Losing HD Absolute. Any suggestions?

[polksda]

Got the letter of death today saying that I will automatically be switched over to America's Top 200 + HD Platinum on February 1.

Problem: That takes my bill from $36.99 a month (with 2nd receiver) to $71.99 a month. WTF!

They say they'll give me the Platinum free for one year. BFD. So it's $61.99 a month for a year and then goes back up to $71.99.

The idea of paying almost double in order to get the same channels I get now pisses me off.

I could drop to the Top 120 which would lower my bill to $56.99, only $20 more a month than what I am currently paying.

I called 2 different CSRs in Lower Punjabistan and neither one could (or would) do anything better.

Any options, or should I be calling my local cable company?

Any time a company tries to make HUGE rate increases for providing the same service makes me want to go out of my way to find an alternate company.

/rant

[Laddyboy]

If they truly are taking away Absolute, there's nowhere to go for the same price and offerings. Since Absolute was an all-HD package, switching subs to HD Silver with the Platinum pack would have been a little cheaper, but not much. It seems they don't care if they keep the Absolute subs if that's the best they can do for them. If I were you I'd check around. D* with an HR24 would be a pretty decent alternative. There used to be a $10 per month discount for 24 months for AAA members in addition to all the regular discounts. Do an internet search. There's sometimes other one-time discounts for D* as well. Top 120 isn't too bad a package. That's what I dropped to last year after all the rate increases and dropped channels. You can do the every two year mambo like many other DBS customers. I don't know what D* offers in its Select package these days. That would be AT120-like, I think.

[dahenny]

All of us Absoluters know/knew that sooner or later, we would lose the best package in the universe at some point in time. That time may well be upon us. It was DARN good while it lasted. When/if I get the bad news, I'll evaluate my options and make a decision. I don't see myself leaving Dish, because after 13 years of business with them, they have treated me very well.

[hammerdown]

Here we go again...
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-net...d-package.html
Was anyone really kicked out of Absolute? I never got "the call". Now there's a letter... Can we see a copy of this "letter of death" please?

[polksda]

Here you go:



"specially trained customer service representatives" must be some new euphemism for "speaks broken English and really can't help you at all".

[murrr77]

Got my letter too. Going to call the cable company to find out what the available packages are. Did you actually call and that is the best pricing (56) or did you just look it up? Reason I ask is it says platinum is free for 12 and also says a credit for 12 months.

[TalonDancer]

All of us Absoluters know/knew that sooner or later, we would lose the best package in the universe at some point in time. That time may well be upon us. It was DARN good while it lasted....

I agree. We've been waiting for the other shoe to drop for quite awhile now. Mean time we've enjoyed the best value package available anywhere

But contrary to what is apparently a popular belief among TV Programmers/Providers, some (maybe many) people have an upper limit for what they will pay to sit on a couch and watch the boob tube - ours is $50/mo. You might notice that this is below ANY currently advertised "package" on either the Dish or DirecTV site

Here you go:...

Thanks for the heads up with back up letter.

FWIW If we get this letter we'll drop to the ABSOLUTE minimum Dish subscription that will keep locals and not deactivate our DVR until we view the recorded content -- IIRC that's the Locals Only package. If we could get locals OTA we'd drop Dish in a New York second.

Talon Dancer

[Kb Cool]

Is it even legal for E* to automatically change your package and worse yet ,"double the price?"

[nsafreak]

Is it even legal for E* to automatically change your package and worse yet ,"double the price?"

Yep, it's right in the terms of service that you signed when you signed up for service. "Programming and pricing is subject to change at any time without notice".

[Iceberg]

Is it even legal for E* to automatically change your package and worse yet ,"double the price?"

and since its an old grandfathered package they can force you off of it