DISH announces FREE iPad Promotion

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Announces iPad Promotion, Gives New Hopper Customers Power to Watch TV Anytime, Anywhere

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DISH, a leading pay-TV provider, today announced it is offering new subscribers the choice of an iPad 2 instead of first year programming discounts for customers who sign up for the Hopper with Sling® Whole-Home HD DVR and a qualified programming package. This will give new customers a comprehensive TV anywhere experience driven by the Hopper entertainment platform. Customers can watch all their live TV, DVR recordings and On Demand shows using the popular iPad tablet anywhere. (Viewing requires Wi-Fi connection or use of Hopper Transfers™ app.) The Hopper with Sling and iPad offer begins May 22, 2013 and runs through September 18, 2013.

According to Dave Shull, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at DISH, this offer is another example of how the company's innovative service offerings and technological advancements are changing the way people watch TV.

"Hopper transforms consumers' computers, smartphones and tablets, into TVs allowing them to watch, anytime, anywhere. Now, with our Hopper and iPad offer, for the first time ever we've bundled together everything people need for the true TV EverywhereTM experience. Providing this device ensures new customers can fully experience all the benefits Hopper offers."

DISH has developed a collection of iPad apps that enhance and extend the DISH television experience anywhere. DISH mobile apps include:

DISH Anywhere™ — Watch live TV, DVR recordings and on-demand programs anywhere with an Internet connection. Viewing is enabled by Sling technology built into the new Hopper with Sling.

Hopper Transfers™ — Move recorded television programs from the DVR to iPad for times when an Internet connection is not available.

DISH Explorer™ — An intuitive second-screen app for the Hopper that combines program-discovery tools, social media engagement and remote-control capabilities.

DISH's apps are free to download and available from the App Store.

DISH's Hopper platform provides customers more choice and control over the TV they watch. Only the Hopper gives customers the power to:

• watch all their live and recorded TV anywhere, anytime
• record up to six different primetime shows at the same time
• skip commercials when viewing recorded primetime shows from the four major networks the day after airing, and
• store up to 500 hours of HD or 2,000 hours of SD programs.

DISH introduced Hopper with Sling in January at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show. The cutting-edge set-top box won the CES 2013 "Best of Show" award. Hopper with Sling also was recognized with the PCMag "Editors' Choice" award and 5 out of 5 stars.

About The Promotion

The Hopper and iPad offer requires activation of new qualifying DISH service with 24-month agreement and credit qualification. Monthly DVR and receiver fees apply. All prices, fees, packages, programming, features, functionality and offers subject to change without notice. To qualify, customers must select the Hopper system and minimum of America's Top 120 package. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. This offer cannot be combined with promotional pricing. Offer not available in Puerto Rico or USVI. Activation fees may apply. Visit www.dish.com for more details.

 

[satnewb]

Well the techs are gonna be busy for the summer.

 

[TheKrell]

Wait a minute... Doesn't an ipad 2 have a 4:3 aspect ratio?

Edited to add: Yup, it does. :rant:

 

[king3pj]

Wait a minute... Doesn't an ipad 2 have a 4:3 aspect ratio?

Edited to add: Yup, it does. :rant:

I think the aspect ratio is the same on all the iPads. I use my iPad 4 for dish anywhere and other video all the time and it works just fine. You just get black bars on the top and bottom. Are the android tablets 16:9? It seems like a device in that ratio would be pretty tall and skinny.

Edit: I'd be more concerned that they are giving out the iPad 2 after the iPad 3 and 4 have been released than the aspect ratio. It's still a fine piece of technology and as far as I know everything in the app store will still run on it but it is aging hardware at this point.

 

[dangue]

The biggest issue I see with this is that it's an iPad 2. No retina display on that model. Current model is 4th generation (which is a 3rd with enhanced internals and a lightning connector). The 5th generation will likely be out in the next few months. This seems like a good way for Apple to get rid of old inventory prior to the release of something new. Meanwhile, Dish may be paying less for these than the cost of traditional new customer promos.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Scherrman]

It's free so I don't see why there should be much complaining. Lots of customers do not have an iPad because of cost. Now they can get it by subscribing for dish which they may be considering doing anyway.

 

[king3pj]

It's free so I don't see why there should be much complaining. Lots of customers do not have an iPad because of cost. Now they can get it by subscribing for dish which they may be considering doing anyway.

That's true and if I had an iPad 2 I don't think I would have upgraded to my iPad 4. I used the original iPad until December. The main differences between the iPad 2 and iPad 4 are no retina display, no Siri, video recording is 720p instead of 1080p, no face detection, and the camera resolution on both the front and back is higher on the iPad 4. These aren't things that would make me upgrade to the 4 if I already had the iPad 2.

If I was getting an iPad today there is no way I would pick iPad 2 when iPad 4 is only $100 more though. I'm sure Dish got a great deal on them but it doesn't make too much sense to go for a device that is 2 generations behind the current model from the customer's point of view. All that being said, I'm sure this will do very well for Dish. Like you said, many people will just be happy to get a "free" iPad. I personally would take the discounts and buy my own iPad 4 though.

 

[Slamminc11]

It's free so I don't see why there should be much complaining...

What site did you think you were reading exactly?

 

[king3pj]

It's free so I don't see why there should be much complaining. Lots of customers do not have an iPad because of cost. Now they can get it by subscribing for dish which they may be considering doing anyway.

What site did you think you were reading exactly?

To be fair it's not exactly free. You are giving up your new customer discounts to get this. In my case that is $30 per month or $360 for the year. When you look at it that way you are saving $40 on a iPad that is 2 generations old. I'm not saying it is a bad deal but it's not one I would take. I would rather take that $360 in discounts plus another $140 of my own money to get the current generation iPad.

 

[dishfan82]

It's free so I don't see why there should be much complaining. Lots of customers do not have an iPad because of cost. Now they can get it by subscribing for dish which they may be considering doing anyway.

It may be free but it's 2 generations behind and the new customers wouldn't get their new discount. Even though it is free, the new customers are still paying for it. The money they would have saved in the first year they lose. I'd much rather pay for a newer iPad and keep the discount if I were a new customer.

 

[Scherrman]

They are paying for nothing. You either get a credit or the iPad. Or it could go back to the days when there were no discounts at all. You pay zero dollars people.

 

[king3pj]

They are paying for nothing. You either get a credit or the iPad. Or it could go back to the days when there were no discounts at all. You pay zero dollars people.

I'm not saying that they would give me the $360. I'm saying that $360 in discounts is $360 extra in my pocket that I could put towards a current generation iPad. I'm coming off sounding way more negative on this than I really am.

Like I said it isn't a terrible deal if you just want an iPad and you don't care which generation it is. I even said that I wouldn't upgrade from an iPad 2 to an iPad 4. What I said was if I wanted a new iPad today I would rather take the $360 in discounts and put it towards an iPad 4 than pay full price as a new customer and get a free iPad 2.

As for your point about no discounts... That has become an industry standard across all cable and satellite providers. That is just part of the pricing when comparing providers now. I don't look at new customer discounts as some huge favor from Dish when I would get them no matter which provider I choose. You're right. They could go back to no discounts for new customers but they wouldn't be seeing many new customers if they did.

Again, I think this promotion will work very well for Dish and retailers like yourself. People will see the words free iPad and jump all over it. Most average people probably wouldn't know the difference between iPad generations and even if they did the iPad 2 is still a pretty nice device.

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[Foxbat]

Or, the refurbed 16 GB WiFi iPad 2 on Apple's is $319. Get that instead and take the service discount. 3rd gen 16 GB WiFi iPad is $379 refurbed if you want Retina, $449 for the 4th Gen model.

Of course, this starts on the 22nd, isn't that the date that the Hopper & Joey hardware costs go up?

 

[fbara]

[QUOTE="Foxbat;3170627"
]Of course, this starts on the 22nd, isn't that the date that the Hopper & Joey hardware costs go up?[/QUOTE]

Why yes it is, what am amazing coincidence!

 

[Skee7ix]

Current customer and still can't get my Hopper... I will cancel and return as a new customer .
How much do I have to be without the service to return as new?

 

[lucky86]

90 days

 

[TheKrell]

I think the aspect ratio is the same on all the iPads... You just get black bars on the top and bottom.

Yes, that may "work", but most of us hate black bars. What century is this anyway?

Are the android tablets 16:9? It seems like a device in that ratio would be pretty tall and skinny.

All mine are. It's not "tall and skinny" when watching a widescreen video. It's just right.

 

[Scherrman]

[QUOTE="Foxbat;3170627"
]Of course, this starts on the 22nd, isn't that the date that the Hopper & Joey hardware costs go up?

Why yes it is, what am amazing coincidence! [/QUOTE]

That's because it's when all the new promotions start. Pretty common practice. Every year Dish has new promotions right after Team Summit and these will run until September or August. This year they go until September.

 

[Scherrman]

Or, the refurbed 16 GB WiFi iPad 2 on Apple's is $319. Get that instead and take the service discount. 3rd gen 16 GB WiFi iPad is $379 refurbed if you want Retina, $449 for the 4th Gen model.

Of course, this starts on the 22nd, isn't that the date that the Hopper & Joey hardware costs go up?

The people who do not have iPads now don't have them because they do not want to pay for them. Now that they see an offer to get them for signing up for dish they will love it. They think, hey this is great. Now I can sign up for dish and get an iPad that I've been wanting but didn't have the spare cash to pay for.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The people who do not have iPads now don't have them because they do not want to pay for them. Now that they see an offer to get them for signing up for dish they will love it. They think, hey this is great. Now I can sign up for dish and get an iPad that I've been wanting but didn't have the spare cash to pay for.

Thats true!

But I think the real issue Dish is going to run into is retention 2-3 months down the road when customers who took the Ipad are going to wonder why their bill is $80-$100 per month for basic service.

If you do the math, its no deal. You basically paying an inflated price for an Ipad by paying an extra $35 on your satellite bill for 12 months.

But it will probably get the phones to ring and Dish sales are pretty much dead these days anyways.