What is the breaking point?

[dishfan82]

I love Dish and as much offers I get from D, I've remained with Dish. I've passed up 200.00 gift cards. At one point I had 7 referrals on my account making my bill under 60.00. Now those are expiring in August so my bill will climb close to 100.00 for the top 250. A rep offered 10 off but that was to drop to the top 200. Problem with that is my wife watches channels that are in the package we have. So what's the breaking point?


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[navychop]

Deja Vu all over again.


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[KAB]

I would call and ask for the retention department and see what they will do. Maybe it's time to switch, then come back in a couple of years. As far as "what is the breaking point", that's for you alone to decide.

 

[Scherrman]

This is easy. Lower your package, drop Dish or just pay for the channels you want to watch.

 

[primestar31]

I had AT250 and a VIP722k, and when it got jacked to just short of $100 a month in February, I dropped down to AT200, and a month later went to AT120. Now it's $62.41 with taxes and fees, which is better. No, it doesn't have all the channels I'd like, but I've decided I'm just not going to spend that much on tv ever again. If this ever goes up even $10, I'll drop back even more. If I have to, I'll even go OTA when it eventually comes to that.

In the age of the internet, it's just crazy paying what they want us to pay for the same tv stuff we've mostly seen over and over for years.

 

[mike123abc]

The only choice you have is to take the credits and/or lower your package, or consider another provider and get the deal with them for a couple years and come back to Dish after and get all the special offers again.

 

[boba]

Get out there and Hustle sell more of your "FRIENDS" DISH subscriptions so you can save $10/MO. At least that is what DISH would like. Really it is time for some new programming packages with lower prices and fewer services. More and more customers are realizing the wallet isn't a bottomless pit. Not everyone has Charlie's income and DISH has always sold themselves as the LOW COST SERVICE.

 

[dishfan82]

I'd much rather have new programming packages and pay a one time fee on the receivers and see the monthly receiver costs eliminated. That would be a huge selling advantage is if Dish eliminated it.


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[stardust3]

The additional fees on top of the main programming price is the kicker.

The price for the 250 isn't too bad until you add a hopper & a couple joeys with the protection plan.

 

[Bobby]

Scratch the protection plan and save the dollars....

 

[bobvick]

The additional fees on top of the main programming price is the kicker.

The price for the 250 isn't too bad until you add a hopper & a couple joeys with the protection plan.

Isn't that the truth, I pay $50 just in fees (3 Hoppers, 2 Joeys, DVR fee). I wish you could buy the equipment and forego the fees. Or do like someone posted and pay an upfront fee or something. Of course that would remove a revenue stream,


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[dishfan82]

Yeah it's crazy, even if they would just get rid of the DVR fee which is a bogus fee and the HD Fee which thankfully I Don't pay for and that is another bogus fee. Someone here mentioned before they used to charge a one time fee for the DVR fees and when people complained they started charging monthly. I did speak with retentions a week ago and when I said I am going to D the rep said well D raises prices and is higher in the 2nd year. Hopefully I can get some referrals to start knocking the price down.


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[mike123abc]

Isn't that the truth, I pay $50 just in fees (3 Hoppers, 2 Joeys, DVR fee). I wish you could buy the equipment and forego the fees. Or do like someone posted and pay an upfront fee or something. Of course that would remove a revenue stream,

It is the old above and below the line charges that are common in advertising. They (Cable/Dish/DIRECTV) all want to be able to advertise a low price, but in reality it is artificially low and they would not make much on the customer with just that price. The fees of course are hidden from advertisements and are where they make their real money. Sure a joey may cost $50 to manufacture, but they get that back in less than a year, then it is just profit for them. The same goes with every cable box.

The customer in Dish's case with the lowest profit margin would be one that has a 211 with the one time DVR fee. So, they just pay the package rate and no extra fees. For cable it would be the customers with just a cable card (i.e. TiVo gets the profit).

 

[ChadT41]

Keep in mind, a large portion of those fees go right back into the writing of software. When I was working there, I asked the same question. "Why do the DVr fees have to change?" The official answer back was "it is expensive paying for the software to be designed and working as often as it happens. Also, for the DVr capability, it is a small fee that goes to the networks to allow recording capabilities." So having that fee would make sense, because they have to pay to offer the DVr functionality, plus pay a team to work on the software.

 

[DishSubLA]

While a box fee easily meets the costs of maintaining and upgrading software, IMHO, all the other fees are ways all the MVPD's (because Cable and DirecTV and Dish has some of the same high and "bogus" fees) is the only way they can recoup some of the programming costs. IMHO, the cost of the programming is quite likely higher than what is itemized on the bill, but the MVPD's just can't print a price that high in the ads or just can't be plain competitive, so they move some of the programming costs over the the numerous, high, and many fees. I don't think any of the MVPD's want to say so pubically, but that's how bad and high the programming costs are today. Keep in mind that the cost of programming for the MVPD's can go up each and every year of a multi-year contract, and if the MVPD's want to keep the annual rate hikes to the subscribers down or NOT raise them a year or so, then the money has to come from somewhere: the fees.

 

[az99]

I had the same deal with DirecTV. They raised my price 50% in 3 months by removing discounts and not replacing any. My breaking point was $100. Switched to DISH for the new customer discounts. I will just play the 2 year switch game if that is how they both want to do business.
$100 per month to watch commercials is already too much.

 

[BBCInc]

Someone here mentioned before they used to charge a one time fee for the DVR fees and when people complained they started charging monthly.

I've had a DVR with Dish since the beginning (excluding the Dishplayer) and they've never charged a one time fee. They did have no DVR fee DVRs in the early days but, for the most part, transitioned customers off those units for various reasons and now charge most accounts a monthly DVR fee.

 

[jerryez]

Look at the channels in each package and decide which ones that your wife can't live without. Then check the channels in Direct TV packages. Many channels are in packages at different price levels. Maybe the channels you have to have are in a lower priced package at Direct.

 

[Tampa8]

The breaking point is deciding what you can do without. That ranges from what programming you can do without, to doing without DISH, or doing without any traditional pay TV. How DISH should change their business model has nothing to do with your breaking point however, that is a long term goal you may have and very well may not change the fact you have to still make cuts. DISH doesn't operate in a vacuum. When you pay more for gas, electricity, buying products because trucking fees go up, etc etc, did you know DISH does too? When the minimum wage is mandated to go up (Not making any judgements on that) who exactly do you think pays for that? You and me, and/or those who get laid off. Most businesses can't absorb all the increases in costs and stay in business without raising rates, or giving less. DISH makes less per subscriber I believe than any of the major providers. So when you talk about cutting fees, I can guarantee you other things would go up to compensate.

For everyone who is truly at their breaking point, good news is DISH is about the least expensive provider there is, particularly with their two lowest packages, and getting a 211K receiver. You even still get a DVR if you simply add an EHD. In fact their Top packages with a 211K is most likely less for the channels you get than anyone. Obviously you can also switch providers when your contract is up each time to get new customer discounts.

 

[Scherrman]

OK, OK. I get that no one wants to pay a lot for TV service and that's understandable. Look at what some people here have for equipment and programming. What do you expect? Do you still expect to pay the same $30 you were paying 15 years ago? If you want more channels and want more features you have to pay more money.

I know the response I'm going to get from most people is, "but I could just pay for the channels and features I want there wouldn't be a problem." No kidding, who doesn't want that? That's not going to happen though, at least not anytime soon.

Like I've said before, there are very simple answers to this. You either need to make some sacrifices to save some money or be willing to pay for what you want. Right now I'm willing to pay for what I have because I think it's worth it. Once I can't afford it I'll be fine with lowering my package or getting rid of equipment. Having to make sacrifices to save money is just a way of life.