Following up on Mari’s HDTV holiday buying research, I’ve noticed an interesting strategy that television service providers are employing this fall to lure folks away from the CableCo: Verizon FiOS TV is offering new subscribers a free Sharp 19″ LCD HDTV and Dish Network is offering new or existing customers $800 off a variety of Sharp LCDs. These deals seem pretty compelling – especially for the mainstream who probably don’t have a strong DVR software preferences.
FYI I’m an employee of Silng Media, recently acquired by Echostar – the guys behind Dish.
FYI 2 Due to my location, I’m stuck with Comcast. Though the billing is random and my channel lineup periodically changes for no apparent reason, they did give me a deal on Showtime ($5/mo for 12 months) a couple weeks ago and I discovered they’ve boosted my broadband speeds… So I can’t complain as much as I used to. 9-12 months ago a free TV might have been enough to jump ship (if I lived in a FiOS TV area or location where I could get satellite).
Dave, I don’t think that FiOS offer is good in all areas, and definitely not Northern VA.
Tom, I’m not sure. But here in MD, I saw the commercial on TV. Don’t know if the commercial was through a local affiliate (which would cover you as well) or if it was through my Comcast branch.
They had this long-standing question batted back and forth on BOL the last few weeks… Rafe Needleman would be pleased.
Rather than “exiting”, surely you mean “existing”…
Heh, wouldn’t that be the deal. Amusing typo has been corrected – thanks.
I saw that FiOS free Sharp ad in Boston right before I moved. Sounds sweet.