The real "Hard Core" HBO/Cinemax subscribers have already moved on. They either dropped Dish as my friend's brother did for Direct, or as I did with HBO so I subbed to it via the Roku/Fire Stick. The Firestick has the channels live or on demand. But my friend's brother got a good deal with Direct on their biggest pack and two receivers for $126 a month. But after the first year, I am sure their rates will go up a lot. He was promised a bunch of "discounts" the second year by the installer but that remains to be seen if Direct will still be offering them the second year. I believe they are on a 2 year contract so if Direct really jacks up the price the second year then they will be stuck until the 2 years run out. I will be surprised if they stay after the second year as his bill will be something like $216.
All discounts on the Tv portion go away after the first year.
It’s hard for anyone to sell Directv these days to anyone without lying that the price goes up in the second year. The second you become truthful with the customer, explain the 2 year contract with a $480 termination fee, and the fact the promotion is good for 1 year, and have to deal with 3/4 of all the potential customers not able to get decent internet or any internet at all very few will sign up.
Keep in mind that Directv has advertised a $30 price point for years.
Every year they jack rates up $3-$5, and the discount they offer to new customers goes up and up and up.
I don’t have the sales guide in front of me, but I believe choice goes up $66 or $72 in the second year.
Then you offer all 4 movie channels for free for 3 months and the rate goes up $52 after 3 months.
Granted you don’t have to keep the movie channels, but that’s a pretty hard pill to swollen when the select pack is $35/mo, then goes to $87 after 3 months of the customer keeps the movie channels.
Let’s not forget the second year when Sunday ticket renews and customers completely forgot they had it and don’t even care to watch it.
I sell Comcast and spectrum all the time and people always complain the movie channels are not free. IMHO giving the movie channels away for free is setting the customer for failure when they get sticker shock or can’t pay the bill.
