[b4pjoe]

Yeah, so far they've never cut the stated regular prices but we really don't know what they're doing in terms of ARPU given the varying amounts of loyalty discounts they dole out to keep so many customers on board.

And even in the case of DTV Stream, rather than cutting the intro price from $70, they could include the unlimited cloud DVR at that price point rather than charging an extra $10/mo for it. That would make them more competitive with YTTV, Hulu Live and Fubo TV, on a cost/value basis, than they are now. And/or, they could offer an optional 1-yr contract for DTV Stream that comes with a monthly discount off the base price.

At any rate, if DTV remains on its own (i.e. not merged with DISH), then they're going to need to somehow improve the cost/value proposition to attract and retain subs, especially once the satellite service loses exclusive (and for many customers, free) NFL ST.

Which they should have already tried since the bleeding didn't just start yesterday but they've never given any indication of doing it up to this point. It's just not in their DNA to "get competitive" with the competition. I'm sure they would like to find another sucker like TPG though. Doubt it will be DISH though that bites on that stinky bait.

 

[harsh]

Uh, posting/speculating/debating about a rumored DTV/DISH merger is the whole point of this thread. It's harmless entertainment. No one is making you read or post on this thread.

I'm just glad to discover that you can indeed craft a post without at least five paragraphs of text.

 

[harsh]

It's just not in their DNA to "get competitive" with the competition.

The way that DIRECTV has apparently been handing out discounts and freebies of late, I think someone has been tweaking the genome.

This doesn't do anything perceptible to attract new customers but it certainly helps stem the hemorrhaging.

 

[NashGuy]

I'm just glad to discover that you can indeed craft a post without at least five paragraphs of text.

Ha.

 

[NashGuy]

The way that DIRECTV has apparently been handing out discounts and freebies of late, I think someone has been tweaking the genome.

This doesn't do anything perceptible to attract new customers but it certainly helps stem the hemorrhaging.

Perhaps. For satellite, their game plan should only be to hold onto to existing subs (and attract any new ones who are specifically looking for NFL ST). DTV Stream should be where they're trying to attract new subs for the most part, which of course is why they're now advertising it heavily while hardly advertising satellite at all.

 

[b4pjoe]

The way that DIRECTV has apparently been handing out discounts and freebies of late, I think someone has been tweaking the genome.

This doesn't do anything perceptible to attract new customers but it certainly helps stem the hemorrhaging.

You see a lot posts on these forums of people getting discounts but I think that is a very small amount of the entire subscriber base. I think the great majority never asks for discounts and just pays the bill every month. I was like that for the first 20+ years of being a DTV subscriber. Heck I didn’t know it was even possible until I started reading this forum a few years ago.

 

[APB101]

Let’s say the merge will actually happen.

When does it need to happen?

 

[James Long]

Let’s say the merge will actually happen.

When does it need to happen?

The answer depends on which company you are thinking about.

TPG needs it to happen while they can still get their investment back.
AT&T needs it to happen while there is still a company to save.
I don't believe DISH needs it to happen.

 

[harsh]

I think the great majority never asks for discounts and just pays the bill every month. I was like that for the first 20+ years of being a DTV subscriber. Heck I didn’t know it was even possible until I started reading this forum a few years ago.

By the same token, there are millions of DIRECTV subscribers who aren't represented here and negotiation certainly doesn't require a actively sharing one's results with a post on DBSTalk.

For many, sharing discount successes is a "mine is bigger than yours" competition.

It is pretty clear that the trend among posters here has been a substantial upswing in offers.

 

[harsh]

I don't believe DISH needs it to happen.

DISH could certainly use a mass infusion of subscribers. Look what Boost did for them.

As I said previously, perhaps even Echostar could benefit from any patent holdings that DIRECTV may still have.

 

[codespy]

By the same token, there are millions of DIRECTV subscribers who aren't represented here and negotiation certainly doesn't require a actively sharing one's results with a post on DBSTalk.

For many, sharing discount successes is a "mine is bigger than yours" competition……

I don’t really agree with that assessment. Like b4pjoe explained above- didn’t even know discounts were possible before until reading the thread. I and many others were in the same boat. Services like Spectrum and others give nothing in the form of monthly discounts.

I’m glad people share their experiences here. The thread is pretty popular in the 8.5 year run so far, and it helps educate what’s available out there using good faith negotiations with the provider/CSR’s. Of course, we will likely never know the algorithms that DirecTV uses across different subs.

The subs that call to ‘cancel’ to see what might be offered when they really don’t intend to cancel- well that’s different imho and not the approach I would take, although it’s interesting to read what others have been offered over time.

Oops, I contributed to veering off topic![/QUOTE]

 

[James Long]

DISH could certainly use a mass infusion of subscribers. Look what Boost did for them.

DISH doesn't get to count Boost subscribers as DISH TV subscribers.

As I said previously, perhaps even Echostar could benefit from any patent holdings that DIRECTV may still have.

Can you name one where DISH/Echostar does not already own or have rights to a similar patent and needs DIRECTV's technology?

 

[P Smith]

Can you name one where DISH/Echostar does not already own or have rights to a similar patent and needs DIRECTV's technology?

One of those - AMC. Advanced Modulation and Coding, using for A3 transponders mostly for Ka sats, but they're using it on a few tpns of Ku sats.
Second (by TiVo, but DTV have an agreement of using it) - indexing of video PID files. They making I-frame marks instead of harsh time marks by dish indexing (remember dish litigation ? failed!); trick play is intensively using the marks

 

[James Long]

DISH settled the Tivo lawsuit several years ago and can use the method DISH infringed on. But during the lawsuit DISH stopped using Tivo's method and developed their own. DISH does not need DIRECTV to not use a process they don't want.

 

[NashGuy]

Which they should have already tried since the bleeding didn't just start yesterday but they've never given any indication of doing it up to this point. It's just not in their DNA to "get competitive" with the competition. I'm sure they would like to find another sucker like TPG though. Doubt it will be DISH though that bites on that stinky bait.

FYI, as of today, DTV Stream has done away with charging an extra $10/mo for cloud DVR. It's now included in every package at no extra cost, including the base Entertainment package which is staying at $70/mo. Looks like they're getting at least somewhat more competitive with the competition.

For comparison, YouTube TV has a somewhat different channel package with unlimited cloud DVR for $65/mo. Hulu with Live TV costs $70/mo but has only 50 hrs of cloud DVR without the ability to FF through ads, although it also comes with Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra cost. You can upgrade their cloud DVR to 200 hrs with the ability to skip ads for an extra $10/mo. None of the three include RSNs. For those, you need DTV Stream's Choice package, which is about to go up to $90/mo.

 

[NashGuy]

The answer depends on which company you are thinking about.

TPG needs it to happen while they can still get their investment back.
AT&T needs it to happen while there is still a company to save.
I don't believe DISH needs it to happen.

DISH satellites are going to last FOREVER!

 

[b4pjoe]

FYI, as of today, DTV Stream has done away with charging an extra $10/mo for cloud DVR. It's now included in every package at no extra cost, including the base Entertainment package which is staying at $70/mo. Looks like they're getting at least somewhat more competitive with the competition.

That is good news. Now they need to do away with that 90 day time limit. At least match YTTV 9 month time period.

 

[P Smith]

developed their own

I knew that from its files not from press-release. It was very bad solution for smooth trick play, for sure.

 

[compnurd]

That is good news. Now they need to do away with that 90 day time limit. At least match YTTV 9 month time period.

I am fine with 90 days if i havent watched it by then i am not going to.. or i can find it on demand later

 

[b4pjoe]

Not everyone is like that though. And accodring to the website you are not elgible for the free unlimited Cloud DVR.