Packaging and Pricing for Star Choice

[Mr Tony]

ulta
rumour is the themes are going to 4.99 but the essentials is going up to 30.99 (so themes down 2 bucks...essentials up 2 bucks)

the 2nd receiver might be prorated

 

[rkrenicki]

Right, but thats a seperate line item... Basically my bill reads as follows:

Entertainment Package
Bronze Choice				GST/PST	05-Aug-05 to 04-Sep-05		28.99
Programming Price Change (prorated)	GST/PST	01-Sep-05 to 04-Sep-05		 0.26

										29.25

Premium Package
Add Multiple Reciever Charge		GST/PST	11-Jul-05 to 04-Aug-05		 4.10
Movies					GST/PST 05-Aug-05 to 04-Sep-05		18.99
Multiple Reciever Charge		GST/PST	05-Aug-05 to 04-Sep-05		 4.99
Guide					GST	05-Aug-05 to 04-Sep-05		 1.00

										29.08

Current Entertainment Charges							58.33

GST (blah blah blah)								 4.09
PST (blah blah blah)								 4.59

Total Current Charges								67.01

Being that it is in the Entertainment Package section, and not the Premium section, leads me to believe a price increase is in the works.. But didnt they just increase the rates in Feburary?

On this bill, it talks about the bundles droping to $4.99.. but is that at the cost of increasing the base package?

28.99+19.99+4.99=53.97 not 55.97.. so something is going up $2, and I can only assume its the Bronze package...

$2/mo is about $0.07/day.. for 4 days is $0.26, which is my prorate.

I guess that means that Bronze is increasing to $30.99.. two hikes in 5 months.. thats crazy

 

[Mr Tony]

crazy indeed...Ol Shaw needs his money somehow

 

[rkrenicki]

I guess I find it stupid that they are increasing the base package, while decreasing the addons...

I also cant seem to find any mention of this on their website at all.. even under the "price increase" page at https://secure.starchoice.com/english/store/price_increase.asp

 

[Mr Tony]

I guess I find it stupid that they are increasing the base package, while decreasing the addons...

I know...I have Digital Basic and that's only $20, but I cant add anything
Now with hockey coming back (woo hoo!), needs to add some stuff to it. Might go the Digital Favourites route...hopefully that stays at the same price

 

[Satellite Expert]

Looks like they have to average out $1/month/sub more to pay for the $550,000/month for the 4 additional transponders on F2. As long as they keep the HD free.....

 

[rkrenicki]

Well, isnt *C part of Cancom? and doesnt Cancom own the satellites?

 

[Kryspy]

Cancom,

Nope, Cancom is only a programming distribution service that Shaw owns.

The satellites are owned by Telesat Canada which is owned by...........BCE......which owns...............................Bell ExpressVU

Kryspy

 

[rkrenicki]

ah, well then nevermind

 

[Satellite Expert]

Well, isnt *C part of Cancom? and doesnt Cancom own the satellites?

Cancom owns 28ku + 6 C band transponders on F1 and 16 ku on F2. Telesat (Bell) owns the satellite, so Cancom pays maintenance, telemetry, etc. Any other ku transponders are leased.

 

[htguy]

5 new HD channels on SC come October

Anyone know what the 5 new HD channels will be? Is that going to have negative impact on SD quality?

 

[Satellite Expert]

SC has not announced 5 new HD channels. What the president did say was that agreements were in place to add CBC HD + return KOMO. Also that CTV west HD would have to be added for cable head end distribution and not to count on TSN HD since Bell still is demanding carriage of that joke Canadian Discovery HD to get TSN.

He also said that there was much greater customer feedback for more ethnic and movie channels than more HD. So expect 4 new HD channels.

All the new channels will be on newly purchased transponders, so they will have zero effect on existing channel PQ.

 

[Mr Tony]

updated the chart...some prices changed

some packages went up $2 but all themes dropped $2 to $4.99

 

[htguy]

SC has not announced 5 new HD channels. What the president did say was that agreements were in place to add CBC HD + return KOMO. Also that CTV west HD would have to be added for cable head end distribution and not to count on TSN HD since Bell still is demanding carriage of that joke Canadian Discovery HD to get TSN.

He also said that there was much greater customer feedback for more ethnic and movie channels than more HD. So expect 4 new HD channels.

All the new channels will be on newly purchased transponders, so they will have zero effect on existing channel PQ.

thanks for the info. I misread the 4 channels coming in Oct 05. on the programming brochure.

 

[htguy]

You cannot have both TMN and MC. They have divided up Canada at the Ontario/Manitoba border.

You will get the Detroit and Seattle HD channels with any package Essentals and up

Hey SE,

Are you saying that it is possible to get both Seattle and Detroit HD feeds? Looking for poor man's ST.

thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

yes. With Essentials you get HD channels
ABC from Detroit
NBC from Detroit & Seattle
CBS from Detroit & Seattle
FOX from Rochester & Seattle
PBS from Buffalo
Sportnet

 

[htguy]

thanks ice

 

[Mr Tony]

with the essentials you get one set of SD feeds, so you could have Buffalo SD, Detroit & Seattle HD.....with their packages you could add a 2nd set of nets (Spokane) and have all 4 sets of nets

 

[htguy]

Does Spokane and Seattle have same programming?

 

[Mr Tony]

network programming...yes
other programming...no

Syndicated programming and news are different as they are on the opposite end of the state