AT&T Again Giving New DirecTV Now Subscribers an Apple TV at No Cost

[jwhazel]

Dunno bout your second comments, I think you're a very unusual case... I've had TWC, Cox, CableOne, and Comcast... they all negotiate.

Respectfully I think your case (negotiating in 2017) is the unusual one. You should read this: http://stopthecap.com/2017/05/24/get-better-deal-charterspectrum-2017/

Cablevision eventually adopted a “one promotion per customer” policy, refusing to extend new promotional offers to customers rolling off old ones as they expired. Company officials admitted the policy would cost it customers it deemed undesirable, but would assure investors that prices, and earnings would continue to rise well in excess of inflation. The policy of “rate discipline” was applauded on Wall Street where it was seen as serving the interests of shareholders. The increased churn (customers leaving) rate was forgiven as long as revenue continued to grow.

TL;DR- cable co's are wising up (cablevision ceo is now charter/twc/spectrum ceo)

 

[chriscrowlee]

Respectfully I think your case (negotiating in 2017) is the unusual one. You should read this: http://stopthecap.com/2017/05/24/get-better-deal-charterspectrum-2017/

Cablevision eventually adopted a “one promotion per customer” policy, refusing to extend new promotional offers to customers rolling off old ones as they expired. Company officials admitted the policy would cost it customers it deemed undesirable, but would assure investors that prices, and earnings would continue to rise well in excess of inflation. The policy of “rate discipline” was applauded on Wall Street where it was seen as serving the interests of shareholders. The increased churn (customers leaving) rate was forgiven as long as revenue continued to grow.

TL;DR- cable co's are wising up (cablevision ceo is now charter/twc/spectrum ceo)

No, it's your case that's unusual. There are companies out there that'll even do the bot-chat negotiating for you. It's absolutely widely known you can get great deals negotiating with the real retentions departments. There are countless threads in forums about it, especially the big 3.

 

[B4U]

I love DTVN. 35 bucks a month for the go big package. Free Apple TV, free HBO and CBS coming soon. Beats $135 for cable.

$35 just the TV and no internet, right?

 

[alphaod]

What about those of us who are paying $200+ for Premier?

 

[adepew]

Never heard of any cable companies charging extra for HD, that's so 2005... lol. I know comcast\cox\TWC\cableone doesn't charge an HD fee. If you rent their boxes those are TOTAL gotcha fees. Tivo boxes go for about $500 with lifetime service, and when you don't want the box anymore you can usually get about 2\3 what you paid for it because the lifetime subscription goes with the box. And you don't need a full box for each tv, you just need one for the whole home then each TV is a mini box. So up front cost for your setup would be about $600 and save you $30 a month, $360 a year, so in 1.5 years you break even and if u have the box for 4 years then sell it, you save nearly $1500 !!! No brainer, especially not having to deal with the cable co's buggy, crap boxes. Even the brand new fancy ones have horrid remotes, bad smartphone apps, crap programming guides, and don't offer out of home download\streaming. Yuck, I'd never go back to cable company boxes.
[doublepost=1502996162][/doublepost]

As you can see from my attached bill, Comcast does charge $9.95 for HD. Although, IMO, I think Xfinity’s X1 is the best platform out there. It’s super user friendly, fast and has really cool features. The X1 remote is equally awesome. I tried using a DirectTV remote and felt like I went back in time to the 90’s. It was archaic in comparison. The Xfinity Stream service is pretty good too. I can watch any of my DVR shows wherever I am. Most channels also support live tv on the go.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

You're confusing Fios (fiber) with their traditional copper service (DSL)... your building has DSL.. every building in NYC has copper ... and most of the manhattan neighborhoods have 25-30mbps DSL, so it's decent DSL. Just because you don't have fiber doesn't mean you don't have alternatives. You might not like the alternatives, but they exist.

Umm, wrong. DSL is not a viable option -- the speeds are something like 3 Mbps. I have 300 Mbps cable. The only thing competitive with what Spectrum offers me is FiOS. I know what is available, thanks. Or do you think you have a better idea in San Diego of lower Manhattan high speed broadband offerings for my particular location than I do? I assure you that you do not.

 

[odin]

DTVN was horrible at launch. I stuck with it, got the free HBO for a year and have had a few monthly credits hen it down or bad. It isn't like that now.

I have most of my local channels now, the video on demand is still behind a week or two, but, and this is an important but, they have tv anywhere sign ons for most of their network apps so you can see stuff asap that way. Quality has been great after those first six months or so.

Contrary to what the guy above says and to confirm what I've read in forums and Reddit, the DTVN experience on Apple TV is vastly better than most of the fire devices when it comes to locking in on channel changes and such. The remote? I can take it or leave it but at least channel swaps aren't glacial like my fire box was. You can use third party remotes with it anyway so it should be little issue.

 

[chriscrowlee]

As you can see from my attached bill, Comcast does charge $9.95 for HD. Although, IMO, I think Xfinity’s X1 is the best platform out there. It’s super user friendly, fast and has really cool features. The X1 remote is equally awesome. I tried using a DirectTV remote and felt like I went back in time to the 90’s. It was archaic in comparison. The Xfinity Stream service is pretty good too. I can watch any of my DVR shows wherever I am. Most channels also support live tv on the go.

No, they don't charge it, it's included in ANY of their double\triple play packages, see the credit? You're not actually paying it. They haven't charged it for years. X1 is tolerable, but not great. The issue with cable companies is they deploy a DVR, and they're so big and cumbersome as companies, they can't effectively deploy software updates. That's why until the X1 came out a year or two ago, their top of the line DVRs were looking straight out of the 90s. X1 won't be updated for 10 years, mark my words. And in 10 years will look like a relic. That's just how cable and satellite companies work. DirecTV's boxes have become old and dated and they're working on a new line due out this year or early next that'll blow everyone away. Dish network sucks, but their box is amazing. You can even tell Amazon Echo what you want to watch and it integrates with it. But you still have Dish Network at the end of the day.
[doublepost=1503059117][/doublepost]

Umm, wrong. DSL is not a viable option -- the speeds are something like 3 Mbps. I have 300 Mbps cable. The only thing competitive with what Spectrum offers me is FiOS. I know what is available, thanks. Or do you think you have a better idea in San Diego of lower Manhattan high speed broadband offerings for my particular location than I do? I assure you that you do not.

Not sure what type of old run down building you live in, but anywhere in Manhattan there is 15+ mbps available via DSL. Just because they send out flyers advertising 3mbps DSL for $15.00 a month to hook people into calling doesn't mean that's all they offer. If you want to be a jerk and tell me you know it all, fine. I'm VERY familiar with the telcos in your area. But I don't really understand your gripe, you just said there's two options, DSL at 3mbps or cable at 300mbps. Both are fully capable of running HD Video. As I said, you may not LIKE the options, but you have them. And the Fios in the building is very strange. I've never heard of a building HOA\CoOp that doesn't cover the build-out cost for Fios to the prem at least... except the cheap ones, or the buildings run by slum lords. I've been in the industry for years, so your story doesn't match reality I'm afraid...

 

[FriendlyMackle]

No, they don't charge it, it's included in ANY of their double\triple play packages, see the credit? You're not actually paying it. They haven't charged it for years. X1 is tolerable, but not great. The issue with cable companies is they deploy a DVR, and they're so big and cumbersome as companies, they can't effectively deploy software updates. That's why until the X1 came out a year or two ago, their top of the line DVRs were looking straight out of the 90s. X1 won't be updated for 10 years, mark my words. And in 10 years will look like a relic. That's just how cable and satellite companies work. DirecTV's boxes have become old and dated and they're working on a new line due out this year or early next that'll blow everyone away. Dish network sucks, but their box is amazing. You can even tell Amazon Echo what you want to watch and it integrates with it. But you still have Dish Network at the end of the day.
[doublepost=1503059117][/doublepost]

Not sure what type of old run down building you live in, but anywhere in Manhattan there is 15+ mbps available via DSL. Just because they send out flyers advertising 3mbps DSL for $15.00 a month to hook people into calling doesn't mean that's all they offer. If you want to be a jerk and tell me you know it all, fine. I'm VERY familiar with the telcos in your area. But I don't really understand your gripe, you just said there's two options, DSL at 3mbps or cable at 300mbps. Both are fully capable of running HD Video. As I said, you may not LIKE the options, but you have them. And the Fios in the building is very strange. I've never heard of a building HOA\CoOp that doesn't cover the build-out cost for Fios to the prem at least... except the cheap ones, or the buildings run by slum lords. I've been in the industry for years, so your story doesn't match reality I'm afraid...

Again - you are the one acting like the 'know-it-all'. Every one of your responses contradicts and devalues the actual experiences of others in this thread who have told you their experiences. Not that it matters - you may consider yourself an 'authority' on the subject, but that obviously is far from the truth.

I'm certainly not going to tell you about WHERE I live, but it is a premium area in a premium building. Multimillion dollar homes in my neighborhood suffer the very same lack of services from Verizon. I welcome you to subscribe to 3-15 Mbps services at the same price you would pay for 300 Mpbs. That's your choice. No one rational would make such a decision.

I find it interesting that you feel the need to blame anyone for their lack of coverage or faulty service who has had a different experience than your supposedly exhaustive experience with telcos throughout the nation. And hilarious, even, that you have told several others in this thread, that 'no' it's their experience that is the unique position! Try reading an actual Cable newsletter that follows these problems for information - since you really are completely lacking in awareness. Whatever your claimed experience, you have some major gaps and attitude problems. Do you work for a major telco???

No, it is not my fault that Verizon does not service my or about 35% of the other buildings in my expensive neighborhood. It is also not my fault that the city of New York has publicly castigated Verizon for this very well known and publicized fact of not delivering on their promises to cover NYC in FiOS. They have played semantics and weaseled out of what they promised once they realized the wireless would be more profitable for them (and more expensive for the consumer, since they can claim it needs to be metered due to 'congestion', unlike a single fiber line). New Jersey is suing Verizon on behalf of its citizens due to Verizon's limited FiOS rollout, and their reneging on the coverage they promised.

 

[adepew]

No, they don't charge it, it's included in ANY of their double\triple play packages, see the credit? You're not actually paying it. They haven't charged it for years. X1 is tolerable, but not great. The issue with cable companies is they deploy a DVR, and they're so big and cumbersome as companies, they can't effectively deploy software updates. That's why until the X1 came out a year or two ago, their top of the line DVRs were looking straight out of the 90s. X1 won't be updated for 10 years, mark my words. And in 10 years will look like a relic. That's just how cable and satellite companies work. DirecTV's boxes have become old and dated and they're working on a new line due out this year or early next that'll blow everyone away. Dish network sucks, but their box is amazing. You can even tell Amazon Echo what you want to watch and it integrates with it. But you still have Dish Network at the end of the day.

I think you're misunderstanding the charges. The $12 service discount is for Showtime as that was free as part of my promotion. If I didn't want HD channels and only went with SD then I wouldn't be charged the $9.95 HD Technology Fee. They are most definitely charging for HD channels. As far as X1 goes it has been around for 5 years and has been updated pretty well, IMO. They recently added Netflix integration and are adding YouTube now. They are also beta testing a new Roku app. You can even test new X1 features not yet released to the public through Comcast Labs. I get emails regularly that add new voice commands for the remote. They have also started to roll out a new 4K UHD HDR DVR. So much for no updates in the next 10 years. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[dewski]

When you have to rent boxes you're at their mercy. For me I have Tivo Boxes and whole-home MoCA streaming. I pay the cable company NOTHING in box rentals as I own my Tivos, I own my cable modem... This makes it harder not to take me seriously when I say I'll leave. Cause they know i'm not paying rental fees for boxes I'd have to return.

The other issue at play here is online forums... they know people are more savvy about calling and threatening to cancel even when they're not serious, just to get a better price. When I was with Comcast, I found that even when talking to their "customer loyalty department" (aka retentions), they'd often call my bluff. I'd say fine, cancel. How soon can you shut me off. They'd say they don't pro-rate cut-offs, so I'd say fine, schedule disconnect at the end of the cycle. They'd say ok. Then 24 hours later someone would call me, ask why I'm cancelling, and I'd give them 10 reasons. They'd always offer a better deal, and cancel my cancellation. Too many people bluff. Maybe if you seemed more serious, or took action, they'd take you seriously
[doublepost=1502995897][/doublepost]

I don't know how I could get more serious than actually cancelling and leaving their service. lol.

 

[chriscrowlee]

I think you're misunderstanding the charges. The $12 service discount is for Showtime as that was free as part of my promotion. If I didn't want HD channels and only went with SD then I wouldn't be charged the $9.95 HD Technology Fee. They are most definitely charging for HD channels. As far as X1 goes it has been around for 5 years and has been updated pretty well, IMO. They recently added Netflix integration and are adding YouTube now. They are also beta testing a new Roku app. You can even test new X1 features not yet released to the public through Comcast Labs. I get emails regularly that add new voice commands for the remote. They have also started to roll out a new 4K UHD HDR DVR. So much for no updates in the next 10 years. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Do you not see the $58 "package\contract" discount? That's to bring the pricing in line with their offering "Free HD, Free DVR, Free Free Free"... look at the advertisements for that triple\double play. They charge for everything then credit to off-set it.

 

[adepew]

Do you not see the $58 "package\contract" discount? That's to bring the pricing in line with their offering "Free HD, Free DVR, Free Free Free"... look at the advertisements for that triple\double play. They charge for everything then credit to off-set it.

I could literally call up Comcast right now and tell them I no longer want HD channels and they will take the $9.95 fee off. The package discount will stay the same. It’s a fee for HD. Not sure why it’s so difficult to understand.

 

[Suprdave71]

We love our DTVN. Since the streaming got markedly better, they added channels AND tossed in free HBO for a year, we aren’t going anywhere else for our tv service soon. I’m thinking of signing up for extra accounts for our rental properties.