Silver HD Premium Package

[boomerang]

I got on board with HD back last summer. With the annual price increase upon us, I am scrutinizing my programming.

I did a CSR chat at the Dish site trying to figure out why I was being charged $31 for a 3 Premium Package. What was confusing me was that I have HBO, Showtime and Cinemax for $.01. I felt it should be a 2 Premium Package for $22, the Cinemax being a once a year charge.

The CSR refreshed my memory that I had agreed to the Silver HD Package on top of the Dish DVR Advantage Classic Silver 200. I think when I initially made the switch to HD, that I thought I needed the Silver HD package to have HD. I'm not sure that's the case.

So ... I'm trying to find at the Dish site what is in the Silver HD Package. Is it there somewhere? I can't seem to find any reference to it. Maybe it's just me, but the Dish site is better than it used to be, but I still find it a bit of a mess.

I'd also like to see more itemization on my Dish bill, but that's a rant for a different day.

 

[Laddyboy]

The Classic packages do not include HD. The Silver HD is a $10 premium to get the channels in the Silver package in HD.

 

[M Sparks]

It saves you a buck that way, don't complain.

 

[boomerang]

The Classic packages do not include HD. The Silver HD is a $10 premium to get the channels in the Silver package in HD.

Thank you. Makes perfect sense and now that you've explained it, I remember talking to the CSR last summer about it. If I want HD, it's a necessity.

I always review at this time of the year hoping that I can save some money. Never seems to work out though.

 

[M Sparks]

See...this is what's wrong with DISH's marketing and packaging. From what I've seen, Boomerang seems to be a reasonably intelligent person, but he get's confused even with this relatively simple package combination.

The packages are poorly named and overly complicated. There are far too many options and combinations for no good reason. Have you see FIOS's programming pricing?

Essentials- $48
Extreme- $58 (Adds HD and about 30 other SD channels.)

That's it! There are 3 premium packages, HBO, Cinemax, and "Movies" (Showtime, Starz, TMC, Encore, Flix, Sundance, & IFC all in one package). There a few other combo options to save some money...basically, you can get all the premiums for $30.

That's $88 for pretty much everything...$30 cheaper than DISH, though the STB rental will cut into that. Yeah, it's nice that DISH has some cheap options, but if you're getting anything above Classic Bronze and one premium, FIOS just kills them.

Basically, DISH wouldn't need so many options if they weren't overpriced to begin with.

 

[boomerang]

Yeah, right now, after looking at the site, I'm wondering why I've got the DishDVR Advantage, when the Classic Gold 250 is the same price. (And with a number of channels I'd like and actually watch.)

I suspect that I'm actually saving money with what I have because some fees are waived or included. But if that information is at the web site, I don't have the patience to dig around more after having looked for 10 or 15 minutes.

I hate to call and get someone who can't speak English, but the online chat is truly a good thing. So I turn to that or here and hope that I'm not asking a question or questions that get asked and answered here all the time.

 

[M Sparks]

DVR Advantage includes your DVR fees and your locals. Again, you save about a buck.

Adding the extra channels in Classic Gold would cost you an extra $10. It has some ridiculous name too, like "Classic Gold bonus pack" or something stupid like that. You would also get switched from Silver HD to Gold HD, but the price would be the same.

See...perfectly easy to understand . GET IT TOGETHER, DISH! People shouldn't need a spreadsheet to figure this stuff out.

They should have a tool on the website...a list of all channels, and you just check off the ones you MUST have. Then, it figures out what packages you need and gives you ONE price. They can still try to upsell you from there "Get all this for just $10 more!", but it would be easy to get the minimum.

Actually, someone should just program something like that and put it on THIS website.