DirecTV's new HD pricing

[RLJSlick]

DirecTV is changing their pricing, which isn't too surprising since they do it about once a year, this year the monthly prices are going up a few bucks for each package. What is different this year is that the HD package for $9.99/mo is no longer optional. Anyone activating a HD receiver after February 5th will be charged $10.99/mo and will get the all the HD versions of the channels they pay for. So if you get HBO and have the HD package then you will also get HBO HD, this is worse than it used to be because you used to get some HD channels without the HD pak. The real kick in the face is the fact that if you buy the NFL SUNDAY TICKET, you still won't get the HD games unless you have the SuperFan package and other than the HD channels only includes extra SD channels, like the Red Zone. This is clearly an attempt to get HD fans to pay the extra $99 for the SuperFan package even though no real HD fan would watch all those SD channels that are included. DirecTV is smart to announce rate hikes this time of year; we will all complain, but by the time the 2007 NFL season kicks off we will have forgotten about it and just be happy to have all the games in HD, well almost all of them.

Sound like DirctTV is trying to nickel and dime you guys.

[bubbaridesfast]

This isn't all bad in my opinion, well maybe the NFL Ticket but I would never buy that for myself anyway.

What I like about this is that when (if) D* does add 100 HD national channels we now know that we won't have to pay extra when they come online.

I was worried that they would do some serious restructuring of the price/channel packages since we have been paying $10/month for what - 6 channels or so? I'll gladly pay an additional $1/month for 25 let alone 100 more HD channels.

I also can't wait to see how TWC competes with this when the new channels roll out. I mean still no ESPN2HD? I'm peeved because ESPNU is still SD!

[Tom Snyder]

D* does add 100 HD national channels we now know that we won't have to pay extra when they come online.

I hope that's true... do we know for sure?

[SRW1000]

That doesn't sound like a good deal for anyone who's only interested in the HD premium channels.

They're already paying for those in the premium channel price, so the $11/month fee is really for nothing.  Sounds a lot like Dish's HD enabling fee.

Both are just a money grab.

And I wouldn't expect any new HD channels to be automatically covered by the $11 HD fee.  Once the new channels are up and running, expect new pricing structures.

Scott

[RLJSlick]

Sound like something TWC would pull.

[the_heller]

That SuperFan thing has been in effect for a year or two now. They had some HD games available years ago, but changed it once they came up with SuperFan (I think two years ago).