Dish Contract up....

[sparksals]

We've been with DISH for a few contracts and re-upped with them after a move cross country. Our contract is up soon and I'm a bit disconcerted that new customers are being offered deals for less than half what we're paying. It seems contracted customers are subsidizing newbies, yet not receiving any loyalty benefit.

Am I missing loyalty deals? I called and said we were thinking of switching and all they offered was $10 off per month for a year and free HBO/Showtime et al. Yet new customers are getting the same thing for much cheaper.

We don't do the HD thing. We have one HDTV in our kitchen, but upgrading our other TVs are not in the budget right now. We have 4 TVs with one set of dual DVRs on two TV's. We don't watch any of the sports packages. We also have Shaw Direct (former Starchoice), so we get hockey from Canada.

Is it worth it to switch to DTV for the cheaper cost for new customers? It's less than half what we're paying now. The money savings would be helpful in this economy, although if Dish offered us the same deal to stay, we would take it. Are they matching deals they give to new customers? We don't need all the bells and whistles, sports or HD packages. We enjoy the dual DVR from Dish.

I know that DISH has superior equipment, but their customer service leaves much to be desired. For our basic needs, would we notice a difference if we switched to the competing sat co? Keep in mind, we like the dual DVR.

We're in the Twin Cities, MN area.

I'm not a techie. I don't understand all the pointing numbers, dish types or receiver numbers mentioned here. Layman responses are greatly appreciated!

Ohhh... speaking of receivers - we have the same receiver from when we initially signed with DISH several years ago. When I called, I wanted a new receiver since we've had the same one for so many years and it can't last forever. They told me they don't have upgraded equipment. Why should I pay the $5.98 fee when I could have new equipment and not pay it because the odds of new equipment failing are slim? Am I to believe they haven't updated receivers in 5 years?

Thanks so much!

 

[garys]

Dish's equipment has been updated in a way that most older receiver can still be used as there are subscribers who will hold onto receivers as long as they still work and not upgrade to newer receivers every chance they get. New customers do and will continue to get better deals as Dish is trying to entice them to subscribe while the majority of current customers will not be leaving unless the competition has something has something they really want that Dish does not have. Loyalty offers will continue, but most times the subscriber needs to be asking to get them, but they will never be as good as the offers to new customers.

 

[KAB]

If you are not interested in HD from Dish, there is no equipment to upgrade to. Many of us out of contract have received loyalty offers in the mail very recently. If you want new customer rates, go be a new customer somewhere . Then in a year or less you'll be right back where you are...and probably be paying more.

 

[gadgtfreek]

If you decide on HD, get a 722k!

 

[whatchel1]

D* same attitude

D* doesn't offer their existing customers deals either. My brother wanted to go HD with them and it was going to cost him over 300 for 1 TV. So he is now a E* customer. I thought about going the other way but D* just doesn't have the equipment that competes with the 722k. In fact when I looked into switching for me to get the equivalent to the 722k I would have had to get 2 of the D* HD DVR's and cost me roughly $300 so I stayed. I had a 622 with a bad HDMI out and worked a deal thru CEO at echostar.com that got me the 722k for nothing but under a 2 yr contract.

 

[harshness]

Judging from the timeline of availability of the equipment, I suspect that your "many years" isn't really all that many. The 522/625 is still the order of the day for dual DVRs. Any hardware upgrades that are available are all HD and if you ask DISH (or check your DISH'n it up offers online), you'll probably find that they are indeed offering you some reduced cost upgrades to get you into HD equipment.

Loyalty isn't managing to make it through your commitment period plus a little time. Realize that the Subscriber Acquisition Cost of nearly $700 is what is forcing the 12-18 month commitments in the first place (24 months for HD equipment). They can't go around forgiving this amount every year or two and stay solvent.

 

[aperry]

Judging from the timeline of availability of the equipment, I suspect that your "many years" isn't really all that many. The 522/625 is still the order of the day for dual DVRs. Any hardware upgrades that are available are all HD and if you ask DISH (or check your DISH'n it up offers online), you'll probably find that they are indeed offering you some reduced cost upgrades to get you into HD equipment.

Loyalty isn't managing to make it through your commitment period plus a little time. Realize that the Subscriber Acquisition Cost of nearly $700 is what is forcing the 12-18 month commitments in the first place (24 months for HD equipment). They can't go around forgiving this amount every year or two and stay solvent.

I certainly got the impression that he has been with them a good while. From his original post:

We've been with DISH for a few contracts and re-upped with them after a move cross country.

and also this:

we have the same receiver from when we initially signed with DISH several years ago

 

[harshness]

I certainly got the impression that he has been with them a good while.

That was obviously the impression that the OP sought to create, but there was nothing in there to establish a time frame other than "many" and "several"; decidedly indeterminate terms. Someone who has their original 522 couldn't have been with DISH for more than four years I would think.

 

[KAB]

That was obviously the impression that the OP sought to create, but there was nothing in there to establish a time frame other than "many" and "several"; decidedly indeterminate terms. Someone who has their original 522 couldn't have been with DISH for more than four years I would think.

Allso remember until early last year, commitments were 18 mos. There's two in three years or three in four and a half. As per usual, the OP seems to have left the building.