Competition always favors the consumer and that’s certainly the case when it comes to the price wars currently being waged by DISH and DIRECTV. DISH is constantly trying to improve their service to maintain their subscriber base, but there’s nothing more valuable to them than signing up new customers. As a result, DISH has radically ramped up the number AND value of deals you get on sign up. Here are a few tips to maximize your bonuses:
Do your homework
If you call up to place your order (and we recommend you do as you’ll probably miss a special or two if you place your entire order online), make sure you compare the current offers and arm yourself with the facts. Customer service agents are more than willing to help you find the best package for your needs, but they won’t necessarily mention every promo available along the way (they’ll usually wait until the very end of your order). So, as you’re discussing programming and receivers, ask them if there’s a better special if you go with the next higher plan or add an extra service. There’s nothing better than saving more by getting more.
You’ll save more with a 24-month agreement
As with other home services (TV, cell phone, internet, etc), you’ll save substantially more money if commit to a longer-term contract. It’s safer for the company (there’s plenty of people out there that try to game the system by jumping from company to company then skip out on their bill) and really, if you go with a solid provider, you probably won’t consider switching for a few years anyhow. In general, you’ll qualify for the lowest price going on any DISH package by agreeing to a 24-month contract. After you order, they’ll send your equipment for free and cover the entire installation so you can start enjoying your new programming without having to pay a single dime up-front.
Long-term contracts aren’t for anyone, so if you’d rather not partake, you’ll probably have to pay at least 40% more per month during your first year (non-promo prices) and partially cover the cost of the equipment. Just make sure you weigh both sides and decide whether the non-contractual freedom is worth the extra cost. With marginal companies, I’d be leery as well. With DISH, however, they’ve been at or near the top of J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction ratings for years, so there’s a pretty good chance you’ll stick with them for a while.
Here’s what you’ll get
As of this writing, here’s what new customers can expect to get when you sign up with an average package (larger plans qualify you for more free stuff):
- Save up to 38% during the first year
- Free HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and STARZ for 3 months
- Free HD channels for life (regularly $10/month)
- No charge for a professional installation of up to 6 rooms
- Free HD DVR Receiver for up to 2 rooms
- Like Netflix? DISH will give you their similar service (called Blockbuster@Home) free for 3 months
For more details, check out the resources below. Don’t forget to make sure you’re getting all the bonuses available. If they miss one, it’s much more difficult getting discounts applied AFTER your order so take the extra time to cover each of them when you call up.
