Mass Exodus from Voom to DirecTV in October?

[mkwillia]

I agree with calikarim. I was with D* for 4 years and when I left....I LEFT. I don't spend time going off bad mouthing a service that once belonged to or that I am afraid of leaving. Constructive criticism is one thing but this is ridiculous. I enjoy D* for what I perceive is one of their strong points...NFL Football. In the past, D* has proven that HD services was not high on their agenda, sports was ( the multi-year, BILLION dollar contract - says so). From the 2nd Q conference call, it seem that locals are still a big thing. That's fine and dandy.

I, as a customer, wanted more HD. I waited......waited....nothing new happened. I moved to a company that focuses on the item that I wanted. The service is new and quirks are still being worked out. But the MOST important point that I wanna make is .....I SWITCHED. I am not going around bad mouthing services (new or old) to no end. I makes no sense.

Come on guys, we have an established and powerful tool in this forum. Let's not ruin the integrity of this thing by worthless arguments or banter.


Okay I am off my soapbox.

Mike

 

[vurbano]

How many of the 455,000 were HD subscribers? Let's face it, that's VOOM'S target customer. If they aren't interested in HD, they probably don't want Voom.

Another question: What is the percentage of growth per quarter for DirecTV or Dish? VOOM may only have 30,000, but they had NONE a year ago. I think they have doubled in the last 3 months. Has any of the competition grown that rapidly?


And as far as the premiums go, I have them all but playboy, and I watch the exclusives more than all premiums combined.

How many of the 455,000 who subscribe will buy an HDset this xmas and being under contract with D* sub to HD service? Maybe more in 1 quarter than our entire sub base total?

 

[vurbano]

Sure do. DirecTV has only 180,000 active HD subscribers out of 10.7 million subscribers. Sad. People do not subscribe to DirecTV for their HD. If you want HD, move to Voom.

do you have any clue what that really means? An already in place customer base of 12- 13 million viewers actually, go check AVS, who will gradually subscribe to HD service while getting probably a 200 dollar deal on equipment and sign another contract. Voom is not a significant reason to dictate anything D* does. Only 180,000? lmao and we have 40K? And no ones heard of Voom. Go ask a potential HD set buyer this year what voom is, I bet hell say the sound a race car makes. D* is already in 13 million homes.

 

[vurbano]

Guys, what makes you think that if D* adds those HD channels (and, IMO, it can take years) they will not cut the bandwidth and sacrifice PQ?

The fact that theyve annouced 2 more sat launches in 2005 and one in 2006? AT 13 million viewers with an average of 65 dollars per month per customers thats 10.14 billion dollars a year? That will buy a lot of satellites. That makes me think they wont reduce PQ.

 

[andrzej]

How many of the 455,000 who subscribe will buy an HDset this xmas and being under contract with D* sub to HD service? Maybe more in 1 quarter than our entire sub base total?

I am pretty sure that many of those buying HD sets for Xmas don't even know that their sets are "HD compatible."

Anyway, it is true that some who are interested in HD will be forced to get it from D* because of their 1-year commitments (also forced upon them by D*).

 

[barth2k]

Guys, I want V* to succeed, but if you don't think D* is giving people value for HD, consider this: DirecTivo HD is selling for $1200 on ebay! People out there are willing to spend OVER MSRP to get this thing. The same people won't even bother trying V*. (Now that it costs $200, fuhgetaboudit!) I know a couple of these people. That's a real problem for V* right there.

 

[Seawaves]

Yes, my cat doesn't care about HD either. Sorry to be sarcastic but if there are primary subscribers to Voom (i.e., members of your family don't count) who don't care about HD they must be morons. There are better options that Voom for SD clientele. :shocked

Yes, but does your cat complain as loud as his wife?

 

[Seawaves]

I am pretty sure that many of those buying HD sets for Xmas don't even know that their sets are "HD compatible."

Anyway, it is true that some who are interested in HD will be forced to get it from D* because of their 1-year commitments (also forced upon them by D*).

Have you seen the Best Buy or Good Guys TV print ads lately? Everything is HD in big, bold leters. I think every person who buys an HD set WILL know that it's HD, be proud of it and will then look for HD content. And if they are one of the 12 million that already has DirecTV, they will add the HD pack.

That said, I believe Voom has annoyed DTV enough to make DTV want to add more HD, IMO.

 

[Seawaves]

That's not even speculation, that's pure fantasy. DirecTV will have to prove they care about HD to impress me- they have not done that yet. If VOOM doubles three more times (in 9 months) they are way past the 180,000. Not very likely, but definately possible.



Do you really believe this stuff you are selling? You take pure conjecture and distribute it as fact. You must be in sales...or maybe politics? Or maybe you have a crystal ball...or two? (Maybe they are not crystal at all, but brass?)

It's pure numbers, one Voom bird is limited in transponders. They are only leasing from a second bird in Oct. This is a bad game plan, as you might know they could already lose channels now (check the Voom disclaimer).

You slam my points- yet you have no numbers to counter-point of you own. If I'm wrong, give me the numbers to prove I'm wrong. This whole thread has had IMO, all over it. Read.

 

[rtt2]

They are leasing an FSS satellite that will requirethe subscriber to put up a dish the size of a sail.

This presents another problem for VOOM. How many people are going to be patient enough to allow such a big dish to be used?

I know a lot of wives will not allow such a monster to be erected on the house.

At least you can choose DirecTV if you don't like the HUGE Super dish.

DirecTV's phase 3 is only 20" at its widest. So DirecTV will have a cometitive advantage on dish size and the avalibility of locals via satellite. Not to mention the 6 month free HD offer.

 

[vinnyv07]

Im a DTV sub and a VOOM basic sub. DTV has added a 6 mth free deal today on their HD pack. There is no commitment on the HD pack but they do require a one commitment to one of their programming packages. All in all if you like what you have you dont mind signing a one year deal for it. If VOOM did the same I would sign up for a year also. Voom should take note on what DTV is doing. Tie people up for the one year deal...and cut down the installation charge. Because if people dont have VOOM installed ...then how can they grow?

 

[r.jones1116]

They are leasing an FSS satellite that will requirethe subscriber to put up a dish the size of a sail.

This presents another problem for VOOM. How many people are going to be patient enough to allow such a big dish to be used?

I know a lot of wives will not allow such a monster to be erected on the house.

At least you can choose DirecTV if you don't like the HUGE Super dish.

DirecTV's phase 3 is only 20" at its widest. So DirecTV will have a cometitive advantage on dish size and the avalibility of locals via satellite. Not to mention the 6 month free HD offer.

Here we go again....speculation, speculation. What's worse a 30 inch or so dish or two dishes on your roof (one to get SD programming and another one to get 6 HD channels) as is required with DISHNETWORK. Give me a break!!

 

[mike123abc]

Here we go again....speculation, speculation. What's worse a 30 inch or so dish or two dishes on your roof (one to get SD programming and another one to get 6 HD channels) as is required with DISHNETWORK. Give me a break!!

It is only speculation that you might need another dish to recieve Dish Network HDTV in the future. At this time all the HD is on Dish500

 

[The Stone Man]

I speculate that Somebody is trying to get 35,000 referral fees from D* by instigating a mass exodus. I know one guy who is not interested.

 

[GadgetRick]

???

Ok, here we go again.

With DTV's track record, how much of this do you think will really happen? I'll believe all of this when I see it and even then I'll be skeptical. DTV has NEVER been proactive with regards to HD channels. They've never even given anyone the impression they are. So I doubt very seriously they'll be doing anything like this anytime soon.

The Rickster

 

[r.jones1116]

It is only speculation that you might need another dish to recieve Dish Network HDTV in the future. At this time all the HD is on Dish500

Here it is from Dish's website:


To take advantage of HDTV programming, customers must have a DISH Network HD receiver and a dish antenna pointing at an appropriate orbital location.

I had Dish 500 before I got Voom. The Dish points @ 110 and/or 119. Dishnetworks HD is @ 61.5. Therefore you need two dishes on your roof.

 

[Seawaves]

Here we go again....speculation, speculation. What's worse a 30 inch or so dish or two dishes on your roof (one to get SD programming and another one to get 6 HD channels) as is required with DISHNETWORK. Give me a break!!

Yeah well the thread title (i thought this sucker was dead) was Voom to DTV.

I think most will agree that if there is to be a real HD showdown that Dish won't be invited to the gunfight. And it is fair to say that DTV has so far- only been talk.

DTV has great PQ in HDnet but Voom has more channels with as good PQ but maybe not as good content. DTV could make a huge HD plunge but it's smart to be skeptical.

 

[Tvlman]

When you look at what we have here in VOOM in just a few short months since the company's inception is an amazing assortment of HiDef Channels. In addition to the Voom 21 channels we have 4 additions such as TNT, Bravo, ESPN Discover. But the real feather in VOOM's cap was getting the pREMIER CHANNEL'S HD EAST & WEST SATELLITES. HBOE-HD, HBOW-HD SHOWHD, STARZEHD, STARZWHD AND CINEMAX EHD, CINEMAX W HD alone are 8 new channels of high definition movies. Add to this group Encore Hd and The Movie Channel Hd and you 've got 10 premium movies per night in HiDef.That brings the total to 35 HD CHANNELS. And with NBC,CBS, ABC, PBS, FOX that I get OTA (furnished by VOOM) that brings me up to 40 HD channels. Now DirecTV has only their 4 package of Discovery, ESPN, HDnet & Hdnet Movies which you must PAY EXTRA for. Then HBO and Sho each have one. That's 6 HD channels only available on DirecTV. So what are we looking at here? 40 HD channels vs. 6 Hd channesl? NOt a difficult decision to make!

 

[qwacker2]

VOOM just needs to realize that quantity of HD channels is what gets subscribers, quality is what keeps them.

 

[Bruce]

Here it is from Dish's website:


To take advantage of HDTV programming, customers must have a DISH Network HD receiver and a dish antenna pointing at an appropriate orbital location.

I had Dish 500 before I got Voom. The Dish points @ 110 and/or 119. Dishnetworks HD is @ 61.5. Therefore you need two dishes on your roof.

It was,now all HD(even I think it will change) is at 110,moved about a year or a little less ago.