Do New Customers Qualify for the Best DIRECTV Specials?

Absolutely. If you haven’t signed up for DIRECTV before, you’re square in the driver’s seat. DIRECTV puts a major premium on new subscribers and they’re more than willing to compete for your business with free bonuses and discounts. DISH plays the same game so if you’re undecided between the two, check out the latest specials via the banners at the top of this page (or the comparisons over to your right). If you’re learning towards DIRECTV, read on for some of their biggest perks currently available:

NFL SUNDAY TICKET for free

For football fans, it doesn’t get much sweeter than this. Starting in 2011, DIRECTV started offering their most coveted, exclusive channel free to new customers. Previously, it was upwards of $550 per season and, even at that price, there was no shortage of takers. But in a strategic move to win over more customers (and sports fans), they went the free route and haven’t looked back. The offer has already been renewed for this year so it must be working out. If you’re a current subscriber, you’ll still need to pay for it but they recently cut the price down to $199.99 ($299.99 for a newly released NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX that includes the RedZone channel, mobile/computer access, etc).

How long will it last? Tough to say, but it’s a safe bet it’ll run through the entire 2012 NFL season.

More movies than you can watch

Too much of a good thing? Close :-). If you thought you could never get too many movies, DIRECTV’s current movie special will definitely test your TV watchin’ limits. Right now, select customers qualify for three months of premium movie networks such as HBO, SHOWTIME and Cinemax at no charge. In total, it comes out to about 35 channels of round-the-clock flix and original series (like Boardwark Empire, Spartacus, Weeds, etc). There are also no usage restrictions, so you can record as many programs as you’d like and watch them on your own time.

How long will it last? This offer has been a part of DIRECTV’s promo sets for years now and it’s a great way to introduce new customers to the movie networks, so expect this one to stick around for years.

Once you go HD, you never go back

There’s nothing better than catching your favorite shows in high def. Assuming you have a TV that supports it (if not, make it a HIGH priority! :)), HD radically changed the way sports and, really, any show are produced and broadcast. Once you’ve gotten used to it, standard def looks plain bad. The good news is both DIRECTV and DISH Network jumped on the HD bandwagon a couple years back and started to offer it free for life to all new customers. So, no more having to pay a $10 monthly fee for a technology that’s basically the standard now.

How long will it last? With HD being a mainstay for years to come, this special won’t be going anywhere.

What’s the difference between rebates and promotions?

One of the most commonly asked questions we get, it’s really all about how and when they’re applied. A rebate is usually awarded to offset equipment or installation charges. For the most part, they’re “instant” and automatically applied to your order. Some require you to log onto DIRECTV’s site and register AFTER you order so check with your sales rep for clarification. Either way, rebates are usually one lump discount. A promo, for example, includes all the features mentioned in the sections above. They typically recur every month until their predetermined expiration date, then your rates switch over to the standard. For example, most DIRECTV packages are about 50% off during your first year, then go back to their default prices.

When you’re ready to sign up or just getting more info, make sure you ask for all the promos currently running and if any rebates apply. You could end up saving hundreds more than you thought.

About the author

George Levint

George is the senior editor at DigitalFind and an expert in how technology at home impacts our lives. From funky analog radios to AI devices that try to out-think you, he's usually unfairly critical until proven otherwise. He also enjoys spending the occasional weekend off-grid to keep Skynet guessing.