Many HD television users now have to pay more
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Those who receive their television programs via satellite and also want to watch private channels in HD have had to dig deeper into their pockets since March 2021. HD + has increased the cost of the monthly and annual subscription. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON reveals what this means for customers in detail.
In Germany, people mostly watch TV using one of the four technologies: cable, satellite, DVB-T2 or the Internet (IPTV). One of the most popular reception methods is satellite, as it offers access to a large number of channels, including programs from abroad. German-language programs can be received via Astra 19.2 degrees east, whereby the public broadcasters – i.e. ARD, ZDF and Co. – feed their stations in both SD and HD at no monthly cost. Private channels such as RTL, Sat.1, Pro 7 and Vox can also be received via satellite free of charge, but only in SD quality. If you want to watch in HD, you need a monthly or annual subscription to HD +. And its cost has risen as of March 1st.
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The cost of HD + from March 2021
The HD + channel package includes 24 private channels in high definition quality as well as two Ultra HD channels. So far, customers have paid 5.75 euros per month or 70 euros per year. On March 1st, however, the costs increased to 6 euros per month or 75 euros per year. The prices apply to customers who already have a CI + module or an HD + receiver or who have HD + integrated into their TV. On the other hand, if you rent a CI + module, you will receive it together with the channel package for EUR 8.75 per month or EUR 79 per year.
Despite the price increase, television via satellite remains one of the cheapest methods of receiving HD channels. DVB-T2 customers currently pay 6.99 euros per month or 85 euros per year with freenet TV. Cable customers usually pay 10 euros over their ancillary costs for TV reception, but for HD they also have to take out a separate subscription for around 4 euros per month.
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Reasons for the price increase
The last price increase for HD + was four years ago. Since then, the provider has, according to its own statement, expanded its product further. For example, the platform has been integrated into many smart TVs, which makes additional hardware superfluous. The station selection has also been revised since 2017 and UHD has also been introduced. Overall, the surcharge of 25 cents per month is understandable.
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