Bell TV Pricing and Programming Packages Discussion - Page 16 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

boxoctosis · 2012-03-01, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davage

Isn't it amazing how much money Bell is getting out of people's pockets every month for something that you can't touch, feel or smell ,and disappears after the flow of money to Bell stops?

It is all about money for Bell. I still think that the re-packaging and reducing the number of locals being made available to people on the new packages is Bell's answer to the whole "Fees for Carriage" debate. If Bell only authorizes the Sudbury CTV station to people in Northern Ontario, then they don't need to pay the Fee to carry that station for the entire country.

I would have liked it if they gave me the opportunity to take $5 off of my monthly bill to take away some of the 'extra' stations that I never watch, such as CHEX from Peterborough.

Within the past month, I bought some new 6131 receivers that were on sale at some major electronics stores. I was just in the process of reviewing my packages to see if there were any changes that I could make to get me a bit more HD service, and that's when Bell changed the programming structure and locked me into my current service OR forced me to take one of the new packages. If I knew this was going to happen, I would not have invested in new 6131 receivers and would have looked at other providers.

I take it you haven't switched to the Good, the bad, and the ugly yet.
I did. I still get CHEX, CHEK, and CKWS. The csrs to a man insisted that I wouldn't get them but a quick call to the loyalty dept confirmed my suspisions that they ARE available
even without the $5 "Time Warp" cash grab.

Call before you switch.

Digital79 · 2012-03-01, 11:22 AM

I think Bell will find this will make more switch to cable?

At least to Shaw cable with the excellent bundle prices they offer.

I'll stay with Bell on the old plan for now,
but when the time comes to make a change
and if they want to force the new packaging that would wrap things up for me.

Selling the 9242(s) is an incentive to move as well.

Davage · 2012-03-01, 11:38 AM

@boxoctosis

You are correct. I haven't changed to the Good/Bad/Ugly package yet. I've done some checking online on the bell site to see what the result would be *if* I were to change, and I don't like it. I guess I will be sticking with my current package for the foreseeable future.

Does anybody know that *IF* I were to remove TMN/HBO for the summer on my old package, would I be able to ADD it back in again in the fall, or would I be forced into one of the new packages? (or forced to call the retentions department?)

gmd · 2012-03-01, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital79

I think Bell will find this make more switch to cable?

At least to Shaw cable with the excellent bundle prices they offer.

I agree.

We have the old "French basic package (Ontario)", as I was waiting for the new fully customizable packages all the French (read: Québec) CSRs had promised in the last few months. Now with no options but go with the new packages, we will likely drop Bell for a few months (why pay for channels we get OTA?). The MythTV setup is almost ready for prime time.

Regarding the packages, Bell thinks that all Ontarians speak English. They may not be king in Eastern Ontario for long...

-gmd

Ronioo · 2012-03-01, 05:44 PM

Have another question about grandfathered packages.. I currently have Dusk TV it is my understanding from reading these forums that DUSK TV is being rebranded/replaced by Spark TV on March 23rd if I remember correctly. How would this change be handled in a grandfathered package.. would I get spark tv because they are just replacing dusk with spark.. or am I just going to lose a channel because they decided to rename it?

jayoldschool · 2012-03-01, 06:05 PM

You will get Spark.

primehifi · 2012-03-02, 11:08 AM

Just went to add march madness package and got this:

TMN Entertainment Guide will be removed from Bell Satellite TV beginning April 19th 2012.

bold will be removed from variety 2 package beginning april 19th. You will continue to receive bold in Variety 1.

documentary will be remove from the variety 2 package beginning april 19th 2012. If you wish to continue receive documenarty you may sub to the more movies package.

dganz1 · 2012-03-04, 06:16 PM

I had no idea they changed the theme pack options. A few weeks ago I got rid of the food channel but one person wanted that back. So if I was still on the 7theme pack package and wanted to swap a theme pack from old system, I am not able to do that anymore? I got a 25% retention discount so now if I call back to switch, I wonder what would happen. I will probably not get the 25% honoured and have to call back to get it back. Has anyone tried to just add a old theme pack or do they make you take a good/better/best.
I was paying 98+tax with 7 themes\movies\hd...now it will be 120+tax if i want to be able to keep the channels i had before. So basically these people are forcing us to accept all the crappy channels when I may only want one of the crappy channels. I thought the old system sucked but this is even worse!
The only thing good about bell is the pvr, otherwise I am going to shaw.

primehifi · 2012-03-04, 11:50 PM

I added the March Madness package but simultaneously lost NBATV. No idea how or why. So bs.

Davage · 2012-03-12, 04:24 PM

I had a thought. *IF* I were to switch to one of the new packages, would I have a choice as to which CTV station from my timezone that I get? As I've mentioned before, I was born and raised in Northern Ontario, but I now live in SouthWestern Ontario. MCTV from Sudbury would be my CTV station of choice if I were restricted to 1 CTV station from my timezone in the new packaging, just so that I can keep in touch with what's going on 'back home'.

Has anybody been able to pick and choose which stations they receive from their own timezone? CFTO from Toronto doesn't interest me, I'd rather watch MCTV from Sudbury.

Blackloz · 2012-03-15, 02:45 AM

I was talking to a rep about switching and was told I would need to sub to the Best pack + all 5 HD themes + Hollywood Movie pack, if thats the case I might as well stay on the old packages. Is that correct? I was sure that the 5 HD themes where now included in the so called "best" pack.

moosefan · 2012-03-15, 07:14 AM

@Blackloz: All HD is included with the new packs, there are no more HD packs, if you get the SD, you get the HD. With the Best pack, you would get them all. You would still have to add Hollywood Movie pack.

Blackloz · 2012-03-15, 11:34 AM

Thanks for clearing that up, so it looks like the "best" package has all the channels then including the 5 HD themes + AMC HD, KTLA HD, WPIX HD, which where previously only available with the movie packs, basically everything but the Movie Channels which are still in their own packages? Is that correct?

moosefan · 2012-03-15, 04:51 PM

That is correct, you also get TCM HD. Beware that when you switch, you will lose some locals, be sure to read the fine print in the brochure, which I had not done.

Blackloz · 2012-03-16, 10:04 AM

Really? I'm not huge into canadian locals but I wonder which ones I would loose? I guess as long as I would have my own locals + a set in HD that is really all I need.

2012-03-15, 02:45 AM	#236
Blackloz Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Regina,SK & Plentywood MT Posts: 883	Question about the "Best" pack I was talking to a rep about switching and was told I would need to sub to the Best pack + all 5 HD themes + Hollywood Movie pack, if thats the case I might as well stay on the old packages. Is that correct? I was sure that the 5 HD themes where now included in the so called "best" pack.

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2012-03-01, 11:22 AM	#227
Digital79 Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 602	I think Bell will find this will make more switch to cable? At least to Shaw cable with the excellent bundle prices they offer. I'll stay with Bell on the old plan for now, but when the time comes to make a change and if they want to force the new packaging that would wrap things up for me. Selling the 9242(s) is an incentive to move as well.

2012-03-01, 11:38 AM	#228
Davage Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 76	@boxoctosis You are correct. I haven't changed to the Good/Bad/Ugly package yet. I've done some checking online on the bell site to see what the result would be if I were to change, and I don't like it. I guess I will be sticking with my current package for the foreseeable future. Does anybody know that IF I were to remove TMN/HBO for the summer on my old package, would I be able to ADD it back in again in the fall, or would I be forced into one of the new packages? (or forced to call the retentions department?)

2012-03-01, 05:44 PM	#230
Ronioo Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: ONT Posts: 47	Have another question about grandfathered packages.. I currently have Dusk TV it is my understanding from reading these forums that DUSK TV is being rebranded/replaced by Spark TV on March 23rd if I remember correctly. How would this change be handled in a grandfathered package.. would I get spark tv because they are just replacing dusk with spark.. or am I just going to lose a channel because they decided to rename it?

2012-03-01, 06:05 PM	#231
jayoldschool Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,755	You will get Spark.

2012-03-02, 11:08 AM	#232
primehifi Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 141	Just went to add march madness package and got this: TMN Entertainment Guide will be removed from Bell Satellite TV beginning April 19th 2012. bold will be removed from variety 2 package beginning april 19th. You will continue to receive bold in Variety 1. documentary will be remove from the variety 2 package beginning april 19th 2012. If you wish to continue receive documenarty you may sub to the more movies package.

2012-03-04, 06:16 PM	#233
dganz1 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 22	I had no idea they changed the theme pack options. A few weeks ago I got rid of the food channel but one person wanted that back. So if I was still on the 7theme pack package and wanted to swap a theme pack from old system, I am not able to do that anymore? I got a 25% retention discount so now if I call back to switch, I wonder what would happen. I will probably not get the 25% honoured and have to call back to get it back. Has anyone tried to just add a old theme pack or do they make you take a good/better/best. I was paying 98+tax with 7 themes\movies\hd...now it will be 120+tax if i want to be able to keep the channels i had before. So basically these people are forcing us to accept all the crappy channels when I may only want one of the crappy channels. I thought the old system sucked but this is even worse! The only thing good about bell is the pvr, otherwise I am going to shaw.

2012-03-04, 11:50 PM	#234
primehifi Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 141	I added the March Madness package but simultaneously lost NBATV. No idea how or why. So bs.

2012-03-12, 04:24 PM	#235
Davage Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 76	I had a thought. IF I were to switch to one of the new packages, would I have a choice as to which CTV station from my timezone that I get? As I've mentioned before, I was born and raised in Northern Ontario, but I now live in SouthWestern Ontario. MCTV from Sudbury would be my CTV station of choice if I were restricted to 1 CTV station from my timezone in the new packaging, just so that I can keep in touch with what's going on 'back home'. Has anybody been able to pick and choose which stations they receive from their own timezone? CFTO from Toronto doesn't interest me, I'd rather watch MCTV from Sudbury.

2012-03-15, 07:14 AM	#237
moosefan Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Halifax Posts: 245	@Blackloz: All HD is included with the new packs, there are no more HD packs, if you get the SD, you get the HD. With the Best pack, you would get them all. You would still have to add Hollywood Movie pack.

2012-03-15, 11:34 AM	#238
Blackloz Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Regina,SK & Plentywood MT Posts: 883	Thanks for clearing that up, so it looks like the "best" package has all the channels then including the 5 HD themes + AMC HD, KTLA HD, WPIX HD, which where previously only available with the movie packs, basically everything but the Movie Channels which are still in their own packages? Is that correct?

2012-03-15, 04:51 PM	#239
moosefan Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Halifax Posts: 245	That is correct, you also get TCM HD. Beware that when you switch, you will lose some locals, be sure to read the fine print in the brochure, which I had not done.

2012-03-16, 10:04 AM	#240
Blackloz Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Regina,SK & Plentywood MT Posts: 883	Really? I'm not huge into canadian locals but I wonder which ones I would loose? I guess as long as I would have my own locals + a set in HD that is really all I need.