# Pretty good deal for returning to/staying with DISH?



## ferkee (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey gang - first day on DBStalk.

I have been a DISH customer in the Dallas, TX area for 5 years. Verizon recently convinced me to add their FIOS HD TV service to my internet and phone service I already had with them. I'm finding that I don't like the experience. [I might elaborate later but for now, I have been thinking about returning to DISH - it's only been 9 days since I switched and I've got 30].

My Old/Current DISH equipment is a 625 SD ($6), my channel programming was America's Top 120 ($44.99 recently hiked by $5 for inflation) and I was paying a monthly service plan fee ($6) = $56.99/month.

Their retention dept (I think) called me about a week ago and offered me "HD Free for Life", a Duo HD DVR free, and $10 off my current channel package! I told her that sounded great but that I had to verify if I was still within the "grace" period with Verizon to cancel the TV service. She told me she would call me back the same time the next day - Never heard back. 

I finally got off my butt, decided (with agreement from my wife and the kids) to switch back to DISH and called them. I mentioned the previous offer and the girl on the phone just told me what SHE could do. At first it was either the same or worse than what they'd offer to a new customer! As I explained my situation and then reiterated the previous discussion she put me on hold a few times. I asked her if I could get the VIP 922. "Sure!" "Is there a higher cost for it?" "Yes - $200 up front and $10 per month for the lease" Yikes! Nope. I asked if the 722 would be any better - at that point she told me that I'd need to reactivate my account for her to see if it would be a straight out exchange or considered an upgrade. We went back and forth on this until she came back and told me that she could offer me either the 622 or the 722 (I'm guessing they'll send out the 622).

We finally arrived at

America's Top 200 (I decided to bump it up to more of what we got with Verizon's package) *$59.99 - 15.00 = $44.99 for 1st 12 months. $59.99 after that.*
HD Free for Life
Local Channels (already included)
622 or 722 HD Duo DVR Receiver : *$6.00/month*
Service Fee : *$6.00/month*
*= 56.99/month for 12 then 71.99 after that (unless I alter my plan)*​
I, of course, would have liked if they'd thrown in a premium channel or two - but that might be pushing it. The internet offer for new customers was 3 months of Showtime.

They're going to come out tomorrow afternoon to switch stuff out and install.

There was no mention of changing out the dish.

I'm just looking to the more experienced folks on the board to give me their 2 cents and see if there's something I overlooked, need to ask, etc.

Thanks so much in advance,
John

P.S. Part of the reason I switched to Verizon was because my price with DISH had been creeping up with no improvement in service and 2 calls to their retention department were fruitless - they wouldn't even switch out my highly used remotes.


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

I would say you made a mistake in not dealing with the retention person, and instead dealing with a CSR. Retention, because they called you, would have given you more based on other people's experience especially if you were ready to come back right there and then. Most of what you are getting is pretty standard, except for the $15 off, that is quite good. I feel certain you could have obtained a free premium, probably the Platinum package or Starz for free for a year, and some PPV certificates.

Also, you say there was no improvement in service with the increase in cost. That's because you were still with a dieing service, SD. What improvement could there be? Dish has improved immensely with their HD offerings, more than most any other provider, though not for sports. 
And you could have gotten free remotes and some other very inexpensive services if you got their service plan for just six months. But their remotes can be had for around $13 on Ebay, new.
But that is in the past.......
I am surprised you didn't go with Direct TV since you were not all that happy with Dish. (I have Dish, very happy) But I am not surprised you would find most any of the cable companies to be less than desirable.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

ferkee said:


> P.S. Part of the reason I switched to Verizon was because my price with DISH had been creeping up with no improvement in service and 2 calls to their retention department were fruitless - they wouldn't even switch out my highly used remotes.


Every TV company raises rates every year. They have to; the rates they pay to the content owners goes up every year. You could make an arguement for taking advantage of a new customer promotion with another company, but there are no TV providers who don't raise their rates.

And as far as switching out your remotes: you wore them out. That isn't Dish's fault. If you had the Service Plan, they'd have been replaced under that plan for no additional cost. Without the Service Plan, they are not covered, and you are on your own to replace them. At $15 each or so, that isn't a ton of money.

Cable companies will usually replace remotes "for free", but they also make you pay a "rental fee" for those remotes every month, which means you're paying one way or the other.


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## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

> 622 or 722 HD Duo DVR Receiver : *$6.00/month*
> Service Fee : *$6.00/month*


This bit confuses me. There is a $6/mo DVR Service fee ($10/mo for 922)and if you have only one DVR there is no other fee. Additional 622, 722 or 722K are $17/mo each. I have no other service fee on my bill.


> America's Everything Pak
> $104.99
> HD Duo (2TV) DVR Receiver
> $17.00
> ...


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## VDP07 (Feb 22, 2006)

The $6.00 service fee the OP mentions must be the charge for "Service Plan and if so, is optional.


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## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

VDP07 said:


> The $6.00 service fee the OP mentions must be the charge for "Service Plan and if so, is optional.


I'll bet you're right. My old man brain was dominant yesterday


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