Well IO as I'm sure you recall I was a Bell rep till I left there recently. As for HBO/TMN that's a $25 add on to ANY plan and about $37 if you have the Super Channel too. As for general TV channels I say look at the channel line up in the Good pkg and then the Better pkg. Those are the stock line up's.
Let's say, the Good pkg + TMN/HBO covers you but the Mrs (or you) MUST have one or two missing channels... That's fine you can add them to the Good for $4 or $7 per channel. Still less than going to Better pkg. You can also add a few "a la cart" channels for a flat fee to to the Good pkg BUT TMN/HBO are not in that as they are a premium pkg.
Keep in mind TMN/HBO has some free on demand movies/shows but the $6.99 ones are Pay Per View On Demand. That means not on the current month TMN pkg but if you really must see it you pay for it like you have been.
Do you actually use the Time Shifting? If not there is a cash savings there too.
One thing I can say is that they are a true 1080P HD service for Sat TV and well; the other companies are not. BlueRay vs VHS unless the others have done something new in the past 30 days...
Keep in mind this one thing! If ever calling looking for a loyalty team to cancel (any service carrier) the calmer and cool you are in that call the easier it is for the agent on the other end to be willing to help and the odds are you score a new deal and get what you want and get it done much faster.
I was with a cable company for a while when I moved here. I noted and called often about actual service issues I had. Well, keeping calm and collected I was refunded $427 for my 'lack of service' when I called to cancel it.
Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions about that company OI and what to do. But really scan the channel line up in both Good and Better pkg's and you can see what I mean. The "Select" pkg is no longer offered after the CRTC made all the new pkg's a year or so ago. So if you change to a current pkg you cannot go back!!