StarHub to raise cable TV subscription charges in July
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SINGAPORE : StarHub will increase its subscription charges for cable TV by between $4 and $10 a month.
From July 11, subscription for the Basic Group and Value Pack will go up by $4.
That means their cheapest package of three basic groups will cost $24.
And in October, the price for the Sports Group will be up $10 to $25. In 2004, the price for this group almost doubled - from $8 to $15.
So sports fans will be the ones who pay most.
"It's outrageous! They've got enough money and they don't show enough international sports anyway. Why are they charging more money?" questioned Michael Reid, a StarHub pay-TV subscriber.
"I'm unhappy that the increase is so great. But it's a monopoly, there's nothing we can do about it," said another StarHub pay-TV subscriber.
Some are already thinking of alternatives.
"At the moment, Internet streaming of sports telecast is quite popular. So maybe some people will turn to that," said James Kuwe, also a StarHub pay-TV subscriber.
But not all seem to mind the higher costs.
"I feel that it's kind of okay because I'm into sports. It's my passion. So I don't mind paying a little bit more," said StarHub pay-TV subscriber Azmi Bin Affandi.
StarHub's Thomas Ee said the hike is only natural.
He added that it has not increased prices like other pay-TV operators around the world, despite a steady rise in costs.
He also said that it's impossible to continue absorbing the cost indefinitely so it's left with no choice.
The price hike will also affect commercial enterprises.
StarBub increases for such establishments will be rolled out around October.
"I think what we'll do is adopt a wait-and-see attitude and look at the level of price increase for what it is now. If it's not too high, we'll not pass on the increase in prices to consumers," said Mark Teo, marketing and sales director of Peranakan Place.
But not everything will cost more. StarHub will roll out two new channels at no extra charge. The History Channel and the Crime and Investigation Network Channel will be available to cable subscribers in mid June. - CNA /ls
congratulation, fellow singaporeans. -
About damn time, they haven't raised charges since ______ (fill in the blanks).
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They are taking advantage of the fact that singaporeans will 'die' without EPL ...
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So its time to cancel off channels 302 and 303. Wait a min, those channels are free.
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This will be the first time that StarHub is officially rising its basic pay TV subscription fees. Six years ago, in June 2001, the pay-TV operator lowered its entry fee for cable TV from $33 (before GST) to $20 (before GST), by unbundling the former heavy basic Tier into the smaller Basic Groups of different content genres that are offered today.
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well, they unbundled the lot.. made it 'cheaper'
but if you put them all together again, it's actually more expensive?
anyway, the 'sports' part, except for the football sucks.. we're in a different timezone to enjoy all the sports anyway as they are mostly europe or US based sports... the football and motorsports are all late at night except the asian ones.. and they will be forced to be night races anyway to cater for europe
NBA and baseball is early mornings when we are at work..
most of all, the good stuff is always on PPV... football world cup, cricket... all that.. PPV...
all they keep showing is the bloody boring as crap golf golf golf..
oh well.. maybe it's time to cancel subscription.. and start reading voraciously again
Originally posted by pilotsnoopy:This will be the first time that StarHub is officially rising its basic pay TV subscription fees. Six years ago, in June 2001, the pay-TV operator lowered its entry fee for cable TV from $33 (before GST) to $20 (before GST), by unbundling the former heavy basic Tier into the smaller Basic Groups of different content genres that are offered today.