<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Higher cable TV fees after StarHub stops Value Packs
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I RECEIVED a letter with my latest StarHub cable TV bill for this month. It informed existing customers that they would have to pay higher subscriptions from the next billing cycle, as StarHub is discontinuing its Value Packs. Customers will have to pay for each additional channel in an a la carte manner, on top of the mandatory three basic group subscription.
This was packaged to sound like the exercise is for customers' convenience; 'to simplify our price plans and to allow customers greater flexibility to choose your own mix of channels'.
To me, it is nothing more than an excuse to raise prices. By giving me this 'flexibility', StarHub will raise my subscription plan by 22 per cent. To soften the impact, it is offering a $10.70 discount for the next 12 months, but my bill will still be 6 per cent higher.
To give StarHub credit, there was already good flexibility in the channels offered in its packages. If there is a need for 'greater flexibility', it should allow customers to choose, as part of their packages, from a greater variety of channels than in the past, or more simply open all channels for customers to mix and match.
It is a common market practice across all industries to give better discounts with more products bought together. Product bundling has never been seen as an inconvenience to customers, especially when there is better value for money spent.
I am disappointed with StarHub's latest move, and am seriously thinking of cancelling my subscription altogether. My only consideration is that my housewife mother would be bored as she spends the afternoons watching cable TV. But even she has told me to go ahead and cancel it if the price is too high. Adeline Tan (Ms)
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I RECEIVED a letter with my latest StarHub cable TV bill for this month. It informed existing customers that they would have to pay higher subscriptions from the next billing cycle, as StarHub is discontinuing its Value Packs. Customers will have to pay for each additional channel in an a la carte manner, on top of the mandatory three basic group subscription.
This was packaged to sound like the exercise is for customers' convenience; 'to simplify our price plans and to allow customers greater flexibility to choose your own mix of channels'.
To me, it is nothing more than an excuse to raise prices. By giving me this 'flexibility', StarHub will raise my subscription plan by 22 per cent. To soften the impact, it is offering a $10.70 discount for the next 12 months, but my bill will still be 6 per cent higher.
To give StarHub credit, there was already good flexibility in the channels offered in its packages. If there is a need for 'greater flexibility', it should allow customers to choose, as part of their packages, from a greater variety of channels than in the past, or more simply open all channels for customers to mix and match.
It is a common market practice across all industries to give better discounts with more products bought together. Product bundling has never been seen as an inconvenience to customers, especially when there is better value for money spent.
I am disappointed with StarHub's latest move, and am seriously thinking of cancelling my subscription altogether. My only consideration is that my housewife mother would be bored as she spends the afternoons watching cable TV. But even she has told me to go ahead and cancel it if the price is too high. Adeline Tan (Ms)
