Dish DVR Advantage (DDA)

[KeViN_VSC]

Dish DVR Advantage(DDA):

Hello people,
I see that most of you(customers) have probs understanding ourd DDA promotion.

This is very simple,
Firstly to sign up for this promotion you need minimum programming of AT100,Locals and a Fee based DVR($5.98) on the account.

Now, without the DDA promo on your account.

Your package would appear as:

Digital Home Advantage with AT100 and locals for $34.99
OR
Digital Home Advantage with AT200 and locals for $47.99

and a DVR Service fee of $5.98.

So, lets suppose you have AT100 with locals and a DVR.
Your bill : $34.99 + 5.98 = $40.97
OR
Lets suppose you have AT200 with locals and a DVR.
Your bill : $47.99 + 5.98 = $53.97

Now, When you sign up for DDA ( With an 18- month contract or Paperless billing)

Your package will appear as:

Dish DVR Advantage AT100 :$39.99 (You Save $0.98)
OR
Dish DVR Advantage AT200 :$49.99 (You Save $3.98)
(Increase of $10 from AT100 to AT200) & you can add AT250 as a seperate package onto your account for $10.00, Which would appear as a premium.

I know this may be very very confusing. But I can answer all your questions! Shoot 'em!

[jrb531]

How about telling us:

1. What does the DVR fee pay for? What do we get for our $72 per year per box that customers without a DVR do not get?

2. Why does Dish charge us a DVR fee for each box and Directv charges only $5 per account?

I have called 3 times to ask Dish and each time I got a different answer from a Dish CSR.

1st call: The DVR fee. I don't know let me transfer you to a supervisor.... Click (disconnected)

2nd call: The DVR fee pays for our cost to allow you to record. Me: I can record your programming with a Tivo or VCR for free. Dish: Err umm Well we provide a digital recording... yeah that's what you are paying for.

3rd Call: The DVR fee is only paid once no matter how many DVR's you have and you can get it waived with our DDA package. (Wrong! Wrong! lied to!)

Bonus question:

If I buy my 622/722 why do I have to pay a "no HD" fee if I elect not to get a HD package?

I do not expect an answer because their is no answers to the above questions aside from the "we found out that gullible people will just pay the BS fees without question"

-JB

[dhageremtp]

What about the channel difference between DDA and the AT250? Can I get the AT250 on the DVR advantage plan? What would be the additional costs? I have one leased, non-DVR receiver and one owned DVR Reciever waiting to be activated.

Right now I pay:
57.99 for AT250
5.00 for a 2nd Receiver
.50 tax
______
63.49 per month

[KeViN_VSC]

Well, The answers may sound dumb and silly or BS as you say but here they are:

1st Answer: Its a service fee for the DVR.
When you have a HD rcvr without a DVR, you are only charged $6.00 for the rcvr.With the DVR, the DVR service fee applies $5.98. In simple its for the recording capability on your receiver which is called a DVR.
DVR= Digital Video Recorder.

2nd Answer: I am not sure about the charges for a DirecTV DVR. But E* charges for each DVR on the account.

Bonus Answer::lol:

You pay the HD Enabling Fee. For not having HD Programming on the account but having a HD receiver. With this $6.00 HD Enabling Fee you can watch your local channels in HD if available.

Good Enough???

Cheers!

[KeViN_VSC]

Right now I pay:
57.99 for AT250
5.00 for a 2nd Receiver
.50 tax
______
63.49 per month

Do you have a DVR???

Now in simple, if you have a DVR, you can save $3.98!

AT200 with locals and DVR = $49.99 as explained in the 1st post. Add the AT250 bonus pack for $10.00.

Is the explanation ok?

[dhageremtp]

There is no DVR in that. I have one but have not yet activated it.

So my fees would be
59.99 DDA
5.00 for additonal receiver
.50 (roughly) tax
_______

65.49 ?


Which only saes me 2.00 not the 3.98 that you said?

[KeViN_VSC]

Correct!

Activate the DVR receiver and sign up for DDA with AT250 Bonus pack for $10.00.

You bill will apeear as below:

DDA with At200, Locals and DVR fee =$49.99
AT 250 Bonus Pack =$10.00
Additional Receiver =$05.00
----------------------------------------------------------
Total without tax =$64.99 + taxes.

[jrb531]

Well, The answers may sound dumb and silly or BS as you say but here they are:

1st Answer: Its a service fee for the DVR.
When you have a HD rcvr without a DVR, you are only charged $6.00 for the rcvr.With the DVR, the DVR service fee applies $5.98. In simple its for the recording capability on your receiver which is called a DVR.
DVR= Digital Video Recorder.

2nd Answer: I am not sure about the charges for a DirecTV DVR. But E* charges for each DVR on the account.

Bonus Answer::lol:

You pay the HD Enabling Fee. For not having HD Programming on the account but having a HD receiver. With this $6.00 HD Enabling Fee you can watch your local channels in HD if available.

Good Enough???

Cheers!

You have not answered a single question. I give you a half point for the HD part.

The 622/722 has a built in hard drive. This is "hardware" and does not cost Dish anything. If I buy my 622 then I pay for the "hardware" which includes the hard drive. So once again... What does it cost "Dish" to service my DVR each month that they must charge me $6 for each DVR?

What makes this even more silly is that over the past 18 months Dish has changed their answer multiple times.

Originally it was said to pay for the programming guide that we needed to use to record. When it was pointed out that the very same guide data is giver to non-DVR people for free then Dish had to come up with a different excuse.

Then it was said to pay for the additional "upkeep" costs of the 622. When it was asked if those who bought there 622's would get this waived as there is no upkeep required for a piece of hardware that Dish does not own... well then the tune has to change yet again.

So the latest "BS" is that we pay $6 a month per DVR ($72 a year) because the hardware we may own or rent has a hard drive in it? What the heck is this about?

Why not charge us another $6 a month because the 622 was painted black?
How about another $6 a month for a 622 because it has audio outputs?

You're taking a box and charging separate for feature that the box has?

This is silly... how about telling us what that $6 per month per box pays for?

Why $6 per box and not $5 per account? This "implies" that Dish has some form of "per box" DVR cost and Directv only has a $5 per "account" cost.

I think you'll find that most people here know full well what DVR stands for and the difference between digital and analog.

What I find so funny is that Dish "claims" (or the CSR I talked to) that the $6 DVR fee is an extra cost to record "Digital" programming.

Tell you what... where can I sign up for Dish's analog programming? LOL

-JB

P.S. I was saving this if you are brave LOL.... Bonus bonus question:

If I buy my 622/722 100% and Dish does not subsidise my purchase in any way then why does the $6 "rental" fee change into a $6 "account" fee?

Clearly that $6 pays for the cost of providing a person with a discounted box so this "account" fee (which just happens to be the very same charge as the rental fee) pays for what?

If it really does cost Dish $6 to maintain an account then why do renters not get charged this?

P.P.S. Where can I find a list of "all" fee and charges for equipment, services etc... on the Dish Web page. I'm not talking about programming costs. I want to see DVR fees in prints, Extra box fees, No HD fees.... all the little "nickels and dimes" stuff in print.

If this does not exist then why?

[JosephF]

Good lord, the guy is just an E* CSR in India.

Clearly he is not going to be able to answer questions on E* business decisions.

[KeViN_VSC]

Wow! You can type fast and long and how!!!

LOL! The DVR service fee remains on the account wether the DVR is purchased or leased. Whatever you do as long as you have the DVR, you pay.

I wonder who that CSR was, who said it records programs 'digitally'!! LOL!
Next time you talk to somebody, please take down the operator id. So that you yourself can keep track if you ever spoke to him/her earlier.

Now, Incase the receivers on the account are leased you would have a $6.00 HD leased rcvr fee. When the receiver is purchased, its a $6.00 HD additional receiver fee. Its just that the name changes, Fee applies.

Oh yes, About the fees, we do have them in print. Guess where??? On your bills, On the back of your bills.

[KeViN_VSC]

Good lord, the guy is just an E* CSR in India.

Clearly he is not going to be able to answer questions on E* business decisions.

Yes, I cant change the companies policies or decisions.

[braven]

All these nickel and dime fees would drive me crazy. :eek2:

[tflorman]

The DVR fee is to pay TIVO for the lawsuit that they won when Echostar infringed on their patents. Perhaps Direct doesn't have to pay this because they licensed the technology from Tivo instead of fighting it out in court. I could be wrong, but that is my guess. I personally think its a BS patent, but the court system agreed with TIVO.

[paulgg]

Thanks for the info Kevin --- so I take it that with a fee-less DVR that we have (501) there would be no discount with DDA?
--Paul

[KeViN_VSC]

Thanks for the info Kevin --- so I take it that with a fee-less DVR that we have (501) there would be no discount with DDA?
--Paul

Correct. No Fee, No savings.

[jkane]

[QUOTE=KeViN_VSC;Oh yes, About the fees, we do have them in print. Guess where??? On your bills, On the back of your bills.[/QUOTE]

I climbed behind my desk to see the back side of my online bill (paper is not allowed anymore) and I didn't see anything there. :grin:

Ok, Just being mean! And jbr531 is asking rhetorical questions that are not answerable because the way he asks them is intended to make them unanswerable.

Dish bills what ever the public will pay. If we stop paying the extra fees by not using their DVR service, they will stop billing for them. It's the American way! I hate the extra fee fee here and fee fee there crap too. But I pay it because in the end, my Dish bill is still lower for the same set of channels I want to watch while using a DVR than either Time Warner or DirecTV would be. It total, of course, not by breaking this and that part out.

[Jim5506]

We knew the fees were there when we signed up with Dish.

Now we complain?

[jrb531]

We knew the fees were there when we signed up with Dish.

Now we complain?

I knew about the DVR fee. It was not until it became feasable (through multiple HD purchases) to actually want to watch "real" HD on two sets.

It's the "per 622/722" DVR fee that reall stinks. As much as the DVR is unjust at least Directv charges you $5 per account.

$6 per DVR is highway robbery!

It's also not like Directv charges more in other areas. In fact their rental is $1 cheaper, they charge only one DVR fee and their programming costs are about the same.

The 622/722 is one hell of a box and I love it. The $40 to turn on the USB port is also BS.

I want a second 622/722 but I do not want to pay $12 a month extra for it. If I buy my 622/722 then Dish still whacks me.

Did I know all of this 18 months ago? Nope. Should I have... maybe but the fact that I can call a Dish CSR to this day and still not get a straight answer to billing questions says alot. Was it any better 18 months ago?

-JB

[Paul Secic]

The DVR fee is to pay TIVO for the lawsuit that they won when Echostar infringed on their patents. Perhaps Direct doesn't have to pay this because they licensed the technology from Tivo instead of fighting it out in court. I could be wrong, but that is my guess. I personally think its a BS patent, but the court system agreed with TIVO.

So the DVR fee goes to Tivo?

To Charie: Buy Tivo!

[poeppe]

Thank You Kevin
I was not aware that you could do the DDA plan with AT100 that helps.

Can the DDA plan be paid for a year at a time with an additional savings like the other AT plans (saving roughly one months fee)?

I currently have an owned 501(primary receiver) and a leased 625 with AT100 + locals.
What would my monthly/yearly bill be?

Almost forgot, I am currently about 11 month into an 18 month commitment (to get the 625), can I still switch to DDA? Will there be another 18 month commitment?

Thanks,
Denis

[kf4omc]

I would say the $6 fee is for the software. E* is always updating the sofware nad someone has to pay for it. If they werent always improving there software I guss we whouldnt need the fee.

[KeViN_VSC]

Can the DDA plan be paid for a year at a time with an additional savings like the other AT plans (saving roughly one months fee)?
It cant be clubbed with annual package. Because on annual packages you already save on a month of your programming.(E* charges you for 11 months)

I currently have an owned 501(primary receiver) and a leased 625 with AT100 + locals.
What would my monthly/yearly bill be?

$6.00 leased rcvr fee.
$20.00 HD AT100 Package.
$5.98 DVR service fee.
$34.99 AT100 with locals.
Monthly bill=$66.97.

If anymore, Check if you are being charged for a programming access fee. And if you have upgraded to HD 11 months ago, You should also be getting a $10 discount on it for 10 months. Its a $100 mail in rebate. If you are already getting the discount, maybe you have a few more month to go before the rebate completes.


Almost forgot, I am currently about 11 month into an 18 month commitment (to get the 625), can I still switch to DDA? Will there be another 18 month commitment?



Its upto you. You can sign up for dda now, either with the 18-month commitment or Autopay with paperless billing. My suggestion: If happy with the bill sign up for cca and enroll yourself into DDA.

[jrb531]

I would say the $6 fee is for the software. E* is always updating the sofware nad someone has to pay for it. If they werent always improving there software I guss we whouldnt need the fee.

No that's what the "rental" or "account" fee is for.

We also pay an extra $1 per month over non-DVR's because of any extra programming they need.

-JB

[BobaBird]

kf4omc, non-DVR receivers get roughly as many updates as DVRs. It's included in the base subscription rate.

jrb531, he was talking about the DVR fee, rounding up the actual $5.98. The $6 fee is for addional receiver/lease of an MPEG4 model, including non-DVR 211 and 222, which is $1 more than MPEG2 receivers.

Back to DVR Advantage discussion please.

The DVR fee can in effect be eliminated with DDA if you have AT200 or AT250 (save $3.98) and a premium (save $3-$5). Looks like that can come out to be less than the program rates alone.

[dhageremtp]

The CSR I spoke with said I had to commit to 18 months and do paperless billing, not EITHER as Kevin stated. Can you comment on that?

[Taco Lover]

The CSR I spoke with said I had to commit to 18 months and do paperless billing, not EITHER as Kevin stated. Can you comment on that?
It's not paperless billing. It's AutoPay. That's how I had to do DVRAdvantage... both 18 months AND AutoPay.

How do we know who this Kevin really is? Just because he comes here saying he's a CSR (and he's in India)? :confused:

[jrb531]

It's not paperless billing. It's AutoPay. That's how I had to do DVRAdvantage... both 18 months AND AutoPay.

How do we know who this Kevin really is? Just because he comes here saying he's a CSR (and he's in India)? :confused:

I was told either or. I took the autopay of course.

As far as Kevin goes. Considering his answers he most certainly "sounds" like a typical Dish CSR :)

-JB

[Taco Lover]

I was told either or. I took the autopay of course.

As far as Kevin goes. Considering his answers he most certainly "sounds" like a typical Dish CSR :)

-JB
I think it needs further clarification. I remember the CSR when I signed up saying that AutoPay was necessary to receive the DVRAdvantage savings ($3.98/mo.). However, if I wanted the $49 installation credit and DHPP free for 12 months, I had to commit to the 18-month agreement. I suppose if you didn't want the credit and DHPP free, you could waive the 18-month agreement.

[jrb531]

I think it needs further clarification. I remember the CSR when I signed up saying that AutoPay was necessary to receive the DVRAdvantage savings ($3.98/mo.). However, if I wanted the $49 installation credit and DHPP free for 12 months, I had to commit to the 18-month agreement. I suppose if you didn't want the credit and DHPP free, you could waive the 18-month agreement.

Ahhh there we have it. I did not need a new install. I just added this package as an existing customer.

Since I was already on autopay I just called up and had my bill lowered by $3.88 without having to do anything or commit to a contract.

I can see as a new customer (as much as I blast Dish on other issues LOL) that Dish does not want to spend alot of money on your install if you are not going to stay with them long enough to recoup their investment.

At least Dish gives you the option of a near free install with an 18 month commit.

Can I go to DirecTV and get a full install for $49 if I commit to 18 months?

Maybe but the last time I configured a D* system they wanted $300 as a new customer to them.

I still have some issues with Dish but they are much cheaper for upgrades and new installs. (of course they get their money back with many of the BS fees but I cannot fault their low up-front costs)

-JB

[jkane]

I just signed up online. I don't see any new commitment. I'm waiting for my next bill to see what the catch is. :P

[Taco Lover]

Can I go to DirecTV and get a full install for $49 if I commit to 18 months?

No, because DirecTV has you for 2 years. :p

[KeViN_VSC]

The CSR I spoke with said I had to commit to 18 months and do paperless billing, not EITHER as Kevin stated. Can you comment on that?

Its the CSR's mistake. Its either/or.

[KeViN_VSC]

I think it needs further clarification. I remember the CSR when I signed up saying that AutoPay was necessary to receive the DVRAdvantage savings ($3.98/mo.). However, if I wanted the $49 installation credit and DHPP free for 12 months, I had to commit to the 18-month agreement. I suppose if you didn't want the credit and DHPP free, you could waive the 18-month agreement.

If you are talking about a completely new account. Its still either/or.

When you sign up as a new customer you have different options when you lease the equip.

Basically 2 options.
DHA (Digital Home Advantage):
No Commitment- You pay an activation fee of $49.99, have to pay $5.99 for DHPP(Optional) if you choose to have it on your account. If you have the top 100 or above you can sign up for DDA.

DHA-18:
18 months commitment. Get a credit of $49.99 on your 1st bill. Get Dhpp free for 1st 12 months.

Its just the way you put it across.

[phrelin]

Boy, is this discussion enlightening about how much misinformation is out there.

What I do is go to http://www.dishnetwork.com/ (and don't sign in). I click on the "Order Now" and use the "Dish Builder" to see how my billing compares to the package I build. That package is almost always right after subtracting the new customer savings.

[sangu72]

Kevin,

thanks for answering our questions here. I'm a current customer and I currently own a Vip 622 and have:

the AT100 $29.99
the latino bonus pack $12.49
Dish HD $20
DVR Fee $5.98
DHPP $5.99
Total $74.45

If I get the AT250, the two dvr devices (only 1 in my case because I already have one) how much would be the total, including fees? In the ad they say that you get AT 250 for $10 or HD $20, so you can't have both? Will the price be different after the first 3 months?

Thanks again

[Paul Secic]

Ahhh there we have it. I did not need a new install. I just added this package as an existing customer.

Since I was already on autopay I just called up and had my bill lowered by $3.88 without having to do anything or commit to a contract.

I can see as a new customer (as much as I blast Dish on other issues LOL) that Dish does not want to spend alot of money on your install if you are not going to stay with them long enough to recoup their investment.

At least Dish gives you the option of a near free install with an 18 month commit.

Can I go to DirecTV and get a full install for $49 if I commit to 18 months?

Maybe but the last time I configured a D* system they wanted $300 as a new customer to them.

I still have some issues with Dish but they are much cheaper for upgrades and new installs. (of course they get their money back with many of the BS fees but I cannot fault their low up-front costs)

-JB
Watch out for auto pay as they overcharged me several months. Now I pay by check.

[KeViN_VSC]

the AT100 $29.99
the latino bonus pack $12.49
Dish HD $20
DVR Fee $5.98
DHPP $5.99
Total $74.45

If I get the AT250, the two dvr devices (only 1 in my case because I already have one) how much would be the total, including fees? In the ad they say that you get AT 250 for $10 or HD $20, so you can't have both? Will the price be different after the first 3 months?



Incase you change to DDA with at250, your bill will appear as follows:

DDA with AT200 and locals:$49.99
Dish HD with 1 premium*:$30.00
Latino Bonus Pack:$12.49
DHPP:$5.99
Total:$98.47+Taxes.

*Premium=AT250 Bonus Pack.

[teetiger]

Ok, forgive me if this has already been asked in this thread. I, like many on here, signed up for DVR advantage to save a few bucks and to lock in pricing until 09.

I currently have the following:
DVR Advantage 200 - 49.99
HD - 20.00
Still getting 10 credits for the next 3 months:)

I have the vip622 for my HD programming and I have an old 508 which has no DVR fees associated. It was hard to understand the rep I had on the phone but I thought she said I would get a free DVR sent to me as part of the promotion. I tried more than a few times to get her to explain but failed.:confused: So, I started a chat session to figure out what was going on. Seems like they are sending me a 510DVR which will carry the 5.98 dvr fee. I really don't want or need that box so I wonder what advice you may have. Do I just send it back or hang on to it for future use. I assume I will not get the fee until it is plugged in and Dish can see it on the network.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!