Retailer Chat Recap: July 9, 2009

[Scott Greczkowski]

Somthing else sent to retailers...

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PlatinumHD Add-On No Longer Available [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]– Effective August 1, 2009, the $10.00/mo. PlatinumHD add-on package will no longer be offered to new or existing customers upgrading to HD. Existing customers subscribing to the PlatinumHD add-on through July 31, 2009 may continue to receive the PlatinumHD add-on package until they elect to change their programming.

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[Kirby Baker]

Well that clears everything up now doesnt it?

 

[BobaBird]

Existing customers subscribing to the PlatinumHD add-on through July 31, 2009 may continue to receive the PlatinumHD add-on package until they elect to change their programming.

"We'll be happy to keep collecting $10/mo for something we know longer sell until you call us on it."

 

[satjay]

"We'll be happy to keep collecting $10/mo for something we know longer sell until you call us on it."

So after August 1st some will have platnium for no cost and for those who have it now it will still cost us an aditional 10.00??

 

[Rangers484]

It looks like dropping HD on 7/31 and adding it back on 8/1 is a no brainer for me. I don't have any of the premium other than Cinemax for a penny so I will not lose out on the bundled premiums discount.

 

[srcronk]

[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Existing customers subscribing to the PlatinumHD add-on through July 31, 2009 may continue to receive the PlatinumHD add-on package until they elect to change their programming. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]
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Another way to interpret the message is that people who are paying for PlatinumHD through 7/31 will continue to receive the package (presumably at no charge) until they are no longer eligible (i.e. drop HD programming).

 

[long_time_DNC]

So what does that new item of info really mean?

 

[Jerryinvirginia]

So what does that new item of info really mean?

This simply means that if you are a new customer and sub to HD ADD ON, the Platinum pack is free for 12 mo. If you are an existing customer AND up grade to HD ADD ON, Platinum is free for 12 mo. If you are a HD ADD ON with Platinum pack customer, already, $10 + $10, as usual. This is a promotion, not a benefit for present accounts.

 

[Jim S.]

Where are you seeing "12 months" anywhere? Because I'm not. In fact, they specifically say that "Platinum" will cease to exist as a package. (Yet they don't say, or even imply, that everyone will be upgraded to it -- hence our confusion.)

 

[satjay]

Another way to interpret the message is that people who are paying for PlatinumHD through 7/31 will continue to receive the package (presumably at no charge) until they are no longer eligible (i.e. drop HD programming).

Hopefully dish will drop the 10.00 platnium fee for those of us that have it right now???

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hopefully dish will drop the 10.00 platnium fee for those of us that have it right now???

From what I am hearing... (And nothing OFFICIAL) is that customers will need to call in after August 1st to have the $10 charge removed from their bills, until a customer does this they will continue being billed $10 for the Platinum packages which will actually no longer exist.

How silly is this IF it is true?

 

[LER]

Geez, they just want their call centers slammed.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You would think they would want to have good will amung their customers and make this change automatically and notify the customers with something saying "Thanks for choosing Dish Network as your High Definition provider, we here at Dish Network are proud not only that we are the national provider with the most national HD channels, but now we charge less for HD as well. As of August 1st the cost for our HD Premium package is going away, this will save you $10 a month! We thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer!"

And for those who never subscribed to the Platinum HD package the letter to those customers should say. "Thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer! Here at Dish Network we pride ourselves on being the national provider with the most national High Definition Channels.

As of August 1st, we will be expanding your HD channel offerings by giving you our $10 a month Platinum HD package at NO EXTRA CHARGE! There is nothing you need to do these new channels will be available to you on August 1st! Thank you for making Dish Network your High Definition provider!"

If they did this you know how much positive buzz they would create? But no it appears you will need to call then and fight them to stop charing you for a programming package that no longer exists.

There is something VERY wrong at this company.

 

[satjay]

From what I am hearing... (And nothing OFFICIAL) is that customers will need to call in after August 1st to have the $10 charge removed from their bills, until a customer does this they will continue being billed $10 for the Platinum packages which will actually no longer exist.

How silly is this IF it is true?

Very Silly Scott!!!, having this done as a credit I think would do wonders to show that Dish is moving in a new direction

 

[satjay]

You would think they would want to have good will amung their customers and make this change automatically and notify the customers with something saying "Thanks for choosing Dish Network as your High Definition provider, we here at Dish Network are proud not only that we are the national provider with the most national HD channels, but now we charge less for HD as well. As of August 1st the cost for our HD Premium package is going away, this will save you $10 a month! We thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer!"

And for those who never subscribed to the Platinum HD package the letter to those customers should say. "Thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer! Here at Dish Network we pride ourselves on being the national provider with the most national High Definition Channels.

As of August 1st, we will be expanding your HD channel offerings by giving you our $10 a month Platinum HD package at NO EXTRA CHARGE! There is nothing you need to do these new channels will be available to you on August 1st! Thank you for making Dish Network your High Definition provider!"

If they did this you know how much positive buzz they would create? But no it appears you will need to call then and fight them to stop charing you for a programming package that no longer exists.

There is something VERY wrong at this company.

I agree scott what an opportunity to market yourself as the National HD leader, I am new to Dish (almost six months now) from Directv they are blowing a great customer service opportunity!!

 

[MikeD-C05]

Has anyone thought that DISH might be allowing us to sub to platinum +hd pack for only $10.00 only to go up on the price in 6 months come February? They lure you in with the low price and more hd channels for less money and then BOOM they go up to$ 15.00 next February. Since there will be no more Platinum hd stand alone pack , you won't be able to drop them to save the extra $5.00 increase and then you are stuck. A price increase you never saw coming. Most won't drop the hd pack to escape the extra 5.00 increase and DISH gets more subs to view their platinum hd channels that not many are watching today.

 

[dennispap]

Has anyone thought that DISH might be allowing us to sub to platinum +hd pack for only $10.00 only to go up on the price in 6 months come February? They lure you in with the low price and more hd channels for less money and then BOOM they go up to$ 15.00 next February. Since there will be no more Platinum hd stand alone pack , you won't be able to drop them to save the extra $5.00 increase and then you are stuck. A price increase you never saw coming. Most won't drop the hd pack to escape the extra 5.00 increase and DISH gets more subs to view their platinum hd channels that not many are watching today.

That hd pack is going up next Feb no matter what. If you have platinum now( i do)
and can save 10.00 per month for aug thru jan 2010, that will be 60.00 we saved. If they raise it 5.00 in feb 2010, we have 60.00 they saved us to go towards the 5.00 increase. For those next 12 months we are even.

 

[STL]

You would think they would want to have good will amung their customers and make this change automatically and notify the customers with something saying "Thanks for choosing Dish Network as your High Definition provider, we here at Dish Network are proud not only that we are the national provider with the most national HD channels, but now we charge less for HD as well. As of August 1st the cost for our HD Premium package is going away, this will save you $10 a month! We thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer!"

And for those who never subscribed to the Platinum HD package the letter to those customers should say. "Thank you for being a Dish Network High Definition Customer! Here at Dish Network we pride ourselves on being the national provider with the most national High Definition Channels.

As of August 1st, we will be expanding your HD channel offerings by giving you our $10 a month Platinum HD package at NO EXTRA CHARGE! There is nothing you need to do these new channels will be available to you on August 1st! Thank you for making Dish Network your High Definition provider!"

What would they say to TurboHD customers...maybe something like this, "As of August 1st, we will be expanding your HD channel offerings by giving everyone but you TurboHD subs our $10 a month Platinum HD package at NO EXTRA CHARGE! There is nothing you can do to get do these new channels for free. Thank you for taking the TurboHD bait, and for letting us find new ways to screw you over again and again!"

 

[gaross]

This was sent to retailers regarding the HD pricing starting August 1st. Again no clear explination what will be happening to those paying $10 more a month for the Platinum package.

If you look at the last line in the first paragraph, It says the HD & Platinum pack will replace all the current HD add on packages, Bronze, Silver & Gold. With that said, If Bronze, Silver and Gold no longer exist, everyone who has HD and the mirrored SD channels will receive those HD channels and the existing Platinum channels that do not have a mirrored SD channel, correct?

 

[paultry]

Any word yet on new subscriber TurboHD promotions beginning August 1?