International Packages No Longer Available for New Customers

[damjr]

Just an FYI. Not sure what Dish is doing here, but it looks like they just can't justify the cost or bandwidth for these channels anymore.


To help improve and simplify our International programming package lineup, we will no longer offer 36 International programming packages and a-la-carte channels to new customers, effective, tomorrow, Thursday, November 13, 2008. Existing customers who subscribe to one of these packages or a-la-carte channels will be grandfathered for a six-month period. In the coming months, we plan on communicating with affected customers to present alternatives to their current programming and to encourage them to switch to one or more of these alternatives before their current programming is no longer offered.


Packages/channels effected
Aribic Elite - 2paks
All the Bangla packages - 10 paks
All the Chinese other than GreatWall - 3 paks
French - TraceTV
Most of Hindi - 5 paks
Korean Variety pak
Brazil plus
Punjabi
Telegu - Gemini/Teja TV
Almost all of Urdu - 11 paks

 

[damjr]

Forgot to add that any existing customer will only have these channels for 6 more months and then bye bye.

 

[Quantum]

Whoah... there will be alot of disappointed Tamils and Russians around here.

But the way it's worded it sounds like they're not eliminating internationals altogether, but reducing the selection.

 

[RandallA]

Bandwith? IMO, they need to compete with national programming and need the bandwith to do so.

 

[Quantum]

Ya, but HD and internationals were Dish's strengths over D* for a while.

Yeah, let's undercut all of our strengths, shall we? Let's float slowly to the bottom of the ghet-to...

 

[TheKrell]

Whoah... there will be alot of disappointed Tamils and Russians around here.

I fail to see any Russian programming on that hit list.

 

[TheKrell]

Yeah, let's undercut all of our strengths, shall we?

That comment rang a bell in the darker recesses of my mind. I've seen this before, when management was deliberately trying make their company cheaper, prior to arranging an acquisition.

 

[Quantum]

Remember, it says 36 packages, and only 10 are listed here.

 

[Quantum]

Yep, I don't doubt a buyout at all. Charlie can't do it anymore, and things are flying apart.

 

[mruk69]

"Most of Hindi" a lot of Indians will be disappointed if they lose the South Asian Mega Pack. Practically all Indians I know and visit have this package.

 

[azdevil]

"Most of Hindi" a lot of Indians will be disappointed if they lose the South Asian Mega Pack. Practically all Indians I know and visit have this package.

Them CSR's will be even more pissed off

 

[cdesai]

Forgot to add that any existing customer will only have these channels for 6 more months and then bye bye.

I do not think dish would exit the international market anytime soon as Dish as just launched 2 new Hindi channels in past 2 months, as of one of them is TV9 ( 24hrs Gujurati news channel) and SABTV( 24 hr comedy channel) which is launching end of this month on dish network.

 

[damjr]

Remember, it says 36 packages, and only 10 are listed here.

I edited my post to show how many paks from each language.

 

[yapagaldil]

This was the only thing that was keeping me with dish network if they drop my channel then directv won't be a bad option.

 

[jayn_j]

To help improve and simplify our International programming package lineup, we will no longer offer 36 International programming packages and a-la-carte channels to new customers, effective, tomorrow, Thursday, November 13, 2008. Existing customers who subscribe to one of these packages or a-la-carte channels will be grandfathered for a six-month period. In the coming months, we plan on communicating with affected customers to present alternatives to their current programming and to encourage them to switch to one or more of these alternatives before their current programming is no longer offered.

I don't read this the same as the rest of you. I don't think they are going to necessarily drop channels. It looks like they will combine them into a smaller number of packages, say a south Asian Pak, an eastern european pak, etc. They can then justify raising the price on these packages, and justify upping ad rates due to higher subscription rates.

 

[sbsi]

They better not take away KBS World!!! KBS World is the no 1 reason why I am still keeping Dish and good prices as well compared to Direct and cable tv.

Will KBS World be affected??? The Korean package is gone, but KBS World is and also not on the Korean tv group.

 

[sbsi]

They should take away TV Japan. $25 for 1 station is way too much.

 

[Quantum]

I don't read this the same as the rest of you. I don't think they are going to necessarily drop channels.

Oh? Then why did they stop signing customers yesterday?

 

[slimoli]

They stop signing customers for the above mentioned packages, which are no longer available. If you look at Dish website they still offer most of the a la carte channels and also some packages but not the ones they cancelled.

 

[vegassatellite]

Seems a lot of the packages are still intact on DISH's website. I have an install for an Indian customer but I'm wondering if I should alert the retailer to this situation as it could result in a backcharge if the customer disconnects. Anyone know if I can activate a customer getting Indian Mega Pak this weekend?

On the other hand, a lot of these channels are also available via GlobeCast or often as FTA broadcasts.

BTW, Damjr, what is your source for this information? Do you have a link?