For Dish, Slinging OTT Might Pay Off

[bluegras]

As the pay TV industry as a whole continues to weather the cord-cutting threat to its business, Dish Network could be readying what some analysts have been calling for all along — the eventual shift of its traditional satellite-TV customers to cheaper and more easily managed over-the-top offerings.

http://www.multichannel.com/dish-slinging-ott-might-pay/404586

 

[MikeD-C05]

IF DISH wanted to really push the sat customers to SLing tv , they would make the Sling tv app available to the Hopper. Then subs could try the service out. But as long as DISH allows only one stream at a time for most cable channels,using Sling tv ott service, it won't work in most family households.

Considering the FCC is opening up the set top boxes to third party vendors to create, so that there are no more monthly additional receiver fees, DISH could get ahead of this by allowing the Roku device to do a DISH app. Then subs could use the roku device that they own , for their Joeys and or additional receivers in their households. I know that if this was allowed , you would save so much on monthly additional receiver fees .It would make DISH more attractive and it would satisfy some of the FCC complaints about additional receiver fees having increased like 183 % in the last few years.

Then if they could redo the programming packs so that you would have smaller programming packs you add together the way you want -kind of like Sling tv does- it would make many more sat subs stay with the sat service. Doing the same thing that they have been doing all these years is obviously not working and hasn't been for quite some time , as evidenced by continuing sub losses almost every quarter for years now . But, I think the whole reason why they wouldn't allow the Roku device app , is that it would cut in to Chalie's Echostar set top /sat business.

 

[jegrant]

The new Sling multi-stream package offers everything except Disney/ABC/ESPN channels for multiple TVs on one account. I'm surprised there isn't at least a Dish Anywhere app for the Roku, that has the same content and functionality as the Dish Anywhere app on phones/tablets.

Regarding programming - I think Sling is Dish's main effort to offer smaller packages with add-on packs, etc. The satellite business is probably under a bunch of legacy contracts that require larger package bundling.

 

[ChadT41]

How pissed would Mike be if they allow 3rd party boxes, but have a fee for use with each 3rd party box for the outlet option... And if that became standard for every provider. Including cable with TIVO.

 

[Troch77]

How pissed would Mike be if they allow 3rd party boxes, but have a fee for use with each 3rd party box for the outlet option... And if that became standard for every provider. Including cable with TIVO.

I'm pretty sure that's what would happen.
But also they may not shaft you because in the same sense you would be responsible for your equipment and they wouldn't have to spend and lose money on providing the equipment.
They could just provide you the services.

I mean cable allows 3rd party boxes.
That's nothing new.
You pay for a cable Card at mine at $6 per month.
That's a savings of $8 per Month over their whole home Tivo boxes
Even with paying Tivo a monthly fee.

But do I see this as a damaging change.?
Absolutely not.
I honestly don't think most people would buy their own STBs.
I really don't see the point.

Technology is old after 2 years.
Why spend the money when the providers will supply your equipment at low or no cost anyway.

This change won't affect anything.
This is something that would have had massive success if it was implemented LONG before 2006 when Directv and even Dish started lease options.

I'm more afraid that the services we have used for years with cable and satellite are going to have a fast sudden death to streaming and cloud services.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

 

[.Andy]

IDK about that. People don't like paying $800 or what ever it cost for equipment upfront. Its much easier to spread it out in 24 monthly payments. Even with the contract less phones ATT is still financing the phone over several months so you don't have to pay a big lump sum.

 

[MikeD-C05]

How pissed would Mike be if they allow 3rd party boxes, but have a fee for use with each 3rd party box for the outlet option... And if that became standard for every provider. Including cable with TIVO.

Pretty Damn Pissed if that happens. But wouldn't be a bit surprised if pay tv companies decided to skirt the full spirit of the new FCC rule ,by meeting the letter of the law and only changing the name of the fee. It would only hasten the end of their already dying empires.

 

[r10fret]

Dish is missing the boat, they should be selling the same package of channels available on OTT Sling to existing satellite subscribers that are out of contract.

 

[HobbyTalk]

So let's see, Comcast is going to offer their service via Roku and Samsung smart TVs. How can anyone say that will be more expensive than the monthly rental fee when you can get a Roku box for $50 or so?

 

[Bruce]

So let's see, Comcast is going to offer their service via Roku and Samsung smart TVs. How can anyone say that will be more expensive than the monthly rental fee when you can get a Roku box for $50 or so?

I am amazed that Dish or DirecTV has not put their channels on a Roku.

Time Warner, Charter, Centurylink Prism and soon Comcast is doing this at no charge to their customers ( and Comcast is going the extra mile by including Cloud DVR access at no charge), I already have Rokus in every room that has a TV, soon as Comcast starts up, boxes goes back and saves me $20 a month in fees.