Dish Programming Changes (Effective August 1st)

[Jim S.]

And , if you had bothered to read the previous posts, HD will be included in each package. No longer an add on if I read correctly.

Where the heck are you getting that idea from?

[Jim S.]

Channels in the Platinum HD package have no SD equivalent, so DISH did not place them in the 200, 250, Bronze, Silver, etc. pkgs.

DISH just created their own tier for these stray HD channels - thus, Platinum HD package. (they could have called it HD Exclusives, for example, but they were on a metal kick for awhile)

This is not 100% true. Dish is contractually obligated to carry HDNet (not HDNet Movies) and Discovery HD Theatre (not Discovery HD) in the base HD package. Palladia also has no exact SD equivalent.

[yaz96]

This is not 100% true. Dish is contractually obligated to carry HDNet (not HDNet Movies) and Discovery HD Theatre (not Discovery HD) in the base HD package. Palladia also has no exact SD equivalent.

What I wrote is 100% true. He asked why those channels are in the Platinum package. He did not ask anything about HD channels in the base packages.

[mistercoke]

[quote=Claude Greiner;1893385]From a Sales stand point, these are welcomed changes....

#

#4 Also alot of customers would get confused when the billing read "4 premimum packages" and I would always get customers calling as to why they where being billed for 4 movie packages, and then had to explain to them that HD and AT250 counted as 3 of them.

[rajmarie]

From a Sales stand point, these are welcomed changes....

#1 Customers don't know what "DVR Advantage" means, so "With DVR" would be more accecpted with people.

#2 The AT250 Bonus pack was confusing to alot of people, I can't tell you how many calls I got back from customers who subscribed to AT250 call me and say I put the wrong package on their account when AT250 was listed as a bonus pack.

#3 Although the Discounts where "Nice" for counting the HD and Top 250 as a premimum package, all the sales people including myself never understood the discounts correctly, and would actually quote the prices out to customers without the discounts so there there would be no chance we would quote the prices incorrectly. When you quote prices to the customer, if you screw up and quote a higher price and the price is actually lower then the customer won't say a word. If you screw up and its a few dollars higher, then the customer calls back and raises hell saying you lied to them.

#4 Also alot of customers would get confused when the billing read "4 premimum packages" and I would always get customers calling as to why they where being billed for 4 movie packages, and then had to explain to them that HD and AT250 counted as 2 of them.

Agree with u on #1....many customers dont know what DVR advantage mean.......so with DVR will be good & acceptable change. How abt now....the 1st DVR is included in the existing price of the package...rather then 1st box?

#3...I accept u might get calls from customers abt the issue of 250 & HD counting as premium for discounts...Dish is underestimating the majority of customers...who can read their bills perfectly & appreciate the discount. Now without these package counting as premiums...suddenly the same customers r looking at price increase in their invoices.

#4 so now u will have more customers then before calling why the premiums r not getting the discount that they use to get before.

U can say that these will not apply to existing customers & they can stay grandfathered....but isnt it Dishs history that grandfathered customers dont get anything new from dish....forcing these customers to switch to the new expensive packages.

I will like to know how Dish maintain such complicated programming structures & so many different grandfathered customers. No wonder CSR get confused resulting in so many unsatisfied customers.

[Toddwsu2005]

Looks to me like turbo folks wont benefit. Upgrade to the classic package new or existing customers will get HD + platinum. Yea, still nothing for us other than the fact they are going to keep the packages around. Which means, we are still going to get unfairly treated.

[ohioankev]

Okay am I right when I read this ?

I pretty much have everything American Everything Package + HD Gold + Platinum

on August 1st

1. Platinum is gone

2. Premiums are no longer in a package, meaning AEP Classic at $97.98 is obsolete. If I want premium movie channels I will have to pay full price for them.

3. In regards of paying full price for the premium channels I will have to pay $10 for each premium networks equivalent meaning that HBO SD & HD would cost $25.99 month ?

4. The pricing does not make much sense unless it is by channel count alone. TurboHD Gold 250 is roughly $8 less than the Classic Gold 250 and if you are a subscriber to both HD & SD gold the way I read this is that you'll have to pay $67.99 + $10.00

Classic & Turbo HD Gold 250 : $77.95
HBO SD & HD : $25.99
Starz SD & HD : $22.99
Showtime SD & HD : $22.99
Cinemax SD & HD : $22.99
Total: $172.91 /month

I seriously can't be reading this right, lets hope i'm not this is a $42.00 increase over what i'm paying now.

[vtjman]

no you are wrong. The way I read it is you can't use dishHD or AT250 upgrade as one of your premiums in the special premium combo pricing. That's it. So your price would be 4 premium combo pricing of $40 plus the price of your base pack.

Okay am I right when I read this ?

I pretty much have everything American Everything Package + HD Gold + Platinum

on August 1st

1. Platinum is gone

2. Premiums are no longer in a package, meaning AEP Classic at $97.98 is obsolete. If I want premium movie channels I will have to pay full price for them.

3. In regards of paying full price for the premium channels I will have to pay $10 for each premium networks equivalent meaning that HBO SD & HD would cost $25.99 month ?

4. The pricing does not make much sense unless it is by channel count alone. TurboHD Gold 250 is roughly $8 less than the Classic Gold 250 and if you are a subscriber to both HD & SD gold the way I read this is that you'll have to pay $67.99 + $10.00

Classic & Turbo HD Gold 250 : $77.95
HBO SD & HD : $25.99
Starz SD & HD : $22.99
Showtime SD & HD : $22.99
Cinemax SD & HD : $22.99
Total: $172.91 /month

I seriously can't be reading this right, lets hope i'm not this is a $42.00 increase over what i'm paying now.

[TNGTony]

Though I am thoroughly confused about these changes, the synopsis below is not correct with the possible exception of point #1.

Okay am I right when I read this ?

I pretty much have everything American Everything Package + HD Gold + Platinum

on August 1st

1. Platinum is gone

2. Premiums are no longer in a package, meaning AEP Classic at $97.98 is obsolete. If I want premium movie channels I will have to pay full price for them.

3. In regards of paying full price for the premium channels I will have to pay $10 for each premium networks equivalent meaning that HBO SD & HD would cost $25.99 month ?

4. The pricing does not make much sense unless it is by channel count alone. TurboHD Gold 250 is roughly $8 less than the Classic Gold 250 and if you are a subscriber to both HD & SD gold the way I read this is that you'll have to pay $67.99 + $10.00

Classic & Turbo HD Gold 250 : $77.95
HBO SD & HD : $25.99
Starz SD & HD : $22.99
Showtime SD & HD : $22.99
Cinemax SD & HD : $22.99
Total: $172.91 /month

I seriously can't be reading this right, lets hope i'm not this is a $42.00 increase over what i'm paying now.

[ohioankev]

Okay, I figured I was wrong which is noted by the "I'm not sure i'm reading this righ"t and "I seriously can't be reading this right" but it would never surprise me if a company did decide to do something like that. I mean All American Direct already charges over $40 a month for nine channels, three networks. Anyways I figured I was wrong and you all can point and ridicule me all you want but please SOMEONE send me a bottle of aspirin :P