Dish vs. DIRECTV?

[crques]

I've been a DIRECTV Ultimate package customer for 10+ years. Despite the annual promotions and discounts I get, my bill has been steadily increasing for a while. I'm up to about $180 per month now. Recently I had a contractor stop by and offer to install Dish with no setup or equipment fees and the first 3 months are free. After those 3 months, I would be paying something like $165 per month for 2 years. My dad had Dish years ago and he liked it, but I didn't really use it enough to have much of an opinion one way or the other. I'm strongly considering switching at this point, but I'm a creature of habit and routine and hate to change unless it is absolutely worth it. The money is really what I'm looking at right now, but I would kick myself if I went through the trouble of switching and the quality wasn't the same.

Before anyone suggest streaming services for my tv, I'm a stubborn old school guy who likes to change the channels during commercials and doesn't do a lot of streaming aside from an occasional movie or series with my wife or kids, or a ball game. I prefer the old way of watching tv, which is cable or satellite. Anyway, I've been researching and I've almost talked myself into Dish but actually making the move has me a little hesitant for some reason. I'm looking for some opinions for those that currently have it or had it in the past. Things such as channel picture quality, service, equipment, streaming quality from the Hopper, etc.

Thanks in advance.

[Blzer]

I'm still DIRECTV, but sadly am paying like $100/month more than you. I need certain channels in my package (as does my family) and I have six devices in my house. I also pay the stupid protection fees and such, and have several movie channel packages (but they also let me log in for streaming).

I miss DTV's ability to do picture-in-picture, its multi-delete feature, and watching DVR content off my PC. I probably won't be getting rid of it, though. I don't know how Dish compares with features and pricing, but the fact that I can get RedZone for $15/month as a part of the Sports Pack is incredible, and I definitely don't want to side with it there.

Also I don't know if Dish has this, but DTV can start many programs from the beginning (disabling fast-forward), or you can keep watching your program if you switch locations in your household as long as you didn't turn off the other device. That's important for my situation.

One big question for you might also be how many contract disputes does Dish get versus DTV with certain companies? We've had significant blackouts in the past, but for all I know Dish customers have had it worse.

[crques]

I'm still DIRECTV, but sadly am paying like $100/month more than you. I need certain channels in my package (as does my family) and I have six devices in my house. I also pay the stupid protection fees and such, and have several movie channel packages (but they also let me log in for streaming).

I miss DTV's ability to do picture-in-picture, its multi-delete feature, and watching DVR content off my PC. I probably won't be getting rid of it, though. I don't know how Dish compares with features and pricing, but the fact that I can get RedZone for $15/month as a part of the Sports Pack is incredible, and I definitely don't want to side with it there.

Also I don't know if Dish has this, but DTV can start many programs from the beginning (disabling fast-forward), or you can keep watching your program if you switch locations in your household as long as you didn't turn off the other device. That's important for my situation.

One big question for you might also be how many contract disputes does Dish get versus DTV with certain companies? We've had significant blackouts in the past, but for all I know Dish customers have had it worse.

Thanks for responding. I only have 3 devices on mine and I'm able to get some kind of annual $70 loyalty discount each year, but I always forget and have one month where my bill jumps significantly because I don't renew it. My current bill is $244, which doesn't include the discount. I had to call yesterday to renew it for another 12 months. One of the main reasons I originally went with DIRECTV was because of the MBL Extra Innings package. I used to get that annually, but it has been a few years since I've done so. I've noticed that Dish has a deal with YouTube TV so they can provide the NFL Sunday Ticket package. DIRECTV no longer has that. That's another enticing angle I forgot to mention.

Seems like Dish has had more contract disputes recently than DIRECTV, but I'm not certain.

[Blzer]

Thanks for responding. I only have 3 devices on mine and I'm able to get some kind of annual $70 loyalty discount each year, but I always forget and have one month where my bill jumps significantly because I don't renew it. My current bill is $244, which doesn't include the discount. I had to call yesterday to renew it for another 12 months. One of the main reasons I originally went with DIRECTV was because of the MBL Extra Innings package. I used to get that annually, but it has been a few years since I've done so. I've noticed that Dish has a deal with YouTube TV so they can provide the NFL Sunday Ticket package. DIRECTV no longer has that. That's another enticing angle I forgot to mention.

Seems like Dish has had more contract disputes recently than DIRECTV, but I'm not certain.

Hmm, not sure why I can't get said loyalty discount. Perhaps I have in the past and that time has run out, but I'm nearing 20 years with them. I called them earlier this week to cancel some packages and asked for any sorts of discounts, and that one apparently didn't surface on their end.

I also called a few months back upset about the way some things were/weren't being recorded (very long story, not a bug but just the way that it happened), I got a superior and very emotionally threatened to cancel, but they still didn't offer any kind of loyalty discounts then either. Perhaps I've just used them all up.

[Fiddy]

Hmm, not sure why I can't get said loyalty discount. Perhaps I have in the past and that time has run out, but I'm nearing 20 years with them. I called them earlier this week to cancel some packages and asked for any sorts of discounts, and that one apparently didn't surface on their end.

I also called a few months back upset about the way some things were/weren't being recorded (very long story, not a bug but just the way that it happened), I got a superior and very emotionally threatened to cancel, but they still didn't offer any kind of loyalty discounts then either. Perhaps I've just used them all up.

Cancel it.

Go through the process and cancel. Have them give you a date that it will cancel, usually a week or two later. Have them give you a confirmation number of the cancelation etc.

Wait 24/48 hours. Call back, you will then get the world offered to you. I've done this 2 times for my wife and I. I've also done this for my parents 6 times over the years. We have had Direct TV in my family since December of 1995. I'll never go another route, they just don't have to know it lol.

[Blzer]

Cancel it.

Go through the process and cancel. Have them give you a date that it will cancel, usually a week or two later. Have them give you a confirmation number of the cancelation etc.

Wait 24/48 hours. Call back, you will then get the world offered to you. I've done this 2 times for my wife and I. I've also done this for my parents 6 times over the years. We have had Direct TV in my family since December of 1995. I'll never go another route, they just don't have to know it lol.

Dang, because that phone call was over an hour long and I did everything but cancel. I assured myself that they would do everything to convince me to stay

Why would I call back during that time, though? Like whats putting me on the line again after cancelation? "Hi there, just wanted to see how things are going on your end!" Haha.

I'll have to be careful, though. If they don't follow through, I risk losing a bunch of recordings or recording opportunities. I have so many devices because of family as well, and their recordings. The timing would have to be right, but man I wish they had made that so with what I did previously.

Thanks for the tip!

[Ghost Of The Year]

I'ved had Directv for a little over eleven years and for the first seven years I was a hundred percent happy with them but the last four years I have often seriously thought of cancelling with them just to get pricing back to a respectable number but I have been much to lazy to pull the trigger and do it. One of these days tho...

[Fiddy]

Yeah, just call and cancel. Get the confirmation number etc. Make sure the cancel date is say a week out. Give it a day or two, call back, they will give you the best thing going for them.

You can get new equipment, or you can say nah just gonna keep what I got. But you will get the best price they have for another 24 months. I then even call back in 12 months and get a loyalty credit added on.

You just have to play the game. Make sure you have at least an hour to go through the whole cancel process on the phone. Shouldn't take that long, but depends on who you get.