Is Dish switching gears

[shilton]

For the longest time, it seemed as though Dish was on a mission to overtake cable and sign up everyone at super low prices. Could it be that Dish is switching its gears and now looking only for the "big ticket" customer. Rate hike after rate hike with little or no new additions to the basic packages. Direct-TV is now cheaper for many of their products. Now we are going to have to sink money into Superdish and HD because those who have HD won't mind spending more money to "invest" in the technology to help get it up and running. Plus add in the new DVR fees and it seems that Charlie is looking to shut out the little guy and only keep the subs who can and will spend the big bucks. I think this company is losing its way. Sadly, my local cable company is now less expensive than Dish for a comparable product. Never thought I'd say that. Soon, I won't be able to keep up since my wallet will not allow me to be one of those big ticket customers. I think we shall see the rapid growth start to screech to a halt soon.

[Frapp]

I think the underlying theory that has not been discussed much is that Ergen is eventually going to sell Echostar. With this new current PVR fee strategy to dramatically increase profits, the sale may be closer than we know :shrug:

It is typical for a company to raise prices / fee`s a year or so before it sells to bump the profits up a bit to a new prospective buyer. I have done that on a few occasions when selling businesses, as well as others I know and it works quite well. Unfortunately, the customers ( or subscribers in this case ) seemingly become pawns in a game when this happens :(

I think that may be what Ergen is doing as we speak !

[boba]

I would be suspicious of SBC seeing they just invested $500 million and they are supposed to have cash on hand just waiting to invest. I think they may be waiting to see if Ruppert is successful with DirecTV

[Jerry 42]

Sometimes when you lose a gambit it turns you off on the enterprise as a whole. With Directv under his control Mr. Ergen would have been a real TV distribution power house. Now he is just a player against companies and people with more assets / power than him. Plus the cash he lost on the failed deal can not make him feel good. A sale might be in his best financial interests - only he knows.

Dispite its problems and delays as a whole I like the Echostar service and its management. I would hate to see the ownership change hands. But the above posting by Shilton & Frapp raises some interesting points.

[tampa8]

As mad as I may be about DVR fees, I do not agree Dish has had "rate hike after rate hike." Direct had similar rate hikes too. Dish still has the lowest "intro" rate, and some packages such as AT100 or AT150 with HBO/MAX reduced what the cost was, and is probably the lowest anywhere. The AEP pak is a little less than the Direct version also I believe, or at least both are equal. So on that issue, Dish still is doing ok. And as compared to my former cable company (charter) they are leaps and bounds ahead in better pricing and programming.

The issue seems to be the higher end people, who want HD and DVR'S. With the unknown about having to pay for a superdish, DVR fees and DVR fees per receiver, $4.98 per each extra receiver, and cost and content of HD programming, these issues may hurt Dish. Throw in some feel the TIVO has better quality and features, this to me sums up what Dish may be facing for problems.

[newsub]

As mad as I may be about DVR fees, I do not agree Dish has had "rate hike after rate hike." Direct had similar rate hikes too. Dish still has the lowest "intro" rate, and some packages such as AT100 or AT150 with HBO/MAX reduced what the cost was, and is probably the lowest anywhere. The AEP pak is a little less than the Direct version also I believe, or at least both are equal. So on that issue, Dish still is doing ok. And as compared to my former cable company (charter) they are leaps and bounds ahead in better pricing and programming.

The issue seems to be the higher end people, who want HD and DVR'S. With the unknown about having to pay for a superdish, DVR fees and DVR fees per receiver, $4.98 per each extra receiver, and cost and content of HD programming, these issues may hurt Dish. Throw in some feel the TIVO has better quality and features, this to me sums up what Dish may be facing for problems.

in my opinion Dish is still way cheaper than cable. The only thing they need to do is drop the extra receiver fee down from $5 to maybe $1 or $2 per extra receiver, add some new programming to the packages and I believe more people will flock to dish. The reason I switched is because I can get 2 receivers,hbo,cinemax and 165 channels with dish for $65 while with comcast it would cost me $80 for that. But I still need comcast for locals($16) so it comes out to $81 / month.
I want to get a pvr what is the best route? How much per month will it cost me and how much is it to buy one?
2: any new channels coming soon to dish?
thanks

[Jacob S]

Perhaps Dish is seeing the price increases in cable and this is his way of increasing prices without raising his basic packages as much as cable, increasing prices on people in which either can afford to pay the cost of the higher end receivers or those that get a special promotion on the DVR's as a new subscriber.

[newsub]

Perhaps Dish is seeing the price increases in cable and this is his way of increasing prices without raising his basic packages as much as cable, increasing prices on people in which either can afford to pay the cost of the higher end receivers or those that get a special promotion on the DVR's as a new subscriber.

how much will it cost me initially for the pvr? Also is there a per month fee like with tivo?

[Steve Mehs]

I do not agree Dish has had "rate hike after rate hike

In 4 years the price of AT50 has increased $5, the price of AT100 has increased $5 over the past four consecuative years, AT150 had two years of price increases in a row for $3. But if you look at the Dish value packs, adding HBO/Max is cheaper then DirecTV, plus you get a few additional premiums. DirecTV did a very stupid thing by nixing Select Choice, but they seem to be pushing TC Plus hard.

For those that want nearly everything
Total Choice Premier w/locals $87.99
AEP w/locals + Sports Pak - $85.98

Packages are pretty even but with E* there's more premium and PI channels and with D* there's more basic channels.

[Mike D-CO5]

What sports pak are you talking about? I sub to AEPwith locals and that is suppossed to include my regional sports pack all for $79.99. When I try to buy any sports pack seperate on Dish's website under add programming and it says I already sub to all sports packs they have. The same is true under all programming that can be added ; it doesn't show me lacking in any sports package. So the way I see it Directv is about $8.00 more than Dish for the same package.

[Jacob S]

DishPro PVR 508 can be had for $299 with no DVR Fee (60 hours of record time). The new 510 DVR that will be coming out will also be $299 but will have a monthly $4.99 DVR fee per DVR receiver (about 90-100 hours of record time).

[Geronimo]

There is a package that will give you all of the RSNS (subject to blackouts). Call 1 800 333 3474.

[Steve Mehs]

The Multi Regional Multi Sport Pak (http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/packages/sports/multi_sport/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=10161&sortby=1) that includes the 20 some RSNs (Plus NBA TV, but AEP subs get NBA TV anyway) for $6. If you want to compare apples to apples, DirecTVs TC Premier includes all channels in TC Plus, the four premium movie packages plus the sports package which is also considered a premium service but offers more sports programming then just RSNs. AEP is just AT150 + all four premium packages, not out of market sports channels. Most of the OOM sports channels are useless in most minds, but again comparing apples to apples...