Losing HD Absolute. Any suggestions?

[Bobby H]

I got the letter this past week informing me HD Absolute was ending. I expected that to happen at some point. But the thing that's really staggering is the HUGE price increase even with the $10 credit for the Platinum package for the next 12 months.

My current package is as follows:
DishHD Absolute with Locals: $29.99
DVR Service: $6.00
Service Plan (15/25) $6.00
HBO: $16.00
Monthly Charges before tax: $57.99

If I said nothing, let Dish change my programming to AT200 and made no other changes my monthly bill as of the price changes coming Feb. 1 would spike to $87.99 (before taxes), right? With taxes, the bill would be pegging at or over the $90 mark. That's pretty freaking high.

Obviously I, like other HD Absolute subscribers, have some difficult choices to make on what to do without. I can't stomach spending $90 a month to watch TV.

This is a really terrible time of year to hit customers with a really serious price hike (and programming downgrade). Many of us are already dealing with higher than usual utility bills with it being winter. The tax season is beginning. Gasoline has crept back over $3 per gallon in many places. I'm sure I'll get another property tax and insurance rate hike on my mortgage in a couple of months. The nickel and dime charges here and there really add up to serious money after awhile.

I'm looking at the possibility of going with the AT120 package (which would bring the price down to the $75-$80 range) and maybe even getting rid of HBO (which would cut the price down to about what I'm paying now). I'd like to see the next season of True Blood and some of the other programming HBO has. But I don't know if HBO is worth paying the extra $16 per month just for that.

I've even considered just cutting the plug completely. I've been spending more time after work lifting weights at the gym and doing other things. I have some recordings on an external HDD I'd like to keep somehow. But I don't know if there's any sort of way they can be transferred.

 

[lparsons21]

Cancel HBO until the series you want to see comes back on. I just cancelled both HBO and Showtime because neither have series on right now that I want to see, and the boxing is a bit sparse right now too. So why pay to not watch?

I have no problem with juggling my subscriptions around and now that they don't charge a downgrade fee if you downgrade after 30 days, there isn't a penalty involved.

 

[Timpanogos]

Get a Hauppauge 1212 (the HD-PVR) at hauppauge.com and tap into the component video out and Dolby 5.1 optical out on your receiver. Using an old computer, you can easily make your own HD recordings that look as good as the originals (yeah, I know you are tapping into an analog output, but the dubs look pristine). Hard drive costs are way cheap right now. Prioritize your media, copy as you have time, and save your library! The HD-PVR had teething problems at first, but has been rock stable for the last year. Highly recommended and about the only way you will get usable files off your Dish DVR with HD quality. By the way, the low cost Seagate (about $45 at newegg.com) and Western Digital media players will play the files perfectly to any projector or LCD television.

 

[NotMe546]

Wow Dish was sticking me.
DishHD Absolute w/Locals 34.99
DVR Service 6.00
$ 40.99
WTF :rant:

 

[hifigramps]

Absolute to AT 120 you lose:

Animal Planet HD
Biography HD
Bravo HD
CBS College Sports HD
Golf Channel HD
National Geographic HD
NBA TV HD
NHL Network HD
Planet Green HD
Science Channel HD
Tennis Channel HD
Versus HD
WGN America HD

Absolute to 120 you gain:

CNBC HD
E! Network HD
Fox New Channel HD
HLN HD
MTV HD
Nickelodeon (E) HD
VH! HD

Hardly seems to be a fair trade.

I'm sorry. You are right aboout all of the missing channels. I scrolled through the 94xx channels and realized there are several channels that I watched gone.

 

[bebop]

...We worked out a replacement package within a couple dollars of the HD Absolute package.
Top 120
Free HD for life
HD Platinum free for 1 year
$15 a month reduction for 12 months
...
My bill for the first year is several dollars a month less than what I pay currently (1-622 rec HD Absolute with locals)
At the end of the 12 months, my bill with the price increase and the loss of $15 a month credit will be approx. $2 dollars more than my HD Absolute bill.
I have been with Dish for 14 years. The guy from retention was very knowledgeable about the switch and couldn't do enough for me.

I'd like to shoot for Dish America Silver (since it will be the same cost package).
Hopefully this is reasonable to the retention dept:
Dish America Silver ($50)
Free HD for life
HD Platinum free for 1 year
-$15 a month reduction for 12 months (or more)
Total = $35 for first 12 months (+$5 more than current package).

Looks like I'd be loosing a few channels that way, but only the Science channel that I really watch out of that group (for the first year).

Get ready for my call John. Any drawbacks to Dish America Silver in the short/long run if that works out???

Here's a comparison of the main channels from Absolute HD to Dish America Silver:
View attachment DishPackageComparison.xls

 

[bebop]

Wow Dish was sticking me.
DishHD Absolute w/Locals 34.99
DVR Service 6.00
$ 40.99
WTF :rant:

That's $5 more than I was paying for the same thing.

 

[Silly Burrito]

That's $5 more than I was paying for the same thing.

That used to be the price until 6-8 months ago when they dropped it to $29.99. Not sure why your price didn't go down.

 

[Dah-Henny]

That used to be the price until 6-8 months ago when they dropped it to $29.99. Not sure why your price didn't go down.

A lot of us Absoluters didn't get the price reduction.

 

[lrossnm]

Just got off the phone with a CSR at the Dish retention department. She acted as if I was interrupting her morning nap. Stay awake and help me "Crystal". About all she could tell me was to go to their website and pick another programing package and that there would be no fee to end my service. I am a long time Dish subscriber and their customer service has turned to crap. It used to be the best. I think I'll wait a couple of days and play "CSR Roulette" again. Perhaps I can get some answers with the next one.
I'd like to see listing of what package most people are switching to. I'd really miss NATGEO ,TLC, HDNET BRAVO & History.

Does ceo@echostar still work?

 

[tornado]

I think the $29.99 price is without locals.

Wow Dish was sticking me.
DishHD Absolute w/Locals 34.99
DVR Service 6.00
$ 40.99
WTF :rant:

 

[iml]

I received the letter as well. I also just have one receiver (722). I will wait until for the bill then make a decision. Cablevision has a promo for 2 years for internet,phone,tv for $69.95. They are giving DVR service free for one year as part of the promo.

Unfortunately, cable options here are a joke when it comes to HD and their DVR is terrible...I simply won't do anything without a DVR

The only real question I got when I mentioned to everyone in the house was we could possibly be canceling dish is, what about locals, we don't really get a good antenna signal so that will have to be addressed if I do cancel.

 

[zim2dive]

I just made the switch to Dish America Silver. I figured if it was coming down to CSR roulette as to what offer you would get, I would start playing now. I called the # on the letter and after finding no way thru the automated menu to retention (the voice response starts asking disconnect questions), I asked for agent.. programming.. and then asked that agent to transfer me to retention.

At retention, I got a very responsive and friendly agent. She offered $10/month credit. I'm going to guess it depends how long you've been a customer.. or maybe just how hard you complain My bill ends up almost unchanged for the 1st year.

My thought are that I'll stick with Dish thru this 1st year. Once the credit expires, and once I lose free Platinum, that's $20/month back in play, at which point I'll evaluate the offerings of our local options: Dish, Direct, U-verse, TWC.

If I stayed with Dish after that point, rather than _pay_ for Platinum, I would probably drop that $10 package (ie. the movies to choose to offer to me) and pick up Netflix ($8/mo) and watch the movies we want to watch.

Au revoir Absolute.. you were good while you lasted. (and hopefully I didn't jump too soon.. I suppose there's always a _chance_ this is yet another bluff or false start by Dish.. and if they reduce enough of the Absoluters, maybe they let the other few remain LOL, I hope not.. but I do at least promise not to be bitter if that's the case )

 

[Silly Burrito]

I received my letter last week and a phone call on Friday. The call was from the retention dept. We worked out a replacement package within a couple dollars of the HD Absolute package.
Top 120
Free HD for life
HD Platinum free for 1 year
$15 a month reduction for 12 months
Free Starz for 6 months
3 free movie coupons (up to $6.99 each)
My bill for the first year is several dollars a month less than what I pay currently (1-622 rec HD Absolute with locals)
At the end of the 12 months, my bill with the price increase and the loss of $15 a month credit will be approx. $2 dollars more than my HD Absolute bill.
I have been with Dish for 14 years. The guy from retention was very knowledgeable about the switch and couldn't do enough for me.

I received an offer similar to yours, but no free movies. I didn't ask, buy I don't do PPV anyway.

$15 credit for a year
HD for life
HD platinum free for one year
America's Top 120

I talked to a very pleasant woman from West Virginia. I asked her if it would be possible to do that. She put me on hold, and set it up.

She said that the switch would take place on Feb. 1st. Not sure how long I've been a customer. When did the 622 come out? Maybe 4-5 years or so.

We'll see what happens on the 1st. Thanks for posting that list. Out of the channels I'll lose, I'll really only miss NFL Network, but the kids will be thrilled to have Nickelodeon. My wife might like VH1 if they still run those "I love the..." specials.

Just also realized no free Starz, but aren't we all getting that free after the price hikes next month for a short while? Anyway, I still have Cinemax for a penny so no big deal.

 

[SpaceCase]

Just also realized no free Starz, but aren't we all getting that free after the price hikes next month for a short while? Anyway, I still have Cinemax for a penny so no big deal.

Check your January statement. Mine said my Cinemax for a penny was ending Feb 1st as well, and they would automagically begin charging me $13 monthly.

-Space

 

[zim2dive]

for the folks who have changed and got a credit... when you log in to Dish and look at "My Programming", do you see the credits listed anywhere? (ie. under "proposed changes")

Also do you see a checkmark by Platinum?

Also looked under "My Billing".. I don't see any credit there.. I do see HD Platinum - Free 12 Months $0.00

Is there anywhere to verify "HD free for Life" ?

EDIT: I just called in.. they verified that my bill with be as I expected.. so the credit is there.. but doesn't show up anywhere online that I can see. As for HD-for-life, it seems they cannot add that feature to a Dish America Pak (since they are all HD channels anyway), but she made a note on the acct that I should qualify for it if I ever change off of an HD-only pak.

 

[Hall]

...but the kids will be thrilled to have Nickelodeon.

Hehe, that was a MAJOR reason we switched to HD Absolute ! No more Spongebob !

 

[StanUbankit]

Current Absolute sub, I signed up online with Direct for their Choice xtra pak, with one hd dvr & one hd receiver. I didn't try and call Dish to see what they'd offer, just not worth the effort. We wouldn't be satisfied with Top 120 (figured at least top 200 for the shows we watch) so when I crunched the numbers Direct will average $51 a month for 24 months, after rebates & referral. (I'm also hoping to snag the $180 Costco gift card, signed up thru their site, not sure if I can "qualify" for both gift card & referral). Install scheduled for this Thursday, I'll cancel Dish after Direct is up & running. I'm not mad at Dish, the party is over and the Absolute pak was a heckuva good deal while it lasted. Oh yeah, I'll hafta pony up the $15 for the return of the 622 after I cancel. I promise not to lurk in the Dish forums, except to post my Direct install/viewing/hardware experience after a coupla weeks use.

 

[levibluewa]

so when I crunched the numbers Direct will average $51 a month for 24 months, after rebates & referral.

Stan, I'm assuming, you've crunched the numbers correctly....however, with a 24 month committment, its usually 12 months at say $51, then $75-80 for the 2nd 12 months, unless you got a real deal.

 

[bender3000]

I just call retention. I wasn't so luck, she didn't offer any credit other than HD platinum for free. So I cancel Dish. Now I just have to check direct tv package.