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SSWAG's profile

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9 Messages

Friday, February 19th, 2021

DirecTV Extra Charge

Does anyone know why AT&T increased their monthly fee by $8 for DirecTV XTRA package? 

And why doesn't AT&T have a messaging service on their website?  I hate making chats or phone calls to customer service departments because it wastes too much time and the people answering aren't trained well enough to help you and never have the right answers. 

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ACE - Expert

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37.1K Messages

5 years ago

Did you compare this month's bill against last month's bill to see where the increases were?

Did you look at either this month's bill or last month's bill for a disclosure that they were doing their annual rate increase?

UPDATE: Ah, apparently you have noticed where the increase is since your original post. 

There is no deferred messaging option that I know of.

(edited)

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ACE - Expert

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23.4K Messages

5 years ago

The $8 would be the annual price adjustment. Networks increase their costs to the TV providers which results in higher bills for us customers. Here is the notice from December.

www.att.com/2021pricing 

Thanks for being a DIRECTV® customer. We are grateful for your business.

Due to increased programming costs, we’re adjusting the price of our video packages. Periodically, the owners of television networks increase the fees they charge DIRECTV for the right to broadcast their movies, shows and sporting events.

You can review the changes at att.com/2021pricing. New rates will be in effect on January 17, 2021.

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Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

Yes, I did, but I cannot access the bill anymore because I get this screen:

Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

Yes, I just noticed that the XTRA package increased. Companies like AT&T (as well as the networks) are going to find out the hard way that people aren't going to keep paying these outrageous charges to watch TV!  Like phone landlines, most people will just cancel their service.  There are so many greedy companies these days that I hope they go out of business!

ACE - Expert

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37.1K Messages

5 years ago

I hear you, but if these are services you want, you'll end up at some streaming service paying them for the same content.  But you may have to pay multiple streaming services to get what you want, and paying a higher total.

Good luck!

ACE - Expert

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23.4K Messages

5 years ago

AT&T/DirecTV has to keep paying the outrageous charges to the networks. So their costs go up then ours does as well. Until the networks stop their increases this is how it will be. All TV providers deal with increasing costs over the years because of this.

So this issue starts with the networks, not the TV providers.

Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

Yes, I agree that the Networks are also greedy.

Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

It has nothing to do with the streaming services and besides, I don't have any extras like that. They increased the price of all of their packages.

ACE - Expert

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37.1K Messages

5 years ago

You do have the XTRA package, which has such things as Discovery (which you can get from Discovery+), ESPN (which ESPN+ would get you).  There are other accumulators like Sling, Philo, YouTube TV that would get you something like the DIRECTV XTRA package.

Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

Thanks for your suggestions. I am not able to see what channels are offered in the 40 or 50-channel package, but in the meantime, I plan to downgrade to the "Entertainment" package. I think companies like AT&T are going to find out sooner than later that many customers are going cancel on them by using their creativity to buy ala carte services that cost much less money. Now the question is, will these other services go up in price?  Maybe.

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Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

If I recall, YouTube TV is $60/mo. I reviewed their service with a 14-day trial.  I wasn't particularly impressed though. It's easier to navigate using DirecTV's menu. I'll have to do more research on Sling - and I've never heard of Philo before.

ACE - Expert

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37.1K Messages

5 years ago

Everyone thinks those ala carte services are going to save them money.  It may for a short period of time while the services try to get viewers, then they'll try to monetize the eyeballs and we'll be right back here, only with streaming services.

People are already finding out about OTT and channel negotiations (YouTube TV).

Tutor

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9 Messages

5 years ago

Yep, I agree...that's precisely what happened with Netflix. I started using their service a long time ago when broadband was very poor (low and slow) and made streaming horrendous.  The cost of living is going up so fast that it will either put everyone in the poor house and/or companies will have a smaller market to sell to. It's such a (Edited per community guidelines) shame.  But people are very informed these days, which allows them to be armed with more options and opportunities. 

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