When will it end?

[comfortably_numb]

I've been with Dish over a year now, and I really like their receiver technology. But these price increases are ridiculous. $2 increase in DVR fees? $5 increase in package fees? I was at 88.99 per month and now I'm at 95.99 per month. Luckily, I called them and they backed those fees off until October and they also renewed my "new customer" credits. But by the time October rolls around I will only have 2 months left on my contract and I'll be staring down the barrel of $96 bucks per month.

Is it just me or is that a lot of money per month for pay-television? I watch maybe 10 channels at most. Switching to lesser packages doesn't help me because those channels aren't incldued. What is the future of pay TV? Seems that these price increases go up faster than inflation. I just don't know how much longer myself (and others) can hold out. Cord cutting with Netflix and MLB.tv is looking better and better..

Your thoughts?!

 

[Tampa8]

My thought is so what is new that there aren't already a gadzillion threads about? They will reach a limit to where not enough subscribe and either go out of business or find a different less expensive - or more attractive - way to get the programming to us.

 

[stardust3]

I completely agree that prices are too much. Especially for non sports fans the content being offered has turned to crap.

There will be posters proclaiming they are happy & getting a good deal for their money. Imo this is nothing more than to convince themselves they are getting a good deal.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The question really is... what other choices are there?

As I posted earlier to move to cable and have 6 HD DVR's in my house its $17 per box.

DISH is still cheaper by miles. I don't like the price change myself, but when you start shopping around you might find what you have now isn't so bad.

 

[sam_gordon]

I completely agree that prices are too much. Especially for non sports fans the content being offered has turned to crap.

There will be posters proclaiming they are happy & getting a good deal for their money. Imo this is nothing more than to convince themselves they are getting a good deal.

If the prices are too much, then don't subscribe. Why is that such a hard concept? Do I think I'm getting a "good deal"? Not really. Do I think I'm getting the "best deal" in order to get what I want? Yes.

What would you say if someone said they were going on vacation but airfare was too high? Either drive (find another option) or suck it up and accept "it is what it is". No different.

 

[sam_gordon]

The question really is... what other choices are there?

As I posted earlier to move to cable and have 6 HD DVR's in my house its $17 per box.

DISH is still cheaper by miles. I don't like the price change myself, but when you start shopping around you might find what you have now isn't so bad.

Now Scott, you know there are other choices. They may not get you what you WANT, but they'll be cheaper.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Well you got to pay for what you want.

OK I got to pay for what my Wife Wants.

 

[satjay]

The question really is... what other choices are there?

As I posted earlier to move to cable and have 6 HD DVR's in my house its $17 per box.

DISH is still cheaper by miles. I don't like the price change myself, but when you start shopping around you might find what you have now isn't so bad.

I agree with other options, since I have comcast for Internet I also get the price increase letter for all services, priced out my current set up of two hoppers and a Joey, just for goofs for anything similar setup to comcast would cost much more any I am sorry but no where close to the equipment of Hoppers and Joey

 

[Scherrman]

My opinion is, how is this different than any other provider? Even Amazon is talking about raising their Amazon Prime rate. It doesn't matter what provider you go to, you're going to have increased fees over time. The only way to avoid it is to go with OTA only. OTA is great if all your favorite shows are on the network channels.

 

[Cold Irons]

If the prices are too much, then don't subscribe. Why is that such a hard concept? Do I think I'm getting a "good deal"? Not really. Do I think I'm getting the "best deal" in order to get what I want? Yes.

What would you say if someone said they were going on vacation but airfare was too high? Either drive (find another option) or suck it up and accept "it is what it is". No different.

Exactly! What's the OP's point? You can drop channels, switch providers, drop pay-TV completely,...certainly no one is making you pay money to Dish.

 

[boba]

The question really is... what other choices are there?

As I posted earlier to move to cable and have 6 HD DVR's in my house its $17 per box.

DISH is still cheaper by miles. I don't like the price change myself, but when you start shopping around you might find what you have now isn't so bad.

Scott DO YOU REALLY NEED 6 HD DVRS SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANT THEM NOT NEED THEM? There is quite a difference between needing and wanting.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

yup.. to match what I have now I would need 6 HD DVR's.

(Two hoppers and 4 Joeys)

 

[osu1991]

Well you got to pay for what you want.

OK I got to pay for what my Wife Wants.

You're getting off cheap paying for your wifes tv wants. We've all read about the toys she gets you.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You're getting off cheap paying for your wifes tv wants. We've all read about the toys she gets you.

Bingo!

 

[Teehar]

My thought is so what is new that there aren't already a gadzillion threads about? They will reach a limit to where not enough subscribe and either go out of business or find a different less expensive - or more attractive - way to get the programming to us.

Preaching to the choir,and I agree 100%. There will come a day in the not so distant future,the tipping point will be breached.

 

[Yespage]

Dish isn't cheap. Neither is the competition.

For a single DVR (or dual DVR), no one can touch Dish price wise. Otherwise, Directv and Dish are the least expensive, with the remaining options being real pricey. I got lucky recently with NBC Sports dropping to Top 200 and was able to more than offset the price hike.

 

[sremick]

I can't get cable, or OTA. Dish and DirecTV are my only options, unless I want to "cut the cord" and just use my Roku and my optical disc collection.

I have one 722, and one TV. I don't care about sports channels. I've watched the rates creep up while I feel what I get for my money has decreased.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Exactly! What's the OP's point? You can drop channels, switch providers, drop pay-TV completely,...certainly no one is making you pay money to Dish.

My point is, the pricing structure as it currently is, in my opinion, unreasonable. Most of us grew up as children in households with some form of cable TV or satellite (I know my parents always had cable) and I don't remember them ever complaining that it was outrageously expensive. Today, I can't tell you one person I know who says "Yeah, I think cable TV (or satellite) is affordable." In fact, they all bemoan all of the increases in price for the little quality they seem to receive. Most people have just a few channels they like, but end up paying lots of money for mainly channels they don't.

What I pay for Dish each month (before credits) is more than what I pay per month for health insurance. I'm sorry, but that IS ridiculous.

Sure, I can stop paying for it. I can also ride a bike to work, dress in togas to save money, eat only Ramen noodles, drink water instead of soda, you get the picture. The point I'm trying to make is, most of us expect to pay a reasonable amount of money per month for some form of TV entertainment in America.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Unfortunately I think that genie has left the bottle.

Everytime you hear your favorite sports start signed a new bazillian dollar contract guess whos paying for it? (It don't matter if you don't like sports.)

Everytime you hear of a channel dispute and the channel remains... your bill is going up.

I could go on but kind of sad.

 

[Neutron]

You COULD swap to cable and go the Tivo route that would give you 6 tuners.