Downgrading from Dish HD

[Jason]

I signed up for an 18 month commitment under the Dish N' Up promotion when I upgraded to a DVR 722 receiver. I currently subscribe to Dish HD and America's Top 200. My question is will I be able to downgrade from the $20 Dish HD package I currently have and switch to the $10 HD Essentials package on February 1st or am I locked into the $20 package for the full 18 months? If I am able to downgrade, will that add another 18 month commitment to Dish Network? I appreciate anyone taking the time to answer my questions. Thanks!

[bartendress]

I signed up for an 18 month commitment under the Dish N' Up promotion when I upgraded to a DVR 722 receiver. I currently subscribe to Dish HD and America's Top 200. My question is will I be able to downgrade from the $20 Dish HD package I currently have and switch to the $10 HD Essentials package on February 1st or am I locked into the $20 package for the full 18 months? If I am able to downgrade, will that add another 18 month commitment to Dish Network? I appreciate anyone taking the time to answer my questions. Thanks!

I'm fairly certain that you can upgrade/downgrade service packages at will. Your 18-month commitment only requires you to maintain DISH Network service (in general) for 18 months.

[James Long]

I agree. The terms for the DIU bonus do not include a commitment to DishHD. Dropping to Essentials in February will allow you to continue to have your ViP receiver without the "no HD" fee (which is going up to $7) and without paying the full $20 price for DishHD Ultimate.

DISH’n It Up Bonus offer valid for existing customers that have had DISH Network services for more than one year and participated in DISH’n It Up on/after February 1, 2007 – January 31, 2008. Eligible customers must have qualifying programming (DishFAMILY, America’s Top 100, America’s Top 200, America’s Top 250, America’s “Everything” Pak, DishLATINO, DishLATINO Plus, DishLatino Dos, DishLATINO Max, DishLATINO “Everything” Pak, ”Great Wall TV) at the time of participation in DISH’n It Up. No substitutions. Eligible customers will receive a one-time credit for each DISH’n It Up receiver upgraded (max of 2 per transaction).

HD Bonus offer valid for existing customers as of December 1, 2006 – August 14, 2007, with DishHD programming (only available with America’s Top programming package) during offer periods. No substitutions. Eligible customers will receive a $10 credit for up to 10 months. Existing customers must have been active for a minimum of 60 days.

source (http://www.dishnetwork.com/redirects/promotion/diu_rebate/)

More Information (http://www.dishnetwork.com/redirects/promotion/diu_rebate/diu_faq/index.shtml)

[Henry]

I agree with previous posters that you should be ok in changing your lineup without it affecting your commitment. You should be able to move up or down in programing without penalty.

Personally, I want more HD, not less. I wouldn't even consider down grading if it meant losing some of my HD channels. To each his own, and I hope financial circumstances are not driving your decision. I guess I'm an HD sap ... the more I get, the more I want. If the price goes up, so be it. In time that will also correct itself.

It's like going from stereo back to mono, DVD back to VHS, VHS back to 8MM, CD to cassette to 8-track. Bottom line is that technology and services are an ever moving target. You can, I guess, reach a point where one feels they have had enough and can live with the status-quo ... but the sad side of that thinking is that the status-quo will evolve so quickly as to make your existing ability to enjoy it obsolete or, worse, incompatible.

[LoveTractor]

...
Personally, I want more HD, not less. I wouldn't even consider down grading if it meant losing some of my HD channels. To each his own, and I hope financial circumstances are not driving your decision. I guess I'm an HD sap ... the more I get, the more I want. If the price goes up, so be it. In time that will also correct itself.
...
I think it's also a matter of people losing interest in the Voom HD channels. They've really slipped recently. If one can save an extra $10/month for channels they rarely watch anymore, why not?
I will say that I'm disappointed they lumped HDNet Movies and Universal HD in with the Voom channels. I'm thinking about downgrading just to save a few bucks a month since I don't watch the Voom channels nearly as much as I used to, but I'd really miss HDNet Movies and Universal.:(

[whatchel1]

When will we see detailed info on the pricing. It's less than 2 wks to FEB. The link that has bben shown just really doesn't do that well.

[Henry]

I think it's also a matter of people losing interest in the Voom HD channels. They've really slipped recently. If one can save an extra $10/month for channels they rarely watch anymore, why not?
I will say that I'm disappointed they lumped HDNet Movies and Universal HD in with the Voom channels. I'm thinking about downgrading just to save a few bucks a month since I don't watch the Voom channels nearly as much as I used to, but I'd really miss HDNet Movies and Universal.:(


No argument there, LT ... but every once in a while Voom will come up with something (ex; Ray Charles In Concert) that make me glad I have them. HDNet and UNIHD, I'm sure, are included to sorta anchor you to the package ... they (the channels) are that good.

[tedb3rd]

It's like going from stereo back to mono, DVD back to VHS, VHS back to 8MM, CD to cassette to 8-track. Bottom line is that technology and services are an ever moving target. You can, I guess, reach a point where one feels they have had enough and can live with the status-quo ... but the sad side of that thinking is that the status-quo will evolve so quickly as to make your existing ability to enjoy it obsolete or, worse, incompatible.

I understand your point but my take is that it's more like having to purchase 2 dozen CDs where you only listen to about 2 songs from each CD vs. the 'new option' of downloading only what you want from Napster... Cut the excess you don't need.

Now I'm glad that Dish & Direct were not allowed to merge. It might have been better but could you imagine what one of the companies would do if it weren't for competition from the other--in terms of package pricing, high def channels, equipment, customer service, etc? This is an all-out battle. When the company knows you can go elsewhere, they take that into consideration!

[whynot83706]

I agree. The terms for the DIU bonus do not include a commitment to DishHD. Dropping to Essentials in February will allow you to continue to have your ViP receiver without the "no HD" fee (which is going up to $7) and without paying the full $20 price for DishHD Ultimate.
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So after 02.01.2008 there will be $7 HD receiver Fee?

[Henry]

I understand your point but my take is that it's more like having to purchase 2 dozen CDs where you only listen to about 2 songs from each CD vs. the 'new option' of downloading only what you want from Napster... Cut the excess you don't need.

Maybe James can help me out with the correct term; but it's like building a package from a menu of channels. We can't do that now, and we may never be able to without a considerable price increase - and assumming no laws are broken.

[James Long]

So after 02.01.2008 there will be $7 HD receiver Fee?The current $6 "no HD package" penalty fee that is applied to ViP owners who do not subscribe to any level of DishHD or the old HDPack is hoing up to $7 next week.

As far as anyone knows, the $6 lease fee (or $6 extra receiver fee for owned receivers) that applies to HD receivers will remain the same.

Maybe James can help me out with the correct term; but it's like building a package from a menu of channels. We can't do that now, and we may never be able to without a considerable price increase - and assumming no laws are broken.a la carte

It isn't the laws that are stopping this. It is the program providers who demand that carriers provide their channels in packages to certain levels of the carrier's customers. There have been some moves in Congress to "fix" this by requiring providers to provide their channels unbundled, but the legislation usually goes nowhere.

[Stewart Vernon]

The current $6 "no HD package" penalty fee that is applied to ViP owners who do not subscribe to any level of DishHD or the old HDPack is hoing up to $7 next week.


I had a joke all lined-up... but in the interest of decorum in public, I will refrain... merely highlighting the word that struck me as funny :)

[Henry]

[...] a la carte

It isn't the laws that are stopping this. It is the program providers who demand that carriers provide their channels in packages to certain levels of the carrier's customers. There have been some moves in Congress to "fix" this by requiring providers to provide their channels unbundled, but the legislation usually goes nowhere.

Thank you. I knew you'd be Jimmy-on-the-spot with the term. And that's exactly what I was refering to in my post. There's always going to be a number of channels included in a package that some or most don't like. In the case of E*, I'm pretty sure they are being cagey by bundleing HDNet and UNIHD into the package so as to sway you to keep Voom.

[James Long]

For the rest of the a la carte discussion, please check out the new thread in a more appropriate forum!
a la carte - Revisited (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=117933)

[F1Fan]

Too bad I like EquatorHD, so I can't downgrade.

[tmanmi]

What about downgrading if you didn't do the dish'n it up but did the $10 for 10 months rebate for adding hd? I purchased by own 622 and added hd in May and have received rebate #7.