DirecTV customers threaten to cancel service over new price hikes
DirecTV may soon see more customers cancel their service due to its latest announcement, which is sparking frustration.
The company is already navigating a challenging environment, as the rapid growth and popularity of streaming services continue to disrupt the television industry.
It has experienced a mass exodus of customers over the past few years, as many are choosing streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and PlutoTV for entertainment.
A recent survey from Adtaxi found that more than 70% of U.S. adults use streaming as their primary way to watch TV, while only 10% default to cable TV.
"This is a moment the media industry has been moving toward for years," said Murry Woronoff, director of research at Adtaxi, in the survey release. "Streaming is no longer an emerging channel. It is now the foundation of how we consume content.
Amid this growing trend, cable and satellite TV providers lost roughly 976,000 customers in the first quarter of 2026, according to a recent MoffettNathanson report, which was shared with TheStreet. Specifically, DirecTV lost 222,000 during this time period.
DirecTV customers will soon have to shell out more money
Despite recent customer losses, a new report from Cord Cutter News revealed that DirecTV is rolling out a new set of price increases that will take effect next month.
On June 25, DirecTV's genre packs will go up in price. The company's MyEntertainment package will increase from $34.99 per month to $42.99, while MyKids will increase from $19.99 to $20.99.
MyNews, currently $39.99, will increase by $5. My Sports will climb from $64.99 to $74.99, and the new monthly price of MiEspanol will be $37.99, up from $34.99.
Related: DirecTV plans controversial change for customers amid struggles
DirecTV's premium packages, such as Entertainment, Premier, Ultimate, and Choice, are also increasing; however, the company hasn't shared the new pricing. DirecTV instead told Cord Cutter News that the new prices will vary by package and customers will be notified of the details.
The monthly prices of DirecTV's Signature packages will also spike, but details of the new pricing are also absent.
DirecTV's latest move comes after it raised prices for its satellite TV and streaming services in October last year, with increases ranging from $1 to $11.
In February, it also hiked the prices of several of its legacy cable TV packages by $9 to $10, impacting those who weren't affected by the October price increases.
DirecTV customers threaten to leave over pricing frustrations
Some customers are taking to social media platform Reddit to share that they are seeing price increases of as much as $14.
In an email sent to one DirecTV customer, the company said the monthly price for its Premier package is increasing by $14, a change it claims is due to "ongoing increases in programming and operational costs across the television industry, including expenses related to live sports rights, local broadcast stations, and network content."
In response to the latest round of price hikes, some DirecTV customers threatened to cancel their service.
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"I understand pricing increases are part of change with companies based off operational needs and such… but this is utterly disgusting," wrote one DirecTV customer in a Reddit post. "...I'm disgusted, for being a customer for years, now paying almost $190 up to $200 a month??? Done. Goodbye."
"Welp this will be getting cancelled. At almost $50 I may as well just make the jump in cost to YouTube TV and get better quality and all the channels. They really screwed up on this one - bad," wrote another customer.
"Yeah….I am canceling the service tomorrow. There are barely any good shows on tv nowadays. I love my TCM channel but it's not worth these high prices anymore," wrote another.
It is no surprise that customers are planning to pull the plug on service due to the upcoming price increases, as cost is the top reason for streaming and cable TV cancellations, according to a recent survey from CableTV.com.
How many Americans cancel TV services due to rising prices:
- The average streaming bill is $30 per month, while the average cable bill is $147 per month.
- Roughly 43% of Americans said cost is the primary reason they cancel a streaming service.
- Also, nearly 50% of cable TV customers would cancel their service if prices increase.
Source: CableTV.com
"Digging into the data, TV services that deliver clear value, smart bundling, and must-have content (such as live sports, exclusive shows and movies, and niche genres) alongside budget-friendly prices will keep customers who otherwise actively manage subscriptions by cancelling, rotating, and bundling services," wrote TV, streaming, and internet expert Trevor Wheelwright in the CableTV.com survey release.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 7:07 AM.