CONFIRMED(?)- Dish Discontinuing Absolute HD Package

[AdamGott]

This actually works for me because I was thinking of going to America's Top 250 anyway. I will drop NHL center ice and pick up two RSN's in the process. My bill is going to go up but at least I can get a few of the channels that the rest of my family has been whining about for a while...

Of course I was really holding out for the 922 before I had to sign up for a two year commitment. I have been out of commitment for at least a year now. I hate to switch to Direct TV because I have four 500 gig hard drives full of HD movies...

 

[guitarplayer]

I just saw the link to this on AVS Forum. I have been a Dish Absolute customer since 2008. I haven't gotten the call. I don't think I will continue with them unless they just offer me something pretty crazy, discount-wise, as nothing they have in packages currently really comes close to Absolute without nearing or topping $100 a month. I have cable internet, so I can use Hulu and torrents to get shows, even if it isn't until the next day. It's been great while it lasted, here's hoping Dish changes their mind.

 

[whatchel1]

With DVR?

With a DVR how many people watch much of anything live anymore. I know I don't. I would say I watch maybe 1 to 2 % at the most live.

 

[cditty]

With a DVR how many people watch much of anything live anymore. I know I don't. I would say I watch maybe 1 to 2 % at the most live.

I'm with you. I even delay sports now, so that I catch up to live towards the end of the game.

 

[Bob Haller]

yeah I watch NOTHING LIVE, and honestly want to DVR my life

Skipping thru the bad parts while re living the good times

 

[JimP]

I see that without paying for the "Platinum" add-on, I (we) lose HD Theater, HD Movies, Universal HD, and more ? I know the Epix channels are new but we've been watching/recording more and more from those and they'll be add-ons too.

This is really going to suck...

Same here.

Its pretty obvious that they've broken up the channels into different plans and add ons to get the most dollars out of you.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if Direct TV came out with a special promo package for former absolute subscribers.

 

[johnpas73]

Am I the only one that is actually OK with this? I have Absolute, and have LOVED my bill being $54 with taxes with 2 HD DVRs. The one thing Ive always had trouble with is no RSN which includes Big Ten Network (huge Buckeyes fan), and last year, Red Zone.

But if the deal being thrown around is true, AT200 for 39.99 including HD for life, PLUS Platinum for free for 6 months? Ok fine, I drop from my 2nd 722 to a 211, and my bill stays the same for 6 months. I keep every channel I regularly watch for 6 months, PLUS pick up Big Ten Network, Red Zone, Speed, G4, FX, Fox News, and BBC america???? Wow, that will help ease the transition for 6 months, then I can decide if its worth it to keep Platinum. Then 6 months later I can shop around and decide if its worth it to stay with E*.

Of course what I just said is moot if they make me sign a contract.

No contract, where do I sign up for 39.99 AT200+platinum? Dare I say it, I'm giddy over the thought of BTN and Red Zone for football season!

I understand this decision from E*, the content providers are sticking it to them, and thereby, to US the consumer. The problem is E* is the middle man, and they are the easy one to pick on, yet its the content providers that are regularly screwing the customers. Keep your anger in check people. Its easy to be an armchair CEO or boardmember while posting on an online forum. Its yet another thing when you are in charge of billions of dollars worth of customer contracts. Big boy decisions must be made sometimes.

Its business.

 

[Ghpr13]

yeah I watch NOTHING LIVE, and honestly want to DVR my life

Skipping thru the bad parts while re living the good times

I think we all feel that way when it comes to you Bob!

Ghpr13

 

[mrc54]

Am I the only one that is actually OK with this? I have Absolute, and have LOVED my bill being $54 with taxes with 2 HD DVRs. The one thing Ive always had trouble with is no RSN which includes Big Ten Network (huge Buckeyes fan), and last year, Red Zone.

But if the deal being thrown around is true, AT200 for 39.99 including HD for life, PLUS Platinum for free for 6 months? Ok fine, I drop from my 2nd 722 to a 211, and my bill stays the same for 6 months. I keep every channel I regularly watch for 6 months, PLUS pick up Big Ten Network, Red Zone, Speed, G4, FX, Fox News, and BBC america???? Wow, that will help ease the transition for 6 months, then I can decide if its worth it to keep Platinum. Then 6 months later I can shop around and decide if its worth it to stay with E*.

Of course what I just said is moot if they make me sign a contract.

No contract, where do I sign up for 39.99 AT200+platinum? Dare I say it, I'm giddy over the thought of BTN and Red Zone for football season! )

I agree, an HD Absolute subscriber:up

 

[Bob Haller]

D is now advertising Es higher receiver fees, claims D has more national HD channels, and E makes you pay in advance. source advertising flyer in todays pittsburgh post gazette

D could target special deals for departing E subs.

Just show us a recent bill, and we will take your old E dish and replace it with a spiffy new D one. Thus helping assure the customer doesnt churn back to E....

someone should suggest this to D corporate, with E vulnerable by its recent stupid changes D might pick up a million subs getting the E beancounters on the unemployment line

 

[cditty]

Bob, I don't think Direct is looking to pick up the whiny, low tier package Dish customers that are 'threatening' to leave Dish right now.

They will still be on here complaining about Dish prices in 6 months... But will still be Dish customers.

 

[Hall]

Its pretty obvious that they've broken up the channels into different plans and add ons to get the most dollars out of you.

Nah, I don't see it that way. No matter what package they put a channel in, some people will feel "screwed". As long as providers have different packages, this will always be the case. And no, I'm not advocating "a la carte". What would be nice is allow single channel additions for a reasonable fee per channel on top of your package. Say I took AT200 and want to add just NatGeo. If Dish says $3, but I'm only willing to pay $2, I do without. At least they gave me the option.

 

[Hall]

Bob, I don't think Direct is looking to pick up the whiny, low tier package Dish customers that are 'threatening' to leave Dish right now.

Too bad I can't voice my opinion to you here without worry of getting banned... As I recall, Scott said earlier to refrain about comments about each other in this thread. That said, am I a "low tier" customer ? Hell yes ! Did I scam Dish in order to get this package ? Nope... Did I threaten to leave if they didn't give me a deal ? Nope... What did I do to get this ? I called them on the phone and said "I'd like to subscribe to your Absolute HD package." No, they didn't ask me for a special code nor give them my first-born child. It was a standard package they offered to anyone. So don't call us (me) "whiny".

I will say this: If a company offered someone a service that they were perfectly happy with at a price they were perfectly happy with it, someone would be pretty stupid not to take it.

 

[empiretc]

yeah I watch NOTHING LIVE, and honestly want to DVR my life

Adam Sandler made a really bad movie about that..............

price wise, D* isn't going to be any better.

 

[Hall]

They offered me the 200, HD for Life, for 12 mos @ $39.95 with Platinum for 6 mos included. I asked about the 120 plus, same deal for $29.95.

If I get the call and they offer me similarly, I'll be sure to ask how long is "HD for Life" !! In the corporate world, and Dish is no different in this regard, they can say "the life of the package", i.e. if they decide to kill it in 2 years or 10 years, they can.

 

[Hall]

Looking at Time Warner offerings, the cheapest package (can't tell what channel lineup is yet) they offer is $66/mo. HD-DVR is $8.95/mo. HD add-on tier is $6.95/mo. Prices do improve if I bundle, but I'm happy with my 6mb DSL and have no interest in digital phone. Apparently their website doesn't like Firefox either... I can't try and "order" it to see if it breaks down the channel offerings once I give them my location.

 

[zim2dive]

Too bad I can't voice my opinion to you here without worry of getting banned... As I recall, Scott said earlier to refrain about comments about each other in this thread. That said, am I a "low tier" customer ? Hell yes ! Did I scam Dish in order to get this package ? Nope... Did I threaten to leave if they didn't give me a deal ? Nope... What did I do to get this ? I called them on the phone and said "I'd like to subscribe to your Absolute HD package." No, they didn't ask me for a special code nor give them my first-born child. It was a standard package they offered to anyone. So don't call us (me) "whiny".

I will say this: If a company offered someone a service that they were perfectly happy with at a price they were perfectly happy with it, someone would be pretty stupid not to take it.

+1

I'm not quite sure why all the folks who don't have Absolute feel the need to interfere in this thread .... please guys, why not let those of us WITH Absolute use the thread to understand our options. We don't care if you are happy/sad/indifferent to the package we chose to subscribe to (and which met our particular needs) for these past months/years.

 

[Jhon69]

D is now advertising Es higher receiver fees, claims D has more national HD channels, and E makes you pay in advance. source advertising flyer in todays pittsburgh post gazette

D could target special deals for departing E subs.

Just show us a recent bill, and we will take your old E dish and replace it with a spiffy new D one. Thus helping assure the customer doesnt churn back to E....

someone should suggest this to D corporate, with E vulnerable by its recent stupid changes D might pick up a million subs getting the E beancounters on the unemployment line

D* already has just the other day I received letter number 17(since I left in Oct.2009)
Offering $200.00 to help pay off my E* contract(it's $225. D*,get that offer higher),2 free upgrades HDDVR and HD receiver,3 months of HBO&Showtime,$29. off for 12 months.
Problem is I'm SD only.Maybe I should call D* up tell them they need to buy me a HDTV so I can switch.

 

[zim2dive]

Looking at Time Warner offerings, the cheapest package (can't tell what channel lineup is yet) they offer is $66/mo. HD-DVR is $8.95/mo. HD add-on tier is $6.95/mo. Prices do improve if I bundle, but I'm happy with my 6mb DSL and have no interest in digital phone. Apparently their website doesn't like Firefox either... I can't try and "order" it to see if it breaks down the channel offerings once I give them my location.

TWC will let you "lock" in a (better) price for 2? years if you call and ask. But I'm not clear on whether the discount is only for the 1st year, and I believe there are penalties if you cancel before the 2 years (ie. when Dish offer Absolute version 2 )
But that may only be for the bundles. I have RR unbundled and get a discount from them that I have to call back and renew every 12 months... no contract. I got the other details from a buddy who does both RR+cable, so they appear to deal with un/bundled differently.

w.r.t absolute, so far for me no call at all.. not even a missed call on the caller ID log.

 

[Gordoco]

If I get the call and they offer me similarly, I'll be sure to ask how long is "HD for Life" !! In the corporate world, and Dish is no different in this regard, they can say "the life of the package", i.e. if they decide to kill it in 2 years or 10 years, they can.

According to the Dish website, "HD for Life" means the life of your Dish Network account, but who knows if there is some fine print allowing them to cancel it at any time? There apparently is for us Absolute customers.

I got the call early last week but let it go to answering machine without knowing what it was about. No message was left and they haven't called back yet. If they call back and offer me the same deals reported on this thread, I'll probably go with AT200 but cancel my premiums (HBO, Max and Starz). With AT200 I will lose two channels I only watch occasionally (Science and Versus) and AT200 will get me BBC America which I've missed since switching to Absolute. Dropping the premiums is something I've been considering for awhile but was afraid to initiate for fear of losing Absolute. Net result after the 12 month special pricing expires is that I'll be paying Dish less than I pay now, and I'll get my movie fixes from either Netflix or online rentals from iTunes or Amazon without paying substantially more than I pay Dish now with the premiums.

Has anybody confirmed whether you're forced into a contract when Dish forces you to downgrade from Absolute?