Why do upgrades cost so much for existing DISH users?

Bruce A

New Member
Original poster
May 28, 2008
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Good evening.

I have been a DISH customer for well over 5 years.

Is there any legal upgrade path (SD -> HD with DVR and maybe a second receiver) that results in no cost to me?

Why aren't the new customer deals offered to longtime customers?

Any wisdom out there on this topic?

Thanks for your time.
 
Good evening.

I have been a DISH customer for well over 5 years.

Is there any legal upgrade path (SD -> HD with DVR and maybe a second receiver) that results in no cost to me?

Why aren't the new customer deals offered to longtime customers?

Any wisdom out there on this topic?

Thanks for your time.

When I upgraded to HD service last year it cost me $149.99+tax for the install with a $100 rebate and the first six months of HD (then, the only options was the $20.00 deal so $120 worth) was free. It did take 8 months and a few menacing phone calls to get them to honor the rebate and I had to sign a contract but all in all I thought it was a damn good deal. I have recently gone to 'HD only' and added Cinemax for a penny/year and my bill is lower now than when I did not have HD. Other than them being really slow at paying that rebate, I don't have a whole lot to complain about. I'm not happy about Voom (not all Dish's fault) and wish they'd make our HD LiL available (I get them OTA anyway) but that's it.
 
They did just upgrade me to HD w/a vip722 free.. I had Dish installed over a year and a half ago, then a year ago we got a new LCD TV. I called to upgrade to their HD package and they wanted to charge me out the ass for it. I told them I refused to pay such an outrageous fee when they were giving new subscribers the same deal for free.

Last month, I called to either get the upgrade (and VOOM) at no cost or disconnect my services. The first rep I spoke with said there was nothing he could do for me short of reduce the install fees by about $150 dollars. I again pointed out that I had paid my bill on time every month and was a model subscriber, and felt like I was being slighted by being penalized as such, and that a new sub would get all that plus more... I again asked to disconnect and he transfered me to an "account specialist" who without hesitation waived all the install fees, activation fees, etc. and sent a tech out the next day with a new dish and a vip722.

I signed a 24 month agreement and lost the Voom package four days later.

Cant win them all.
 
Every time I buy a new receiver, I sell the old, and I swear the difference is usually less than the "upgrade fee" for leased customers. Only time I payed a good chunk was when I went from a 508 to a 942. But not paying 8 years of lease fees probably covered that.
 
Every time I buy a new receiver, I sell the old, and I swear the difference is usually less than the "upgrade fee" for leased customers. Only time I payed a good chunk was when I went from a 508 to a 942. But not paying 8 years of lease fees probably covered that.


Each time I've looked at it, there was a 'lease fee' that I would pay if I leased. If I bought the equipment, then I wouldn't have a lease fee but there was another fee that I would have to pay (can't remember what it was called) that was of an equal amount that I wouldn't have to pay if I leased. Couldn't understand why buy at that point. That's not to say that's the way it is now... it's been a while since I looked.
 
Each time I've looked at it, there was a 'lease fee' that I would pay if I leased. If I bought the equipment, then I wouldn't have a lease fee but there was another fee that I would have to pay (can't remember what it was called) that was of an equal amount that I wouldn't have to pay if I leased.

I've never leased and I've never payed any sort of extra fee. I've owned a 7100, a 500, a 508, a 942, and a 622.

What would that fee even be for?
 
I've never leased and I've never payed any sort of extra fee. I've owned a 7100, a 500, a 508, a 942, and a 622.

What would that fee even be for?


It's been a while since I looked at it so I don't remember... it was something like if you leased there was a fee for leasing the equipment in the amount of xyz but then you didn't have a DVR fee of the same amount (for instance). If you bought, you didn't have a leased fee but you then you had a DVR fee of the same amount (for instance). It's been too long for me to remember the details but I did think "why would anyone buy one?" This was when I was upgrading to a 622. Perhaps things are different now. I do remember people discussing this in forums too.
 
The fine print on the leasing fee shown on the upgrading screen is confusing so I made sure to bring that up with the CSR when I upgraded. Bottom line is that you don't pay any lease fee for the first receiver. You pay a lease fee of $7 for each additional receiver.

There is also a HD enabling fee (for those getting HD receivers) but this is waived if you subscribe to one of the HD packages (which is usually the case for those getting HD receivers).

For those getting DVRs there is a $6/month fee for that service.

I got a VIP222 receiver (for free), free install and none of these fees applied because it is my only receiver, it is not a DVR and I subscribe to the HD-only package.

If you negotiate, you can get whatever receiver you want for free so I cant see any benefit to buying rather than leasing because it is a "no-cost" lease.
 
The fine print on the leasing fee shown on the upgrading screen is confusing so I made sure to bring that up with the CSR when I upgraded. Bottom line is that you don't pay any lease fee for the first receiver. You pay a lease fee of $7 for each additional receiver.

There is also a HD enabling fee (for those getting HD receivers) but this is waived if you subscribe to one of the HD packages (which is usually the case for those getting HD receivers).

For those getting DVRs there is a $6/month fee for that service.

I got a VIP222 receiver (for free), free install and none of these fees applied because it is my only receiver, it is not a DVR and I subscribe to the HD-only package.

If you negotiate, you can get whatever receiver you want for free so I cant see any benefit to buying rather than leasing because it is a "no-cost" lease.

Mabey that was it... like I said, I couldn't remember the details but once you had the item, your bill was the same. The only difference I could see was buying cost more up front.
 
The only advantage to buying is if you might one day get a significant portion of your purchase price back if you sell it.

Otherwise, you might buy it
A) To get around the 4 leased tuners limit, if they won't grant a waiver
B) If you are still within a year of accepting a deal and aren't eligible for another, and don't want to wait.
 
The only advantage to buying is if you might one day get a significant portion of your purchase price back if you sell it.

Otherwise, you might buy it
A) To get around the 4 leased tuners limit, if they won't grant a waiver
B) If you are still within a year of accepting a deal and aren't eligible for another, and don't want to wait.


I'll concede A and B but when I was looking at it, it was hard to imagine ever getting a significant enough of a portion of the purchase price back... especially since I wasn't planning on turning loose of it any time soon. I mean, the lease deal was essentially $49.99 plus tax and 6 months free HD with otherwise no difference to monthly payments than owning.

Regarding A, when I first upgraded, they wouldn't let you lease two HD DVRs at once... has that changed? Thinking about upgrading another room to HD. Of course the preferance would be to have the single DVR output HD on TV2 but that ain't happening any time soon.:(
 
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