Dish Hopper customer seriously tempted to switch to xfinity, help me choose

[Gobucks]

With good reason we ask.
1. Look at the DISH site, then most of the Cable sites. I defy you to easily see what the promo cost is and what the cost will be after the promo on the Cable sites, it is easily seen on the DISH site, and I think the Direct site.

2. Even with bundling the cost of DISH after the promo, and getting your internet from your cable company, and VOIP if you want it from a third party, is often less than the wonderful deal Cable gives. I can tell you 100% even the promo price from Charter to get the channels I get with DISH (Which they don't even have some of the channels) and their Internet price on that promo is just barely less than I pay now. That's their promo price! That doesn't even address their update equipment - and by updated I mean they think it's 1999.

It is a little dependent on where you live as to what the cost will be. Addressing the post above - Charter would laugh for days if I asked for a $30, $40 cost for Internet. I'm at $45 after my normal three month begging, and then only because I have been with them now for years.

Were I live we have lots of options. I know people that go from promo to promo. We have WOW cable which is Wide Open West. They will give you a two year promo with no contract. Then when that promo is over you can call and get about the same deal as you had or move to Uverse, TWC, Insight cable or the satellite companies.

I know everyone doesn't have those options but if you really want nothing but low prices you can keep switching. My buddy has had WOW cable for 4 years now and still pays about the same as he did when he had the promo price. It only takes a phone call. I stay with Dish because for one I hate changing every so many years and two I love our Hoppers.

Hell let the guy test the waters. You never know Dish might be better in the long run or maybe it won't.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

I doubt it.
My Bill XFINITY Bundled Services HD Preferred Plus XF Bundle Includes Digital Preferred with HBO, Starz, access to Premium On Demand Programming, Video Equipment, Internet Service and Digital Voice Unlimited Promotional Rate. $ 144.99
EcoBill Discount $ -5.00
Additional XFINITY TV Services
AnyRoom DVR Service Promotional Rate. $ 0.00 Additional Outlet Svc HD Converter $ 9.95
Additional XFINITY Internet Services Speed Increase Extreme 105 Internet Service. Promotional Rate. Promotional Rate for 24 months $ 0.00
Additional XFINITY Voice Services Voice/Data Modem Rental $ 8.00
Other Charges & Credits Universal Connectivity Charge - Reoccurring $ 0.91 Service Discount Promotional Rate.
Promotional Rate for 12 months $ -20.00
Broadcast TV Fee $ 1.50
Regulatory Recovery Fee Recurring $ 0.12
Taxes, Surcharges & Fees $ 7.73
Grand Total $ 148.20
After my 12 month promo my bill only goes up $20.00, already confirmed and in writing( e-mail from Comcast).
As far as the equipment goes, I have the X1 and at first it was crap, now with the latest updates it works great, very stable, fast, never misses recordings, etc.

One take-away I get from all of this, is that cable companies apparently have different rate structures for different parts of the country. Hard to get a straight answer from them sometimes about prices. Probably explains why their website is hard to navigate to find prices. When I have browsed like that, I've had to enter my zip code to get prices tailored for my area.

With Dish and DirecTV, the prices are clear on the website, and if not clear at the top, the disclaimers/disclosures usually tell the intro and final prices.

 

[mike123abc]

One take-away I get from all of this, is that cable companies apparently have different rate structures for different parts of the country. Hard to get a straight answer from them sometimes about prices. Probably explains why their website is hard to navigate to find prices. When I have browsed like that, I've had to enter my zip code to get prices tailored for my area.

With Dish and DirecTV, the prices are clear on the website, and if not clear at the top, the disclaimers/disclosures usually tell the intro and final prices.

Cable companies have different lineups and pricing in every town. They also tend to make it hard to find out exact pricing without trying to sign up.

 

[Tampa8]

I doubt it.

You can doubt it from here to tomorrow, I have been here and looking at comparisons for a long time. I live in two areas of the Country, and what I posted is true. Nothing is true in every case. Over and over again I see people post how much less they are going to pay, only for them to find out they did not know fees were different than with DISH. Just one of many many I can point out. Charter looks cheaper till you find out to have DVR service it is $20 for up to four rooms, fine but it is also $20 for one room. That's just the DVR service, not the receiver fee - which by the way applies on the first unit and does not with DISH. So one room to start is a minimum of $26 for a regular DVR receiver. DISH would be $7 for that regular receiver. That alone is $19 more. All Charter packages cost more than DISH packages, and their highest does not have all the channels DISH does.

Here is just the one example I am pointing out.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28559232-CATV-Charter-4-room-DVR-advertisement

So because of things like that, even bundling is not always going to be less than DISH, Cable Internet, Vonage or Voicpulse for VOIP. (I pay $15 a month for unlimited calls in Ct and 250 long distance minutes with Voicepulse, and more options than any other provider. No Cable VOIP can touch that price or those options) Bundling just isn't always the best choice even for price.

Note: Charter in this case for my experience is Eastern Ct.

 

[catnap1972]

Grand Total $ 148.20
After my 12 month promo my bill only goes up $20.00, already confirmed and in writing( e-mail from Comcast).

Most likely goes up a second time after 24 months. About $190 non-promo price for that here.

 

[Tampa8]

Oh yes, it most certainly will. $190 sounds right around the amount. I would agree that with Cable you can often negotiate a little lower price. But so too can you often with DISH.

Whatever service works out the best for someone is what they should use. But over the years the claims that Cable will be less than DISH beyond the promo period when examined closely just are not usually true. And you can find posts of people who said the promo they were being quoted were barely better than the DISH regular prices.

 

[dare2be]

I can verify that $190+ price since I am a current customer with Comcast (internet only). If I go and pick the same triple play that Bruce has (current customer promo price):

200 Channels
Internet 105Mbps
PhoneNationwide Calling

HD Complete XF Triple Play

The best of everything. All the content you care about, accessible anytime, from anywhere.
X1 Platform™ from XFINITY
AnyRoom® DVR service included

TV: 200 Channels

• Introducing the X1 Platform™ from XFINITY, your Entertainment Operating System™ – an interactive TV experience that gives you instant access to all of your entertainment.
• Sports Entertainment Package with NFL RedZone®. Plus XFINITY On Demand™ – more ways to get more entertainment.
• AnyRoom® DVR service lets you watch recorded shows in any room you want – in up to 4 rooms. Plus, get stunning HD picture quality included for 3 additional TVs.

See Details and Restrictions

$199.99 permonth for 12 months with agreement

Then the fine print:
Requires subscription to HD Complete Triple Play with Digital Premier with AnyRoom® DVR, Streampix®, Extreme 105 Internet and XFINITY Voice Unlimited® service. After promotional period, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular rates apply. Comcast’s current monthly service charge for the HD Complete Triple Play ranges is $219.99 for months 13-24, after which regular rates apply. Comcast's current monthly service charge for DVR service ranges from $15.95 to $26.95, depending on area. Pricing subject to change.

​

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[Bruce]

I can verify that $190+ price since I am a current customer with Comcast (internet only). If I go and pick the same triple play that Bruce has (current customer promo price): 200 Channels Internet 105Mbps PhoneNationwide Calling HD Complete XF Triple Play

Don't have Complete, have preferred plus( all cable channels, HBO, Starz, Extreme 105, Phone) and the current promo price is $139.00 for two years, I get a extra $20.00 off for a year so with fees and a extra box my bill is $148 for 12 months and $168 the second year with no contract and the first box with DVR fees is included in the $139.00 price. Now compare with Dish, I used the America 250 ( has all the same cable channels I have) with HBO and Starz-
Monthly Charges 124.99
America's Top 250 79.99
HBO & Starz26.00
DVR Service12.00
Joey Receiver7.00
HD Free For 24 Mo (reg $10)0.00
Monthly Savings-35.00
Intro Savings $35x12 Mo-35.00
Monthly Charges & Savings89.99
One-Time Charges199.00
Leased Receiver199.00
One-Time Credits-199.00
Leased Receiver-199.00
Amount Due Now. 91.18
Monthly Charges & Savings 89.99
One-Time Charges199.00
One-Time Credits-199.00
Taxes1.19 Paid0.00
Taxes are estimated. A valid ZIP Code is required to determine taxes in your area.
And then the bill goes to $126.18 the second year.
Now add broadband and phone to it, say $50 for net ( I would pay $90 for just extreme 105) and $15 for home phone and guessing at $5.00 for modem fees, so add $70.00 to the Dish bill,
First year Dish-$161.18 Myself with Comcast-$148.20
Second Year Dish-$196.18 Myself with Comcast-$168.20

 

[dare2be]

Don't have Complete, have preferred plus( all cable channels, HBO, Starz, Extreme 105, Phone)

Yeah, I noticed that after my post. I still can't get any comparison in my area...when I try to configure a similar Comcast setup to what I currently have, it asks for SSN and DOB before I even get a chance to select how many TVs and receiver options...

There has to be a big jump in cost after the 24 months is up with Comcast, but they of course won't say what it is ("regular rates"). Also, your free DVR and receiver fees won't last past the 24 months either. Again, they don't tell you what the DVR fee is either (between 15.95 and 26.95 in the fine print.)

 

[catnap1972]

Preferred Plus XF Triple (non-promo) shows as 190.49 for me. Not sure what other BS fees are tacked onto that ( Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including Broadcast TV Fee (currently up to $1.50/mo.) and similar program recovery fees, and the Regulatory Recovery Fee and other applicable charges (e.g., per call or international), extra.)