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DirecTV price hike...

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Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for
Total Choice?

The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to
subscribe for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at
the time of the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about
this....

> About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at no cost, or at a discounted price, you agreed
> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
programming package.
> This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will not change.

They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?

Add a reply

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Steve K." <steve@nodamnspam.com> wrote in message
news:XaU5e.3466$yq6.140@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for Total
> Choice?
>
> The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
> for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to subscribe
> for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at the time of
> the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about this....
>
>> About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at
>> no cost, or at a discounted price, you agreed
>> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
> programming package.
>> This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will
>> not change.
>
> They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
> will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
> year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
> make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
> doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?

I think they should have let you know when you made the agreement that price
changes were a possibility. As long as the price change affects all
customers, not just you, I think it's fair. Think about it, competition
drives prices and if their price isn't competetive then they'll lose
customers. Maybe the small price increase also comes with a small
enhancement to the total choice package? You might want to find that out.
Maybe they added another channel to the total choice?

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

My opinion of the situation as you have laid it out is that unless the
FINE PRINT in the agreement specifies that the rates are guaranteed
(i.e.,locked) in for a specified time,then their stance (DirecTV's) is
the correct one.
The exchange of duties in the agreement as presented indicates that in
exchange for the free equipment and installation you have agreed to
abide by a service agreement for one year.Nothing ELSE is included by my
interpretation.They are trying to minimize CHURN,whereby subscribers are
constantly switching services,as much as a dozen times in a single year.
However,they are not about to charge you $200 per month per
subscriber,due to the fact that there ARE uniform pricing policies in
place being it is a national service and subject to the strictures of
the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Steve K. (steve@nodamnspam.com) wrote in alt.tv.tech.hdtv:
> They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
> will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
> year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
> make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
> doesn't seem right.

It isn't. If they raise the price at all, they can't hold you to the
agreement, or charge you a cancellation fee. You can't force them to
keep the monthly fee the same, but they can't force you to pay the
increased fee, either.

Basically, if you *had* a 12-month committment, you don't anymore, and can
cancel at any time with no penalty.

--
Jeff Rife | "You are now dead. Thank you for using Stop and
| Drop, America's favorite Suicide Booth since
| 2008."
| -- "Futurama"

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

All that happened was the base subscription went up a couple bucks and the
increase was applied unilaterally, across the board to all subscribers.
You weren't single out to be screwed, we were all screwed equally.

A subscription price increase that applies to all subscribers does not
excuse you from the balance of your committment/obligation nor does your
contract lock you in to any guaranteed price.

If you're unhappy, when your contract term is up cancel. Until that time
just pay the bill.

In article <XaU5e.3466$yq6.140@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net> "Steve
K." <steve@nodamnspam.com> writes:

>Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for
>Total Choice?
>
>The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
>for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to
>subscribe for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at
>the time of the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about
>this....
>
>> About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at no cost, or at a discounted price, you agreed
>> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
>programming package.
>> This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will not change.
>
>They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
>will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
>year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
>make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
>doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Steve K." <steve@nodamnspam.com> wrote in message
news:XaU5e.3466$yq6.140@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for
Total Choice?

The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to
subscribe for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at
the time of the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about
this....

> About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at no
cost, or at a discounted price, you agreed
> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
programming package.
> This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will
not change.

They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?
==============

I had the same thing happen -- began my year in January only to see the
price hike hit in March. I complained. Nothing they could do to lower the
fee but they did offer/give me Showtime for 3 months for free.

J.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

In article <XaU5e.3466$yq6.140@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>, Steve K.
says...
>
>Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for
>Total Choice?
>
>The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
>for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to
>subscribe for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at
>the time of the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about
>this....
>
>>About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at no cost,
>>or at a discounted price, you agreed
>> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
>programming package.
>>This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will not
>>change.
>
>They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
>will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
>year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
>make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
>doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?

Kind of related to this topic. Does DirecTV have an annual subscription rate?
DISH offers 12 months for the price of 11 on most of their programming. This
also avoids price increases at least for the duration of your annual package. I
couldn't find any mention of annual pricing on the DirecTV website.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Check your agreement's fine print:
Many such agreements are written that the prices are good for the "duration"
of the "Program", where the "duration" is never defined.

"Steve K." <steve@nodamnspam.com> wrote in message
news:XaU5e.3466$yq6.140@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Anyone else get the DirecTV price hike from $39.99 to $41.99 yet for Total
> Choice?
>
> The thing is, I have a year commitment since they sent me the third LNB
> for my oval dish for free. That's fine. But since I agreed to subscribe
> for another year, don't they have to honor the price point at the time of
> the agreement? Here's what they said when I asked about this....
>
>> About your annual commitment. Because you received DIRECTV equipment at
>> no cost, or at a discounted price, you agreed
>> to subscribe to 12 consecutive months of at least a TOTAL CHOICE
> programming package.
>> This commitment does not guarantee that your pricing and programming will
>> not change.
>
> They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or programming
> will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to subscribe for a
> year and they can make the subscription anything they want? Oh...let's
> make it $200 a month now...he has to subscribe for a year! That just
> doesn't seem right. What do you guys think?

Reply to JAS

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Sounds like a rip off to me. In Nov of 2004 I locked into an annual
contract (which I strangely cancel at any time) with comcast HD. In
January, prices increased, but my bill stayed the same. I would
threaten to cancel and see how
DTV respond.

Cygnus
The Bringer of Balance

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Jeff Rife wrote:
> Steve K. (steve@nodamnspam.com) wrote in alt.tv.tech.hdtv:
>> They say they committment doesn't guarantee that pricing or
>> programming will not change. Hmmm....So does that mean I agree to
>> subscribe for a year and they can make the subscription anything
>> they want? Oh...let's make it $200 a month now...he has to
>> subscribe for a year! That just doesn't seem right.
>
> It isn't. If they raise the price at all, they can't hold you to the
> agreement, or charge you a cancellation fee. You can't force them to
> keep the monthly fee the same, but they can't force you to pay the
> increased fee, either.

Agreed, if you rented and your landlord attempted to raise the rent during a
year's lease he'd find himself in court pretty damn quick!

This actually happened to me (the apartment thing) in Phoenix AZ back in
1993. I had a six month lease and my last month would have been more money
if I didn't point out my lease. They agreed and I didn't have to pay the
increase for my last month. If I had stayed for month-to-month I would have
had to pay up, and would have done so gladly.

> Basically, if you *had* a 12-month commitment, you don't anymore,
> and can cancel at any time with no penalty.

Agreed! ;-)

Reply to Anonymous

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