[mraviator]

I'm thinking of signing up with Dish. I noticed that if you sign up with a 24 month contract, you get $99 installation fee waived and HBO free for 3 months.

I hate contracts. Other than what I mentioned above, why would anyone enter a 2 year contract with Dish if I could pay $99 and not tied to them? Am I missing something here?

thanks

 

[packethauler]

When I signed up with a 24 month contract, they waived the installation fee, as well as offered a $50 credit to my bill for the 1st month. I planned on having service for 2 years, might as well have saved a little cash over that time frame. It basically didn't cost me anything to switch. I was just tired of the rate increases that cable decided to impose whenever they felt like it.

 

[puckwithahalo]

Well, the early cancellation fee is $240.00 prorated to $10.00 per month remaining on the contract so....after 14 months, even if you cancel, you end up paying less than if you hadn't signed the initial contract.

Three months of HBO for free comes out to about a $45.00 value, though I would have to double-check, but I think the current promotion is for HBO and Starz for 3 months (I don't set up a whole lot of new accounts, so I'd have to double-check that), which is a value of $66.00.

If you can afford to drop the extra $99.00 and don't want a contract, then go for it. For some that's a significant amount of money out of their budget though.

 

[BillJ]

My philosophy is if I'm not willing to give the company a try for 18 or 24 months, why go to all the trouble of installing new dishes and re-wiring the house? I've been a Dish customer since 1995.

Always owned my equipment until the 622 came out. Figure with new upgrades rolling out more often it makes sense to lease now. My 6000 cost about $500 and, I think, was 4 years old. I got lucky and sold it for enough to cover the upgrade fee, which for early 622 adopters was pretty steep. Now I have two 622's leased. Only pay lease fee for one on my package, so I think it's a bargain.

 

[tsmacro]

I'm thinking of signing up with Dish. I noticed that if you sign up with a 24 month contract, you get $99 installation fee waived and HBO free for 3 months.

I hate contracts. Other than what I mentioned above, why would anyone enter a 2 year contract with Dish if I could pay $99 and not tied to them? Am I missing something here?

thanks

The point is like you mention, you save $99.00 and get free HBO and Starz for three months. Personally I don't get why a contract is a big deal, i'm going to be paying someone for tv for the next two years anyway, why not save some $$$? The only time the contract would worry me is if I knew there was a possibility I might be moving somewhere I might not be able to get Dish in the next two years.

 

[mraviator]

All very good points....I'm typically against contracts, but it seems most people are happy with Dish (I've never had satellite TV before, only cable, so this is new territory to me as cable does not exist where I am moving to).

Contract it is....and I like their 1 cent for Cinemax option these days with auto bill and paperless statements (will only get the 3 months HBO/Starz, then cancel that).

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[blooker68]

Since day one (1998), I've bought and installed hardware for myself and other family members and we've not had a contract with either companny. I've missed out on some good deals, but we just want the choice of saying adios on our terms.

 

[jclewter79]

My first box is owned, but, for exsisting customers there is not an option to upgrade without a contract unless you pay full price for the equipment. Where I live Sat. service is the only option, and I don't like D* so the contract is cool with me.

 

[kstuart]

My philosophy is if I'm not willing to give the company a try for 18 or 24 months, why go to all the trouble of installing new dishes and re-wiring the house? I've been a Dish customer since 1995.

Is that a typo? :

EchoStar activated its first DISH Network customer in March 1996

 

[1olbigjohn]

Is that a typo? :

hello kstuart, wondering if you know if an old dish like yours would work on a 322 receiver?

 

[BobaBird]

Ken's dish may be old, but the business end of the arm is the newest available for the Dish 500. The DPP Twin allows single-line installation of a dual-tuner receiver such as the 322 when used with the receiver's supplied DPP Separator. Even if the dish still had the original separate LNBs and external switch(es), the 322 would still be able to use it though a second line would have to be run to the receiver. See http://www.dishuser.org/dishpro.php

Getting back to topic...

My philosophy is if I'm not willing to give the company a try for 18 or 24 months, why go to all the trouble of installing new dishes and re-wiring the house? I've been a Dish customer since 1995.

Agreed. I can understand some apprehension from a new subscriber, but someone getting an upgrade or additional receiver already knows about the company's policies and quality of service.