Cheapest way to get Dish installed with no contract?

[matt314159]

Hi folks, haven't been around these parts for awhile. I am extremely averse to long-term commitments--especially when Dish's ETF is $20 per unfulfilled month. I chatted with a rep today and was told that if I wanted to have service set up with no contract, the install fee was going to be $199.

It about blew me over. I understand the need to charge for the truck roll, but that gave me sticker shock, quite frankly. Around 2009 I set up service with no contract and it cost $100. Since then, it's doubled. Now I'm forced between choosing whether to lock into a contract, or pre-pay nearly half of the ETF up-front so as to avoid a contract.

I really just want my locals and a couple of the basics in the Welcome Pack. The dish chat rep was VERY pushy and didn't seem to want to take "no" for an answer when I said a Solo receiver was preferable to me over the hopper, and things like that. Kept wanting my DOB to start signing me up for service even as I was still trying to ask questions.

Are there any alternatives I can look at to get service set up? If I buy my own receiver can that save money somehow? (I can get a clean-for-activation VIP211k on eBay for <$80 all day long and will happily pay that if it somehow helps keep costs down) There's already a 1000.2 dish at my building that hasn't been used since my apt neighbors moved out, I just need them to run a cable up to my unit and poke it through the wall. I just can't stomach the idea of paying $200 for that.

I'm open to any and all ideas. Thanks so much!

-Matt

 

[TheKrell]

Your 200k idea should work w/o the installation cost.

 

[harshness]

You should expect to get a new customer full court sales press if you call the new customer promotions number.

I would hope you could shortcut the sales pitch by telling them that you want to activate a ViP211k on the Flex Plan.

 

[matt314159]

The thing is, I do need to have somebody make sure the dish is still aimed correctly, and do the cabling for me--it's an apartment building and while I got permission from the landlord, I'd rather have someone do it who knows what they're doing. So I do need a truck roll to just get the quick amount of cabling done and peak the dish. I just don't feel $199 is justified to charge for that.

For the cabling, the dish is installed on the ground (no sats on the building itself) and then the cable needs run up the exterior wall to the second floor and into the apartment.. Which I think is pretty simple for an installer.

 

[KazooGuy]

Looks like you have very little alternative, unless you can find a local retailer willing to do it cheaper.

 

[matt314159]

Yeah I thought this might be the case. Was just hoping there was some sort of secret 50% off option out there . It's so simple I could almost do it but I'd hate to be responsible for losing my security deposit if I screw something up. (granted it's kind of a dump where I live, so he doesn't really care all that much).

I dunno, I may go into a contract, but dang it I really don't want to be locked in!

 

[PALL MALL]

Why not ask the LL if it would be ok to do the install yourself? Or see if he/she would be willing to run the line for a small fee. It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[matt314159]

Might be worth shooting him an email. Heck, offer him $75 to do it and still get off easier. Even if I have to buy my own receiver I don't see that as lost money because it will have some amount of resale value when all is said and done.

 

[rvvaquero]

Personally, I don't see that $200 is all that expensive. Your installation may be simple, but everyone's is not and they have to charge enough to cover the average cost. New dish and cabling and hardware is not cheap. They may or may not be able or want to use an old dish. Even if they do, it has to be checked out and tweaked.

If it's easy to do, then buy some cable and do it yourself. If you can't or don't want to, then pay a professional a reasonable fee to do it.

This is my opinion only. I am not an employee of Dish nor associated with them in any way other than being a customer.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

I understand being a committment-phobe, but I still recommend the committment, and I'll explain why.

You'd be out about $200 for an install, and $80 for a receiver. You've spend $280 up front. The Dish commit is $20 per month for 24 months, so it's $480. If you decide after 6 months to bail, that ETF is $360. Ahhh, just read, you want the welcome pack. I will say this, the savings on the Smart Pack (before the 2015 price increase) were $13/month, to bring it to the same price as the welcome pack at $19.99. Going with the commitment, your break-even point is going to be less than a year, as the ETF would be $240 at 12 months in, less than you'd spend on install and buying a receiver.

 

[robert6715]

Do you have any friends with Dish? If so would they be willing to loan you there receiver for an afternoon, or while there at work?

If so, chuck a piece of coax out the window down to the dish and see what your signal strength is, may not even need "peeked". All you would be out is the cost of a piece of coax. If all is working with the borrowed receiver, then you could order your fleabay receiver, drill a hole from the inside, and push your coax out and down. Call dish and tell them you need the receiver activated.

Why spend money on simple install?

Rob

 

[boba]

If buying a 211 call DISH and check that it isn't leased or has a balance owed on it. You can't activate such receivers.

 

[matt314159]

If buying a 211 call DISH and check that it isn't leased or has a balance owed on it. You can't activate such receivers.

Absolutely--Same as buying a used cellphone or anything like that.

I'm tempted to go something along the route of what Rob suggests--But i don't just want a cord dangling freely down the side of the builiding. I don't know what they'd use to attach it to the vinyl siding, seal the hole in the wall, and that kind of thing. SO I need to read enough to plan it properly.

 

[dwarren2]

How long ago was the dish installed? Where are you located? In the past few years Dish has migrated to an eastern and western arc. Your dish maybe pointed in the wrong direction.

 

[robert6715]

If buying a 211 call DISH and check that it isn't leased or has a balance owed on it. You can't activate such receivers.

Lots of new unactivated receivers available from reputable sellers on fleabay. Just like anything on fleabay, feedback is your friend.

Rob

 

[Mark609]

I understand being a committment-phobe, but I still recommend the committment, and I'll explain why.

You'd be out about $200 for an install, and $80 for a receiver. You've spend $280 up front. The Dish commit is $20 per month for 24 months, so it's $480. If you decide after 6 months to bail, that ETF is $360. Ahhh, just read, you want the welcome pack. I will say this, the savings on the Smart Pack (before the 2015 price increase) were $13/month, to bring it to the same price as the welcome pack at $19.99. Going with the commitment, your break-even point is going to be less than a year, as the ETF would be $240 at 12 months in, less than you'd spend on install and buying a receiver.

Bottom line?

Pay TV is a racket.

 

[KAB]

Bottom line?

Pay TV is a racket.

And what business/job/racket are you in?

 

[matt314159]

How long ago was the dish installed? Where are you located? In the past few years Dish has migrated to an eastern and western arc. Your dish maybe pointed in the wrong direction.

located in NW Iowa. It was installed in 2012. It looks almost like our family's old 1000.2 but is black so it might not be that exact model.

 

[Tampa8]

For what you are looking for, look into Cable with no commitment and get a lifeline account?

 

[dishcomm]

$200 is reasonable. I would not do it for less than that.