CONFIRMED(?)- Dish Discontinuing Absolute HD Package

[Ghpr13]

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.

:up:up

 

[Hall]

TWC will let you "lock" in a (better) price for 2?

I saw a 2-year rate but I believe only if I bundled. 1) The 2-yr rate discount per month was only $6-8 (??). 2) The thought of being locked with TW for 2 years frightens me. Their picture quality, IMO, is very poor. Their set-top software annoys me. As petty as this sounds, the inability to block channels or restrict the guide to the channels I pay for is a pet peeve of mine. I didn't like this *before* I had Dish either.

 

[Hall]

I got the call early last week...

I've checked our caller-id log for the two numbers listed earlier in this thread. That's all I'll say... Don't want to jinx myself.

 

[whatchel1]

Close but different

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?

I'm thinking in similar terms. I'm going to ask since have had premiums for the entire time I've been w/ them are they going to offer me free ones for 3 months. I'm pretty sure I will drop Starz anyway I go. I have recorded only a few things off it in the past 3 months (Gravity, started the Pillars series but couldn't stand it). Will want Plat since it has about 4 nets I watch. Then in 6 months will look at what's going on and see if I stay or go (contract ends in Feb.).

 

[tomcrown1]

+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.

I agree.

 

[grb]

I just received my billing from Dish via email for 8/28 - 9/27. So it appears that Absolute will continue at least through September. On the other hand, Dish billing could be so screwed up that they are billing for services they know won't be around for the duration of the service period...

BTW, I still haven't been contacted by Dish...

 

[stardust3]

+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.

Animosity or a tad jealousy for not jumping on the bandwagon when they had the chance? That's my take on it. Either way I'm disappointed the end is near. Still no call here, yet. Not sure if I want to cxl and go back to ota & netflix or jump on the D* promotion. E* is not at the top of my fan club right now & if they force me to pay more for the same thing. I won't being paying my monthly fee to them.

 

[TalonDancer]

...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.

Animosity or a tad jealousy for not jumping on the bandwagon when they had the chance? That's my take on it. ....

+1

Some of the non-HD Absolute subs who have posted in this thread are folks I would prefer not to be with in a life boat. 'See that guy over there, Just look at him, he's had it good for too long. If he were to 'croak' there would be more food and water for the rest of us.'

Talon Dancer

 

[vaylon]

I wish we could pull up one of the old threads from back when they said Absolute was ending and we all would have to go to TURBO.
There was a lot of drama queens in that one also.
There was also a few who jumped the gun and contacted Dish to get in on "the Deal". Those same one's bitched because they left HDAband regretted it.
Just sit back and enjoy your HDab for as long as you can and think of all the money your saving.
Best I can remember this is either the second or third time that Dish has "officially" cancelled HDab.
Besides I just got my bill for next month and got another one of those $5 credits for something. My total bill was 32.04.
So at least i have HDab thru next billing cycle.

 

[Bob Haller]

well the thing is,............

one day its someone elses good deal E makes poof gone, later it strikes another and before you know it more good deals including the one you have is poof gone maybe the next pacage to poof gone will be HD for life, after all their contract says change anything at any time, nothing is safe.

wether its reasonably priced extra receiver fees, DVR fee waived for AEP, this package, or another......

as a whole E can no longer be trusted and its reflected in their subscriber losses.....

wonder how long charlie will smile at higher revenue at the cost of shrinking his customer base?

One would think the more subs the better since the fixed costs of satellites, uplinks and all the overhead is the same no matter how many subs served.......

although its true that fewer subs saves CSR time, and some costs are variable.

but if they attempt better promotions to keep from shrinking its a long term loser, as aquasition costs more than keeping existing customers content.

I predict E has seen the end of big income gains, because aquiring new subs is far too costly.

next quarter will see big churn and income will trend down.

once this occurs the beancounters who designed this fiasco will be shown the door, and charlie will attempt bailing his sinking ship.

no doubt planning for this is already under way.

hey i am no mental genius but its obvious to me and most of you here......

 

[gqmagic]

Haller, you are the BIGGEST DRAMA QUEEN here, why don't you post your whiney posts in another thread, as I'm sure you don't have Absolute.

 

[whatchel1]

Never

Haller, you are the BIGGEST DRAMA QUEEN here, why don't you post your whiney posts in another thread, as I'm sure you don't have Absolute.

He never had absolute. He had AEP so he wouldn't get charged a DVR fee. He had like 3 DVR's and as soon as the fee was charged to that package he decided it was time to leave. A month or two later he went the cable w/ dual cable card DVR. He now continues to B about it even though he says he really likes Comcrap /w the TIVO. BTW he doesn't have HD he is still in the dark ages w/SDTV's. So he just wants to B & moan about how badly treated he was. That's the howler for you in a nutshell.

 

[Bobby]

He never had absolute. He had AEP so he wouldn't get charged a DVR fee. He had like 3 DVR's and as soon as the fee was charged to that package he decided it was time to leave. A month or two later he went the cable w/ dual cable card DVR. He now continues to B about it even though he says he really likes Comcrap /w the TIVO. BTW he doesn't have HD he is still in the dark ages w/SDTV's. So he just wants to B & moan about how badly treated he was. That's the howler for you in a nutshell.

Amen brother..... :up

 

[Bob Haller]

He never had absolute. He had AEP so he wouldn't get charged a DVR fee. He had like 3 DVR's and as soon as the fee was charged to that package he decided it was time to leave. A month or two later he went the cable w/ dual cable card DVR. He now continues to B about it even though he says he really likes Comcrap /w the TIVO. BTW he doesn't have HD he is still in the dark ages w/SDTV's. So he just wants to B & moan about how badly treated he was. That's the howler for you in a nutshell.

Obviously you havent comprehended what I posted so I will repeat it.

Fees went up feb 1st, I complained and got the loyalty credits when they ran out about a month ago I became one of Es many churn, rater than grow they lost 19,000 subs but churned thru 750K

I did have AEP to avoid the DVR fee...

I bet E gross AEP sub count dropped and premium sub count dropped because of the fee increase, from people dropping packages to save money
.

Incidently now that LCD picture are brighter I will likely get a new TV, frankly I thought my old TV had better / brighter pictures than many new LCDs.......

I am not in the dark ages I willingly wanted nice brite pictures

 

[Bobby]

Fees went up significantly for those who thought they had to have multiple DVRs, like at every TV. I have a 722 and a 301. My bill went up $6 for the DVR fee, which used to be free because I have AEP. The 722 is my first receiver and it is free with my subscription. I didn't drop AEP and my bill is still fairly priced. I think you give to much credence to the number of multiple DVR users in the whole Dishnetwork realm who got affected.

 

[zim2dive]

Again, if you don't have Absolute.. please move your discussions to a different (and more appropriate) thread.

thanks!

 

[Bob Haller]

Fees went up significantly for those who thought they had to have multiple DVRs, like at every TV. I have a 722 and a 301. My bill went up $6 for the DVR fee, which used to be free because I have AEP. The 722 is my first receiver and it is free with my subscription. I didn't drop AEP and my bill is still fairly priced. I think you give to much credence to the number of multiple DVR users in the whole Dishnetwork realm who got affected.

well I bought and installed my entire system and had converted 2 of 3 625s to 722s..... I might have goten away with just 2 722s but the 30 buck a month increase.... on principle i cancelled.

E could of prevented a lot of churn by granfathering existing subs at a reasonable rate. like 7 bucks to 10 bucks increase for a 722, but 7 to 17 was absurd.

and E loyalty advising drop receiversb and packages to save $.

That got me shopping around.

no business wants to encourage customers to shop around since some will find a better deal and leave

 

[KAB]

Nine months of this nonsense, Bob, NINE MONTHS! What's wrong with this picture?

 

[whatchel1]

Absolute

well I bought and installed my entire system and had converted 2 of 3 625s to 722s..... I might have goten away with just 2 722s but the 30 buck a month increase.... on principle i cancelled.

E could of prevented a lot of churn by granfathering existing subs at a reasonable rate. like 7 bucks to 10 bucks increase for a 722, but 7 to 17 was absurd.

and E loyalty advising drop receiversb and packages to save $.

That got me shopping around.

no business wants to encourage customers to shop around since some will find a better deal and leave

3 words: SHUT UP BOB. You didn't have absolute you had AEP. This is about absolute NOT YOU. :rant: You are way off topic, if I were a mod I'd remove your post.

 

[mlrichardson]

Wow! Looks like this is happening at the right time for me! I've been a Dish customer since 1998 and a satellite customer since 1994 (DirecTV first). Our cable system is completely worthless and has been for a very long time. Even now, the digital side has very little - if any - HD. That meant from '94, the only reasonable option was satellite.

I've been using an external antenna to receive local HD since before Dish even had any HD (thanks to the antenna input in my Dish 622 receiver and its HD predecessor.) I receive seventeen channels via the antenna (since they're all digital now, that doesn't mean seventeen separate stations!) ...and that includes some locals Dish doesn't have in their lineup - and they should.

Uverse has just been turned on for my neighborhood, and since my wife and I are AT&T/SBC/Pacific Bell/Pacific Telephone retirees, we will be able to get the service at a substantial discount (close to half what we're currently paying Dish.) There's no excuse for staying with satellite under those conditions. The one (small) problem I will have is some of the same stations Dish doesn't carry as local, Uverse doesn't either - and we watch one of them a lot! That means I'm going to have to subscribe to Tivo, too. The plus side of that is I can record some programs OTA on Tivo in even better quality than I will get through Uverse! I can't find a down side!

I'm going to run out of inputs to my Outlaw 990 pre/processor with Blu-Ray, Uverse and Tivo, but the 998 is coming (soon, I hope), and it should take care of that. In the meantime, I'll have to switch both the 990 and the TV to get picture from all the inputs. (I know there are ways to solve this short of a new processor, but I want the processor, and have been looking forward to it.)

I think that kinda means I won't have much to say in this forum when the conversion is done. Too bad I just heard about you. There were times in years past I would have LOVED to have a place to rant.