A 10 year Dish customer needs advice

[thesaint]

I'm a 10 year Dish customer and I need advice.

I currently have as Current Programming

America's Top 250
DVR Service
HBO

Monthly Charges: 86.99 (excludes taxes/credits)

Because of the FOX and MSG situation I am looking at my monthly bill and have to lower it.

Should I call DISH with my concerns or should I call DirectTV and see if they will work with me and offer me a better deal. I still have a 522 and I will finally be getting a flat screen this week so I will need HD.

Any suggestions on how to lower my bill and if I should stay with DISH?

Thanks

 

[KAB]

You need to determine that on your own, by weighing the differences in programming, rates and equipment. Go or stay with the company that best suits your tastes and requirements.

 

[kvnfl]

Call DirecTV and see what they offer. Then call Dish for sticker shock. You need a new DVR or receiver to decode HD Mpeg4 and a new antennae to receive HD. Direc will probably have a better deal for you as a new customer.

Before jumping, do some research on the two competing DVRs. Most seem to agree that the 722 is better than Direcs.

 

[mdavej]

New customers with DirecTV get $30 off per month for the first year, with free HBO (or Starz, I don't remember) for 3 months. A referral discount is $100 compared to Dish's $50, but is much harder to get (both parties must follow the correct procedure to the letter). If you have AT&T phone or internet, you can get an additional $5-$10 bundle discount. AAA members can also get a discount. I think new customers also get free HD for life with auto-pay, just like Dish. My Dish bill is roughly equal to my old DirecTV bill including some of those discounts. Switching will definitely save money in the short term, but you'll lose about 30 HD channels and all the Sirrius/XM music channels. Of course you'll get FX, Nat Geo, Fox sports, Disney and ABC Family back, but you're also stuck in a new 2 year contract. If you value sports above all else, DirecTV is the way to go. In the long run, the cost is about the same, except that you'll pay $5-$8 more for a 2nd room since DirecTV receivers don't do 2 rooms. When you get to 3 rooms and beyond, DirecTV is significantly cheaper.

I have to disagree about Dish DVR's being better. I like Dish's guide much better, but my DirecTV DVR had lots more bells and whistles and was much easier to use. Both systems are very good though. DirecTV's SD picture quality is pretty bad, especially on a large tv, even a bit worse than Dish.

FWIW, I was a DirecTV customer for years and am much happier since I switched to Dish, in spite of the recent channel losses. DirecTV's top priorities are sports and PPV, which is fine, since that's their niche, and a very profitable one at that. Those just aren't my priorities.

 

[thesaint]

Call DirecTV and see what they offer. Then call Dish for sticker shock. You need a new DVR or receiver to decode HD Mpeg4 and a new antennae to receive HD. Direc will probably have a better deal for you as a new customer.

Before jumping, do some research on the two competing DVRs. Most seem to agree that the 722 is better than Direcs.

What do you mean by sticker shock?

 

[lparsons21]

I think he means that it will be difficult to reduce your total bill with Dish even if you can get a new HD DVR and HD dish for free. But I don't think so. You should be able to get new equipment for maybe an installation fee if you dicker a bit. Then the charges for programming would be the same as long as you get the HD Free deal.

The only way to lower your monthly is to lower your subscription level I think.

And yes, D* will beat that during the promo period, but probably not after that.

 

[cparker]

I have AT250, Platinum HD, a VIP622 and a VIP612. No premiums.

Switching to DirecTV I'll have a pair of the new HR24 DVRs, Choice Ultimate package, Whole Home DVR. With all of the discounts and promos I'm saving about $400 my first year. The second year when all the discounts go away, my bill will be about $3 less than what I'm paying E* now.

This all takes into account the early termination fee I'll owe E* and the $99 upgrade to get the second DVR from D* starting out.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I wouldn't jump ship right yet over the loss of a few channels, I would wait another week to see if things pan out.

The grass is not always greener on the other side

 

[thesaint]

New customers with DirecTV get $30 off per month for the first year, with free HBO (or Starz, I don't remember) for 3 months. A referral discount is $100 compared to Dish's $50, but is much harder to get (both parties must follow the correct procedure to the letter). If you have AT&T phone or internet, you can get an additional $5-$10 bundle discount. AAA members can also get a discount. I think new customers also get free HD for life with auto-pay, just like Dish. My Dish bill is roughly equal to my old DirecTV bill including some of those discounts. Switching will definitely save money in the short term, but you'll lose about 30 HD channels and all the Sirrius/XM music channels. Of course you'll get FX, Nat Geo, Fox sports, Disney and ABC Family back, but you're also stuck in a new 2 year contract. If you value sports above all else, DirecTV is the way to go. In the long run, the cost is about the same, except that you'll pay $5-$8 more for a 2nd room since DirecTV receivers don't do 2 rooms. When you get to 3 rooms and beyond, DirecTV is significantly cheaper.

I have to disagree about Dish DVR's being better. I like Dish's guide much better, but my DirecTV DVR had lots more bells and whistles and was much easier to use. Both systems are very good though. DirecTV's SD picture quality is pretty bad, especially on a large tv, even a bit worse than Dish.

FWIW, I was a DirecTV customer for years and am much happier since I switched to Dish, in spite of the recent channel losses. DirecTV's top priorities are sports and PPV, which is fine, since that's their niche, and a very profitable one at that. Those just aren't my priorities.

honestly I have had very few issues with DISH.

I think twice in 3 years and additional phone call and a manager dealt with it. I just chatted and tried to cancel and got 3 ppv free not much but hey I'm not under contract and can cancel at any time so I will give direct a call and see.

I'm surprised Direct isn't more aggressively seeking Dish customers now ...

 

[thesaint]

WOW

I have AT250, Platinum HD, a VIP622 and a VIP612. No premiums.

Switching to DirecTV I'll have a pair of the new HR24 DVRs, Choice Ultimate package, Whole Home DVR. With all of the discounts and promos I'm saving about $400 my first year. The second year when all the discounts go away, my bill will be about $3 less than what I'm paying E* now.

This all takes into account the early termination fee I'll owe E* and the $99 upgrade to get the second DVR from D* starting out.

OK that really makes me think

 

[cparker]

I have no beef with E*. I'm not mad at them or anything. They're doing what they feel they need to do. Unfortunately that means I have to find another supplier. Kinda like when the grocery store runs out of milk. You just go elsewhere to buy milk. You don't get mad at the grocery store

 

[mopee3]

You need a new antennae to receive HD.

Really? You must either not be a Dish customer or are misinformed. I have had a 522, 622, and now a 922 and use, (2) 500 Dish antennas to receiver HD/SD from the 922. I also have a $29.00 Radio Shack UHF/VHF antenna working in conjunction with the 500 dish antennas to help the 922 to receiver and record, drum roll here, 4, that’s 4 channels/programs at once. But then people have accused me of having a antenna farm. :up

Moe

 

[mdram]

I have AT250, Platinum HD, a VIP622 and a VIP612. No premiums.

Switching to DirecTV I'll have a pair of the new HR24 DVRs, Choice Ultimate package, Whole Home DVR. With all of the discounts and promos I'm saving about $400 my first year. The second year when all the discounts go away, my bill will be about $3 less than what I'm paying E* now.

This all takes into account the early termination fee I'll owe E* and the $99 upgrade to get the second DVR from D* starting out.

im going from 1 622 to 1hddvr, 1 hd receiver.
will save over 400 year 1, and pay $6 month extra year2

 

[Beckhamfam]

I would stay where you are for now. I've been with Dish for about 12 years. You might call them and tell them you have been with Dish for 10 years and see what they might do, it doesn't hurt to ask. Also tell them you are considering Direct, that might motivate them to do everything they can to keep you.

 

[chibi]

I would stay where you are for now. I've been with Dish for about 12 years. You might call them and tell them you have been with Dish for 10 years and see what they might do, it doesn't hurt to ask. Also tell them you are considering Direct, that might motivate them to do everything they can to keep you.

Yep, I was able to get a 722 upgrade without commitment, couple years ago by just asking

 

[cparker]

I would stay where you are for now. I've been with Dish for about 12 years. You might call them and tell them you have been with Dish for 10 years and see what they might do, it doesn't hurt to ask. Also tell them you are considering Direct, that might motivate them to do everything they can to keep you.

I did exactly this. I really didn't want to switch. But they couldn't offer me anything that would resolve the current situation or make me happy about it. If $15 a month off for 5 months and/or HBO and Starz free for 6 months is all it takes to make you happy, then you can probably stay with E*. And it wasn't just one thing. Several things lead up to making the decision.

In the end.... hey I could get D* installed on Thursday and E* could settle everything and light the dropped channels back up on Friday. Changing is more inconvenient for ME than it is for E*. But, hey..... it's just TV.

So make sure you're ready for whichever way it goes. Don't get mad. Just get what you want and move on. It is what it is.

 

[thesaint]

Yep, I was able to get a 722 upgrade without commitment, couple years ago by just asking

I just finished chatting with them about canceling and this FOX situation and all I got were 3 ppv movies.

I will call later in the week though to see what they say

 

[thesaint]

I did exactly this. I really didn't want to switch. But they couldn't offer me anything that would resolve the current situation or make me happy about it. If $15 a month off for 5 months and/or HBO and Starz free for 6 months is all it takes to make you happy, then you can probably stay with E*. And it wasn't just one thing. Several things lead up to making the decision.

In the end.... hey I could get D* installed on Thursday and E* could settle everything and light the dropped channels back up on Friday. Changing is more inconvenient for ME than it is for E*. But, hey..... it's just TV.

So make sure you're ready for whichever way it goes. Don't get mad. Just get what you want and move on. It is what it is.

Thanks for the positive vibe...TV has gotten so expensive and it seems like the consumer ALWAYS suffers.

It is just TV and that what makes it a little frustrating it is just TV and look how they make thousands of subscribers suffer for it.

 

[Voyager6]

Switching to DirecTV I'll have a pair of the new HR24 DVRs,.

How are you certain that you will be getting HR24's? D* will not specify which equipment you will get. I believe you will get whatever the installer has in stock. Are you purchasing them from another source?

 

[mdram]

How are you certain that you will be getting HR24's? D* will not specify which equipment you will get. I believe you will get whatever the installer has in stock. Are you purchasing them from another source?

maybe he did what i did
i told them bring an hr24 and an h24 or dont bother coming
if you come and dont bring them your going home