Possibly switching from xfinity to Dish

[macphreak]

Hello - My Xfinity bill is getting really high ($205 per mo). If I cancel Xfinity, I can get just their internet which is around $95 per mo.

I was looking at Dish for a replacement for tv but was wondering if there are a bunch of hidden costs? I wouldn’t want to make that big of a change just to be right back up to the same price again. Any thoughts or advice or has anyone come over from Xfinity? Thanks!

 

[HipKat]

Hello - My Xfinity bill is getting really high ($205 per mo). If I cancel Xfinity, I can get just their internet which is around $95 per mo.

I was looking at Dish for a replacement for tv but was wondering if there are a bunch of hidden costs? I wouldn’t want to make that big of a change just to be right back up to the same price again. Any thoughts or advice or has anyone come over from Xfinity? Thanks!

There are no hidden costs. However, explore the total cost of Dish +Comcast (Xfinity) Internet vs keeping your current service, then, also, figure in that Dish will not raise your bill for two years, Comcast most certainly will

 

[macphreak]

Do you still have outages when there is bad weather?

 

[ethanlerma]

Do you still have outages when there is bad weather?

This is a hard to answer question given everyone has a different combination of equipment and location in the US.

For equipment you have WA (Western Satellite Arc) or EA (Eastern Satellite Arc), which one you get depends on your market area (some markets in central USA are dual arc as well, take mine [Houston] for example).
Reason location matters is because while the satellites are stationary, they will be located at different angles in the sky depending on your location. Taking WA as an example, the more south you are in the states, the higher you have to aim, north is the opposite of course. The direction you have to aim changes as well, someone in California for example will have to aim almost directly due south, and once you start going east the satellites slowly start to shift to a SSW or SW heading.
Combining these two factors (and ignoring other possibilities like bigger satellite dishes or botched installations) makes it so that some people will have the slightest rainshowers kill their signal entirely, while for others it takes a literal hurricane. Given recent advancements I believe the latter is more common now a day, but for some people its just impossible to fix where you live if that is a factor.

Given your profile says you are in Indiana, you will want to watch out for testimonies for people in your area (or at the most a state away) to see if the coverage is reasonable, and from there make your decision.

 

[macphreak]

This is a hard to answer question given everyone has a different combination of equipment and location in the US.

For equipment you have WA (Western Satellite Arc) or EA (Eastern Satellite Arc), which one you get depends on your market area (some markets in central USA are dual arc as well, take mine [Houston] for example).
Reason location matters is because while the satellites are stationary, they will be located at different angles in the sky depending on your location. Taking WA as an example, the more south you are in the states, the higher you have to aim, north is the opposite of course. The direction you have to aim changes as well, someone in California for example will have to aim almost directly due south, and once you start going east the satellites slowly start to shift to a SSW or SW heading.
Combining these two factors (and ignoring other possibilities like bigger satellite dishes or botched installations) makes it so that some people will have the slightest rainshowers kill their signal entirely, while for others it takes a literal hurricane. Given recent advancements I believe the latter is more common now a day, but for some people its just impossible to fix where you live if that is a factor.

Given your profile says you are in Indiana, you will want to watch out for testimonies for people in your area (or at the most a state away) to see if the coverage is reasonable, and from there make your decision.

Thank you so much for such a concise answer. I do live in Indiana so it would be great if someone lived around here that could provide some feedback.

We live down a steep grade driveway and have quite a few dense trees around us. I was told by a friend of ours that the satellite would most likely have to ping straight up almost to get a clear signal beyond the trees so that’s why I’ve been worried about it in our area. Does anyone here know if Dish still has a 30 day money back guarantee if things don’t (or can’t) be worked out?

 

[TheKrell]

We live down a steep grade driveway and have quite a few dense trees around us. I was told by a friend of ours that the satellite would most likely have to ping straight up almost to get a clear signal beyond the trees so that’s why I’ve been worried about it in our area.

Well, that does not bode well.

This is what I recommend.

1. Check the Dish website to see whether your locals (if you intend to subscribe to them) are on EA or WA. If you never want to sub to them, then either arc might do.
2. Download and install that AR app that superimposes satellite locations and the geosynchronous arc over the view from your smartphone. You can wander around with your phone and see if you have any suitable locations for your dish.

 

[HipKat]

Thank you so much for such a concise answer. I do live in Indiana so it would be great if someone lived around here that could provide some feedback.

We live down a steep grade driveway and have quite a few dense trees around us. I was told by a friend of ours that the satellite would most likely have to ping straight up almost to get a clear signal beyond the trees so that’s why I’ve been worried about it in our area. Does anyone here know if Dish still has a 30 day money back guarantee if things don’t (or can’t) be worked out?

Indiana and Illinois, where I live/work are not that much different. Western is always going to have a better chance of rain fade. It's the leading edge of the storm, for one and the High Def channels are on one Satellite - the lowest in the sky and the furthest away so losing HD signal is most likely what you'll see most often. Eastern Arc, I sat in many rain showers without a hiccup. TBH, the biggest factor is how precisely the Dish is pointed and that's mostly up to the Tech and how OCD he is about getting the best signal possible

 

[Foxbat]

I’m in northern Indiana and since I switched to an EA dish, my rain fade events have decreased in number to the point that I can go a year or two between events. I have more snow-outs due to Lake Effect accumulation, however, since the wind off the lake causes a lower pressure on the reflector side and the snow collects there in the lee.

 

[scoob83]

The hidden costs are similar to Comcast. It’s $12.00 if you want local channels. Each receiver is $7. Hopper DVR is $10. So you pay the package price + $12 for local channels (if desired), and then the Hopper fee + any extra receivers.

 

[scoob83]

Do you still have outages when there is bad weather?

Outages are extremely rare and usually during intense storms. I am in CT. I had way more outages with Comcast than Dish. And the Comcast outages lasted hours and sometimes days. Dish - usually 15-20 mins at most.

 

[scoob83]

Thank you so much for such a concise answer. I do live in Indiana so it would be great if someone lived around here that could provide some feedback.

We live down a steep grade driveway and have quite a few dense trees around us. I was told by a friend of ours that the satellite would most likely have to ping straight up almost to get a clear signal beyond the trees so that’s why I’ve been worried about it in our area. Does anyone here know if Dish still has a 30 day money back guarantee if things don’t (or can’t) be worked out?

The Dish tech will know if it will work before they do the install. When they show up they will know right away.

 

[macphreak]

The hidden costs are similar to Comcast. It’s $12.00 if you want local channels. Each receiver is $7. Hopper DVR is $10. So you pay the package price + $12 for local channels (if desired), and then the Hopper fee + any extra receivers.

Good to know all the hidden cost. My bill right now is right around $200. I called to see about getting the Reelz channel and that would have been another $50 per mo. Started thinking about it all and was doing some research. Landed on Dish hoping to save a little money. But, it looks like if I removed my tv plan from Xfinity, it would take me down to around 85-90 per mo just for internet. Then, if I added back in Dish (with all the hidden fees) I’d be right back up around $200 (maybe saving about $10). Trying to figure if all that switching would even be worth it at this point. ‍♂️

 

[N6BY]

Good to know all the hidden cost. My bill right now is right around $200. I called to see about getting the Reelz channel and that would have been another $50 per mo. Started thinking about it all and was doing some research. Landed on Dish hoping to save a little money. But, it looks like if I removed my tv plan from Xfinity, it would take me down to around 85-90 per mo just for internet. Then, if I added back in Dish (with all the hidden fees) I’d be right back up around $200 (maybe saving about $10). Trying to figure if all that switching would even be worth it at this point. ‍♂️

I switched back to Dish 2 years ago. I got the "AT120" package (without locals) and a Hopper Duo. I signed a 2 year contract and paid a little under $50 per month. The Hopper Duo was only $5 a month.

The 2 year contract ended recently and the best deal I could get (while threatening to cancel) was $69 total per month (including tax and the receiver fee). I had to agree to another 2 year contract to get that price.

As for rain fade events here in California -- almost non-existent. I think the installer did an excellent job getting the dish perfectly lined up.

 

[NYDutch]

Thank you so much for such a concise answer. I do live in Indiana so it would be great if someone lived around here that could provide some feedback.

We live down a steep grade driveway and have quite a few dense trees around us. I was told by a friend of ours that the satellite would most likely have to ping straight up almost to get a clear signal beyond the trees so that’s why I’ve been worried about it in our area. Does anyone here know if Dish still has a 30 day money back guarantee if things don’t (or can’t) be worked out?

Using Indianapolis as a central Indiana reference point, the western arc dish elevation would be about 45 degrees above horizontal and the eastern arc would be about 48 degrees. You could easily use one of the augmented reality apps to determine if/where you have a clear line of sight to the satellites. The free Winegard app works well for me:

Winegard – TV Signal Finder - Apps on Google Play

Find satellite TV and free HDTV signals using our TV Signal Finder app with AR.

play.google.com

‎Winegard – TV Signal Finder

‎Winegard® creates connectivity while at home, tailgating, trucking, or RVing by helping you view your favorite shows with this smart TV Signal Finder app with augmented reality. Finding the available TV satellites and free over-the-air HDTV towers for your geographic location has never been...

apps.apple.com