I'm done with DISH network after Fisher feud

Sorry, DISH Network, I've changed my mind. Your satellite dish on our roof soon will be replaced by a DirecTV model.

On January 1 I was planning to stick with DISH, even though turning off our local ABC affiliate, KATU (Channel 2) was deeply irritating.

Watching the 2009 Rose Bowl on a 4.5 inch laptop window wasn't nearly as much fun as seeing it on our new 42 inch LCD television would have been. And we're getting anxious about the new season of "Lost" starting in a few weeks on ABC.

Still, I was going to give DISH more time to work out a deal with Fisher Communications until I glanced at the cover of the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.

It said "We rate 27 phone, TV & web providers." I turned to page 22. Where I found this advice about bundled services:

Recommended
These carriers stand out for the reasons cited below

If TV is paramount and you can't get fiber service:
A hybrid bundle that includes DirecTV

This satellite TV provider scored significantly higher than the major cable companies and rival Dish Network for TV picture, sound, and channel selection, with 150 high-def channels at the latest count, compared with 75 or so for AT&T [which offers DISH] and 35 to 50 for most cable companies.

It's TV service is offered in hybrid bundles with DSL and phone service from some telephone providers. Combinations of Qwest Internet and phone services and DirecTV television service compare well against bundles from the best cable companies. Satellite requires a satellite dish and other equipment, usually free or at a discount in exchange for a contractual agreement.

That pushed me over the-get-rid-of-DISH edge. I researched DirecTV offerings, then called Qwest.

By dumping our AT&T long distance and going with Qwest, plus adding DirecTV, we ended up with a $20 a month bundle discount for having four services: local phone, long distance, DSL, and satellite television.

The HD Plus DirecTV package will end up costing us about the same, or a bit less, than our current roughly comparable DISH package. We'll get a HD DVR receiver at no extra cost.

I also was impressed by DirecTV's Scheduler service. It lets you schedule programs for recording via a mobile phone or computer, if you're not at home and suddenly realize that you're going to miss an important sports event or TV show.

Pretty cool. And not available on DISH.

One last benefit for switching to DirecTV: revenge. This will punish DISH Network for going back on its local channel commitment to us that it made when we signed up quite a few years ago.

Because so many people in our area are switching from DISH to DirecTV, our installation date isn't until January 22. That, I believe, is one day after the new season of Lost starts.

Well, we might have to watch the first show online. No problem.

I'll be feeling good about getting rid of DISH, which should have been able to negotiate a deal with Fisher Communications long before this.

Comments

[Brett]

You really are ignorant to the situation as far as the feud between Dish and Fisher is concerned. I can understand the other reasons you're switching for, but I believe Fisher is far more to blame for the lack of a carriage agreement than Dish Network.

For starters, Fisher is asking for an 82% increase, despite getting their signal free from the government. They also profit from ad revenue and they don't have a cost of content like the major networks such as Fox News or ESPN. Fisher is being greedy, and is trying to increase their profits at the expense of Dish Network customers.

I lost out on my CBS affiliate because of this, so I certainly understand the frustration. However, I also respect Dish Network for not caving in to Fisher's rediculous and greedy demands.

[Brian]

Brett, I'd be more inclined to agree with you if DISH was willing to share the actual numbers, rather than just the 82% figure. Like another commenter said, he thinks the numbers are something like 8 cents and 15 cents per subscriber per month (8 being current amount DISH pays, and 15 what Fisher is asking).

That's nothing, compared to the $5.99 DISH gets each month from a subscriber for local programming. And local stations do incur costs for producing content, such as news programs. I agree that since their signal goes over the air free, KATU/Fisher should be happy to have more satellite viewers and not charge for rebroadcasting.

But since the payment game is what it is, I don't think DISH should be putting subscribers through all this hassle for 7 lousy cents -- or whatever.

[David Raney]

Don't make a hasty decision to switch from Dish to DirecTv. We had DirecTv until about a year ago. We gave them about 8 months which included several service calls to our home and multiple sessions with their Tech Support to correct a lip sink / delay in audio problem, they could not fix it. After Cust Svc allowed us to cancel early for their inability to correct their service they sent us to collections for an early cancellation fee. It took many phone calls and letters to have the collection removed from our credit. Additionally on multiple occassions and without our permission they would add a product or service and its related cost to our bill. Finally and regarding this Dish/Fischer dispute, you simply never know who is right in matters like this, one could be right, both could be wrong, and from their individual perspectives they both could be right. However, I have read both company's positions which they have published and Fischer's is substantially less convincing than Dish's. So either Fischer is very weak on the basis of their argument or their appointed PR/Communications person did a very poor job of presenting their position. For these reasons I will stick with Dish and maybe our "Do Nothing Congress" will pass legislation this year allowing re-transmitters like Dish to provide a feed from another market.

[Jeff Shultz]

Just wait until Fisher's contract with DirecTV come's due for renewal....

[steve morris]

I dumped Dish for Comcast. Dish only tells us that it's an 82% increase, but when I ask Dish to provide me with the hard numbers so I can compare them side by side, Dish refuses. Unless I can see the numbers for myself, all I get is Dish's side and I'm not going to believe Dish's side when it refuses to provide me with the numbers. Besides, now I get all the Blazers' games, something Dish could never provide. And where I live, I see other Dish customers suddenly with either Comcast or DirecTV.

[steve sullivan]

Went to Dish. bad reception ( burping) on HD Direct channels, no help from direct. Dish is going to be 20.00 cheaper per month except the first 6 months is only $25,99 Making it $35.00 cheaper and a new HD DVR and all equipment for for 3 rooms. Today April 1st without prior knowledge Direct sent us a bill $3.00 higher. To Heck with Fischer Broadcasting they are no better than any other stations , why double the asking price? Direct hasn'y been in negotiations yet.They send out their broadcasting for free to people in the cities anyway. The only program I watched of theirs they just dumped anyway, Homeland Security.....Had to let it out.....thanks