Dish to Bundle Netflix Free for Existing Customers Who Re-Up for 2 Years

Down to 6.26 million remaining linear satellite TV subscribers as of the end of March, Dish Network will bundle Netflix's $6.99 Standard with ads service free for existing customers who re-up for two years.

“We’re committed to enhancing our customers’ viewing experience by offering them the best content in the most convenient way possible. Our new Dish and Netflix bundle is a testament to that commitment," said "Gary Schanman, executive VP and group president, Dish Video Services, in a statement.

Netflix's reputation as a retention tool is somewhat unsurpassed right now. Recent consumer surveys, such as one conducted by Hub Entertainment Research , describe the streaming service as an essential component of everyday living for many folks, right up there with a mobile phone and home internet subscription.

NBCUniversal just tapped into Netflix's bundling potential, offering Standard with ads, Peacock and Apple TV Plus in a $15-a-month package it calls StreamSaver .

For its part, Dish is touting "seamless" integration of Netflix into its UX. "Switching between live TV and Netflix is simple and uncomplicated," Echostar-owned Dish said in its press release Wednesday.

Dish was one of the first pay TV operators to integrate Netflix into the UX of its set-tops, making the streaming service a standard part of Hopper device software starting back in 2014.