Retailer Chat Recap: January 14, 2010

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hmmm,

Currently 2 222ks with phone line hooked up and turbo HD Bronze.

$41.99/ mo.

After Feb 1st

+$7.00 receiver fee
+$5.00 discontinued phoneline credit

$53.99/ mo.

That's a 28% increase!

Bye Dish!

The phone line cost is included in the $7 receiver fee.

 

[STL]

Maybe because they consider it such a minimal price increase, it doesn't warrant adding any new HD.

This should come as no real surprise -- last year TurboHD customers got big price increases with barely any new HD (despite promises from the top of lots of new HD channels).

 

[Laddyboy]

The other false one is "Only one DVR fee now".

There is now not only the $6 DVR fee per account, there is also a $3 DVR fee per DVR - every receiver fee is $3 higher if it has the phrase "DVR" fee in it.

IF they were really changing to one $6 DVR fee per account, then the receiver pricing would be identical for DVRs and non-DVR receivers.

So true. E* is counting on people not figuring out they simply loaded fees, including some that weren't being paid at all before like the connection fee, into a giant lump sum. They hope people will be stupid enough to just compare to Comcast and others and not to their old bills.

 

[tigerfan33]

Yeah I just had another Dish Retailer contact me and he said it was unreadable on his too.

Hell. I would not want anyone to read this either. Showing this and saying they are doing us a favor by making things simple a taking away some charges on your bill. What a joke!!

 

[Cegarrett]

So is the chat over? What about new HD?

 

[navychop]

I'm gonna miss that $5 moth credit. Guess I'll let the geckos have a feast.

 

[STL]

Does the discontinuation of the phone line credit apply to those of us whose accounts consist solely of one dual-tuner receiver, since we were supposed to have been exempt from the requirement (whether we really were or not is a matter of debate) since last year?

In other words, is my bill going up $5?

Yes, I'd like to know this as well!

 

[TheKrell]

I'd like to see their numbers on the subs paying less. I don't think there could be many.

<Tentatively raises hand> I'm one! I have AT250 w/primary owned 722 and 2 leased VIP612's. I believe I will be paying $3.50 less as calculated in the "Updated fee" thread P1.

 

[tigerfan33]

Dish. Be straight with us. Don't tell us it's so great when it is not. I love being talk down to by a big company.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I'd like to see their numbers on the subs paying less. I don't think there could be many. AEP went down but many of those higher end subs will have multiple duo HD DVRs I'd guess and will see net increases in their bills. The 612s are a couple bucks cheaper, but how many subs have these compared to 722s and 622s? Everything else is the same price or higher. Am I wrong? I thought the Turbo packs were going to see a $5 decrease. Those subs would have accounted for some decreases. Since that decrease apparently didn't materialize, many will end up paying a buck more.

Chill, man. I didn't say we would be paying less, I said Dish considers it a minimal increase. Also, with the winking smilie it was intended to be a sarcastic response to those who said we would be getting new HD channels in an attempt to offset the increase....

 

[Jim S.]

I'm gonna miss that $5 moth credit. Guess I'll let the geckos have a feast.

I guess it's time to crack open my receiver and send back all the moths for credit before the end of the month. Maybe that'll even fix the HDMI jack.

 

[Bobby]

The bottom line for me is:

How much am I paying for programming today?

How much will I pay for the same programming Feb 1?

How much would the same programming cost me with a different provider, given they will have increases as well?

Can I make a significant change in my monthly programming costs by changing providers?

Fairly simple.....

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The DHPP is beinig renamed the "Servie Plan" and like I reported before to cancel the "Service plan" is going to cost you $25.

$15 Technician Fee is $15 with the service plan and $95 without the service plan.

 

[goaliebob99]

Yea they need to make all receiver fees identical across the board. If there is simply one DVR fee per account, then dish has no excuse but to make all the fees the same. Bad move on dish. Im still in my 30 day period, im beginning to wonder if I should consider directv again over these fees. There has no clear cut examples of what customers are going to see. AEP customers are going to see the biggest increase.

 

[Laddyboy]

Hmmm,

Currently 2 222ks with phone line hooked up and turbo HD Bronze.

$41.99/ mo.

After Feb 1st

+$7.00 receiver fee
+$5.00 discontinued phoneline credit

$53.99/ mo.

That's a 28% increase!

Bye Dish!

I think the second 222 costs $14, not $12.

 

[Toyzruskid1976]

dont laugh when I ask this... but unlike cell phone companies, dish network can change prices all they want without people using it as a chance to get out of ETF correct?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

So is the chat over? What about new HD?

Chat is still going..

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

dont laugh when I ask this... but unlike cell phone companies, dish network can change prices all they want without people using it as a chance to get out of ETF correct?

That is correct as you agreed to the price increases when you signed up. So you cant use a price change to get out of your contract.

 

[rdinkel]

The bottom line for me is:

How much am I paying for programming today?

How much will I pay for the same programming Feb 1?

How much would the same programming cost me with a different provider, given they will have increases as well?

Can I make a significant change in my monthly programming costs by changing providers?

Fairly simple.....

Or is there a better mix of receivers/DVRs/programming that will still work for you, but at a lower price?

 

[Toyzruskid1976]

ooh just checked my account... they made my 722k my secondary and the 211 as the main.... guess I need to change that