Yes. Please. I want to know. It's hard to know who to trust around here sometimes.
CONFIRMED(?)- Dish Discontinuing Absolute HD Package
- Thread starter lsilvest
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Yes. Please. I want to know. It's hard to know who to trust around here sometimes.
Really? Guess you haven't done much checking then? the 24's are just as good as the VIPs and better in some aspects.
The DVR software isn't. I have Absolute and am wondering if it makes any difference if I sign another contract. At least I will get a discount for a while. If they cancel the plan, the contract term is void IMO.
That will come later after it sinks in.
I'm sorry to hear this news, assuming it is correct. Not because I have the package, but because it is yet another rate increase to those with Absolute. This is not the message Dish should be sending, but I'm sure they have a pinheaded accountant or three that is telling them, short term profit is much better than long term profit from retaining subs. Way too much of that thinking going on in the corporate world these days.
Again assuming this is true, I will stick with Dish most likely, but will be very reluctant to do anything that obligates me to them for any more time. I want to see what other crapola fees they can think up first!
I'm sorry to hear this news, assuming it is correct. Not because I have the package, but because it is yet another rate increase to those with Absolute. This is not the message Dish should be sending, but I'm sure they have a pinheaded accountant or three that is telling them, short term profit is much better than long term profit from retaining subs. Way too much of that thinking going on in the corporate world these days.
Again assuming this is true, I will stick with Dish most likely, but will be very reluctant to do anything that obligates me to them for any more time. I want to see what other crapola fees they can think up first!
Contract?....I thought they said that if I upgraded the package that there wouldn't be a contract?
Did they tell you something different?
I have sent a note over to my best contact to do some digging for me. When I hear back I will post back. 
I have signed new contracts in order to get the discounts. It was then $15/mo for ten months plus $50 credit on the first bill and 3/mo of free HBO/Showtime. Then let's say a make a new contract 1/yr later it will just be a new contract and it will void the last. It just sweetens an already great price.
most people will take the discounts for at least the short term. Especially if it doesn't add any sort of contract.
All sounds good huh? But keep in mind that the contract you have with Dish has lots of things in there for them, and almost zero in there for you!
What do I mean by that? Well in their contract is a clause that basically says they can change any and all terms at their whim and you are still obligated to do what you said you would do, which is pay the bill at a certain level for a specified period of time.
They can and have raised the rates to subscribers for programming.
They can and have raised the equipment fees
They can and have started charging for returning the equipment at the end of the contract.
They can and have started charging for repairs if a truck roll is required, even if you have a maintenance contract.
All this just this year!!
Frankly if you do anything now to increase your contract obligation, you aren't watching the trend at Dish today and you should be!
I've been a DishHD Absolute subscriber since it's inception (then HD Only). This has been a very, very good package EXCEPT Dish has never offered PBS in HD in our DMA. DirecTV does. So if the cost for roughly the same channels and equipment from Dish and DirecTV are nearly equal, there will be no contest. We'll switch in a heart beat. This decision will be made even easier since our 622 HD failed recently and we only have a couple of nights worth of recordings on the replacement.
I just checked the DirecTV site and the two lowest cost packages for 1 HD TV with HD and an HD DVR with a 24 mo commitment (after the 12 month teaser promos expire) are
* Choice at $75.99/mo and a $99 up front (for the DVR)
* Choice Extra at $80.99/mo and $0 up front
So this is what Dish has to beat, by a large margin, to make up for the lack of PBS HD in our DMA.
Talon Dancer
I just checked the DirecTV site and the two lowest cost packages for 1 HD TV with HD and an HD DVR with a 24 mo commitment (after the 12 month teaser promos expire) are
* Choice at $75.99/mo and a $99 up front (for the DVR)
* Choice Extra at $80.99/mo and $0 up front
So this is what Dish has to beat, by a large margin, to make up for the lack of PBS HD in our DMA.
Talon Dancer
D@mn, Just....................D@mn
If this is true it's time for me to cut back to *Comcast/Shaw Direct only. For $29 bucks a month it was fun to have a 3rd service. Only came to Dish for Voom anyways and hung around after the "midnight massacre" because of Absolute-HD
*Never leaving Comcast because of Philly local sports.
It will really put me on the edge. What sucks is that I agreed to a 2 year deal when the 922 came out. Maybe I will sell my 722 to help pay the early termination fee.....I really hope it's not true.....
Well it has worked out quite well so far. However, my point is even if I'm 6months into a new contract at least I will get benefits for those six-months. If the package goes 'poof' then I will re-evaluate my options. Yes, DN can do all those things. However, if I do not agree to the new programming offered, then I can get out of my programming contract w/o an ETF. If this isn't true I will just wait. Either way, I will wait to see what happens with the plan.
I did and they did confirm it, unfortunately.
I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow, so I'll deal with it when I get back.
I have sent a note over to my best contact to do some digging for me. When I hear back I will post back.
The Better Business Bureau of Illinois is interested in hearing from Dish Network subscribers regarding any issues like the forced removal of the Absolute Package. They are actively watching cable and satellite company practices right now and just sent out a press release, picked up by all the local newspapers and local television stations - Chicago area covers most of it - reminding all satellite subscribers to "read the fine print in the contract" before finalizing any deal so they don't end up with a much larger bill than anticipated.
The State of Illinois is also looking into issues where Dish Network subscribers were charged sales tax on billing for "service only" billing as there is no sales tax on services in Illinois. Satellite television delivery is not taxable in Illinois, yet, and only the Gas, Telephone, Electric and Cable companies can legally charge sales taxes on services right now.
Dish was apparently charging sales tax on customer owned equipment for which they were charging "leasing fees," and the Illinois Department of Revenue would love to hear from anyone who was incorrectly billed sales tax. They will need backup bills to show the taxes charged and the services or equipment it was charged for so they can build a case against Dish.
Dish does have a presence in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago where payments are sent to, so, if they lease you equipment, they do have a right to charge lease taxes - if you are in a municipality which charges leasing taxes. Chicago does charge leasing taxes, but most areas of Illinois DO NOT.
If they sell equipment in Illinois, even if it is shipped from another state, the cost of the EQUIPMENT ONLY is taxable. DELIVERY CHARGES ARE NOT TAXABLE IN ILLINOIS.
EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION SERVICE IS NOT TAXABLE IN ILLINOIS, only the SALE of EQUIPMENT. Lots of business like to try to tax both installation and delivery because that portion of the tax, at 13% in Chicago, becomes PURE PROFIT for them.
If you OWN your equipment, DISH does NOT have the right to charge you any taxes for either equipment or services on your monthly bill.
