Alternatives to the Bell bundle

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Alternatives to the Bell bundle; Pricey and crap service
Topic Started: Jul 20 2012, 04:23 AM (847 Views)
heatseeker	Jul 20 2012, 04:23 AM Post #1
Veteran Member Posts: 10,320 Group: Member Member #713 Joined: March 30, 2010	I've been a Bell customer for decades. But rather than rewarding loyalty, I think Bell is hosing me and providing lousy service to boot. For our satellite tv, internet and phone bundle (but no cell phones) we pay roughly about $240 a month with tax. I know we can do better elsewhere, but don't want to switch and wind up with even less reliable service. After days of sporadic satellite signal, we had a service guy come out and swap out what he said was a defective box outside. Yesterday the signal shut down completely. I suspect that Bell is going to try to bill us for the service call. What alternatives have you used and can recommend? Thanks!



Darcie	Jul 20 2012, 04:31 AM Post #2
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	I have high speed internet, cable, extra channels and home phone for $99.60. Told Rogers I was considering alternatives and they gave me a free PVR box. I figure you are being robbed, have to say I am very satistifed with their service, haven't had a breakdown in 3 years.



Oldsalt	Jul 20 2012, 08:33 AM Post #3
Small Star Member Posts: 977 Group: Member Member #892 Joined: February 5, 2012	You would have to compare what services heatseeker has vs what you are receiving. Out here Im with Shaw and pay $219 per month for Internet, cable and no long distance charges phone. If I choose lower high speed internet, fewer premium cable channels and a phone plan with less features, my monthly bill would be cut by about half .



Darcie	Jul 20 2012, 08:39 AM Post #4
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	25GB High Speed Internet. Have no idea how to compare cable as I don't know what channels he has, some we both have may not be available to the other. All I know is I have way too many channels. Home phone, no long distance. Edited by Darcie, Jul 20 2012, 08:40 AM.



Tipacanoe	Jul 20 2012, 02:54 PM Post #5
Blue Star Member Posts: 1,255 Group: Member Member #758 Joined: May 9, 2010	I must have a package comparable to Heat's. I must admit I have been wondering what might transpire if I phoned Bell's customer service line, told them we are considering switching our whole bundle to Rogers, and see what happens. But should I have to do this? 017



Trotsky	Jul 21 2012, 12:06 AM Post #6
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	You guys have to Fight, to cajole, to threaten to get good rates or the companies will slowly eat you alive. I have the U.S major remainder of the Bell-ATT&T system called VERIZON. My teaser rate slowly climbed from $94 to $130 and then to $160. I finally had enough and called and "fought, cajoled, and threatened" and they offered me $94.99 +tax for the next 2 years, and that includes a terrific TV package with multi-room DVR (500 gigs,) a superfast internet connection (25/25 Mbps) and Digital Telephone including free long distance and call-everything (I even have a 3 digit code for taking a nap.) They threw in 2 free years of SHOWTIME because I was "such a good customer." You have GOT to fight them and be ready to move to a competitor if they don't give you a fair shake or else you will pay more and more and more. The competitor will JUMP at the chance to get a new customer and offer you THE MOON and Bell KNOWS that. They KNEW that I could go with Time-Warner for their "triple-play" and they also determined correctly I wasn't playing games, that I WOULD have switched. You must be truly willing to jump ship. $240 is OUTRAGEOUS. Edited by Trotsky, Jul 21 2012, 12:13 AM.



Oldsalt	Jul 21 2012, 02:51 AM Post #7
Small Star Member Posts: 977 Group: Member Member #892 Joined: February 5, 2012	Trotsky Jul 21 2012, 12:06 AM $240 is OUTRAGEOUS. We pay more in Canada for our cable, wireless etc and $240 may not be out of line for a cable/internet/home phone package depending on what one chooses. Rogers Cable alone in Ontario costs $38.04 monthly for basic cable to a high of $112.62 for VIP Ultimate.



Dialtone	Jul 21 2012, 03:16 AM Post #8
Gold Star Member Posts: 7,190 Group: Member Member #721 Joined: April 1, 2010	We are on Telus Optik TV, Telephone, and Internet. http://www.telus.com/content/bundles/ . We had Shaw (Starchoice) Satellite previous and it was crappy, everytime the wind blew or snow fell it was questionable, and they continually jabbed you with monthly increases. Telus Optik TV runs over the telephone wires to your house, so no interference and the picture is perfect, High Def is amazing and we also have a PVR with digital boxes. Our included internet is 15 Meg, and our telephone service has been excellent. I think we pay about $130 or so, don't know the exact price since it is direct payment every month.



Trotsky	Jul 21 2012, 11:59 AM Post #9
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	Oldsalt Jul 21 2012, 02:51 AM Trotsky Jul 21 2012, 12:06 AM $240 is OUTRAGEOUS. We pay more in Canada for our cable, wireless etc and $240 may not be out of line for a cable/internet/home phone package depending on what one chooses. Rogers Cable alone in Ontario costs $38.04 monthly for basic cable to a high of $112.62 for VIP Ultimate. Yeah, but even so, getting from $38 to $240 is quite a pole vault for adding internet and telephone. NOBODY should pay $240 unless he has ALL the premium movie channels, ALL the sports packages, 17 foreign language feeds, and 24 hour PORN and an intenet connection that does your TYPING for you. HALF that amount is reasonable especially given the amount other Canadian responders are paying. Edited by Trotsky, Jul 21 2012, 12:01 PM.



Darcie	Jul 21 2012, 12:43 PM Post #10
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Today I called Rogers and they will put in 3 extra lines wherever I want them, for a total of 4, at no extra cost. I then can either buy a box or rent one for $4.99 and get TV wherever I want at no extra cost.



Oldsalt	Jul 21 2012, 01:23 PM Post #11
Small Star Member Posts: 977 Group: Member Member #892 Joined: February 5, 2012	Trotsky Jul 21 2012, 11:59 AM NOBODY should pay $240 unless he has ALL the premium movie channels, ALL the sports packages, 17 foreign language feeds, and 24 hour PORN and an intenet connection that does your TYPING for you. HALF that amount is reasonable especially given the amount other Canadian responders are paying. Perhaps heatseeker has those additional channels. Im at $219.00 without porn but Im paying a lot extra for premium channels that my wife wants to watch. I dont watch all that much TV and if it was just myself I could get along fine with free over the air TV broadcasts.



Greyhoundlady	Jul 22 2012, 01:03 AM Post #12
Super Poster Posts: 161 Group: Member Member #537 Joined: March 10, 2007	ask Bell about their loyalty plan. We reduced our payment for internet and phone by quite a bit. We had to say yes to a year contract. We pay $44.50 for the two services. Our tv is with Shaw and we pay $38 but we don't have any special channels. It is called their lite package or something like that.



heatseeker	Oct 5 2012, 12:07 AM Post #13
Veteran Member Posts: 10,320 Group: Member Member #713 Joined: March 30, 2010	We kicked out the bell service in our Montreal place. We now pay $50 a month for all in Internet, no extra charges regardless of usage. And we replaced satellite tv with a $60 antenna, which pulls in 20 crystal clear channels, including many from US. Fox is a bit fuzzy, but we can live with that. :) Watched the presidential debate last night with the new antenna. The picture far better than with satellite. Savings: about $180 a month. Must do this in Toronto....



campy	Oct 5 2012, 01:07 AM Post #14
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	$240.00 per month. You guys must be awfully rich. My cable costs me $34.61 per month. Internet and land line $55.00 per month. Cell phone is on pay as you go. I just buy the $20.00 card to top up. But then. I cannot sit and watch a whole movie because I either fall asleep or get bored. Same with any television program that is over 1/2 hour long. My favourite hobby now is shopping. I don't have to buy anything but just roam through the store (mostly hardware and tools). I went through the Brick the other day. I was really impressed but it sure makes all the stuff I have look dated. Wow! What an inventory. I did come out with an area rug at $15.00.



heatseeker	Oct 5 2012, 01:15 AM Post #15
Veteran Member Posts: 10,320 Group: Member Member #713 Joined: March 30, 2010	No, Bell is rich. A little less so now.



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