DISH Network for Seniors: Reviews and Prices

DISH Network Pros and Cons

DISH Network Plans and Pricing

DISH currently offers three different plans, ranging from $62.99 to $114.99 in price. As with most television providers, subscribers can add on premium channels for additional monthly fees.

The DISH Network 55-Plus Deal

The DISH senior discount is available for customers 55 and up, and gives senior customers the chance to take advantage of several monthly services. These include a free rental movie each month, as well as free in-person technical assistance and equipment replacement at your home, which normally cost $95 per visit.

Additionally, the 55-plus plan gives customers access to the DISH Protect Plus service for the first six months, which comes with identity protection for their DISH accounts. Those on the senior discount plan can also add a Stars & Stripes package to their base subscription for an additional $10 per month. This exclusive package deal gives users access to nine premium channels, including Smithsonian, STARZ Encore, Destination America, and Great American Country.

Considering that most cable providers don’t offer discounts for older adults, we appreciated this extra deal.

How to Purchase DISH

The easiest way to purchase DISH is to visit their website, but they also have in-person retailers. Their plans are positioned clearly on their home page. After selecting one, you will be taken to an order summary page. From here, you can select a Hopper 2 DVR upgrade, select an installation date, and use your special offer. This is important if you want to get your 55-plus exclusive offer.

Click on the plus sign next to “special offers” to view the three that DISH has available. In addition to the 55-plus offer, they also have an offer for active duty and veteran military personnel, as well as an offer for healthcare workers. Below that, you can input a promo code if you have one.

Finally, click “continue to account information” to make or log into your DISH account. You will need to create this account to activate your DISH service.

DISH Network Pricing

DISH Network services are priced on a monthly basis, ranging from $62.99 to $109.99. You can select discounts at checkout which can lower your rates. You can also select add-ons, such as the Stars & Stripes package, which will run you extra fees every month.

The service offers a two-year contract that locks you into the network but gives you a lower price per month. This contract is not required, however, so customers have the option to sign up for longer or keep their pay-by-month plan. Note that, as with many networks, the price per month will increase after two years of service.

DISH Network does have some fees, but it doesn’t keep them hidden. They are all listed on a page on my.dish.com labeled “Fees” and include the major service charges. Receiver installation has a unique fee depending on the receiver model, ranging from $7 to $17. Program changes, such as removing DISH Protect or removing adult programming, also come with a fee of $20 to $40. Late payments result in a standard $10 charge.

The largest fee is the account cancellation fee, which can be $480 for new customers, plus any unreturned equipment. Be sure to review DISH network’s service offerings before committing to their network to avoid these fees.

DISH Network vs. DIRECTV

DIRECTV is likely DISH network’s biggest competitor, offering similar channel packages that include an essentials package, sports package, and family package. The base prices for their plans are a little cheaper and often go on sale. At the time of this writing, their essential plan can be purchased for $64.99 for the first year.

Like DISH, DIRECTV does have price increases, however, and a contract requirement of two years, which will include a price increase in the second year. One major difference is that DIRECTV includes NFL Sunday Ticket by default while DISH does not. This could be a deal-breaker for some.