Hello,
Since Verizon is moving towards allowing customers to create their own TV packages to compete with streaming services, I have an idea that would certainly please millions of users.
If I want to subscribe to HBO or the French channel, for example, all I have to do is press a button on my remote. However, if I want to cancel these channels, this necessitates a phone call to customer service.
The benefit of streaming services is that we can't watch everything at once, so why pay to subscribe to 10 channels, when you can't possibly watch them all within the same month.
I think that each time you subscribe to a channel (be it Showtime or the Russian language package), you should be charged a one-month minimum fee. You can cancel the subscription (online or using your remote) at any time, but you still pay for at least one full month.
That way, I, for example, can subscribe to the French channel, watch it for a month, then cancel, then subscribe to the Portuguese and German channels, watch them for a month, then cancel, then sign up for Cinemax, watch it for three months...
Each network is still getting the benefit of a full month's subscription, plus people would be more willing to sign up (and try out) more channel options if they know that their minimum commitment is only one month.
If you haven't guessed by now, I like to watch TV in multiple languages, but I can't sign up for all the channels at once because 1) it's too expensive and 2) I can't watch all these channels in a month.
I'm sure other people would sign up for a movie channel package to catch up on their favorite shows (I think people do this anyway with Game of Thrones, etc.) or a sports package until the season is over, etc.
In other words, by making it easier for people to cancel channel/specialty package subscriptions online or using the remote (with the understanding that there is a minimum of one month), more people would subscribe to these channels - and some would keep them for several months.
With the addition of streaming TV, DVR programming, etc. there is just too much TV available and we can't watch everything, so fewer people sign up for pay-for-view packages. This model would give people more control over how they watch TV.
True there would be a lot of turning channels on and off (I, for example, would probably do this frequently). However, there would also be a huge increase in revenue from these channels, even if people cancel after one-month (then the onus is on the network to provide quality programming to retain the customer).
Thank you for your time.
