BTW, any price hike will not be dictated by the settlement, rather by how much the market can bear. Dish cannot price itself out of contention with its competitors.
If Dish could raise prices to cover everything, Voom settlement included, and keep their customers, they would. Probably just about any company would. They can't, as that statement above is correct. I see the predictions of $7 for package price increases. I don't think especially with such a horrible economy Dish can do that even by saying we didn't raise prices for two years.
As a more possible scenario I think they have to keep it under or at $5. And even at that, I don't see how they can raise other fees at the same time if it impacts everyone, like raising DVR fees for instance. $5 but $1 here and another $1 there is back to that $7 which I just don't see flying. It may not mean alot of people switching because they may be around the same cost, but could mean more just not getting Sat or Cable or some just not picking Dish over another carrier. Or it could be someone who wants another service but keeps Dish because they are paying less, but now that is no longer holding them back.
So instead I can see them tightening any credits being given, less incentives to keep customers though they usually don't offer too much, and less movie discounts. They may find other things to cut back on in the overall business. They may even have to spread it out, meaning go up next year a little more than they would have.
A big distinction for Dish is their final monthly cost to consumers. I can't stress enough how friends when they get around to asking what I pay with Dish are stunned it is so much less than Cable, with usually even more channels, better picture, etc. etc. It may not be as much a distinction from Direct TV in cost, but it is some. Dish needs to maintain that. So unless Direct TV and Cable do not raise prices this year, Dish has a little wiggle room because they are already less. If they can keep the increase somewhere near what others are going up this year, they are on solid ground. If they can't, and go up much more than others do, and narrow the price gap, that could be a problem.
If the economy wasn't so bad they could try emphasizing other things about their service, but once you are the same cost as others, it's harder to distinguish yourself. Direct TV has done it by have the NFL Sunday ticket for example, and up until recently have virtually all the sports available. I will point out while the NFL remains, that distinction is dwindling, Dish has some sports Direct TV does not, Direct TV has not picked up a couple of the new RSN's. (Nor has Dish) While Direct TV does not really offer the NFLZ unless you get Sunday Ticket, (Yes I know, some have apparently been able to do that but it isn't wide spread) Dish does offer it and many will say they would actually prefer NFLZ. So to me, it is in the best interest for Dish to try very hard to keep the increase as low as they can and still have it make business sense.
