Bundled Deal With Directv And At&t

They (AT&T, DirecTV and the combination) usually advertise specific deals for new customers, as well as deals for those current customers who will be moving. Often, you can get offers with gift cards up to $350 or $400. What I was told when I called in an attempt to lower my bill and asked why they couldn't do so, while offering huge incentives to newcomers was that basically the price of the gift cards was built into the plans, and that the customers were paying one way or another. Make sure you check the fine print. Usually the deal would be for a year, then the bill would increase, and there's often no way to decrease the price after one year without cutting your service either down or off entirely, because they'll tell you (as they've told me repeatedly) that there are no offers available. This is why so many are cutting their cable/satellite and transitioning to streaming only options.

 

@MrsJones Which type of streaming box did your son get for you? I'm looking to get two rokus and two antennas, but I might have to sacrifice live programs if I can't pick up the channels with my television tuner alone, or try using my old antennas, because I just can't afford the price they just jacked my plan up to, and with what I'd lose, I'm not sure it's worth even keeping any part of the television service. I still haven't had the time to sit down online and compare their plans, but the day is coming soon when I will have to, and the odds aren't in their favor.

Obviously they don't care, because despite their claims to the contrary, they do not value their current customers. The providers don't seem able to comprehend that if they offered decent products for decent prices, they wouldn't have to pay egregious amounts in an effort to attract new customers, because they wouldn't lose their current ones, and others would flock to them by word of mouth advertising, which is free. The savings from decreased marketing should more than make it possible to maintain lower prices.

 

@MrsJones The pic showed up, but it's a thumbnail, not full size, so I can't see it very well. Is there a brand name? I've done a lot of research and have pretty much narrowed down my selection to a roku, although until the purchase is finalized, I'm still open to other options. I can't afford the roku 3 or 4, which would be my first choice of course, since they have more options, but I'll be lucky if I can afford one roku stick for now.

 

The cable and satellite companies are losing so many customers they are going to have to do something about the high price of their plans. My son was telling me that in the DC area, where he lives, they are going to let customers pick and choose which channels they want to watch and only pay for those...That would be a God send and alternative to these packages that include channels nobody wants!

 

Thanks @MrsJones I looked into the Kodi, but it seemed too complicated for me. I was finally able to order one roku, and for now, I'll shuttle it among the televisions. Once I'm used to that, and am able, I'll probably buy another roku, or perhaps look into another sort of device like the Kodi. Despite what some of my family and friends think, I'm not a tech whiz, so I wanted the simplest thing possible. Have you gotten it set up and working yet?

@Ke Gordon Which company does your son use that is talking about using a cafeteria style plan? I've been begging for a discount for so long that I'm really fed up, especially since I wasted so much time on the phone with the provider just in November, and they're totally disregarding our agreement and have raised the price. I'll probably keep the service for another month while I'm transitioning, but although it may be a rocky process, I'm ready to get rid of them. If I could get a different internet provider, I would, because both of them here have the same attitude, but I'm limited to choosing between two, and when I had the other company, I wasn't even able to stream downstairs.

 

@Diane Lane I don't know if he told me. I am not sure if this is coming to fruition at this time with the cafeteria plan or if it is just on the drawing board. It truthfull souns ike something they would probably test market in certain areas before they gave it to the entire country as a whole anyway.

 

@MrsJones Do you have live television in addition to the streaming content you're watching via the kodi? I noticed that Best Buy had a deal available that combined an over the air antenna with one of the roku products, but it was out of my price range. I also checked around to see what the specifications were on that particular antenna, as well as reading reviews about it, and I don't think it would have met my needs anyway, so it's just as well I didn't spend the extra money.

I am considering another deal they have, though. It's a combination offer where if you pay up front for Sling TV, they will give you a $50 rebate or credit (I don't recall which) on a streaming device, such as roku, kodi, etc. I can't swing that right now, but if I do disconnect the cable (TV) entirely, rather than cutting my plan way back to just the local channels, it's something I will consider, assuming the offer is still available by then.