EchoStar Dishes Out Rate Hike

[Stargazer]

The sports players are MAJORLY overpaid and that is an understatement. So are some of the movie stars.

 

[Bulldog]

First I want to say I love this site and rarely comment since on most issues I have less to add than most. I thank all here for your great insight. However, when I read so many ignoring the possibility of ala-carte, I had to speak. Ala-carte is unavoidable. Yes both the satellite systems and the Networks dislike the idea, but consumers and many in government desire it. In the the end they will either see the light of the market or they will be dragged kicking and screaming into ala-carte by the government.
Will we see a pure ala-cart system? Thats debatable, its very possible that we will see pakages of a few channels(such as lifetime,LM,soap) instead of individual stations. But the bottom line is that its coming, it might be a few years away, but ala-cart is coming(or returning for us old cbanders). Now whether or not this will save or lose us money is a very good question that I(and I believe anybody else) can't answer. My gut instinct is that it will be neutral for most people(companies,consumers, network), but for a few will save a good amount of money or cost much more for others.

I agree with your statement that Ala-carte is unavoidable: Comcast is setting up the family carte right now. They see the handwriting on the wall from both the FCC and customers complaining to congress. Both D* and E* will soon follow. I do not think that these companies will wait for the FCC to mandate these requirements. Ever since the super bowl's boob slippage the cry for more controls is being heard everywhere and the family ala-carte pack will set the stage.

My two-cents.

 

[Stargazer]

I just read in another thread that DirecTv does not plan on doing a rate increase. Who is the pig now?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Charlie Ergen that's who. OINK ! OINK!

 

[Purogamer]

perhaps D* has been overcharging the whole time and don't need to raise rates now...Sure looks good to competitor's customers as evident in the posts above...

They knew they were doing MPEG-4, they seem to have had the plan the whole time, they may have been charging you for what's happening in 2006 for the past 2 years...

 

[Stargazer]

DirecTv's rates have been about the same as Dish Network but that's about to change. OINK OINK Lifetime and LMN is going out! That makes the rate increase seem more reasonable don't it?

 

[mneitzel]

This may be a dumb question, but as a new subscriber will I get hit with the increase right away?

 

[GeorgeLV]

This may be a dumb question, but as a new subscriber will I get hit with the increase right away?

You'll get hit with the increase once your introductory rate expires.

 

[mneitzel]

Still cheaper than D* for what I use. D* should increase shortly....

 

[GeorgeLV]

Still cheaper than D* for what I use. D* should increase shortly....

They've stated publically otherwise.

 

[Stargazer]

I can see the cable and DirecTv ads now against Dish Network.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

What is cable going to say vs Dish?

That the latest cable increase is only a little higher than Dish's increase, so you should switch to cable?

 

[Purogamer]

Maybe what D* did with OLN, say "Yes it's more, but we actually carry the channels you're paying for..."

 

[Stargazer]

Dishrich was right on in another thread about consumers not caring how much money DirecTv and Dish Network makes. They care about getting the best deal. As of right now BEFORE the rate increase we are NOW looking at not getting the best deal. DirecTv already has WE if I am not mistaken. Once the rates increase it will be clear who has the better deal. DirecTv.

Now all of a sudden I am seeing before me that purchasing the programming annually wouldnt even save me any money now. I might save money on Dish Network on the additional outlet fees but since they want to charge me a DVR fee per receiver when DirecTv doesn't makes that a wash. Now some of the advantages that DIsh Network had over DirecTv and the reasons for staying have vanished even if they keep Lifetime and LMN.