HD Upgrade Question

[twoshort]

Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker and new member. It has come to my attention that I can upgrade to HD and DVR and pay the same monthly amount that I do now. My question is about the equipment upgrade. From what I see online they're going to charge me $200 to upgrade. Is this correct? If I were a new customer I wouldn't be charged this.

Let me also say that I am not under any kind of obligation/contract with them.

So is this true? Is it going to cost me $200 to upgrade to a dual TV HD DVR? Do I need a new dish as well (mine was installed about 22 months ago)? Is there any way to get around this charge?

 

[harshness]

From what I see online they're going to charge me $200 to upgrade. Is this correct?

Yes. They've already spent their $600 plus to hook you when you were a new customer.

 

[twoshort]

$600+? It took the guy an hour, tops. Perhaps I'm in the wrong line of work.

This just seems kind of silly and exorbitant to me. So it does require a new dish?

 

[harshness]

$600+? It took the guy an hour, tops. Perhaps I'm in the wrong line of work.

Don't quit your day job. The $600 includes much more than just the labor to install. It includes all of the antenna, hardware and cabling as well as the receiver(s) that you got when you signed up. In the financial documents this is known as Subscriber Acquisition Cost. Over at DIRECTV, the SAC for 2007 was $692/new subscriber.

 

[twoshort]

I guess I didn't even realize i owned my receiver(s).

 

[harshness]

I guess I didn't even realize i owned my receiver(s).

You don't own your receivers. It costs DISH money to buy them and that money is charged off to SAC. In theory, by the time you return them, they won't be worth much so they just write it all off up front.

 

[twoshort]

Meh. OK. So can I cancel my service for 30 days and come back as a new customer and save myself the $200?

 

[Posty-McPOst]

I would try using your leverage as an out-of-contract sub first. Threaten to leave and see what you get.

 

[twoshort]

Yeah, I thought about that. I've just had such a hard time communicating with the CSRs in the past...

 

[harshness]

Meh. OK. So can I cancel my service for 30 days and come back as a new customer and save myself the $200?

You can get close to being a born again virgin by waiting at least six months.