Cancelled DTV Yesterday, Received Come Back Email Offer Today

[averagejoe78]

September would have made me 7 years of having DTV. I've loved the service with very few issues. I just bought a new house, which will be increasing my mortgage by a few hundred. Looking to cut costs, I decided to call D to cancel, but also give them a chance to lower the bill before I move. I already upgraded to the Genie back in December, so the movers deal wasn't available. In my hand during the call with Retention was a flyer from Dish with a terrific offer. 190 channel plan for $29.99 for 1 year, free Hopper DVR + installation in 6 rooms, free HD for 2 years with auto payment, premiums free for 3 months, etc. Total was $79 per month. I'm currently paying about $140 at DTV. Even in Retention, the guy said he couldn't get close to that offer and didn't really try to keep me, so I went ahead with cancellation and the return boxes are on the way. After that, I signed up with Dish for an install in 2 weeks...

Today in my inbox I get an offer code and a 877 phone number to call to give DTV a "chance to make things right". This offer is Choice for $34.99, premiums free for 3 months, free Sunday Ticket, free Genie + installation, and $200 towards cancellation fee.

Based on the above, are they telling me I need to go through with the cancellation, send back the equipment, pay my final bill, only to turn right around and get new service set up? The $200 towards cancellation fee offer is what threw me off. My ETF is $340.

I've never had Dish and am curious to see how their service is. I do like that the Hopper has 2 TB of storage. I also love Sunday Ticket, but I could live without it if I needed to. But DTV's offer is tempting, particularly the free ST. I just wished they had offered this on the phone yesterday.

So I'm looking for some feedback on what to do.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It all depends on what you watch, and what the price difference is.

Look at both providers and see whats best for you. There is no right or wrong answer.

 

[mdram]

look at your recording habits and remember the tuners in each unit. will prime time anytime help or hurt you?

 

[Ronnie-]

I "think" the cancellation rebate is to offset the cost in case you had already gone to another provider. Basically, if you wanted this deal, you would just call Directv and get them to apply it to your current account. It bugs me that both of these companies do this. You call and ask and there is nothing they can do, but as soon as you cancel and go with someone else they throw out all of the offers which in most cases is more than you asked for in the first place.

As to trying dish, ive had both, and recently just swapped back to dish a couple of months ago. Both IMO are fantastic services, and both the Genie and the Hopper with sling are great DVRs. The Genie is (and this is unusual in comparing dish and directv hardware) faster, and has more tuners if you are simply going to have one box (getting the super joey puts it in favor of the hopper when PTAT is factored in).
The hopper has more features (that I use), I like the interface a little better, and PTAT and autohop are far more useful than I thought before I got them.

I personally do not think you will go wrong either direction, and if it were me, I would do the math in both cases and see which came out ahead from a dollar standpoint, then go with that option. It is what I do.

 

[averagejoe78]

Yes, if Retention had worked with me, I wouldn't have cancelled. Right now, my Dish order calls for the Hopper with Sling, 3 Joeys and 1 Super Joey.

But if I did call in, I guess they would apply the deal from the email, and then I'd set up my installation date at my new address as previously planned, and keep my current equipment?

I'll have to think about it. But I may give Dish a chance as I'm curious to try out their equipment. I just wasn't expecting an offer the next day, especially with free ST thrown in.

 

[averagejoe78]

Well, thanks to DTV, I managed to only have a Dish account for less than 24 hours. The number in my email rang directly to a retentions account manager. From there, I got more than I could have asked for. Choice Xtra for $34.99 for a year, HBO for $10 off, 2 more $5 off discounts, another $10 off for 2 years with autopay, free Sunday Ticket, free installation in 5 rooms which include 3 free genie mini boxes, and on top of that they're sending me a $200 Visa gift card. Not sure why the guy yesterday didn't put me on hold to speak with a higher up vs going through with the cancellation, but it certainly worked out in my favor.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, thanks to DTV, I managed to only have a Dish account for less than 24 hours. The number in my email rang directly to a retentions account manager. From there, I got more than I could have asked for. Choice Xtra for $34.99 for a year, HBO for $10 off, 2 more $5 off discounts, another $10 off for 2 years with autopay, free Sunday Ticket, free installation in 5 rooms which include 3 free genie mini boxes, and on top of that they're sending me a $200 Visa gift card. Not sure why the guy yesterday didn't put me on hold to speak with a higher up vs going through with the cancellation, but it certainly worked out in my favor.

Welcome back, we barely seen ya leave !

 

[raoul5788]

You did good, for an average Joe!

 

[Ronnie-]

That's a great deal. I'd have called when I cancelled for that. Lol, congrats.

 

[IcEWoLF]

Very nice deal! Congratulations man!

 

[acostapimps]

Maybe a flex plan would of work in this situation, No credit check, No commitment, Of course the flip side to that is, Paying full price for equipment and installation, Probably not a good idea, too much money to throw around just for equipment and installation.

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