Long-time customer, adding new receivers

[ZoomVT]

I would like to get your thoughts on this issue.
I am a current customer (about 8 years) and have been happy with Dish for the most part. Also I must note that since the beginning I have always been in the most expensive package, all movie channels, etc. So in short I would consider myself a pretty profitable customer.

I have 2 622 receivers since i had 2 HD and 2 SD TVs. This worked well for me. Now i just got a new HD to replace one of the SD TVs so I would like to add another receiver. Even better i would prefer to trade the 622 for 2 612 receivers.
The only solution they could provide is for me to sign a new 2 yr agreement.

I feel that is ridiculous. I am already paying for lease fees, and have already "invested" thousand of dollars on the current equipment and I am sending it back. I feel it should be an even trade.

I spoke to customer loyalty and told them my concerns. Back and forth we went. The best they could offer me is $10/mo off for the first 12 months and I would have to commit for 2 years. Now, i can switch to DirectTV to the highest package and pay the following:

$99 for 2 HD receivers, and 1 HD DVR, which can be shared by all receivers.
$55/mo for the first 3 months
$105/mo for the next 9
$135/mo for the next 12

compared to my current bill of

$147/mo. or If i take their offer $137/mo

This is a savings of $468, minus $99 up front for the receivers, and I'm at $369.

So my question is, is this the best Dish can do? I really want to stay but they are making it such a PITA. Am i out of line for thinking this?

 

[TheKrell]

My experience as a customer is that this is about the best Dish will do. Like you, I think commitments should come only with subsidized equipment. If (like cable) all Dish is doing is leasing you a receiver, then why the commitment? They aren't subsidizing the cost of an owned receiver after all; they get it back at the end just like a cable company gets it's STBs back. If (like a phone company) they are subsidizing the cost of the phone which (at the end) is yours to keep, then why the upfront cost?

 

[ZoomVT]

Yeah I am really bummed because i do enjoy Dish. I have referred at least 5 friends to it and i still rave about the channels and features. I think their software is the best out there, specially their DVR, but this is ridiculous to me. It is not only the commitment, but I am also not getting the new customer deal with that commitment. The CSR kept calling it an upgrade, and im pretty sure im downgrading from a 622 to a 612.
I am giving them one more shot tomorrow via chat, otherwise im calling direcTV. Oh and the other thing that bothers me is how you have to be in the know to get the deals. I have been reading about starz free for 12months (i never got a credit for it) and cinemax free for 1 month. etc etc.

I also have the HD for life that I would lose but i dont even know that is worth anything.

Glad to see im not crazy, I would like to hear other's thoughts.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

I am looking into this for you and I am thinking your numbers may be a tad off. Your quote only includes 3 TVs (you mentioned 4 actually present) and the initial numbers are not what they are advertising. You mentioned you want the upgrade just no commitment. Any service requires it, especially getting new service, and by switching you pay the receiver fees upfront, still commit to the 2 years, and do not own anything if and when you end the service.

I would be happy to look into your current account here with DISH though and see what I can do, but I will say the commitment is there regardless. Up to you. PM me a phone number.

 

[ZoomVT]

Hi Tony,

thanks for your reply.
I should clarify, I had 2 HD and 2 SD, each HD and SD were served by a 622. Now one of the SDs is an HD, so I want to replace 1 of the 622 with 2 612s instead. Event though the 612s appear to have a number of issues (something I didnt know until today after doing research), I believe it is the only way I can do this at the lowest monthly cost. If there are other ways, I am open to suggestions.
So while there are 4 TVs, I only need 3 receivers, one of them a Duo.

You are right when you say that at then end of service I would not own anything, and that is true regardless of the provider. The 2 year commitment is not quite the same. I understand why D* or other provider would want a commitment, they have not yet made a penny off me. E* on the other hand has made plenty. I would expect a much better effort from E* to keep a profitable long time customer, given that customer acquisition is by far more expensive than customer retention. Further, as inclined as I would be to maintain the status quo, there is a big difference in financial commitment between the 2. Per my calculation it is roughly $500 over 2 years. While I dont expect E* to match a new customer offer from D*; I do expect something better than a measly $10 off on top of asking me to commit to 2 years.

I find it surprising that E* is willing to lose long term out of contract customers over cheap hardware, because lets face it; i am not asking for top of the line 922 receivers,I am asking for old 612 receivers; that are most likely refurbished, so there is probably minimal out of pocket expense from E*.

The worst part is the hassle that this has become. When I add a new TV I dont want to go through this; it should be a fairly simple deal. You send me as many receivers as I need and I pay you the hefty lease amount you charge per extra receiver. If i am getting receivers from you and I have been a customer for a long time, chances are im staying with you and you are making your profit off me. If i do switch in the near term (most likely because there was a boneheaded move) then you are hardly out any $$$ since I had been paying a lease fee + programming fees; and you can turn around and "refurbish" the equipment and send it to another new home.
Note that if I were asking for the new 722 or 922 receivers I could maybe see the point of a 2 year commitment, if I were getting a brand new receiver with better features.

I'm now rambling. I dont think I am crazy or my expectations are high, but maybe they are.
Should also be noted that I do have the HD for life.

 

[TimberWolf]

Were they going to charge you anything to do the upgrade? Depending on your current dish setup and wiring, your system will need to be modified to operate 3 recs, requiring a tech visit.

Anytime leased equipment is added to an account, a new 2 year commitment is required. It is basically the lease contract. It does not matter how long you have been a cust or what programming and equip you already have. You can only avoid the lease by purchasing the equip

If they will upgrade and install for free with a $10 credit just for signing a new lease, that is actually a pretty good deal.

 

[ZoomVT]

Thanks for the reply timber.

I do not need any new wiring. The original setup used a dp34 cause each 622 had 2 coax going in. Then they switched me to 1k4 and the the installer that came in, reused the setup, disabling 2 of the 4 cables coming out of the dp34 but leaving them in the house. So, all i have to do is plug the cable into the dp34, and voila.
If it is the lease contract, I would be ok with signing that, $10 * 24 months. With an early termination fee. No problem. Big difference from a 160/mo * 24 months commitment.

You are the 2nd person that says it is the best they can see them doing. I'll take your word for it, but it is none the less disappointing.
So tomorrow, when i replace the other SD with an HD, I would have to sign a new contract?

IMO this is a terrible deal for the customer.

 

[TheKrell]

I don't think you want a DP34 in the mix. You want 3 cables going all the way from your 1000.4 to each receiver. The switch inside the 1000.4 is (if it were sold separately) a DPP43 switch. A DP34 switch (so far as I have heard) can't deal with any DPP switch on it's inputs.

 

[ZoomVT]

Interesting. I would have to go down to the basement and take a second look to make sure im not talking out of my a**.
But I tell you that I know the wires are not coming directly from the 1k4.
The wiring in my old house is a PITA

 

[TimberWolf]

The DP34 is not compatible with the EA dish or the separators needed for the 612s and that are probably on your 622s now. You will need a 3rd line from the EA dish itself. A DPP44 would work, but it also needs 3 lines from the EA dish.

The 24 month commitment is the lease contract but you can cancel it early. It does not guarantee pricing, just that you agree to maintain minimum programming or pay the cancellation fee based on how many months are left and agree to return the equip or be charged for it

 

[harshness]

Now one of the SDs is an HD, so I want to replace 1 of the 622 with 2 612s instead. Event though the 612s appear to have a number of issues (something I didnt know until today after doing research), I believe it is the only way I can do this at the lowest monthly cost. If there are other ways, I am open to suggestions.
So while there are 4 TVs, I only need 3 receivers, one of them a Duo.

Consider adding a ViP211 with an external hard drive. I have no experience with the ViP612 and haven't seen anything recent but it was a bit of a stinker for a while.

As for you being entitled, you are entitled to your perspective, but it may not line up with DISH's business model.

 

[ZoomVT]

Interesting, thanks for the info. Would a 922 need something different than a 612 as well?

 

[ZoomVT]

Consider adding a ViP211 with an external hard drive. I have no experience with the ViP612 and haven't seen anything recent but it was a bit of a stinker for a while.

As for you being entitled, you are entitled to your perspective, but it may not line up with DISH's business model.

Thats what i have been reading about the 612 receivers. I would consider a 211 with an external drive, but then I would need 1 external drive for each 211. You are right about entitlement. I guess if it doesnt match then I have no choice but to move on.

 

[TimberWolf]

Each rec will need 1 line from the dish, regardless of type or number of tuners. The EA dish can run up to 3 dual tuners recs without an additional switch or 4-16 dual tuner recs with multiple DPP44s

 

[harshness]

A DP34 switch (so far as I have heard) can't deal with any DPP switch on it's inputs.

The DPP switches don't like DPP LNB assemblies. I don't think they would be annoyed with a DPP switch (although that would almost certainly be a losing proposition).

In any event, the two-year commitment is typically associated with an installation service and that's going to happen pretty much no matter what the OP does.

 

[TimberWolf]

You could keep the 2 622s and just add a 211. You might be able to get it for free instead of $99. There would be a $7 additional rec fee. The $10 credit would offset it for a while.

 

[ZoomVT]

You could keep the 2 622s and just add a 211. You might be able to get it for free instead of $99. There would be a $7 additional rec fee. The $10 credit would offset it for a while.

I was never quoted a $99 fee. Otherwise this is an option. But if im going to add another receiver then I would prefer a 922, though I dont know what that takes...

 

[harshness]

You are right about entitlement. I guess if it doesnt match then I have no choice but to move on.

Moving on over philosophical disagreement may not be justified if the alternatives ultimately turn out to espouse the same business philosophies or present a decidedly inferior match to your needs.

 

[Jhon69]

I was never quoted a $99 fee. Otherwise this is an option. But if im going to add another receiver then I would prefer a 922, though I dont know what that takes...

Normally if your in good standing with Dish Network the VIP922 is available for a $200.dollar lease upgrade fee.If you don't like 24 month commitments Dish Network can sell you a 922 for full price then you own it.There are
other sites where you can purchase the Dish Network VIP922,another one is EBay but I would always check the receiver ID number and card number first before purchase there so you don't get stuck with a receiver with a balance owed
or it is a leased receiver.You can contact Dish Network and they will gladly check the information concerning the receiver numbers.

But if you have had an receiver upgrade within the last 12 months then that can change things as your only entitled to one lease upgrade every 12 months with Dish Network.Also if you have been late in paying your bill that can change
things also. Good Luck!.

 

[Jhon69]

Moving on over philosophical disagreement may not be justified if the alternatives ultimately turn out to espouse the same business philosophies or present a decidedly inferior match to your needs.

Man that's getting deep.Tell us more Oh wise one.