Price increases in February 2014 (UPDATED!)

I don't pay Microsoft a fee for Windows to write to my computer's hard drive. When I used to just have a regular receiver, I didn't pay a fee for its tv guide updates. So why should there be a ripoff fee for the machine to record to a hard drive? Maybe they should have the extras on the dvrs for a fee, maybe only toggled on and off by calling the provider so no accidental activating...but for basic recording...R.I.P. O.F.F.
 
I don't pay Microsoft a fee for Windows to write to my computer's hard drive. When I used to just have a regular receiver, I didn't pay a fee for its tv guide updates. So why should there be a ripoff fee for the machine to record to a hard drive? Maybe they should have the extras on the dvrs for a fee, maybe only toggled on and off by calling the provider so no accidental activating...but for basic recording...R.I.P. O.F.F.

If you are as passionate about the fee as you sound, simply get a non DVR receiver.
 
I don't pay Microsoft a fee for Windows to write to my computer's hard drive. When I used to just have a regular receiver, I didn't pay a fee for its tv guide updates. So why should there be a ripoff fee for the machine to record to a hard drive? Maybe they should have the extras on the dvrs for a fee, maybe only toggled on and off by calling the provider so no accidental activating...but for basic recording...R.I.P. O.F.F.


How much money are you spending on your computer to do the things you want it to do though? I don't have hundreds of dollars tied up in equipment, I just pay my monthly fees and let Dish take care of the updating of equipment.
 
Is January 17th confirmed for changes to take effect? Want to return a Joey, maybe drop to a lower pkg, have received no notice of when or how much prices will change other than what I read here. Feel it's pretty poor that Dish isn't notifying customers till the last minute - they can send me email advertising but can't let me know how much my bill is going up?
 
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Is January 17th confirmed for changes to take effect? Want to return a Joey, maybe drop to a lower pkg, have received no notice of when or how much prices will change other than what I read here. Feel it's pretty poor that Dish isn't notifying customers till the last minute - they can send me email advertising but can't let me know how much my bill is going up?

You will probably see it in your next bill. Received my bill couple days ago, bill creation date is December 21, 2013. On page 2 in a square area right upper side called About your Dish Bill at the very end it says "Starting February 2014, DISH is changing pricing on select programming and services. Most customers will see a $5 increase on their core programming package. You will receive detailed information about these changes in your next bill." Plus I got an email saying about the same thing. I agree with you, I think we should receive a notice much earlier with the changing prices.
 
You will probably see it in your next bill. Received my bill couple days ago, bill creation date is December 21, 2013. On page 2 in a square area right upper side called About your Dish Bill at the very end it says "Starting February 2014, DISH is changing pricing on select programming and services. Most customers will see a $5 increase on their core programming package. You will receive detailed information about these changes in your next bill." Plus I got an email saying about the same thing. I agree with you, I think we should receive a notice much earlier with the changing prices.

Plus, nary a mention of the other fee increases in the email I did receive. Core programming package reference ignores all the other Hopper fee increases.
 
Must be a pretty slow news day. Our local news had a quick segment on Dish and direct raising prices, don't think I have ever heard local news really talk about the satellite services, unless it's the usual I want to cancel and now I have to pay and didn't know I would because who reads anything

My MIL from Ypsilanti came out for the holidays and she told me she heard my Dish bill was going up on the news. Maybe it's a Michigan news thing.:)

As far as the $7 month fee goes it is not a rip off if you are getting something for it that you agreed to get in return for it. It may be overpriced in your opinion, but that is something different. Every provider of TV services that distributes DVRs has the fee. $12 a month for the Hopper system is getting to the point of being downright unaffordable. What I don't understand is while Dish (and other providers) keep raising prices like crazy, but they claim to only be making about $5 a month per subscriber. If they didn't have these fees I guess the programming prices would be even higher. People in rural areas, which a lot of sat customers are, are going to have fewer choices to lower costs because of limited choices, except of course for true cord cutting. Here there is no cable to turn to. I have internet through my phone company and max out at 3 MB down 512K up for $110 a month for internet and phone. I also have to believe that providers are not going to allow sat customers to cut the cord and use internet services to get programming for free (or little) for very long. They will let the audience grow a bit for a while perhaps and then they will get the pistols out and tell them to reach for the sky at some point. They will not let the freebies go forever.
 
mike1977
You seem to be a candidate for a 211 receiver. No DVR fee. Only a one time 40 dollar activation fee, plus you buy your own hard drive(s)

I almost posted the same thing earlier but,I figured the op might be miffed at the one time fee.
 
It wouldn't make me upset about the fee increases If they were justified. If dish were adding new HD channels then maybe I could see the reason on the increase. In my opinion there shouldn't be a whole home DVR fee. I get the DVR fee but this fee makes no sense. I think it's only a matter of time that Dish will eventually charge 10.00 for HD for all customers. Those of us who already had a hopper with sling before the deadline never saw mention of an increase until now.
 
I have a120, 1 Joey and 2 HWS. I'll drop a Joey in order to keep my bill balanced between the $2 DVR fee increase and $5 package increase. Since I'll get credit for my second HWS for 18 month, ill be good until my contract ends. After that I'm switching to cable. I love the hopper and dish but these price increases are getting ridiculous. Every year something goes up. I miss it when a120 was $44.99, now its going to be $54.99.

I wish money grew on trees but damn dish is getting greedy lately especially with all the BS "negotiations" and charging its customers more.
 
In about an hour the Dish guy is to be at my house to hook up my new subscription. We had SkyAngel IPTV for almost 4 years. That service gave us Hallmark, Hallmark Movie Channel, Pixl, Outdoor Channel, MLB Channel, NFL Network, NBA Channel, UP, Pursuit Weather Channel just to name a few. Plus all of the religious channels. The total cost was $40 /month. Well that comes to an end January 14 because nobody would renew their contracts and there is controversy surrounding the legitimacy of IPTV as a cable service (or something like that). Anyway, I now see that SkyAngel , based on what channels we received, was the best deal around. Sure, it was only on one television in the house, but it was more affordable .

I tried to get DISH to give me the Smart Package with the Heartland a la cart package and the sports a la cart package to get NFL Network. But they would not permit the sports package. I could get the playboy package but not the sports package - go figure. Anyway, my quote with DVR is $35 for the first year and about $45 after the promo ends, but now after reading this, I'm sure my after promo price will be closer to $50.

I blame DISH and DTV but you also have to place the blame on the Networks who have to pay the Roberstons, and the Kardashians a boat load of money for their reality shows. And then you have shows like Sons of Anarchy which are very popular and the actors I'm sure get paid a ton of money. So just maybe we the consumers are the ones who created the Dish and DirecTV monsters and have nobody to blame but ourselves.
 
I tried to get DISH to give me the Smart Package with the Heartland a la cart package and the sports a la cart package to get NFL Network. But they would not permit the sports package. I could get the playboy package but not the sports package - go figure. Anyway, my quote with DVR is $35 for the first year and about $45 after the promo ends, but now after reading this, I'm sure my after promo price will be closer to $50.

its been responded to in your other thread but Playboy is considered a premium and is sold alacarte (just like HBO, Cinemax, etc)
the sports pack is an ADD ON.....as in you have to have a package that has your local RSN in it before you can add the sports pack

As I mentioned in the other thread...be happy Dish has a package like Heartland that you can add for cheap instead of having to upgrade packages
 
It wouldn't make me upset about the fee increases If they were justified. If dish were adding new HD channels then maybe I could see the reason on the increase. In my opinion there shouldn't be a whole home DVR fee. I get the DVR fee but this fee makes no sense. I think it's only a matter of time that Dish will eventually charge 10.00 for HD for all customers. Those of us who already had a hopper with sling before the deadline never saw mention of an increase until now.


I don't like the whole home DVR either but it makes sense. If you tried having DVR and HD on all your TVs with the VIP receivers it would be a lot more expensive too. Here's and example for 4 TVs:

Primary 612 receiver - $7 DVR fee
Second 612 - $10 receiver fee ($7 for receiver and $3 for DVR)
Third 612 - $10 receiver fee
Fourth 612 - $10 receiver fee
Total of $37

These receivers have an extra fee built-in in order to make more off the DVR. In that example you're paying $16 just for DVR on all TVs.

Here's a Hopper setup for the same scenario:

Primary Hopper - $12 Whole Home DVR fee
Second Hopper - $12 receiver fee ($7 for receiver and $5 for DVR)
First Joey - $7
Second Joey - $7
Total of $38

Here you paying $17 for DVR but look at all the extra benefits you get. Not only do you have HD and DVR on all TVs but they all share recordings, you have 6 tuners and a much larger hard drive. I'm taking the Hopper for sure in this scenario.
 
I don't like the whole home DVR either but it makes sense. If you tried having DVR and HD on all your TVs with the VIP receivers it would be a lot more expensive too. Here's and example for 4 TVs:

Primary 612 receiver - $7 DVR fee
Second 612 - $10 receiver fee ($7 for receiver and $3 for DVR)
Third 612 - $10 receiver fee
Fourth 612 - $10 receiver fee
Total of $37

These receivers have an extra fee built-in in order to make more off the DVR. In that example you're paying $16 just for DVR on all TVs.

Here's a Hopper setup for the same scenario:

Primary Hopper - $12 Whole Home DVR fee
Second Hopper - $12 receiver fee ($7 for receiver and $5 for DVR)
First Joey - $7
Second Joey - $7
Total of $38

Here you paying $17 for DVR but look at all the extra benefits you get. Not only do you have HD and DVR on all TVs but they all share recordings, you have 6 tuners and a much larger hard drive. I'm taking the Hopper for sure in this scenario.

I concur. It would be nice if the Hopper had a built in modulator like the VIP DVRs for the rest of home's non HD TVs.
 
Just received my latest bill (online,12/28) for the time period covering 1/13 to 2/12 & there is no mention of any upcoming increase. So that means when next month's bill comes out I will have no notice of the increase if it is effective on 2/16 - what kind of business model is that, no wonder customers are angry & frustrated! Good thing I read this forum . . . thanks, Scott for the info!
 
Just received my latest bill (online,12/28) for the time period covering 1/13 to 2/12 & there is no mention of any upcoming increase. So that means when next month's bill comes out I will have no notice of the increase if it is effective on 2/16 - what kind of business model is that, no wonder customers are angry & frustrated! Good thing I read this forum . . . thanks, Scott for the info!

Unless they are required to announce it, most people may not even notice the change.
 
For a moment there I thought I actually saw 4 beautifully mounted TV's when Scherrman was giving an example of 4 TV's receiver fees, then I realized it was an ad :)
 
Usually you get a letter in the mail saying something like "We REALLY REALLY value as a customer but despite that we have no choice but to raise prices this year (but we REALLY REALLY REALLY try to hold prices down...honest!)