SatelliteGuys November 19th Live Dish Retailer Chat Recap

[Scott Greczkowski]

Welcome once again to another SatelliteGuys Retailer Chat Recap.

This chat recap is done in near realtime as I am watching the chat via a
Slingbox and often rewind to grab screen captures.

As always only items of interest of Consumers will be talked about here as this is a consumer oriented website. If you are a retailer and wish to discuss Retailer sensitive information please vist our sister site at DishRetailer.COM.

Welcome to SatelliteGuys, the Chat will begin soon! (This thread will be opened once the information has started flowing)

[Scott Greczkowski]

And here we go!

Tom and Jim welcome us and tell us we have a packed show today.

They go over todays agenda (see slide 3 below.) Doesn't sound like any new national HD announcements by looking at the slide.

They start by talking about Team Summit May 7th - 9th in Denver. Retailers can register now at the Retailer WebSite. Early Bird Registration price of $250, price keeps going up and tops out at $500 if you register for Team Summit at Team Summit (holy crap, thats a lot of money to go and listen to 3 days of Dish Network ads.)

They are still talking about Team Summit.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Now finally changing topics off of Team Summit.

They go on talking about the Digital Transition. They tell retailers what an great opportunity this is for them. Customers are starting to take action now that some stations are making the flip early.

Moving to the Eastern Arc...

Jim talks about the new Eastern Arc cities that launch today (see slide 1 below)

Now moving on talking about upcoming PPV events coming up. The show a interview with Oscer De La Hoya. (Yawn.. dish trying to sell PPV events to their retailers now... what a waste of time)

Now NBA League Pass is shown, Dish has reached a deal with the NBA and will offer the package this year. A video is shown for NBA League Pass. BTW this year the NBA League pass also comes with the NBA Broadband service included.

Now on to ESPN Full Court and an ad for the package.

Now an ad for WWE Survivor Series which is this weekend.

Now onto International Channels.

ZeeTV and Star India Package available tomorrow for $24.99 a month.
SabTV was added to the Hindi Mega Pack on November 13th.
RTR Planteta Sports and TV1000 Russian Kino added to Russian Mega Pack.
Afrotainment added to 3A Telesud

[Scott Greczkowski]

Good news, have you wanted to upgrade your equipment through promotions like Dish'n It Up from your local retailer but have been unable to do it because those upgrades could only be done by the retailer who originally installed your system? (and that retailer is out of business, you didn't like them etc..)

Well good news, that requirement to upgrade your equipment through your original retailer is now gone.

This is good news.

[BobMurdoch]

Good... Like you said, my original retailer from 5/2000 is long gone.....

Where is all the HD? Only 6 weeks left, and if they have any hope of turning around their dismal performance, they are pi$$ing away a perfectly good shopping season with all those new digital TVs getting bought ahead of the transition....

[jclewter79]

I want to know where the Sherman/Ada market in HD is. 30-45 days from the last Charlie Chat was what we were told. Still no HD locals.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Phil from Marketing joins the show.

He announces the launch of the new DishMEXICO package. 50 channels of english and spanish channels for $19.99 a month.

A DishMEXICO promo video is shown.

A special DishMEXICO launch promotion is happening new subscribers get a $10 rebate a month for 6 months making the first 6 months of DishMEXICO only $9.99 a month.

Ads shown for Banamax and Cbeebies. (Cbeebies is a spanish language kids channel the BBC and shows a lot of PBS Kids type shows)

Another channel "coming soon" is a channel called Pasiones which is a spanish soap opera channel.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Now back to talking about the Digital Transition (which they talked about earlier)

A dumb video is shown about the Digital Transition.

Now a Frank Caliendo ad is shown featureing the slogan "stretch your dollar with Dish Network."

New ads re coming which make fun of Cable companies rasing their rates again... (hey dish arn't you planning on rasing your rates in February AGAIN? Hello Pot meet Mr Kettle.)

And thats the end of the Marketing segment.

[B_Kranski]

didnt they mention the existing customer offers? like in there slide?

[GRExpert]

didnt they mention the existing customer offers? like in there slide?

I'm guessing that was the ability to dish it up with a different retailer than your original retailer. Not much of a bone for us current subscribers