What should I be paying for DIRECTV?

What should I be paying for DirecTV?

DirecTV is one of the biggest satellite television service providers in the United States, here it has more than 16 million customers. Their service offers service for hundreds of channels and one has the option to pay more for better packages and/or additional services. However, with all the choices available today, it can be somewhat challenging to determine exactly how much a DirecTV customer should be paying. In this guide, you’ll be able to learn more about the various elements that contribute to the monthly DirecTV charges you incur.

The Base Package

Every DirecTV subscription comes with a core package as a foundation. This gives you major broadcast networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and popular cable networks including ESPN, CNN, TBS, and others. Basic packages have moved up to the ENTERTAINMENT package that comes with over 65 channels for $69. 99 per month. Others more integrated packages such as the CHOICE, ULTIMATE, and PREMIER packages raise the channel number and monthly subscription fee. These packages start from $84. 99 up to $139. 99 per month. Regardless of the extra services offered, one of these fundamental packages will be the building block of what you are charged for DirecTV.

Included HD Access

A positive aspect for DirecTV is that all the packages now come with HD channels as a standard feature. Therefore, you will get to enjoy your favorite shows through high definition resolution without having to use extra cash to pay for an upgrade or even equipment charges. This makes DirecTV a better value compared to some other pay TV providers that charge $10 a month or more for HD access.

Total number of Receivers & TVs

Your monthly cost for DirecTV will also depend with the number of receivers and the number of TVs that will be connected to DirecTV. The standard fees enable you to link one primary receiver and up to three more units for just $7 more per month. Thus, if a consumer had only one receiver and one TV, the bill would remain the same. However, in a multi-TV household, it would cost an additional $7 per month for each additional receiver. This includes licensing costs and program acquisition on those secondary links.

DVR Service

However, similar to most pay TV operators, DirecTV will charge you extra if you want a DVR feature that allows you to record shows and pause live TV. This service costs $10 more per month for the simplest DVR option that comes with the Genie HD recorder. There are also more expanded DVR options that include the Genie HD DVR Plus at $15 per month and the Genie HD DVR Pro at $25 per month. Therefore, when making your budget for DirecTV service, consider whether you need DVR and the amount of storage you want.

Premium Channels

DirecTV has several tiered packages of premium movie, original programming, and special event channels. Such packages as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz cost between $14 to $18 each per month for each of the additional premium networks. And sports packages like NFL Sunday Ticket and MLB Extra Innings also have their own price structure depending on the level of content offered. These are products that are commonly used by the subscribers, but they are not very crucial in the day-to-day life of the customers.

Regional Sports Fees

However, on top of the published rate for your programming package, DirecTV then imposes a Regional Sports Fee to many regions. This stands at about $8. 49 monthly at the moment and assists the provider in recovering some of the increasing cost associated with maintaining local sports stations. It is not a very big fee but it surprisingly adds on to the final billing amount for some of the customers.

Equipment Rentals

In the past, DirecTV would offer satellite dishes and receivers as part of the package at no additional cost. But more recently some of these pieces of hardware come with additional rental charges on top of the monthly programming fee. For instance, there are high-end receivers such as the Genie Mini that supports 4K and has a monthly lease fee of $7. New dish installations could also come with up-front equipment charges even though DirecTV sometimes does not charge them if the subscriber signs up for 2 years.

Discounts and Promotions

Remember that DirecTV like any other company has promotional sales and coupons for new customers as well as for the existing members. As a rule, it is always useful to inquire from a sales representative whether there is any offer that can reduce your bill for the first year or even longer. You could come across such deals as $10-20 off per month on some packages, 3-6 months of free premium channels, or Visa gift cards to bring the price of installation down. Either of these promotions, used in conjunction with auto-pay discounts, can help you get a better rate.

Early Termination Fees

Most discounted DirecTV plans do come with a catch: if you cancel service before fulfilling your agreement term (which is usually two years), you will have to pay for an early termination fee. It begins with $20 for each remaining month of your contract and increases from there. Therefore, ensure to add reminder to the calendar concerning when your current agreement will expire. In this way, it is possible to reconsider the existing promotions and the optimal rate plan before opting to either stay with the provider without additional charges or to terminate the contract.

Bundling TV and Internet

Another possible way of reducing your monthly expenditures might be to package DirecTV with high-speed Internet connection. DirecTV is owned by AT&T so customers with home internet through AT&T or UVerse can typically find them and take advantage of money saving packages. Subscribers may save $30 or more per month with bundled deals rather than buying TV and internet separately. In this case, existing Internet subscribers may wish to know whether there’s a better price available from AT&T when bundled with DirecTV service.

Thus, the precise sum of money that you will have to pay every month for DirecTV depends on all of the factors outlined above. Package deals, higher tiers of service, equipment requirements, and bundled discounts are in the mix as well. But hopefully now you at least have somewhat of an idea of the main fees which make up the total of your DirecTV bill. It is also important to distinguish between the items that are absolutely necessary and those that can be considered as optional, which are not so critical for the actual functioning of the product. Understanding these pricing strategies will assist you in identifying the right value DirecTV plan appropriate for your home entertainment.