Do you think I can get DISH to price match Comcast??

[techguru408]

I got an offer from Comcast yesterday that they would give me 4 HD DVRs, and ALL channels for 129/mo guaranteed for 24 months. Right now I have the DISH eveyrthing package with HD channels and 2 vip722s. It costs me 164/mo. The question is: do you think it is possible for me to get DISH to price match Comcast? If so, what is the best approach? If not possible, should I do it for 24 months and then bounce back??

Thanks for any constructive responses!

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

I can review your account and see what options are available for you. Please send me a PM with your phone or account number so I can assist you further. Thank you!

 

[Tampa8]

That can't be the whole story, the everything package and two 722's is nowhere near $164 a month.

 

[Scherrman]

There must be something else added to your account. Your bill should be around $135. I myself would never switch to any cable provider. I'm curious as to what the cable bill goes up to after 24 months and I wonder if that price will be exactly $129 or will there be some of their hidden fees added on.

 

[yaz96]

There must be something else added to your account. Your bill should be around $135. I myself would never switch to any cable provider. I'm curious as to what the cable bill goes up to after 24 months and I wonder if that price will be exactly $129 or will there be some of their hidden fees added on.

Well of course you wouldn't switch to cable. You're a DISH dealer.

How about some full disclosure before comments like that?

 

[Scherrman]

I have had DirecTV and Mediacom in my life and I will say that cable is terrible here. I also sell TVs and have to deal with customers that have DirecTV and Mediacom. I don't have an issue with DirecTV, in fact I think they have a great product and consider them the only alternative. Any experience I've had with cable was crappy. The main benefits with cable in my mind is you can have a multi-room hook up very easy and inexpensive but that would be without HD.

 

[yaz96]

I have had DirecTV and Mediacom in my life and I will say that cable is terrible here. I also sell TVs and have to deal with customers that have DirecTV and Mediacom. I don't have an issue with DirecTV, in fact I think they have a great product and consider them the only alternative. Any experience I've had with cable was crappy. The main benefits with cable in my mind is you can have a multi-room hook up very easy and inexpensive but that would be without HD.

What if you had Comcast (using the above example) available with more HD channels, MUCH more On Demand (HD included, and most of it FREE), better HD Anyroom DVR option, AND it was cheaper?

All the above is true in many areas of the country now.

 

[Mr Tony]

dont forget the 16.95 a month for a DVR that only works on one TV with a smaller hard drive
Around here Comcast wants 16.95 for each HD DVR with its sexy 20 hour HD capacity

 

[satjay]

dont forget the 16.95 a month for a DVR that only works on one TV with a smaller hard drive
Around here Comcast wants 16.95 for each HD DVR with its sexy 20 hour HD capacity

Always amazed what Comcast charges when I ever I do a look up for services around here.

 

[yaz96]

dont forget the 16.95 a month for a DVR that only works on one TV with a smaller hard drive
Around here Comcast wants 16.95 for each HD DVR with its sexy 20 hour HD capacity

DISH DVR is $17 a month, same as Comcast. Dish is the one that started that pricing trend by the way. They were cheaper when Dish's was also.

 

[Neutron]

Suddenlink charges $16.95 for that same DVR and the interface is slower than dirt since they allow ads on the guide.

We dumped them (I won the argument with my wife over cable vs satellite by stating this) due to the high cost. The cable portion of our bill was over $110 just for 1 DVR and 2 HD boxes, basic/expanded/digital, and something called a variety pack since that's what is required for Nick Jr. No movie channels and their VOD sucks (about on par with DISH's VOD though).

With DISH our bill will be $112 a month once all discounts go away even after the first year, and that's with HBO/Cinemax included since we get that for free for the first 3 months.

 

[Mr Tony]

Always amazed what Comcast charges when I ever I do a look up for services around here.

yeah same here. While their "teaser" rates can be pretty good the equipment fees are insane
16.95 for a DVR
8.00 for receiver

but this one is my favorite. Lifeline is still analog and QAM so I could hook up a HDTV and at least get the locals. If I have them hook it up they charge $14 to hook it up (seriously.....how hard is it to hook a cable up to the TV)

 

[harshness]

I got an offer from Comcast yesterday that they would give me 4 HD DVRs, and ALL channels for 129/mo guaranteed for 24 months.

DISH won't price match Comcast and vice versa.

You also need to consider any fees that Comcast is going to charge over and above (taxes, franchise fees, etc.)

As suggested above, you're either not telling us everything or you have some seriously high taxes that you're paying on your DISH bill ($30/month).

 

[Mr Tony]

DISH DVR is $17 a month, same as Comcast. Dish is the one that started that pricing trend by the way. They were cheaper when Dish's was also.

But Dish gives you the 1st one included. Comcast doesn't. Dish DVR can run 2 TV's...Comcast is only one TV

so even though the rate is 29.99 for digital starter (which is basically family cable + the music and a few extra channels) if you want anything other than the crappy receiver they give you costs extra. It would be like Dish saying "ok we're going to give you a 311 as the 1st receiver. If you want a DVR or HD you gotta pay extra even if its the 1st box"

My grandma has Comcast here. The guide looks like a colecovision
The only positive I seen is all of what we would consider regular (family) cable they have every channel that is available in HD in HD except TV land

 

[Tampa8]

techguru408
I just want you to compare apples to apples before you decide. I might not ever pick cable, (I am not a Dish or any dealer - lol) but that doesn't mean maybe for you cable is somehow better. But the cost you posted for Dish can not be correct for the services you listed. It is either about the same or maybe less than the temporary Cable price you posted. Hard to determine their promotional cost for receivers, but pay attention to what Iceberg posted about receiver fees.
There were some good points brought up, VOD on Dish is not all that good, Cable can beat that. I admit VOD has little importance overall to me, I might buy or download a movie three or four times a year if that, but if it is very important to you that would be a consideration. With the DVR's I have little need for regular programming on demand. You may value that more. I do happen to rent Blu-ray movies however, and the blockbuster package is a great value for me, I saved $8 a month by dropping Netflix. I already got the Platinum package, so now I get all those channels and can rent multiple movies or games every month.
You may not value that as much. These are all the considerations, plus I'm sure more.

 

[mdavej]

In my neck of the woods, cable is much more expensive than sat after the teaser rates expire. The few HD channels my cable company has are compressed so badly they look like SD. And on top of that add $16 for the primary DVR and $10 for HD service plus another $15 to get the equivalent package I get with Dish. Cable may be better and more competitive in some parts of the country, but it's not even in the ballpark in many places.

I wish the OP luck getting Dish to match the new customer rates from the cable company, but I've never had any success with that myself.

 

[stardust3]

I have had DirecTV and Mediacom in my life and I will say that cable is terrible here. I also sell TVs and have to deal with customers that have DirecTV and Mediacom. I don't have an issue with DirecTV, in fact I think they have a great product and consider them the only alternative. Any experience I've had with cable was crappy. The main benefits with cable in my mind is you can have a multi-room hook up very easy and inexpensive but that would be without HD.

If you were a Directv dealer also you would definitely sell more Dish. Having both in today's world is imperative.

 

[Scherrman]

We have put serious thought into selling DirecTV along with Dish. When talking to dealers that do sell both they always say the same thing, DirecTV helps sell Dish. Part of me thinks it's hard enough to sell and keep up with Dish let alone DirecTV. We already sell appliances and TVs. Thats a lot to keep up to date on.

 

[Stargazer]

Now I know why Dish Network raised their DVR fees. Just look at what cable charges for their inferior DVR's.

 

[Mr Tony]

Now I know why Dish Network raised their DVR fees. Just look at what cable charges for their inferior DVR's.

could be the other way around