Bundle Dish with Windstream?

[bhelms]

Anyone else here doing that? What are the upsides / downsides?

I recently entered the 20th century (not yet ready for the 21st!) and connected DSL via Windstream, my default "copper carrier". That bundles with my local land-line service and I dropped long distance (AT&T) at the same time as I haven't used it in recent memory (cell instead). No issues there.

Windstream has had a deal with Dish for multiple years now. To this point I always ignored the ads wanting to keep them independent. But maybe I should rethink that! In theory I can keep my same service with both providers and save $5 / mo. just for the single billing. I'll bet that has to be a direct debit from my checking account as well which doesn't thrill me. (I pay everything on-line using debit or credit cards, but I control when the payment is made.) To this point I have been putting Dish on my reward credit card netting me 3% back, or about $36 a year based on my current bill, so I would gain something by bundling.

Do I give up any flexibility with Dish if I pay them via Windstream? Are there any packages available via Windstream that I can't get straight from Dish? Any new commitments? (Neither my Dish account nor new DSL service are locked in contracts at present.)

I know these are questions for Windstream and perhaps even Dish, but I thought I'd tap the braintrust here first. Folks here are bound to know the skinny better than any CSR at either provider...!

TIA and BRgds...

 

[RandallA]

bhelms,

Don't do it. You don't get the same treatment as a regular Dish Network customer. Just my opinion.

 

[KAB]

Another "Don't do it". Yes you give up flexibility, upgrade options, promotions.

 

[dk21]

Yet another don't do it! In a word, my bundled experience was horrible. I'll spare the details, but if you've ever had to call Windstream about any kind of issue, you already have some idea...

 

[bhelms]

OK, folks - Tks! The ~$24 per year I would "save" in convenience might cost me considerably more in lost flexibility and added aggravation. As I suspected....

I did have an "experience" with Windstream getting the DSL up and running (described in another thread), turned out to be a real "D'uuuh" moment on their part! Cost them a totally unnecessary truck roll. I guess that shoulda been a hint of things to come. No need to spread that disease to my Dish account as well where for the most part over almost 12 years things have gone fairly smoothly...!

Tks for weighing-in...!

 

[bobvick]

I have a bundle with CenturyLink, and I am able to access my account online and make programming changes. I am not aware of any promotions that I have not been able to be a part of. I did not initially sign up through CenturyLink, I moved my account over to get the bundle price break, which is $5.00 per month. I don't know if that makes any difference. Also, I don't know if Windstream works the same way or not, I would assume that you would have the same functionality at the website, etc...

 

[papalittle]

I have been bundled with Windstream for a while now and have had no problems what so ever. If I have a problem or want to change programming I call Dish.

 

[Zaxcom]

Been bundled for 2 years. No issues at all. In fact dealing with Windstreams billing dept is way more easier than dealing with Dish, and they are US based, not India.

I have full account access via the web to Dish, can change my plans at will. Never an issue or problem.

 

[megawayne]

No problems here either. I also get most all promotions as well. I get free service plan for life from the deal I signed initially with Windstream (Supposedly).

 

[Daymon74]

Newbie here, but a long time lurker. I have the Windstream bundle, and just wanted to point out that though the billing is bundled, you can do anything a stand alone Dish customer can do including upgrades, and promotions. You can also have a Dish account separate from your Windstream account online, so you can change whatever changes Dish allows via their portal, or manage your DVR, and more recently access Dish Remote Access. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes here, but the "don't do its" are unfounded. You lose no functionality, promotions, or service as a bundled dish customer via windstream in any way, shape, or form. Bottom line.