Dish Network vs Direct TV

[Bird]

We had Dish, and when it got so bad I couldn't tolerate them anymore, we changed to DirecTV and when they kept going up on the price, we changed to Charter Communications cable. The first couple of times DirecTV went up, I called and got a better price, but the last time I called, the guy I got said there was nothing he could do about it. So I changed to Charter and started getting phone calls from DirecTV offering to eveb cut my old bill in half if I'd come back. So far, I have not gone back. I don't like any of them, but like DirecTV's channel line-up best. Maybe now that they've merged with AT&T they'll get better.

 

[EddieWalker]

Something I forgot. The DirectTV remote control fits my hand better with an easier layout then Dish. My Dish remote has remained awkward to use for the last three or so years that I've had it.

 

[CCWKen]

I've had DirecTV for about 7-8 years now and it keeps getting higher and higher. Tried to get HD and they wanted even more. I'm pretty fed up with them. AT&T has some pretty good combo deals now--Phone, High-speed Internet and HD DirecTV for something like $89/month. The problem at my location is we can't get access to the required fiber optics for phone and ISP service (they say). There's an AT&T FO cable bundle that runs the entire length of my Eastern boundary line along the road. They had it marked when the county was doing road work a few years ago. Bummer! :thumbdown:

 

[NoTrespassing]

Every time I think about switching I start reading their advertisement small print and end up just throwing it all away.

Same here, I guess I'll be staying with Dish and upgrading to HD sometime. I'll try to negotiate a deal with them at that time. The combination of 20 years of loyalty and the option to switch to another service is usually pretty good leverage. They cut my monthly charge in 1/2 for 6 months a couple years ago when they were losing channels (fox & TBS?) after I called to complain.

Kevin

 

[turnkey4099]

Been a DirecTV customer for years. They keep increasing price every year. It's double now compared to 10 years ago. Note ATT recently purchased DirecTV and that may result in better deals for DirecTV customers?

Ah! That explains it. I have beren getting their mailers tying Direct TV to ATT and have been wondering what the deal was.

My complaint about either dish service is that they bundle so much into their 'deals' that I don't want and don't watch then charge an arm and a leg to get the channels I do want such as the nature, history and science channels. They can take all the movie and sports and give them to someone who cares.

 

[turnkey4099]

Same here, I guess I'll be staying with Dish and upgrading to HD sometime. I'll try to negotiate a deal with them at that time. The combination of 20 years of loyalty and the option to switch to another service is usually pretty good leverage. They cut my monthly charge in 1/2 for 6 months a couple years ago when they were losing channels (fox & TBS?) after I called to complain.

Kevin

The 'new customer' offers sound real good but when they run out you are right back to being gouged for crap you don't want.

 

[TractorGuy]

Had a bad experience with DTV. After 7-8 years of service my receiver failed. They offered to replace it free but said I would have to pay $20 shipping and handling. I agreed as long as my service stayed the same and did not increase. Was told it would stay the same then they raised my rate. After 3 months of calling to get adjustments and confusion they finally told me my old plan was not available any more and my new higher priced service and "FREE RECEIVER" came with a new 18 month agreement that they failed to mention. I told them to send a return shipping slip if they wanted it back and to cancel my service. They tried to charge me a $280 early disconnect fee. Went through 6 months of haggling about that and refusing to pay so they sent me to a collection agency. I replied to the collection agency via certified letter letting them know I did not owe and would not pay any early disconnect fee I wasn't informed of beforehand. I filed a complaint with the States Attorney's office but never received a reply form them. Got one more letter from DTV then they dropped it. I made sure they didn't put anything on my credit report too.

Called Dish and they said you could only sign up with auto pay. After what I went through with DTV I wasn't about to agree to that.

I got a good antenna with a rotator and never looked back. DSL, Netflix, and antenna has been all we need. A lot of the shows my wife and I watched and enjoyed have the whole series commercial free on Netflix. I have to call and renegotiate my DSL rate with Century Link every year. Have had that line since 1979 and so far they keep letting me get a decent rate for the meager 1.5 Mbps speed they can deliver to my location.

 

[Duwop]

I signed up for Slingtv I get about 40 channels for 25 a month no contract. It's a streaming service offered by one of the major carriers. I stopped paying for cable over 20 years ago opting for whatever was free over-air. I have been apart of the Slingtv for about 3 months and am enjoying it. Sorry I could offer help on the dish/ direct ? but there are options that don't cost 100-200 a month

 

[JerryK]

I have Dish Network [ no cable out in the woods, and the over the air channels are iffy ]... Just their cheapest non-HD plan. Used to call is Dish Family. Have a 322 dual receiver with a TV in the house and one in the barn on the 2nd tuner via coax... and I am a HAPPY CAMPER... Still waiting on the government to trench in my free or low cost government fiber cable......any day now......

 

[reb]

I have been a Dish customer for 15-16 years. The only reason I keep satellite TV is because the wife is a TV addict. Otherwise, I would get the news online and for less than the cost of the satellite service I can buy DVDs of any movie I want to see. My FIL had DTV until he got fed up with the increases and changed to Dish. My brother did that same.