Apparently Dish changed their programming model so that you only need to pay $10 a month for HD channels? I was still getting billed under their old model for at least 6 months. Did I miss an email or letter in the mail stating these rate changes? The CSR told me this information was available online (which I never check)
HD Silver and HD Platinum Rant
- Thread starter eazyc10
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I am a DISH fanboy, but their billing practices stink.
They do not apply new price changes fairly and equitably. If a policy changes that causes an increase in price, they are quick to apply those changes to everyone. This is seen in the yearly rate increases. However, if a policy results in a lower price to customers, they apply it in a haphazard way. It seems like they are trying to get extra money out of customers who are not aware of the changes. I believe that if prices are changed they should be applied to all equally and fairly.
The HD Platinum example that you gave is a clear one. This is not an example of an introductory special offer which would be a different story. This is a price change where HD and HD Platinum now cost $10/month.
A second example is the $5 TV2 connection fee. This fee was apparently rolled into the single charge receiver fees which went into effect on February 1. However, there are existing customers who just happened to not have their receiver plugged in on February 1 who are paying the new consolidated fee, which should included the TV2 connection fee, and also pay the $5 TV2 fee.
In both cases, the customer can get these charges corrected, but they have to jump through hoops to do so. It should be automatic. I don't know why a billion dollar company does such nickle and dime tactics to take customers money.
They do not apply new price changes fairly and equitably. If a policy changes that causes an increase in price, they are quick to apply those changes to everyone. This is seen in the yearly rate increases. However, if a policy results in a lower price to customers, they apply it in a haphazard way. It seems like they are trying to get extra money out of customers who are not aware of the changes. I believe that if prices are changed they should be applied to all equally and fairly.
The HD Platinum example that you gave is a clear one. This is not an example of an introductory special offer which would be a different story. This is a price change where HD and HD Platinum now cost $10/month.
A second example is the $5 TV2 connection fee. This fee was apparently rolled into the single charge receiver fees which went into effect on February 1. However, there are existing customers who just happened to not have their receiver plugged in on February 1 who are paying the new consolidated fee, which should included the TV2 connection fee, and also pay the $5 TV2 fee.
In both cases, the customer can get these charges corrected, but they have to jump through hoops to do so. It should be automatic. I don't know why a billion dollar company does such nickle and dime tactics to take customers money.
I've read in the past emailing ceo@echostar.com?? can get me somewhere? The CSR was not very forgiving and not willing to provide me any credits.
This is why it is good to check this forum often. You would not be getting charged $10 if you had.
Problem solved, but it wasn't easy...!
THANK-YOU for the reminder on this !!! I learned months ago about the change in HD pricing but never did anything about it. Lazy = unnessary expense !! My bad, my loss.
So this thread prompted me to drop what I was doing and contact Dish right away to get this "double-billing" rectified immediately. I used the on-line chat method because I have had success that way before. (I think the folks on Dish's end are Americans based on their command of the language but their spelling is atrocious!) Plus it gives me an immediate written record of the "discussion".
The first representative essentially told me "sucks to be you"! He couldn't / wouldn't change the double-billing because it was "grandfathered". I demanded to be turned-over to customer retention and the second representative took care of the issue, so I should now be saving $10 / mo. plus tax for the same programming (SilverHD with PlatinumHD).
Here is some of the "dialog" for giggles and grins: (emphasis is mine)
Thank you for being a valued DISH Network customer, I will be happy to assist you today. Please give me a moment to access your account and review the information you have already provided.
(Dish Rep. #1): Thank you for contacting Dish Network. My name is XXXX, operator ID number is XXX. How are you today?
bhelms: Fine tks.
(Dish Rep. #1): I am glad that you have reached me today. I will definitely help you with your concern.
(Dish Rep. #1): Unfortunately, the fee on your account for HD is what Dish Network calls grand fathered in. I do apologize, but we are not allowed to change the rate for the HD programming on your account.
bhelms: So other customers get the lower rate for the same programming and I have to pay more ??
(Dish Rep. #1): I can understand your concern, unfortunately we can not change the billing for you. If you would like, we would be happy to give you HBO and Showtime free for 3 months. [EDIT: Amazing how they think that throwing us this little "bone" makes everything OK !!]
bhelms: If so please refer me to customer retention...!
bhelms: BS - Give me retention...!
(Dish Rep. #1): We will be honored to help you with that.
(Dish Rep. #1): We can also remove the Platinum HD channels for you if you like and save you $10 per month.
bhelms: I have been a customer since 1998 (2 accounts) and deserve at least the same level of service you give new customers,
(Dish Rep. #1): I can understand.
bhelms: Do NOT remove platinum...
(Dish Rep. #1): Ok.
(Dish Rep. #1): Please let me get you to the account specialist.
(Dish Rep. #1) has left the session.
Please wait while we find an agent from the (20) Loyalty-HiL HDesk department to assist you.
Thank you for contacting the Customer Loyalty Helpdesk, I will be handling your request today. Please give me a few minutes to review the agents previous chat so that I can help you with your issue.
.......
(Dish Rep. #2): Thank you, I understand you have some concerns regarding the charges for HD service, I'd be happy to help.
(Dish Rep. #2): The bundle only applies to customers with new subscription to HD service. You've been wonderful to us, I can bundled the package for you. I can't credit you back for the times you were charge, since the charge is valid.
bhelms: OK - Then just reduce the "bundle" by $10 per. mo...
(Dish Rep. #2): Great! Please give me one moment.
bhelms: I still want SilverHD and PlatinumHD...
(Dish Rep. #2): Okay.
(Dish Rep. #2): bhelms, you're all set. Your new rate is $88.99 before tax. Your next bill would be slightly different, due to the changes were made in the middle of the service period. Thank you for giving us another chance to serve you, we do appreciate and value your business. Thank you for being a DISH Network customer. Do you have any other questions or concerns?
Morals of the story: You don't get what you don't ask for....and I guess for all the other similar cases as far as Dish is concerned it still "sucks to be you"...! And I am again reminded that I'm glad to be a SatGuys member...!
THANK-YOU for the reminder on this !!! I learned months ago about the change in HD pricing but never did anything about it. Lazy = unnessary expense !! My bad, my loss.
So this thread prompted me to drop what I was doing and contact Dish right away to get this "double-billing" rectified immediately. I used the on-line chat method because I have had success that way before. (I think the folks on Dish's end are Americans based on their command of the language but their spelling is atrocious!) Plus it gives me an immediate written record of the "discussion".
The first representative essentially told me "sucks to be you"! He couldn't / wouldn't change the double-billing because it was "grandfathered". I demanded to be turned-over to customer retention and the second representative took care of the issue, so I should now be saving $10 / mo. plus tax for the same programming (SilverHD with PlatinumHD).
Here is some of the "dialog" for giggles and grins: (emphasis is mine)
Thank you for being a valued DISH Network customer, I will be happy to assist you today. Please give me a moment to access your account and review the information you have already provided.
(Dish Rep. #1): Thank you for contacting Dish Network. My name is XXXX, operator ID number is XXX. How are you today?
bhelms: Fine tks.
(Dish Rep. #1): I am glad that you have reached me today. I will definitely help you with your concern.
(Dish Rep. #1): Unfortunately, the fee on your account for HD is what Dish Network calls grand fathered in. I do apologize, but we are not allowed to change the rate for the HD programming on your account.
bhelms: So other customers get the lower rate for the same programming and I have to pay more ??
(Dish Rep. #1): I can understand your concern, unfortunately we can not change the billing for you. If you would like, we would be happy to give you HBO and Showtime free for 3 months. [EDIT: Amazing how they think that throwing us this little "bone" makes everything OK !!]
bhelms: If so please refer me to customer retention...!
bhelms: BS - Give me retention...!
(Dish Rep. #1): We will be honored to help you with that.
(Dish Rep. #1): We can also remove the Platinum HD channels for you if you like and save you $10 per month.
bhelms: I have been a customer since 1998 (2 accounts) and deserve at least the same level of service you give new customers,
(Dish Rep. #1): I can understand.
bhelms: Do NOT remove platinum...
(Dish Rep. #1): Ok.
(Dish Rep. #1): Please let me get you to the account specialist.
(Dish Rep. #1) has left the session.
Please wait while we find an agent from the (20) Loyalty-HiL HDesk department to assist you.
Thank you for contacting the Customer Loyalty Helpdesk, I will be handling your request today. Please give me a few minutes to review the agents previous chat so that I can help you with your issue.
.......
(Dish Rep. #2): Thank you, I understand you have some concerns regarding the charges for HD service, I'd be happy to help.
(Dish Rep. #2): The bundle only applies to customers with new subscription to HD service. You've been wonderful to us, I can bundled the package for you. I can't credit you back for the times you were charge, since the charge is valid.
bhelms: OK - Then just reduce the "bundle" by $10 per. mo...
(Dish Rep. #2): Great! Please give me one moment.
bhelms: I still want SilverHD and PlatinumHD...
(Dish Rep. #2): Okay.
(Dish Rep. #2): bhelms, you're all set. Your new rate is $88.99 before tax. Your next bill would be slightly different, due to the changes were made in the middle of the service period. Thank you for giving us another chance to serve you, we do appreciate and value your business. Thank you for being a DISH Network customer. Do you have any other questions or concerns?
Morals of the story: You don't get what you don't ask for....and I guess for all the other similar cases as far as Dish is concerned it still "sucks to be you"...! And I am again reminded that I'm glad to be a SatGuys member...!
Last edited:
Usually the term grandfathered refers to a benefit that is given to someone who has had it in the past, after it is removed from others. It is almost always a positive thing. It usually refers to a discount. DISH is using it as a penalty. One would never accept being grandfathered if it meant a higher payment.
The dictionary definition is, "to exempt (something or someone) from new legislation, restrictions, or requirements
It is typically an exemption, not a burden.
The dictionary definition is, "to exempt (something or someone) from new legislation, restrictions, or requirements
It is typically an exemption, not a burden.
You bet! I guess the person who wrote the scripts for the customer-facing representatives decided to take a little liberty with that definition...!
the way out put in the email address is not a good thing. If you want to post an email do it like this so that email does not get spammed cea @ echostar dot com thanks
As many times as that email address has been written out on this forum, I'm sure that email address is loaded with spam..lol
And I'm sure they must have a good spam filter on that account, but it is a good reminder about how to enter e-mail addresses in posts, nontheless.
Can't you still just go into your online account, remove platinum and HD (don't hit submit or apply yet), then go back and add it as a single $10 item? That's what I did when this issue first came up. There was some concern at the time that you'd lose some of your premium bundling discount (if you had one). Wasn't a concern for me.
Or did they "fix" this so they can keep nickle & diming their "most valued" customers? I agree they're pretty reluctant to make any change that reduces a bill. They whacked me twice with the $5 TV2 fee after Feb., before I noticed it and got it removed (no credit though of course) via chat. And my mother still gets charged a lease fee on her single 211 receiver, even though the monthly statement says right on it that it's included in the programming package. An email to the CEO address usually gets her credits to offset the lease, as a "courtesy for being a valued customer" . They won't remove the charge though. I'm sure they hope she'll forget about it next year.
If their billing 'puters are so screwed up that these things can't be done automatically, maybe they should reassign some of the legal budget to systems programming.
Or did they "fix" this so they can keep nickle & diming their "most valued" customers? I agree they're pretty reluctant to make any change that reduces a bill. They whacked me twice with the $5 TV2 fee after Feb., before I noticed it and got it removed (no credit though of course) via chat. And my mother still gets charged a lease fee on her single 211 receiver, even though the monthly statement says right on it that it's included in the programming package. An email to the CEO address usually gets her credits to offset the lease, as a "courtesy for being a valued customer" . They won't remove the charge though. I'm sure they hope she'll forget about it next year.
If their billing 'puters are so screwed up that these things can't be done automatically, maybe they should reassign some of the legal budget to systems programming.
The problem is that it is not really a computer problem. These are policy issues. They have decided that certain charges will remain for current customers and will not be charged to new customers. A very simple computer program or even an SQL statement could remove all of these charges on everyones bills quickly IF they wanted to. The problems is that they don't want to. In their eyes these are valid charges.
Not sure who your reply is to Jaystil, but my issue is really I was never informed of any changes. Does Dish really expect me to check their website every month to see if they've changed their plans? Plus I know they typically increase fees but based on my discussion with the CSR this was done sometime in October or even earlier.
I mostly agree with you that it's bone-headed policy and not a systems problem. However the single receiver lease issue is supposedly tied to some restriction in their system. Even executive resolutions claims it's tied to the receiver "forever" and the only way to completely remove the fee is to get the receiver replaced. So the exact same customer with a different unit of the exact same model receiver would pay $7 less a month. Only in DISH's world could you even begin to make sense of that.
eazy, I'm agreeing with you that it isn't right. One thing though, don't check DISH's website - check HERE instead! You'll find out a lot sooner and the info will be correct.
I also would be most interested in finding a table of charges. Seems that the easy to find info is geared towards incentives for new customers, not those like me in the 11th year.
makes no diff
Get over it. It makes no difference any more/ It has be posted numerous time and I didn't check but bet it can be found by using search.
Get over it. It makes no difference any more/ It has be posted numerous time and I didn't check but bet it can be found by using search.
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