I saw this elsewhere and it worked like a charm, but didn't see it here. Call up, even if you are in a contract, and they will give you the premier package (all movie channels, tivo service free, etc.) for $20 off the regular price for 6 months. This is a customer retnetion program and it extends your contract for a full year. The great part is that you can call them up every 5 months and they are more than happy to extend you for another 6 months at $20 off, though it does increase your contract to another full year from that date.

Some reps no nothing about this, so you may have to call a few times. I had to call twice.

There are instances of people being out of contract getting a free tivo unit as well after saying they were thinking of leaving but wanted to see what DTV would offer.

I had the regular package (I think) and this cost is only about $15 more for me to have it all.

thanks...i'll give it a shot...

Good deal, will have to give it a shot.

thanks kvrdave it worked for me.

what number did you call? Did you just call them up and say give me the 6month rentention package?

I've done this twice. Both times they have given me 3 months and then the credit disappeared. This time I called them on it (instead of just dropping back down). They said I would have to wait a year to get this offer again, but gave me a $60 credit on my bill to make up for it.

The minute I got that credit I dropped the premier online. I barely watched it anyways, but like dave said - when it works it's almost a no-brainer.

Just a heads up to keep an eye on your bills if you do this. It seems to say something like '$20 credit see above' but the amount is $0.00.



I'd just be happy to not have to pay $20 a month in extra receiver fees

I called 1-800-531-5000 and got a rep. and asked about the deal told the rep and told her where i saw it i also saw it on www.tivocommunity.com and the rep punched something in and thats all it took. hope this helps

I just did this and got the $20 off. The first rep would only give a $5 credit for 6 months and 3 free months of stars and showtime. When I wasn't happy she transferred me to another rep who did the deal.

Good deal. I'll have to pass though.

I'm moving in 6 months and don't want to get locked into a contract again incase I move somewhere that satellite isn't an option (i.e. facing the wrong way, with a roommate that already has cable, etc.).

I could be wrong, but I don't think this is a contract deal. I think I could cancel DTV tomorrow if I wanted to.

The future of HD at DirecTv

See the bolded section but future HD equipment upgrades

DirecTV Pushing HD Options
Firm Rushes Wide Range of New Offerings to Meet Holidays
By James Hibberd TVWeek.com
With high-definition television set prices in a sudden free fall, DirecTV is scrambling to implement an unprecedented array of technology and programming options in time for the holiday season to attract new HD subscribers. The News Corp.-controlled satellite provider has been launching satellites to expand its HD offerings and plans to soon roll out a proprietary HD receiver capable of processing next-generation MPEG-4 compression streams, which will ease bandwidth constraints.

"Everything our retailers are telling us is that they expect this season to break all records for [sales of] high definition and flat screens, so it's important to have the local [channels] up and new receivers up and in the major markets prior to the holiday season-which we will do," said Bob Marsocci, VP of communications for DirecTV.

Trouble is, cable operators in most markets currently offer less expensive HD packages with more channels than DirecTV, which charges customers hundreds for an HD receiver-a competitiveness gap DirecTV CEO Chase Carey acknowledged during a recent second-quarter earnings conference call. Then there's satellite competitor EchoStar, which this summer gobbled up the HD Voom channels from Cablevision and cut its HD package prices.

"If you look at the comparative offerings today, cable has the better offering, plain and simple, and that's a dangerous place to be," said Bruce Leichtman, president of Leichtman Research Group. "DBS has been so successful getting the high-end subscriber, if they don't act quickly, they can lose them. What's working in DirecTV's favor is the cable operators have not been as aggressive at exploiting their advantages as they should be."

With subscriber growth slowing during the last quarter, DirecTV has recently dropped the price of its premium HD DVR receiver from $999 to $699 and then to $499. When its as-yet-unnamed MPEG-4 receiver debuts, DirecTV will lose a longstanding requirement that customers must own their equipment and offer a monthly rental option-just like cable operators, executives said.

DirecTV also plans to offer HD versions of local broadcast stations, a key programming service for attracting HD customers, available by the end of the year in its 12 top U.S. markets-New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Tampa, Fla.

But implementation of the new services is coming down to the wire.

The MPEG-4 receivers were supposed to be released this fall, but were pushed back. The receivers will hit the first test market in October and the first 12 markets "by end of the year," said Eric Shanks, DirecTV's senior VP of advanced services and content.

ESPN2, a long-sought channel among DirecTV's core sports-fan contingent, is finally coming online Sept. 9. Another key channel, TNT HD, is still absent from the service.

The rollout also means converting about 500,000 existing HD subscribers to the new receivers, which are expected to cost subscribers between $250 and $275.

Mr. Shanks would not promise a free upgrade, but he said the transition would be "as painless as possible."

To support the addition of local HD signals and new receivers, DirecTV plans to launch marketing campaigns in key cities, though details are not yet available.

"The holidays are the busiest subscriber growth period in any given year, coupled with cable becoming more competitive," Mr. Marsocci said. "We're going to have pedal to the metal when it comes to marketing product and service."

Looking ahead, DirecTV plans to have 1,500 local HD channels and 150 national HD channels by 2007.

That article is misleading. If you go to AVS forum, you'll see that DirecTV did not state that information, but rather the author did. All indications are that DirecTV's switchout to MPEG-4 will be at minimal cost or no cost to subscribers.

I was just going by kvrdave's post.

True, but I'm not under a contract the the csr said nothing about any obligations. I've not planning on moving soon, so its not an issure with me, but I think the csr would be required to mention that I've just obligated myself to a term of service.

Not necessarily. I got a deal for a DirectTivo for $49 with free installation last decemember and later noticed my contract had been extended a year.

I wasn't happy about it, but I wasn't moving within a year at that time so I didn't bother calling to complain.

Thanks - just got the deal. Was shot down by the first operator. She gave me to someone else, and he said that it was his department that allowed this deal, not hers. It ended up costing me about $10 more per month for EVERYTHING. So, thank you very much OP. He said the deal would last for six months, at which time I can renew it... Great deal.

This makes me wonder, will DTV notify us when this runs out or will they just up the monthly price without saying anything?

I know this is a DirectTV thread, but does anyone know of any DISH Network deals for currect customers???

Thanks!!

I am in a former NRTC area but when I had ffee six months of HD programming the bill had the cut-off for free programming on the bill.

I mention NRTC because I actually still pay a slightly different rate for DirecTv and mail to the local NRTC address. So they may have a different billing programming

what do you ask for when you call?

I just said, "I've head you've got a deal for long time customers of DTV...yada yada yada". See the original post and my previous ones for further details.

do i ask for customer retnetion program?

I believe I mentioned customer retention in my phone call.

yeah it worked, first person said the only deal they have is for DVR. called again and got it

But watch your bill. We soon discovered that in addition to giving us the upgraded package with $20 off, they charged us for the old package too. Not such a good deal. Had to call and get that straightened out.