CONFIRMED(?)- Dish Discontinuing Absolute HD Package

[stardust3]

So, you can choose ANY package? Did they offer the HD-Only Dish America packages? Or could we get the Dish Latino Max package?

Did you verify that there is no new commitment?

When does your new deal start? right away, or when Absolute goes away?

Thanks for the update! :up

So, how many who are commenting in this thread are actual Absolute customers? I counted around 10 of us. How many have received the call? I count 3. I have not received a call yet.

Absolute customer here, no call yet either.

 

[DodgerKing]

yep.. that show is the one thing that would get me killed by the wife if we lost it.. Bravo is the only channel we'd really miss if we took the lowest package... how does the DoD work? (I've never tried it).

I took a quick look at the D* packages.. their bottom tier works better for me than the E* bottom tier.. altho its more expensive. Also was not clear on how their DVR worked.. we use a single 622 to feed 2 rooms (1HD+1SD) in dual-mode. Couldn't tell if I'd need 2 boxes from D*. Got to do some more research in prep for deciding what to do when I get the call.

No. DirecTV boxes are not Duo.

But, you can do MRV (multiroom viewing), where all of your DVRs and receivers are networked together so you will be able to watch any recorded programs from any of them on the other.

 

[chc59]

Yaz,

You know, I didn't ask that question. The CSR started off with America's 200 package as an example of deals. (Probably pushing in that direstion.) My interest was in the higher packages, so I didn't ask about anything less.

BTW, the programming change took place while on the phone. No waiting for Absolute to end.

Remembered something else about the call. Don't recall how it came up. The CSR said that if no one answers the call, they have been told to not leave messages. Very interesting. Are they not pushing the deals?

Joe

 

[KAB]

No. DirecTV boxes are not Duo.

But, you can do MRV (multiroom viewing), where all of your DVRs and receivers are networked together so you will be able to watch any recorded programs from any of them on the other.

For clarity, the above it true BUT you can't pause LIVE TV from the non-DVR receiver, where you can with Dish duo DVR's.

 

[yaz96]

Yaz,

You know, I didn't ask that question. The CSR started off with America's 200 package as an example of deals. (Probably pushing in that direstion.) My interest was in the higher packages, so I didn't ask about anything less.

Joe

How about -

Did you verify that there is no new commitment?

When does your new deal start? right away, or when Absolute goes away?

 

[lparsons21]

So, you can choose ANY package? Did they offer the HD-Only Dish America packages? Or could we get the Dish Latino Max package?

Did you verify that there is no new commitment?

When does your new deal start? right away, or when Absolute goes away?

Thanks for the update! :up

So, how many who are commenting in this thread are actual Absolute customers? I counted around 10 of us. How many have received the call? I count 3. I have not received a call yet.

If the deal is that the programmers don't want HD only packages to include them, wouldn't the likely scenario be that the Dish America HD only packages would also disappear?

 

[yaz96]

If the deal is that the programmers don't want HD only packages to include them, wouldn't the likely scenario be that the Dish America HD only packages would also disappear?

I asked that in another post, that's why I was curious. If they don't go away, this is REALLY fishy from Dish.

 

[lparsons21]

I asked that in another post, that's why I was curious. If they don't go away, this is REALLY fishy from Dish.

I didn't see an answer, and didn't remember seeing your post asking it. Was there an answer?

 

[yaz96]

Well, they both are $29.99, and they both are HD-only packages. Obviously you get a lot more channels in one than the other. But, you can still get the Dish America package.

All I was trying to say was that if we were forced to get off of Absolute, as long as Dish America still exists, you can get an HD only package for the same price. You lose quite a few channels, but pick up six new ones.

Again, I don't want to lose Absolute. I've had it for a long time. I went to DirecTV's site to see if I could get anything similar, and the lowest priced real alternative was $52/month for the first year (for a HD DVR like I have now).

If I was forced to drop Absolute, I could probably live with Dish America and pay the same as I'm paying now without missing a lot of the dropped channels. You may not feel the same way about those channels, and that's understood. I hope they don't force us off of it, but if they do, the Dish America plan is probably an acceptable alternative to me.

I would think if it's a programmer issue these packages would also go away. IF these do not go away, it would seem that Dish were forcing this Absolute issue.

I didn't see an answer, and didn't remember seeing your post asking it. Was there an answer?

Sorry, I guess it wasn't a question, but a comment on a previous post that was referring to Dish America. And no, there has been no answer yet.

 

[mnevar]

I lost my Absolute 2 days ago when activating a replacement receiver. The ERT team changed me from AT-200 - Annual to AT-200 when I contacted the CEO email address. I called her back to complain and sent an email to the CEO address when I didn't get a response in 24 hours. Those requests have not been acknowledged. I won't get this (the OP) phone call because I don't have Absolute anymore and I am not eligible for the discounts the OP mentioned.

I sent another email to the ceo address last night and got a call back from the original ERT member that changed me from AT200 - Annual to AT200. She played dumb about her original mistake but said she would fix it and never mentioned Absolute would be going away. My actual programming has changed back to Absolute but my billing "Basic Programming" now is blank, I "assume" it will correct itself.

If it does go away, I'll be sad but happy I got this as long as I did. At least now I can hope for the aforementioned discounts.

 

[DodgerKing]

For clarity, the above it true BUT you can't pause LIVE TV from the non-DVR receiver, where you can with Dish duo DVR's.

Which is why I stated "recorded programs".

There is a way around this though. If you are watching a program on your non-DVR and want to pause it, you can switch to MRV, record the program as you are watching it, then pause the recorded show. It will only be a fraction of a second delayed from the actual live program.

 

[gqmagic]

Yaz,


Remembered something else about the call. Don't recall how it came up. The CSR said that if no one answers the call, they have been told to not leave messages. Very interesting. Are they not pushing the deals?

Joe

So, if there isn't a timetable, and they are not leaving messages, why even bother answering?

I'm going to wait to the very, very last minute.

I'm not volunteering to give up my Absolute

 

[KAB]

Which is why I stated "recorded programs".

I know. Did not dispute. Added to.

 

[yaz96]

Which is why I stated "recorded programs".

There is a way around this though. If you are watching a program on your non-DVR and want to pause it, you can switch to MRV, record the program as you are watching it, then pause the recorded show. It will only be a fraction of a second delayed from the actual live program.

Can we keep the Direct equip discussion out of this thread?

Thanks!

 

[stardust3]

So, if there isn't a timetable, and they are not leaving messages, why even bother answering?

I'm going to wait to the very, very last minute.

I'm not volunteering to give up my Absolute

I would assume they're trying to switch as many as possible by phone. The next phase will probably result in letters being sent out. Ultimately we won't be able to hide forever & it's possible the current offer may not be available later on for those who avoid the phone calls. After having some time to ponder I believe I will take their call & probably the deal they offer.

 

[yaz96]

I would assume they're trying to switch as many as possible by phone. The next phase will probably result in letters being sent out. Ultimately we won't be able to hide forever & it's possible the current offer may not be available later on for those who avoid the phone calls. After having some time to ponder I believe I will take their call & probably the deal they offer.

This is what concerns me.

 

[KAB]

Can we keep the Direct equip discussion out of this thread?

Thanks!

How about Direct subscribers who like to cross lines and agitate the Dish situation, the root of which to be yet fully determined?

 

[FitzAusTex]

If this is about the providers demanding the end to Absolute (but not also demanding the end of Dish America), than E* should do the right thing and put Absolute subs on Dish America Gold with Platinum and only charge us $29.99 per month. That's the right thing to do.

Now perhaps any of us who are upset about this *alleged* change should all contact out local news stations (anyone upset in Denver!), and complain to them that E* is virtually tripling our price to keep what we already get. Probably would be cheaper to give all the Absolute subs (all 137 of us) AEP forever than to get bad press...we could also tell our local news folks that our slingboxes havent been working lately ;-)

 

[Hall]

So, how many who are commenting in this thread are actual Absolute customers? I counted around 10 of us. How many have received the call? I count 3. I have not received a call yet.

I am and have not.

 

[navychop]

They're a business, not a charity. Loss leaders always end. This one went on remarkably long.