Dish Network and the Big Ten

T

treyball3

Three-Star Recruit
Ok, so the people at Dish Network are idiots. I tried talking to them months ago about the BTN and my dish network package and they had no clue. I just now chatted with someone on their site and again, they had no idea. They wanted to sign me up for some Korean package for $19.99 a month because the BTN was an international channel. um, no I think you have the wrong channel. Then they asked if I was meaning BET. oh my. According to their website, the BTN is available in the America's top 120+ package, which is what I have. But they also told me that my area is not eligible for the BTN on that package. I live in a small town not too far outside Lincoln. They're trying to sell me a sports package, but from what I can tell, I shouldn't need one. All I wanted to know is if my area will automatically get the channel come July 1st. I don't want July 1st to get here and then not have the channel, so I'm trying to figure out what to do. Has anyone on here gotten good information on what will happen come July 1st and dish network?

I also noticed, when checking out the differences between the 120 and the 120+ packages, that the only thing the 120+ offers that the 120 doesn't is BTN and the fox soccer channel. And I don't get the BTN, so I've been paying 5 extra dollars a month for a craptastic soccer channel. So, that makes me feel good. :)

 
For less of a headache, I would just drop dish network and get DirecTV. (The BTN is included in the package) Then tell your friends to do it too. Then their friends, etc etc.

 
I'm in the same boat as you but I have the Gold package which is like 250+ channels are something like that. Anyways the BTN is suppose to be in that package that I have but you have to live in one of the states that are already in the Big 10 conference to get the BTN. I have to pay for the sports package in order to get the BTN which I refused to do now that Nebraska is in the Big Ten.

I called Dish Network like a month ago asking when the BTN will be available in Nebraska without having to pay for the sports package and they had NO clue when it'll be available. I advised them that Nebraska would be offically in the Big 10 come July 1st and that Nebraska should have the BTN available come that date and they still told me that they had no idea when the BTN will be a standard channel in Nebraska.

Needless to say come July 16th I'll be switching to DirecTV where the BTN is standard wherever you live plus I'll get more sports channels on DirecTV than I ever got with Dish.

 
well, its good to know I'm not the only one that can't get any answers. Unfortunately, I'm in a Dish contract until January, and DirecTV is more expensive, and I'm not able to pay the extra every month. I just wish someone knew something! Maybe I need to talk to a local Dish Network salesmen that actually knows what the Big Ten and Nebraska football are...

 
Dish Network doesn't have to make the BTN available in their basic package in Nebraska because it's most likely not in their contract with the network. Just because Nebraska joins the conference on July 1, doesn't mean Dish has to make that channel available to all subscribers in Nebraska in their basic package. The BTN would need to redo their contract with Dish. Why don't you just get the sports package and not have to worry about it? It can't be more than $10 a month or so.

 
I don't get the sports package because on their website, the package that I have (which isn't the basic) says that it includes the BTN. but apparently it's only in that package in the big ten states, which we will soon be.

 
treyball3 said:
I don't get the sports package because on their website, the package that I have (which isn't the basic) says that it includes the BTN. but apparently it's only in that package in the big ten states, which we will soon be.
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I thought the same thing when I got Dish last year, but if you read the fine print, BTN is available based on region. You can get BTN (along with NFL RedZone, NFL Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, Fox Soccer Channel, Fuel TV and 25 local sports networks) for $7/month with the Multi-sport Package according to their site.

P.S. NFL Redzone is totally worth the $7/month if you like the NFL

 
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well, I just stopped at Windstream, who also sells Dish Network. Apparently the BTN is supposed to just turn on come July 1 on qualifying packages. The 120+ package has "regional sports networks", so I would assume that package would include the BTN also, since the dish website says that it does. When July 1st hits, the BTN will be a regional sports network for Nebraska. At Windstream, they thought you have to have the 200 channel package to get it, though. The 200 channel package is only $7 a month more than what I'm paying now, and has a ton of other channels I'd watch, so I'll probably just upgrade to that to be safe.

 
treyball3 said:
well, its good to know I'm not the only one that can't get any answers. Unfortunately, I'm in a Dish contract until January, and DirecTV is more expensive, and I'm not able to pay the extra every month. I just wish someone knew something! Maybe I need to talk to a local Dish Network salesmen that actually knows what the Big Ten and Nebraska football are...
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I believe Direct should offer a 12 month discount program. They do this as an inticement. I switched from Dish to Direct over a year ago but my Dish contract was up. Since you're under contract with Dish still, look at the cost of breaking the contract ($200ish - I am not sure if that fee is pro-rated based on how much time you have left with them) vs the monthly savings for 12 months on Direct. Maybe you can talk Direct into giving you a better discout if explain you would need to pay that fee for breaking the Dish contract.

I went through HH Gregg (electronics superstore) to get Direct TV and got a new TV out of it.

Now that my 12 month promotional period is up, my bill is slightly higher under Direct. I would think for the same packages, Direct and Dish are close in cost.

 
Dish is way cheaper for me than DirectTV would be at my programming level. Since I'm not in Big10 country, I have to pay an extra $7/month during football season for BTN, but it's still absolutely the better deal for me (especially since I like having NFL RedZone). The sports package is easy to add right when football season starts and then drop again when it ends for us out of area fans and really doesn't cost that much.

Basically, don't just jump to DirectTV for the BTN, weigh your options and costs first.

edit: also, all 120+ adds on Dish is local sports channels, so I'd imagine it will be revised to include the BTN in Nebraska fairly soon. I don't subscribe to it because I could care less about having Mountain West local sports.

 
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I personally will probably never subscribe to DirecTV as their customer service is, in my repeated experience, among the worst I have ever encountered in business. I am not joking. It could not have been any worse than it was.

That said, I too had a little trouble getting the BTN on DishNet. Originally, I signed up for the America's Top 200 thinking I'd get it, but alas I did not because I do not live in one of the states where it applies. So I downgraded to the America's Top 120 and added the Multi-Sport Pack which gives me the BTN and saves me about $2-3 a month over the America's Top 200. I get pretty much every sports channel I want (except Versus), and don't miss out on anything in the Top 200 as the difference basically consists of estrogen-friendly channels like Lifetime, Oxygen, etc.

I have had zero issues with DishNet and if I had Versus as well, likely would never cancel my subscription. DirecTV may have better programming, but it seems to be more expensive and their customer service is over-the-top ridiculous. Until DirecTV cleans house, I will stay away if I can help it.

 
Hujan said:
I personally will probably never subscribe to DirecTV as their customer service is, in my repeated experience, among the worst I have ever encountered in business. I am not joking. It could not have been any worse than it was.

That said, I too had a little trouble getting the BTN on DishNet. Originally, I signed up for the America's Top 200 thinking I'd get it, but alas I did not because I do not live in one of the states where it applies. So I downgraded to the America's Top 120 and added the Multi-Sport Pack which gives me the BTN and saves me about $2-3 a month over the America's Top 200. I get pretty much every sports channel I want (except Versus), and don't miss out on anything in the Top 200 as the difference basically consists of estrogen-friendly channels like Lifetime, Oxygen, etc.

I have had zero issues with DishNet and if I had Versus as well, likely would never cancel my subscription. DirecTV may have better programming, but it seems to be more expensive and their customer service is over-the-top ridiculous. Until DirecTV cleans house, I will stay away if I can help it.
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I have been with DirecTV for over 10 years and never once had any problem with customer service. They excel in that area compared to any cable company I have ever had. They always work with me to give me free credits, free equipment if needed, free premium movie channel packages, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have called to cancel Showtime and/or Starz and when they ask why, I reply to save money. They always give me at least one of them free for three months. Just a month ago I called to cancel both of them and they gave me two for one, and a $10 credit for the next 24 months. Never had any issues what so ever with them. They are great and always rank as the best in customer satisfaction every year.

 
That's funny. I had huge problems with Dish and was out of reception for two weeks and they gave me no refunds or anything else.

Direct tv has been great. Had them for 6 yrs and only had one mix up. Last year I ordered the PPV for one of the NU games. At 7pm the game wasn't on. I called and had to go thru 2 CS reps, but found out that the person I went thru to buy it accidentally hit the wrong channel. I missed the kick off and the current CS rep knew it, so she gave me the showing for free.

 
HuskerFan118 said:
Hujan said:
I personally will probably never subscribe to DirecTV as their customer service is, in my repeated experience, among the worst I have ever encountered in business. I am not joking. It could not have been any worse than it was.

That said, I too had a little trouble getting the BTN on DishNet. Originally, I signed up for the America's Top 200 thinking I'd get it, but alas I did not because I do not live in one of the states where it applies. So I downgraded to the America's Top 120 and added the Multi-Sport Pack which gives me the BTN and saves me about $2-3 a month over the America's Top 200. I get pretty much every sports channel I want (except Versus), and don't miss out on anything in the Top 200 as the difference basically consists of estrogen-friendly channels like Lifetime, Oxygen, etc.

I have had zero issues with DishNet and if I had Versus as well, likely would never cancel my subscription. DirecTV may have better programming, but it seems to be more expensive and their customer service is over-the-top ridiculous. Until DirecTV cleans house, I will stay away if I can help it.
Click to expand...

I have been with DirecTV for over 10 years and never once had any problem with customer service. They excel in that area compared to any cable company I have ever had. They always work with me to give me free credits, free equipment if needed, free premium movie channel packages, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have called to cancel Showtime and/or Starz and when they ask why, I reply to save money. They always give me at least one of them free for three months. Just a month ago I called to cancel both of them and they gave me two for one, and a $10 credit for the next 24 months. Never had any issues what so ever with them. They are great and always rank as the best in customer satisfaction every year.
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Weird. I must've have run into the only three hyper-ethnic, super pushy, robotic customer service reps they have. Your description of DirecTV sounds exactly like my experience with DishNet. To each their own, I guess.

 
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