Letter from dish - MUST UPGRADE OR LOSE SERVICE

For what it's worth, I got the same letter and approached it a little differently. I can certainly relate to the concerns about swapping out owned equipment, all though they told me I would still own the new receiver (probably a 522 or 625). But the benefit behind owning receiver isn't all that great. True, you don't have the $5 lease fee, but if you look closely at your bill, they hit you with a $5 extra receiver fee! So what's the benefit? Bottom line, soon the receiver won't work, so it's going to be completely worthless soon anyway.

My problem is I don't want to replace it with a standard def. box. I would rather have the VIP 612, as my 721 was only operating a single TV, and this would make it easy for me to upgrade that TV to HD whenever I want. So when I called, I asked if I could do this, and they said, sure but it would be an extra 50 bucks. However, if you return the 721, they will give you 10 dollars for that, so now it's only $40. I then reminded the guy that I never received my $100 rebate from way more than a year ago when they ran that promotion to upgrade HD service. So then he agreed to cover the $50 dollar fee, and then give me a $10 a month credit for five months. I know, I know, I shouldn't have to leverage it this way, and what's the deal with never getting the rebate, but I was finally able to get something out of it. I think they readily recognize that many people did not get their rebates. He didn't even hesitate or try to look it up. Just an idea for those of you that might try to get something more out of this.

So now I'm replacing my 721 with a high def. 612 and getting $10/month off my bill. Oh yeah . . . it is a lease receiver now at $7/month, but I drop the $5 month extra receiver fee; so I guess it's $8 less for 5 months.
 
Did they try to apply the $5/month DVR fee to your account also?

Technically, we should be exempt since THEY are replacing our exempt receiver... but won't hold my breath for that.

What is the earliest model DVR that utilizes external storage?? Will the 522?
 
Navychop, I'm confused.

You say the 522 is as good or better than the 721... yet you then say you chose to upgrade to the 722 (apples and oranges?).

Are you suggesting that I request the 722 rather than the basic 522?

<EDIT> OK, I see now... the ViP722 is HD. No info on the 522 at DN site, though. So, they are replacing my obsolete DVR with a less obsolete DVR??
Yeah, this has nothing to do with smart-cards and everything to do with the TiVo lawsuit.


If you were right about it having to do with the Tivo lawsuit it why would the replacement be one of the named in that lawsuit receivers, the 522 is named too.
 
- The MPEG2-HD channels on 110 West are not yet converted to MPEG4-HD. It may occur tonight, in fact.

- They will not replace old MPEG2 receivers with MPEG4 receivers.

- They will replace old receivers that are not getting support for the new smart cards, with new receivers that have more features and capability.

- Your monthly cost should remain the same, and you should not have any out-of-pocket costs or increased commitment, unless you ask for an even better receiver than the one they offer.

- The new receiver may be leased rather than owned, but you will not have to pay additional lease fees.

- The old receiver that is the subject of the letter will cease to receive Dish Network programming within a few months.

- You will get $10 if you send the old receiver to Dish, otherwise you can keep it as a paperweight.

- The following receivers will continue to work (as far as I know): 722, 622, 612, 211, 222, 301, 322, 501, 508, 510, 522, 625

- The following receivers are being discontinued and receive the letter: 7100, 7200, 721, 921, 942

- Other receivers are not yet known by SatGuys members. ;) ( I would guess that all "four digit" receivers are being discontinued)

Just my luck that both of the SD DVRs I use along with the HD DVRs are being dumped. The 7100 and the 721, Whee, Whoopee! :(
 
I got the same letter today. I haven't called them yet but I figured that my two 7100's weren't going to be compatible with the new smartcard swap.

I'm curious to see what they'll offer me since the old receivers are DVR's. 2 722's perhaps? :D

No matter what it's going to cost me as the 7100's have no DVR fee.:confused:

When I call I'll be telling them no Lease fees and no DVR fees since the two they are replacing are owned and no fee DVRs.
 
true, but the 522 falls into the category of receivers supposedly "fixed" by software reprogramming.

the 721 and 921 were the thorns 'cause they couldn't be reprogrammed with the "fix".
 
Did they try to apply the $5/month DVR fee to your account also?

Technically, we should be exempt since THEY are replacing our exempt receiver... but won't hold my breath for that.

What is the earliest model DVR that utilizes external storage?? Will the 522?

It was a moot point for me since I have the Everything Pack and they waive the fees for that. He did start to suggest I would have the $5 DVR fee, until he noticed my what plan I was on and then reminded me it is waived. I don't know if that is the case for the standard replacement receiver. I believe it is waived, but if you want to try something different, then you would probably have to pay it. Make sense?
 
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What is the earliest model DVR that utilizes external storage?? Will the 522?

Only the ViP series will have external storage. Previous receivers that had USB, had 1.1 - too slow.

Technically possible, but of limited use, and limited payback since all pre-ViP receivers are living on borrowed time now. Why spend money to provide a limited use feature on receivers that you want people to voluntarily upgrade away from?
 
It was a mute point for me since I have the Everything Pack and they waive the fees for that. He did start to suggest I would have the $5 DVR fee, until he noticed my what plan I was on and then reminded me it is waived. I don't know if that is the case for the standard replacement receiver. I believe it is waived, but if you want to try something different, then you would probably have to pay it. Make sense?

It was a silent point? Or you mean a moot point? ;)
 
They replaced my 811 that I owned with a 211 lease without a lease fee and no committment.
Call them, they will threat you right. I ask about a 722, but they wanted $50 to upgrade and a monthly dvr fee. I already have one 722 and really did not need two. my monthly bill after getting the 211 is the same as before. They also came out and installed it for FREE.
 
I have a 942 and a 508. The letter I got was for my 942. I talked to some jamoke in INDIA that I could hardly understand. But I did get out of the conversation that my 942 will not be usabale after jan. 2010? And that If I went with a new reciever " Insert model # here" It would cost me $2.00 a month more that the extra $5.00 I already pay for this 942. Is it worth it? I was looking at receivers on the net and the 722 is pricey. Do I risk buying one or go with the "lease" option from dish Which is the better route? I have been a customer of theirs for 8 years and I love the service I get from them. And I own the equipment I have now.
Thanks for any replies in advance guys!
 
Upgraded my 7200

I got the same letter..talked to CS people...then asked to talk to a customer retention person.

I got my 7200 upgraded to a 625 (so I now have a dual tuner), with no PVR fee, no lease fee, no 24-month committment and no phone hookup required.
(we've been with dish for 8 years).
 
522 has name based recording, does it not? It feeds 2 TVs, not just one. Slightly larger recording space (100 vs 90 hr?). Better reliability than the 721. Compensates for LNB drift when the 721 does not. How is it a downgrade? Is there any single feature on the 522 that is less than what is on the 721?

I gave up my 721 (6th one to pass thru my home) for a ViP722 (so now I'll have 2, plus a 508) and paid $75 and about $7 more per month. I'm quite satisfied, thank you. Everything has a limited lifespan, and the 721 seems on average to have had a more limited one than most. Great receiver, when it works.

Great post, kstuart, thanks.

I hate to say it but you got ripped off. Dish Network has a promotion where you can get a 722 for $79 if you install it yourself WITHOUT needing to swap a receiver in to get it. You got absolutely nothing for the 721. I would have made them waive the upgrade fee to the 722.
 
If you bought a receiver and own it then you can sell it if you switch providers. If the receiver you have is leased then you cannot sell it. If your receiver burns up in a fire or something happens to it then all of a sudden Dish Network is going to want money for a replacement. Also I heard a while back that you have to purchase the $5.99 per month insurance to cover even your leased receivers or you are responsible for repair/replacement if something goes wrong with it. Is this true? If so then that is a disadvantage to leasing and they have now found a way to get another $5.99 per month out of you to cover the cost of damage to the receiver or to get money out of you to fix a receiver that you should own (that you bought to begin with before they swapped it out).
 
When I call I'll be telling them no Lease fees and no DVR fees since the two they are replacing are owned and no fee DVRs.

Have you or anybody else been able to get this in writing? If not then I would be leary of this. Eventually Dish Network is going to own everbody's receivers that they actually paid for and this is their way of doing it.
 
I have no idea if the newer DVR's can be HDD upgraded or not... BUT...

If you lease the receiver, you can't even open the case,
never-mind mods or upgrades.
 
I hate to say it but you got ripped off. Dish Network has a promotion where you can get a 722 for $79 if you install it yourself WITHOUT needing to swap a receiver in to get it. You got absolutely nothing for the 721. I would have made them waive the upgrade fee to the 722.

I don't think that offer is for current customers.

Anyway, I got a MAJOR upgrade and my monthly bill won't be as high as if I'd just leased (or bought) an additional receiver.


And yes, you should pay the $5.99 per month "insurance" fee for coverage, even on leased equipment. Many threads on this.
 
I have no idea if the newer DVR's can be HDD upgraded or not... BUT...

If you lease the receiver, you can't even open the case,
never-mind mods or upgrades.

External Hard Drives, not internal ones - much more effective.

External USB fan works fine.

No need to open the case - in 11 years, I've never opened the case of a satellite receiver that was working.
 

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