New pricing?

What is Regional Sports Fee .............. Increases $0.63-$1.82/mo? I hadn't seen that before.

Any reason I wouldn't switch from the retired choice extra package to xtra package?

 

I initially thought that but then thought to myself that would be too consumer friendly. No way is a for-profit organization like (insert local cable op or satellite provider here) consumer friendly.

 

It's been around since last year. Depends on where you live as you may not be impacted at all. Only certain zip codes are impacted and the amount depends mostly on how many RSNs are served in that zip code area.

 

OMG... are they serious?

I currently have CHOICE XTRA CLASSIC @ $71.99 / mo. They are raising that to $75.49 which is a $3.50 increase. That's already a 4.8% increase. On top of that, they are going to double the regional sports fee??? I watch ZERO sports. That's a 7.4% increase!

Also, why is CHOICE XTRA CLASSIC $2 more then XTRA?

 

Maybe I'm in the minority, but 4-5 dollars more isn't going to get me upset. They all seem to be upping price around 5 dollars, even Cable. Just think, it's a gallon to a gallon and a half of gas a month

 

Choice Xtra classic is from the era before the Ultimate package was created as a step between Xtra and Premiere, so it has everything that's in Ultimate minus The Movie Channels, Encores and possibly Sundance.

 

LOL...

They raise it $4-5 / mo every year...

At what point would you cancel?

 

I agree. If that would happen. I see some of my receivers getting disconnected.

 

This does not affect me in my area. But, if it did. Would we have the option to drop the RSNs?

 

Not unless you downgrade to Entertainment. The thing you have to realize is that DirecTV prices their base packages nationally even though the RSNs people get vary per area, some areas have none, some get over 4. On cable they can just adjust the prices of their base packages locally to reflect this, for DirecTV they would need to have different pricing that changes based on your zip code and county since team territories don't align with DMAs.

 

CHOICE XTRA CLASSIC has more channels than XTRA, higher programming costs.

The RSN fee is totally dependent on where you live.

 

Yes, I realize that. But, I am taking about the extra RSN fee for area's that have several RSNs. Like LA.

 

I believe even the cable companies have this type of charge now. I know AT&T, Verizon, DIRECTV and others do to address the costs of RSNs in the local market. You are correct that some markets have 4 RSNs, like New York and there is a tremendous cost associated with that, well over the $3.50 that DIRECTV will pass on to customers in those particular zip codes.

 

No, the RSNs have to be made available in most packages where most of the eyeballs are and cannot be separated.

 

I ended up switching off classic, none of the channels were anything I would miss personally.

Sent from my Z10 using DBSTalk mobile app

 

That's what the fee is for, to reflect the additional cost of the multiple RSNs. You don't see this on cable because they just adjust the price of the base packages locally for the affected systems.

 

Cable also raises their cost every year. I don't know at what cost I would cancel, but I do know five dollars won't make me do it, nor would it make me complain. A five dollar increase today is not much, just like a five dollar raise in salary

 

Yeah, I might do that too... only a $2/mo savings though.

 

So you are cool with a $5/mo increase EVERY year?

I can tell you, I have been with DirecTV since 2002 and my bill has increased about 180%. My salary has not. Neither have any of my other bills. I have everything the exact same as I did in 2002 except for upgrading to an HD DVR and the HD package. The HD package has a sticker price of $10/mo. What justifies the other $60 - $70 a month? If you are going to say "they added a bunch of HD channels", I'd have to say thats already been accounted for in the $10/mo. Even if HD was $30/mo, my bill is still out of wack.

I have no movie channels and none of the silly bells & whistles like MRV & PP.

I'd say a reasonable / fair price for Xtra + HD + 1 standalone DVR is in the $70 to $80 ballpark. Not the $110 ballpark.

I don't know what your bill is now, but would you cancel if it hit $150/mo? $200/mo? $500/mo?

 

My cable company is also coming with an increase, and like who isn't? Asking me how much before I cancel seems silly. DTV is cheaper than my Cable company. When my Cable company becomes cheaper and offers equal service, then I would consider cancelling DTV. Until then, I don't make a fuss about a 4-5 dollar increase.