Dish Network is the latest pay-TV provider hoping that a streaming pact can help slow the cord-cutting bleeding.
The satellite-TV company announced a new deal that includes Netflix‘s standard plan with ads (regularly $6.99/month in the U.S.) with a Dish TV subscription for no additional cost for two years. The offer requires new or existing customers to lock in to a 24-month commitment, with early termination fees if they cancel before the term expires.
Under such deals, the distributor (i.e. Dish) typically pays a per-subscriber wholesale rate to the streaming partner (i.e. Netflix).
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Other pay-TV operators have also leaned into streaming bundles to try to attract and retain subscribers. Charter Communications includes Disney+, ESPN+ and Paramount+ for many Spectrum TV users. And last month, Comcast launched StreamSaver, a package that includes NBCUniversal’s Peacock Premium (with ads), Netflix Basic (with ads) and Apple TV+ for a discounted price of $15 per month.
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For Dish, it remains to be seen if the “free” Netflix bundle offer will change the trajectory of its declining sub base. For the first quarter of 2024, Dish’s net pay-TV subscribers decreased by 348,000, closing the period with 6.26 million Dish TV subscribers and 1.92 million Sling TV subscribers. Despite the decline, the company noted that it was an improvement over the 552,000 drop in the year-earlier quarter.
Dish’s free Netflix offer requires customers to have a Hopper 3, Hopper Duo or Wally set-top box, which provide integrated access to Netflix.
Dish TV customers who opt for the Netflix offer will get a $6.99 monthly bill credit for two years. They can also choose to upgrade to the $15.49/month Netflix Standard (no ads) or the $22.99/month Netflix Premium plans, while receiving the $6.99 monthly credit. After two years, customers will pay the retail price unless they cancel Netflix service. Dish also noted that the Netflix price is not included in its “price lock” offer and is subject to change.
