Hi all, Ill try to make this as short as possible(:B)We have been Direct TV subscribers for a tad over 16 years(we've stayed the course) and have been relatively Happy. Last week we called Direct to ask about any special deals/Promotions/freebies, you know to save few bucks. The Rep said, sure, we can get rid of a few non essential channels(Lifetime, Food network and others along that line). We said sure as long as our DNS service was NOT in jeopardize. He indicated, NO it was not and if we did not like the changes, we had a two week grace period to go back to the original programming. Long story short, my DNS(east and west coast feeds) Grandfathered in contract was voided and there is NO way to reinstate them now because Id have to re qualify! Of course, I cant re qualify because Local channels are part of all their packages. Don't worry, Ive called them out on what we were told in every conversation since...BUT No way. No how are we getting DNS back from Direct.This is getting long....anyways, there's nothing holding us to Direct now so going to Dish seems like a good move to not only get new equipment but all the advantages and upgrades that I haven't received from Direct over the years. I'll just lay out my plan.....get the Top 250 plan from Dish, get a VIP 222K dual tuner receiver for the house and get two VIP 211K receivers for the RV(add the hard drives if I want to record), then go to mydistantnetworks to get DNS service for the RV receivers. Ill stop there. Is it better to Buy your own equipment? or go through Dish? Any other comments, suggestions, thoughts would be appreciated, we haven't been the every two year switchers, so this is all new to us now.ThanksDwightPS....the Hopper and DVR isn't all that important to us although Im sure we'd Love it if we had it!

I just joined up with direct and when i called to get another receiver for the TT they wanted me to pay extra $50 since I was a new customer. told them no, yes I was a new customer and they should be darn glad I was ans should treat me with open arms. short story, I told them when my contract is up, so is my relationship with them. Dish on the other hand is no better. when I signed up with them, they told me they would install they didn't want us to climb up on the roof. after two years they were not so understanding when I told them I was leaving. they told me to get up on the roof and take down the dish and sent it back or get reported to collections. I told them where to put the dish.

We switched to Dish just a few months ago after sixteen years with Direct. Dish is Ok. I like the Directv DVR much better than the hopper. The hopper is just plain strange. Programming is fine. It's just dumb, how they treat their long time customers. New customers get ten times better treatment than the long time customers. It's much harder to get customers than keep them, but they never learn.I did learn that lots of people every two years just cancel and go to the other. That way they get at least one year every other year with low rates.My daughter had to move and Direct wouldn't move the set up. So I did it for her to their new house. I used to install Directv. One thing I can't stand about direct, and maybe Dish, I just haven't found out yet, is that if there is trouble with your receiver, you get an old one to replace it. I went through 4 before I got one that would work for more than a week. Had the same problem as an installer. Had to carry a bunch of receivers to be sure I had one that worked for the customer. Oh well. It's the way it is.

That "reconditioned" receiver story is similar to what happen a few months ago with Direct. Since being with them so long, I own my equipment and one receiver I have is the Old RCA with the low speed data port which I needed for the Datron Sat system on the MH. Another long story short, Direct doesn't want me to use that old RCA so they said, we need to replace it.....so they send me a reconditioned receiver...WOW, that must have been a BIG expense for a long time customer!!!! I wanted the access card to stay active, they told me...Oh, no problem, we'll just have to charge you 5.00 a month(the only way my Datron would work in the auto mode was with the older receiver). I go on vacation and its been cancelled! I guess in the long run its time to make a change so I can join the 21st century lol

We've bounced between Dish and Direcvtv 3 times with each (due to lost channels because of contract disputes with their providers.We finally decided to upgrade to Hopper and Joeys 3 mos. ago with Dish.DW does all the DVR recording (she loves old movies) and she hates commercials.I was able to re-negotiated with Dish to hold the price to below $100 (which was our limit). We got one $5.00/mo discount previously for 12 mos, along with another $10.00 discount for 12-/mo. We have had very good success with re-negotiating with Dish every 6 mos or so (getting HBO/Cinemax/Showtime for 1/2 or no charge. We even got an installer to give us HD dish for our RV travels.When dealing with them (customer retention reps ONLY) I just ask if they want to keep me "happy". I tell them want price I want to pay monthly and they have always been able to "squeeze" a package together that makes us happy. We have no complaints AL ALL with Dish.On the other hand, we did the same re-negotiating with Directv when we had them and same results. Only the customer retention reps can wield and deal to make you happy. We had no complaints with Directv, either.

Seems all the satellite companies and cell phone companies are more interested in getting new customers than keeping long time loyal customers who pay their bill on time. New customers can get deals long time customers can't. we too have been with Direct TV since the beginning. :)

Direct vs Dish and ? | Good Sam Community

34 Replies

johnrbd
Explorer
Sep 14, 2013
We've bounced between Dish and Direcvtv 3 times with each (due to lost channels because of contract disputes with their providers.

We finally decided to upgrade to Hopper and Joeys 3 mos. ago with Dish.
DW does all the DVR recording (she loves old movies) and she hates commercials.

I was able to re-negotiated with Dish to hold the price to below $100 (which was our limit). We got one $5.00/mo discount previously for 12 mos, along with another $10.00 discount for 12-/mo.

We have had very good success with re-negotiating with Dish every 6 mos or so (getting HBO/Cinemax/Showtime for 1/2 or no charge. We even got an installer to give us HD dish for our RV travels.

When dealing with them (customer retention reps ONLY) I just ask if they want to keep me "happy". I tell them want price I want to pay monthly and they have always been able to "squeeze" a package together that makes us happy. We have no complaints AL ALL with Dish.

On the other hand, we did the same re-negotiating with Directv when we had them and same results. Only the customer retention reps can wield and deal to make you happy. We had no complaints with Directv, either.
Acampingwewillg
Explorer II
Sep 14, 2013
That "reconditioned" receiver story is similar to what happen a few months ago with Direct. Since being with them so long, I own my equipment and one receiver I have is the Old RCA with the low speed data port which I needed for the Datron Sat system on the MH. Another long story short, Direct doesn't want me to use that old RCA so they said, we need to replace it.....so they send me a reconditioned receiver...WOW, that must have been a BIG expense for a long time customer!!!! I wanted the access card to stay active, they told me...Oh, no problem, we'll just have to charge you 5.00 a month(the only way my Datron would work in the auto mode was with the older receiver). I go on vacation and its been cancelled! I guess in the long run its time to make a change so I can join the 21st century lol
btd35
Explorer
Sep 14, 2013
We switched to Dish just a few months ago after sixteen years with Direct. Dish is Ok. I like the Directv DVR much better than the hopper. The hopper is just plain strange. Programming is fine. It's just dumb, how they treat their long time customers. New customers get ten times better treatment than the long time customers. It's much harder to get customers than keep them, but they never learn.
I did learn that lots of people every two years just cancel and go to the other. That way they get at least one year every other year with low rates.
My daughter had to move and Direct wouldn't move the set up. So I did it for her to their new house. I used to install Directv. One thing I can't stand about direct, and maybe Dish, I just haven't found out yet, is that if there is trouble with your receiver, you get an old one to replace it. I went through 4 before I got one that would work for more than a week. Had the same problem as an installer. Had to carry a bunch of receivers to be sure I had one that worked for the customer. Oh well. It's the way it is.
old_guy
Explorer
Sep 14, 2013
I just joined up with direct and when i called to get another receiver for the TT they wanted me to pay extra $50 since I was a new customer. told them no, yes I was a new customer and they should be darn glad I was ans should treat me with open arms. short story, I told them when my contract is up, so is my relationship with them. Dish on the other hand is no better. when I signed up with them, they told me they would install they didn't want us to climb up on the roof. after two years they were not so understanding when I told them I was leaving. they told me to get up on the roof and take down the dish and sent it back or get reported to collections. I told them where to put the dish.

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Direct vs Dish and ?

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