 MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | Too expensive, not reliable I'm not sure if this issue hit Dish as well, but I realized the cost savings are simply not there by switching to satellite (DirecTV). Additionally, I had nothing but trouble with my satellite dropping my picture.
I was paying ~$63/month (after taxes) for their middle tier with no premium channels, plus their $9.99 HD access fee. Time Warner gave me the same channels (minus a few HD channels I don't watch, so no loss), plus a HD DVR for ~$54 after taxes. I could knock $8 more a month off that if I didn't want the HD DVR. So, that makes DirecTV $20/month more expensive.
DTV was cheaper until they decided to up their rates. Now I'm stuck with an ETF fee (even though they raised *MY* rates) and the cost to have the dish removed.
My experience with satellite has been less than stellar. |
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 JeffreyWilpon please sell the MetsPremium
join:2002-12-24
Long Island
kudos:3
 ·Vonage
 ·Optimum Online
| said by Matt:My experience with satellite has been less than stellar. I guess it's one of those YMMV type of things. We've had Dish for a few years now, and couldn't be happier with the service and the DVR. Obviously, there are some issues with the DVR litigation, and I'm not sure at what step in the legal process they are at with it. Aside from some recent reception issues (we've had some good wind storms over the last 5 years or so, and I think we might need a "realignment"). When the signal NEVER went out, it's going out for a few seconds to a few minutes during some thunderstorms.
With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue.
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"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin
[my ramblings] |
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 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| said by Jeffrey:With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue. ...and that is Dish's (and DirecTV's) main problem right there in a nutshell. They cannot compete with bundled services they cannot offer. So they're losing subs in the cities to competition.
Dish and DirecTV have ONE advantage over TelcoTV and CableTV... Rural users. Rural users who cannot get Cable or TelcoTV can get Dish service.
... but ... Many people who live outside of town are stuck with long drives and commutes. Gas prices are eating them alive, and so they are cutting back on expenses (Like Dish Network!) to survive.
Really, it's just a bad deal right now for Dish all around.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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| said by KrK:said by Jeffrey:With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue. ...and that is Dish's (and DirecTV's) main problem right there in a nutshell. They cannot compete with bundled services they cannot offer. So they're losing subs in the cities to competition. Dish and DirecTV have ONE advantage over TelcoTV and CableTV... Rural users. Rural users who cannot get Cable or TelcoTV can get Dish service. ... but ... Many people who live outside of town are stuck with long drives and commutes. Gas prices are eating them alive, and so they are cutting back on expenses (Like Dish Network!) to survive. Really, it's just a bad deal right now for Dish all around. Depends on what your definition of "Rural" is. My mother lives between Follansbee and Weirton WV and she had Comcast Digital Voice nearly two years before I did here in "affluent" Oakland County Michigan. With the cable companies able to regionalize their head-ends due to increased fiber deployment, they can push these advanced services farther out than many realize. |
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 CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | reply to Matt
And where I live, your sat experience is EXACTLY how my TW experiences were before I switched to DishNetwork. They won't be in my house while I live here ever again and I will even pay more by not bundling (which I personally can't stand anyhow)... |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by CylonRed:And where I live, your sat experience is EXACTLY how my TW experiences were before I switched to DishNetwork. They won't be in my house while I live here ever again and I will even pay more by not bundling (which I personally can't stand anyhow)... I don't bundle and they are still cheaper, all I have is cable TV with them. I hear you though, once you have a bad experience, you want to avoid that company at all costs. |
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| reply to Matt
The sat companies need to do one of 2 things;
1) Offer a reasonably priced EVERYTHING package. All movies, prem channels, everything. Wide open, 24/7. DTV tried this but wanted like 12K/year. Offer that package for maybe $75/mo. ..... or......
2) Go to the cable companies web sites and freaking do direct comparisons of the channels they offer and at what price and under cut them by $20. If this means your stock holders get less on their dividends or the CEOs only get a 2 million dollar bonus instead of 50 million, so be it. Either that or prepare to go out of business. |
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CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | reply to Matt
Multiple bad experiences - even at my SIL/BIL house where my BIL installs TW. Was there cable disconnected over 5 times in less than a half hour.
For me straight up - Dish is still cheaper by over $20 (last time I checked). When I got rid of TW the price difference was almost $30/month... I am sure I could get a deal to come back but that is temporary and the price will go back up.
Dish's channel guide is also a ton better - inho...  |
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| reply to CylonRed
said by CylonRed:And where I live, your sat experience is EXACTLY how my TW experiences were before I switched to DishNetwork. They won't be in my house while I live here ever again and I will even pay more by not bundling (which I personally can't stand anyhow)... It's nice that you are in a position to say that. But the average consumer is a bit more pragmatic and if given the choice between no cable/satellite TV and getting it from a provider they may not like will probably just hold their nose and get it.
And what's the problem with bundling? Shouldn't customer loyality be rewarded? How do you feel about giving people a break on homeowners insurance if they also sign up for your auto insurance? Do you think soft drinks should be sold only be the individual bottle or can? |
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| reply to john1290
said by john1290:The sat companies need to do one of 2 things; 1) Offer a reasonably priced EVERYTHING package. All movies, prem channels, everything. Wide open, 24/7. DTV tried this but wanted like 12K/year. Offer that package for maybe $75/mo. ..... or...... 2) Go to the cable companies web sites and freaking do direct comparisons of the channels they offer and at what price and under cut them by $20. If this means your stock holders get less on their dividends or the CEOs only get a 2 million dollar bonus instead of 50 million, so be it. Either that or prepare to go out of business. 1. I believe the DirecTV package was $7500 per year with up to 8 HD-DVRs but anyway you couldn't possibly offer the service for $75.00 a month as 24 hours of PPV would be $36 a day.
2. Cutting prices only goes so far...you have to be able to do it at a profit.
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CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | reply to jmallory
I never said people should not bundle nor should it be offered but I love my DSL connection and have no want to move to cable (IL's speed goes to near dial-up in the evening with TW) and I much prefer my POTS - especially since I have kids.
I personally don't care if bundles are offered - I won't partake in the phone, tv and internet bundles. Bundles on insurance are not germain to this thread in any way.
EDIT: Not to mention - the reason we can afford not to bundle is because we choose not to take cruises every year (or great vacations), we don't have new cars, we don't do and have a lot of things other folks do. We make a good amount but are saving, or trying to save for retirement, along with paying student loans and a mortgage. We are not swimming in money by any stretch of the imagination as you seem to imply. |
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| reply to KrK
said by KrK:said by Jeffrey:With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue. ...and that is Dish's (and DirecTV's) main problem right there in a nutshell. They cannot compete with bundled services they cannot offer. So they're losing subs in the cities to competition. Dish and DirecTV have ONE advantage over TelcoTV and CableTV... Rural users. Rural users who cannot get Cable or TelcoTV can get Dish service. ... but ... Many people who live outside of town are stuck with long drives and commutes. Gas prices are eating them alive, and so they are cutting back on expenses (Like Dish Network!) to survive. Really, it's just a bad deal right now for Dish all around. bundle prices go up after 12 months |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by uid1307457:said by KrK:said by Jeffrey:With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue. ...and that is Dish's (and DirecTV's) main problem right there in a nutshell. They cannot compete with bundled services they cannot offer. So they're losing subs in the cities to competition. Dish and DirecTV have ONE advantage over TelcoTV and CableTV... Rural users. Rural users who cannot get Cable or TelcoTV can get Dish service. ... but ... Many people who live outside of town are stuck with long drives and commutes. Gas prices are eating them alive, and so they are cutting back on expenses (Like Dish Network!) to survive. Really, it's just a bad deal right now for Dish all around. bundle prices go up after 12 months And apparently DTV's go up in less than 12 months. |
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| i told them no discount deal and have been paying regular price since day one. I will never get an unexpected jump in price.
The bundle deals only last 12 months for everyone unless something has changed. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by uid1307457:i told them no discount deal and have been paying regular price since day one. I will never get an unexpected jump in price. The bundle deals only last 12 months for everyone unless something has changed. They hiked the price of their HD Access package by $9.99 ... so if you have HD, your price went up.
The "Choice" package was $64/month after the hike. |
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| reply to uid1307457
said by uid1307457:said by KrK:said by Jeffrey:With all that being said, I won't be getting Dish when I move---I'll be doing the triple play from Cablevision or Verizon, depending if Fios is in the area. Can't beat the pricing on those services when cost is an issue. ...and that is Dish's (and DirecTV's) main problem right there in a nutshell. They cannot compete with bundled services they cannot offer. So they're losing subs in the cities to competition. Dish and DirecTV have ONE advantage over TelcoTV and CableTV... Rural users. Rural users who cannot get Cable or TelcoTV can get Dish service. ... but ... Many people who live outside of town are stuck with long drives and commutes. Gas prices are eating them alive, and so they are cutting back on expenses (Like Dish Network!) to survive. Really, it's just a bad deal right now for Dish all around. bundle prices go up after 12 months My Triple Play premiere bundle is for 24 months and I wasn't even a new subscriber. I asked the CSR and she gave it to me. I'm sure I will be able to do another 2 years when the time comes up. We have Uverse here now so I use that for leverage, if not I will just go back to having HBO and Showtime and get rid of the other 3 movie channels, up to them. |
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| reply to CylonRed
You try to compliment people and they take it as an insult...people here need to lighten up.
I don't recall saying you were swimming in cash. I just said that it was great that you were in a position that you can turn down bundle pricing (it's your choice). Some people, on the other hand, are looking for options to lower their expenses to make up for the increases in food and fuel that they have no option but to pay.
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CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
3 edits | But you seem to think I don't think anyone should bundle (or I don't grasp why people do bundle) and can't be further from the truth or even remotely what I posted.
I posted that I don't like bundling - not that I thought it was wrong or that people should not do it. You seemed to read far more into it than was posted and took it to a new level. |
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1 edit | Your initially said you didn't like bundling. In fact your words were "personally can't stand." There are two ways I can take that.
1.) You don't partake in bundling and prefer to pay standard pricing. Leaving you free to pick the best provider for your needs and/or not committed long term.
2.) You don't believe company's should offer things like volume discounts, bundles, or reward repeat business (I actually have a friend who believes this), everyone should pay the same price.
My questions were to determine which way I should be taking your statement. Your last two posts have clarified your position.
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CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | The only way it can be taken given the subject of the thread and staying IN SUBJECT was I don't like bundling. Nothing was mentioned of ANY other possible bundle nor was there ANY mention that no one else should bundle or that bundles should be stricken from a business model.
I did not take it out of topic and there was no reason to do so. If i wanted to take it off topic - I would have made it obvious. |
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