Ancient sub caught in the receiver EOL lottery

[dishcomm]

Just received the card today that my dp301 will no longer work after May 31, 2015. They claim "there is no cost or commitment associated with replacing your receiver" but is that really true? I picked mine up at a yard sale for $5 so it owes me nothing at this point. If calling dish will result in a service call for a box that I will have to send back some day I just won't bother. I self installed and have no interest in dealing with an installer.

Yeah..I have two 301's on my account...Did not pay for either one. They were owned receivers that customers gave me when I upgraded them to HD.

 

[dishcomm]

The card is correct. Depending on where you are, if you call DIsh, they will ship you either a 311 or a 211. If you only have a single 301 on the account, it will likely not require any type of service call (unless they need to do an arc migration and change the sats you are aimed at). Shipping the receiver is free, and has no commitment, and if a tech visit is required due to a required change of your antenna, there is no cost or commitment. Now, if it's only a receiver and you force a tech to come out, you may be charged for a tech, but really, if it's only the receiver, they will ship you one, and you can connect it yourself.

One more thing you mention. You own your 301. If you replace it, you will either choose a leased 311/211, or purchased. The default is to send you a leased receiver. If you have to own it (why, I do not know...there is zero benefit in owning versus leasing, the monthly cost is identical), you would have to buy the receiver. Leased, no cost at all to you.

In my perception, "leased" means "commitment", which I have no interest.
If Dish were to make me enter into a two year agreement, I would cancel and use the various cord cutting measures

 

[ChadT41]

No commitment for the transition, unless you actually upgrade(301-722/hopper) is how I have always known it.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

No commitment for the transition, unless you actually upgrade(301-722/hopper) is how I have always known it.

For this migration, they're even allowing a change from the 301 to the 722 with no commitment. Only commitment would be if they stepped up to a Hopper. The recommended change, if the customer has two 301s, is a move to the 722.

 

[ChadT41]

Interesting. So they are making it even easier on the customer and offering them more value than what they were receiving before... For no additional cost?

 

[SomeDishGuy]

Interesting. So they are making it even easier on the customer and offering them more value than what they were receiving before... For no additional cost?

Pretty much. If a customer had a pair of 301s as receivers #1 and #2, they were paying $7/month for the additional receiver, and the recommended change has no receiver cost, but the $7/mo DVR fee, so it's a no cost change with extra features. Will give HD at TV1 and SD at TV2. I have instructed agents to probe, if they customer does not need HD at both TVs, this is a good option. If they really want HD at both TVs, over to a pair of 211s.

(edit) the 301-722 change requires a tech visit, of course, and for this, it is zero cost. Really sweet deal for those that take advantage of it.

 

[ChadT41]

That cannot be the case... People keep telling us how evil dish is, and never has the consumer in mind for anything.

 

[Mr Tony]

One of these days I have to get to my dads and call Dish to do the swap. He has a 301 still chugging along (and a 311 but that one is safe for now)

 

[SomeDishGuy]

One of these days I have to get to my dads and call Dish to do the swap. He has a 301 still chugging along (and a 311 but that one is safe for now)

That 301 has until the end of May, give or take. He should have received a Dish postcard to call in about it. Depending on which arc, they'd ship a 311 (WA) or 211 (EA) at no cost, or obligation, outside of it being a leased receiver, and having to be returned if service is cancelled. No 24 month commit for changing it out. Dish is trying to get these taken care of now through shipping where possible, to stop the flood of calls come June when the 301 becomes a brick.

 

[Mr Tony]

That 301 has until the end of May, give or take. He should have received a Dish postcard to call in about it.

he has the postcard but hasnt done anything

Depending on which arc, they'd ship a 311 (WA) or 211 (EA) at no cost, or obligation, outside of it being a leased receiver, and having to be returned if service is cancelled.

he's on WA as he is SD only. Owns all his equipment (301, 311, 625 and 322)

 

[CK SatGuy]

Dish is trying to get these taken care of now through shipping where possible, to stop the flood of calls come June when the 301 becomes a brick.

Dish has good intentions, but, if most of the customers are not paying attention or are not doing anything, they'll still have that problem when June comes.

 

[ChadT41]

Dish has good intentions, but, if most of the customers are not paying attention or are not doing anything, they'll still have that problem when June comes.

I think that's why they are trying to get as many knocked out now, to limit the ones in June as much as they can.

 

[david_jr]

You can lead a horse...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I understand as the time gets closer the boxes will put up a message on the screen to let people know to take action now.

 

[Claude Greiner]

If they want it back they will charge a fee or you can ship it back at your cost if you think you can do it cheaper. Keep the 301 if you don't want a free upgrade but you will soon have no signal and the 301 becomes a boat anchor. Can you buy a replacement receiver for less than the $15 return fee? Service on leased receivers is free seeing DISH owns it.

$15 is right on par with what you would pay Going to UPS DIRECTLY.

what kills it is that it's $15 or maybe $19 per box or label used.

If you got 2-3 boxes to send stuff back, your better making 1 big custom box and using Dish networks label.

Just don't go to the UPS store or any of these mail packing places. They are great to work with, but will charge you a fortune.

 

[ChadT41]

$17/box

 

[Claude Greiner]

My question is why do they use UPS to deliver the packages and use FedEx on the pickup?

 

[ChadT41]

As of 2013 Dish only uses UPS for customers shipments. Not sure if there is something else for retailers, but only UPS for customers(they used to have the mixed companies

 

[ZachS@DISH]

$17/box

This changed from $17 to $10 on 1/15. This is only charged to accounts that are disconnecting.

 

[ChadT41]

Niiice. Surprised it never came up here to be honest. I was referencing just disco'd accounts. I pretty much gave up on trying to know what Dish is doing with RA's.