Changes coming to Bell Satellite TV Effective May 20 & June 1, 2025

[dks]

I noticed the following announcements on my April 2025 bill for my Bell services. This is for Satellite TV customers only. Given that many don't see announcements, this is an advance notice for you, if you use these services. 

• Starting June 1, 2025, On Demand content and Pay-per-view movies will no longer be available through your Satellite TV receiver(s). Don't worry, On Demand content is still available through the Fibe TV app and you can still enjoy Pay-per-view live events. Also note that the way recordings can be managed is changing. You'll just need to manage them through your PVR and the Fibe TV app separately. For more info on the Fibe TV app, please visit bell.ca/apptv
• As of May 20, WildBrainTV, Family Channel, Family Junior and Télémagino will no longer be offered. For questions or to add, cancel or modify your services, call 1 866 310-2355.

[Brantz]

Where did they officially announce this?  I see the announcement about On Demand content and Pay-per-view movies no longer being available through Satellite TV receiver(s).and dropping WildBrainTV, Family Channel, etc., but I saw no mention of not being able to play satellite PVR content on the Fibe App, which I was using every day. I even called Bell last week and they didn't know what was happening and opened a ticket for me, but have not gotten back to me yet. Where did you see that announcement?

Thanks

[dks]

Thanks for your question. This was announced in your April and May bills in the first bullet point. 

[BWTL]

Thank you Welsh Terrier for the information. I am certain that I am not the only customer who does not look at their monthly online bill. If the preauthorized payment goes through at the same amount as the previous month then its easy to assume there are no changes.  Should Bell management read these forums, I would strongly recommend an email be sent out to advise of any and all changes.  Emails, not invoices, are used more often these days to contact customers.

And before I started down this path yesterday I tried to access my online bills and this is the message I received and am still receiving today....

We’re unable to process your request at the moment. Please try again later. We're sorry for the inconvenience. If the problem persists, please contact us.

[dks]

Thank you for your comment. Bell does not send e-mails regarding service changes. Communicating with several million customers is by a bill insert or notice. This ensures all billed customers with and without e-mail receive notice in a timely manner. 

[Brantz]

Checked my bill and it said this "Starting June 1, 2025, On Demand content and Pay-per-view movies will no longer be available through your Satellite TV receiver(s). Don't worry, On Demand content is still available through the Fibe TV app and you can still enjoy Pay-per-view live events. Also note that the way recordings can be managed is changing. You'll just need to manage them through your PVR and the Fibe TV app separately. For more info
on the Fibe TV app, please visit bell.ca/apptv"

To me that certainly doesn't make it clear that access to recordings across platforms would go away. I think this is serious downgrade in functionality and I'm not pleased about it.

Thanks.

[Sienna]

Pretty useless if you are on ebilling as encouraged by Bell,  and pay by notification of payment due. An email notification would have been considerate. As would informing your tech support. 2.5 hrs, 3 calls to support before encountering someone that was aware. Also ...a very bad idea for so many of us set up to watch recordings regularly on 2nd TV. One of Bell's worst and most inconvenient ideas. Are you offering discounts on 2nd receivers and installation now to compensate??

[Sienna]

And what about ppl that do not go and pull up their bill every month as it should not be necessary??? Wow.

[dks]

Thanks for commenting. I also receive and pay my bill in the same manner. What I do is check my bill either through the MyBell app or the web page. I can do that easily in that way. 

[Sienna]

Well I am quite aware I am able to do that but when nothing to question I do not pull up all my bills every month. This is such a horrible and inconvenient change, it should have been made a bigger deal to inform customers. Bell has removed a vital way of watching your series for soooo many people. And what about the fact that their own tech support was not even aware ??? Bell is so inconsiderate to their customers.

[dks]

We all have choices. I find it useful to check my bills every month. Big companies, including Bell, can make mistakes. So can banks. That is one reason I do it. 

[dakotasport]

I have been a BELL customer for longer than I can remember and been doing satellite when it was with BUD and had CANCOM . I love the satellite and will NEVER go to FIBE. The closest is with the app that was great until they removed the access to my 9500 receiver recordings. On the Firestick it shows on the FIBE app description that it was updated to enhance the user experience - what a load of crap - not having access to my recording using he app is not an enhancement! Is BELL trying to lose customers? Do they actually think that by taking away PPV and on demand that we will WANT to switch to FIBE. Like many others I own ALL my receivers. BELL states the 9500 is limited so that is why they removed the on demand. Funny , this receiver is like the DISH NETWORK DUO  and they have tons of apps! The BELL website still states the 9500 can access Crave and Netflix...please update the lies on the website and remove the Crave app option on our receivers as it does not work anymore. Why was the receiver not limited before June 1 and the on demand worked fine and now it must be removed due to hardware limitations? Oh yeah - lies to get us to abandon satellite and go to FIBE. I liked the app as it was convenient due to the fact my receivers are not on all my tv's and could access recordings but at least I have satellite on my main tv but too bad BELL is ruining the experience by taking way features that I once enjoyed. And do not get me started on this crappy HOME NETWORK and FLAVOR - thank goodness for Citytv+ where I can give Rogers some money because BELL was too cheap to get the contracts but at least they STILL found a way to raise our prices to improve the service - take way features from our receivers, the app and take way channels. But wait to be fair they added USA NETWORK ( sarcasm ) - has anyone ever seen the real USA NETWORK - this version is an extremely pale version of it. Actually the more I keep writing the more I want to cancel BELL. Keep up the good work  - you should be losing many more customers as the year progresses.

[Brantz]

Reduction of useful features and capabilities SHOULD equal REDUCED COST PER MONTH! That said, I'd rather pay the same and get those features back that I miss every day.

[dakotasport]

I too would rather pay the same and get those features back but BELL thinks we have no other choices so they continue to raise prices and give us less - if only they would reduce the price when we lose features or channels that would be great. Why do you think there are so many people pirating? I choose to pay for programming but as time goes on it is becoming more tempting OR do like another person posted - go to SHAW and get the HGTV's etc back BUT I own my receivers so might suffer a bit longer. Why be soo stupid and take away features that cost nothing to keep. I sorta get losing the contracts to channels to another bidder but can someone explain why they would take way working features - does it cost more to keep them on? I see no reason to remove features. (or maybe to "force" us to go to FIBE ) Might work with some people but if that is their tactic it will backfire with myself and others I know who have satellite - we will get our programming elsewhere ! 

[LosingChannelsPriceUP]

Unfortunately Bell has taken out that feature now, can't access your satellite PVR recordings, only recordings you have made through FibeTV app.

Like everything else Bell has done lately, none of them are improvements; constantly taking away channels, accessing PVR recordings, etc.  Oh, but the need to raise prices always there..

[MasonCampbell]

I have a Bell PVR and On Demand is no longer available. Fibe TV is not available where I live. What do you reccomend I do? Leave Bell?