DIRECTV Is Raising Prices – But Why Are They Keeping It Secret?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

Analysis:

DIRECTV has announced at its web site that there will be new prices on October 5, 2025. This is not terribly surprising. The TV provider has raised prices every year for the last decade or more, just as its satellite rival Dish has done as well. (Dish, in fact, just announced a new price increase effective this month.)

But what’s surprising is that DIRECTV will not tell The TV Answer Man (or apparently anyone in the media) what the new prices will be. A company spokesperson says it wants to share the new pricing structure privately with customers rather than publish it at the DIRECTV web site, or provide a list of increases by package to the media.

In 30 years of reporting on DIRECTV, and this industry, I have never heard of such a thing. Whenever a company announces an upcoming price increase, it publicizes what it will be so all consumers (not just subscribers) can make future buying decisions based on that information. But DIRECTV apparently is fearful that the facts of its upcoming price increase could hurt the company if it becomes public now. Not publishing it, however, will likely lead to speculation that the increase is larger than in previous years.

I suspect that’s not the case. DIRECTV normally raises package prices from $5 to $10 a month every year and that’s likely what will happen next month. A bigger increase would risk alienating current and potential subscribers. But I can’t blame anyone if they believe otherwise. Companies that operate in secret usually do so because they are trying to cover up something they don’t want anyone to know.

I would urge DIRECTV to reconsider this decision. After all, it will eventually have to publicize the new pricing structure when it becomes effective next month. So let everyone know now rather than wonder what it might be.

What are your thoughts? Should DIRECTV publicize its upcoming price changes? Offer your comments below!

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