Dish/Directv Alternative

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by rames14

Tony, the reason I am assuming they will do away with changing locals is DirecTV used to allow you to change........

With 6.1 million customers joining a company with 11.3 existing customers, I don't expect much to change for a while. I suspect the first priorities are consolidating staff, accounting systems, and eliminating duplicate efforts. Given the two use completely different technologies for their satellite service there will be some time before they go there. As Dish allows you to change location via their app, that doesn't appear to be a high value target for change given the other challenges they have (Looming debt payments and customer abandonment).

Based on the responses, my guess is no one does it yet via streaming. Mike, I suspect they are using a VPN to mask location. I will check that out....

VPN is the way to hide your location, but a couple of streamers have discovered how to detect you are using a VPN and they cut you off. I don't use a VPN but one of my techie friends has been playing with them and I think Apple TV (or YouTube TV) is one that detects the use of a VPN. The point is that if one figures it out, they all will, and can stop you if their rules preclude the use.

[Mikendebbie]

Carl said “As Dish allows you to change location via their app, that doesn't appear to be a high value target for change given the other challenges they have (Looming debt payments and customer abandonment).”

Just a small clarification for those that don’t have Dish. I have Dish at the S&B. I can not change my location with the app…I have to call them and have them activate the local channels for the zip code of the campground we are at. I think if you only have Dish Outdoors for use in the RV (no S&B) you can change locations with the app.

[Bourbon County]

I've been a Dish customer for >26 years in my home, satellite and/or antenna were the only options when we built. I have the Hopper/Joey system and 4 TVs on the dish. I don't subscribe to any premium services and the monthly bill is upwards of $200.

I didn't realize until reading this post and doing some research just how many customers Dish has been hemorrhaging over the past few years; 12% per year. Apparently people are "cutting the cord" at a faster rate on satellite service than cable service.

From what I read, Dish is in debt nearly $10 billion, and ATT is going to assume that debt after buying them for the sum of $1.00. Here's where things get very confusing for me. In 2020 Dish bought Boost Moblle and had to float some corporate bonds to afford it. They got permission from the FCC to become the fourth nationwide cell carrier to encourage more competition. Why did the regulators approve this transaction for such a cash strapped company? Of the big 3 cell carriers, ATT is in third place not too far behind T-Mobile. This merger will add >7 million Boost Mobile customers and put them pretty close to T-Mobile customer number wise. I'm curious if Boost Mobile is viewed as the real prize and Dish Network is just the red-headed step child that comes with the package? Another puzzling thing is that I'm pretty convinced that there are no humans that actually work for ATT, this has to be an AI based decision.

As far as the mobile satellite service, as cheap as it is, there can't be any profits there. The little Wally receivers aren't terribly expensive, but the portable dishes are ridiculous. These are both 1 time purchases and not really a revenue stream. We'll just have to wait and see what if anything they do to screw up this service.

On a more personal note; Charlie Ergen, the co-founder and former CEO of Dish Network is (like me) an east Tennessee native and attended UT. Dish has long been a major donor to UT athletics and though they don't have to disclose, supposedly is a major donor to the UT NIL collective. We have a young quarterback that is rumored to have an $8 million NIL deal. Who is going to pay our ball players now?