, I cancelled? She then said call us back in a month and we'll tell you what you owe and added that I owe for early termination. I explained I haven't been under contract for at least 4 years. More silence on the phone...then she said to just call them back. I told her I'm not calling back. Just send me a bill of what you think any charges I may owe but it better not include a early termination fee. And if I disagree, then I'll call. If you don't send a bill, I'll assume I owe nothing. She responded they may not be able to send me a bill since I cancelled. I answered if you can't figure out how to bill, that is you're issue. I then said goodbye.
Sorry for my rant but I'm so frustrated (but happy I left).

 

When I cancelled in June I received a bill via email even though I had been receiving paper bills. It had a credit balance since NY does not allow them to keep the pro rated last month's unused service. After about 2 months I was emailed a 0 balance bill which had subtracted my refund. Took another 3 weeks for debit/credit card to arrive with the refund balance.

 

If there's a company that's worse I hope I never run into them.

Rich

 

When I cancelled I immediately got an email with a bill for early termination (knew it was coming). Said money due upon receipt with a link to pay the bill. So I clicked and it asked me to login to my Directv account. When I attempted to login says your account has been suspended. No way to pay the bill. I’ll be damned if am going to call them and go though their customer service (one reason I quit) to pay the bill.

 

Yes, I agree with you. And I believe that AT&T TV will offer what you're talking about, as a sort of alternative/non-mainstream option for those who can get their locals for free via OTA and who don't care about sports channels. This will be an entry-level step-down option from the main package that I described above. It won't be the option that they primarily drive consumers toward but it'll be there for those who want it.

What I'm talking about is the hypothetical "Starter" package that I've been saying for months will exist underneath the Plus and Max packages. What will it contain? Roughly the same set of channels that currently exists in the $15/mo AT&T Watch TV package. All of Warner's channels, of course. And lots of stuff from Discovery, Viacom, AMC, A+E, and Hallmark. Since it doesn't include any of those locals owned by Disney/ABC, Comcast/NBC, CBS or Fox, then they won't let it contain any of their cable channels either. That does mean it won't have some popular channels like Fox News, MSNBC, USA, FX, Disney, etc. But that's part of the trade-off for having a low-cost bundle.

Of course, just like Plus and Max, Starter will also non-optionally include HBO Max too. So look for Starter to cost $30/mo on AT&T TV Now, while Plus and Max stay at $50 and $70. All packages will be $10 more per month on AT&T TV but that extra money gets you a much bigger cloud DVR plus one free custom streaming box. (And the $10 gets knocked off if you're an AT&T Internet customer.)

Look for AT&T to offer a network tuner, similar to DISH/Sling's Air TV, for maybe $50-75. Connect your OTA antenna and plug it into your home router and your free locals get integrated right into the channel guide in the AT&T TV app/box. Connect your own USB hard drive for free DVR service on your OTA locals. No additional charge for that as long as you're a paying subscriber to AT&T TV or AT&T TV Now.

 

I still watch them some but not a lot. I recently looked over the new fall schedule for the major broadcast nets to see how to set up recordings in my OTA DVR software. There's a whopping 4 weekly primetime series that I'm going to record, one on each network. In addition, I'll continue to record 3 other shows on NBC (SNL, NBC Nightly News w/ Lester Holt, and Meet the Press) plus This Week w/ George Stephanopoulos on ABC.

 

Wait five months and you will get turned over to a collection agency. You might as well get in touch with the Office of the President now before you get any more BS from them. You can probably get them to wave the early termination fee. They charged me for two weeks of programming after i canceled ($35.00). Then turned me over to collections after 14 years on auto pay.

This is the form you need to use: https://www.att.com/support_media/images/pdf/Wireless/1239368042948.Notice_of_Dispute_Form.pdf

It is a PIA but will generate a call from them and you will get resolution, if you have documented your issues.

 

I canceled after 10 years with DTV. Had a discount bringing my bill to around $70 per month with 3 receivers. They wouldn't renew and just offered to lower my package. Scheduled my disconnect without putting up a fight. Using YoutubeTV now.

 

Exact same thing with me, losing $60 in credits, only offer was to reduce the package. I have been with them 25 years (I have a very low account number) As much as I like Directv, $160 vs. $50 makes the decision a bit easier. I'm lucky that YouTube TV has all the channels I watch, quality is good, wish their air DVR, would allow you to delete shows after you watch them, instead of waiting 9 months for them to roll off. For example a show I DVR everyday, Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. It re-airs on ESPN and some of their other networks 3 or 4 times a day. I don't really need 4 or 5 copies of the same episode. And by the end of 9 months I will have hundreds of episodes. But you have unlimited cloud DVR, so it doesn't really matter, I just like things neat . But it's just TV. If Directv had offered me something a little close to what I'm going to be paying for YouTube TV, I would have stayed.

 

I told the rep I’d gladly agree to a 1 year contract if they could keep the bill around $70. Maybe retentions is hamstrung I’m what they can do. YouTubeTV is pretty good. It’s got every main channel I watch and the picture quality is noticeably better.

 

You would do well to get this settled as they will send your bill to collections which can damage your credit.