Merging Accounts

[rictorg]

Here's the set-up: My fiancee and I are moving in together this month. We're both Dish Network subscribers, leasing equipment, and under contract.

Here's the Dish provided solutions:

Keep her account, add an HD DVR
Pay my ETF: $66.65
Forfeit my club dish credit $5 x 8 months
Pay fee to add HD DVR $150

Total: $256.65 ($216.65 out of pocket)
Keep my account, add a standard DVR
Pay her ETF: $173.29
Pay fee to add SD DVR $75

Total: $248.29

Cancel both accounts
Pay her ETF: $173.29
Pay my ETF: $66.65

Total: $239.94


What I need from you: I'm looking for ideas, solutions, talking points, etc that will ensure I have 1 HD DVR and 1 SD DVR (preferably the ones I currently have) from Dish, Direct TV, or Comcast at the least amount of cost. I don't mind paying Dish my ETF, and losing my club dish credit, but I think it is ridiculous to have to pay an upgrade fee of $150 to keep the DVR connected to my television set connected to my television set.

Thanks!

[James Long]

A polite email to ceo@dishnetwork.com might help. It certainly doesn't make much sense to charge you more to stay than to go!

[rictorg]

Thanks John for your suggestion. Enclosed is the letter I drafted.

Dear Charlie Ergen

My fiancee and I are moving in together this month. We're both happy Dish Network subscribers, currently under commitment, and both leasing our equipment. We contracted customer service last week to discuss our options so that we could have dish service at our new home when we moved in. Below are the Dish Network provided solutions.

Here's the Dish provided solutions:

Keep her account, add an HD DVR
Pay my ETF: $66.65
Forfeit my club dish credit $5 x 8 months
Pay fee to add HD DVR $150
Total: $256.65 ($216.65 out of pocket)

Keep my account, add a standard DVR
Pay her ETF: $173.29
Pay fee to add SD DVR $75
Total: $248.29

Cancel both accounts
Pay her ETF: $173.29
Pay my ETF: $66.65
Total: $239.94


My concerns is that this fee structure is encouraging my fiancee and I to shop for a new provider. I feel that we're both high value customers, utilizing High Definition, AT250 programing package, and multiple DVRs. My Dish Network bill will be nearly $100 per month, if I retain the service. I would like to see if you can provide an equitable solution so that we are able to retain Dish Network as our satellite provider.

I would propose the following solution: Cancel my account, paying the $66.65 ETF and forfeiting the club dish credit of $40 and move the leased equipment at no charge from my account to my fiancee's account (which would be retained). Our monthly fee should be $90.97 which includes the DishDVR advantage ($49.99), Dish HD with 1 premium package - AT250 ($30), Additional Receiver Fee ($5) and Additional DVR Fee ($5.98).

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your solution to our concerns.

Respectfully yours,
Rick Hendricks

Our Dish Network Account Numbers:

[jclewter79]

Do what you want but I would no give him any ideas that included paying any ETF. It is cheaper for you to go on down the street and if that is not enough for them I would go shopping for something different. Getting one bill from the two of you is better than getting none that is the point. I am not saying I would refuse to pay an EFT just saying that I would dang sure not put into type that I was willing to.

[Stewart Vernon]

This is one of those weird scenarios where it would be nice if a company would deal with you... and yet, I can't find fault with them if they do not.

If you have an apartment lease, and your girlfriend has a different apartment lease... there is no legal obligation or reason to expect one landlord to just let one lease go without penalty. After all, they lose the monthly source of income from a person who signed a contract.

I've known people in this situation... and they usually either sacrifice their initial deposit OR pay an early-exit fee, whichever is the lesser amount.

That said, it's absolutely worth the asking and giving Dish a chance to work with you... especially with the numbers there that seem to imply both of you leaving Dish would be cheaper than one of you staying.

[rictorg]

This is one of those weird scenarios where it would be nice if a company would deal with you... and yet, I can't find fault with them if they do not.

It's certainly why I have no problem paying an ETF fee on one of the accounts. I am canceling a subscriber, and Dish went to the expense to do the installation. I just find it unreasonable to charge me $150 for the privilege of putting her receiver and my receiver under the same roof.

And, hey... if they're not going to work with me, that's well within their rights. Further, I don't expect front line customer service to be able to do anything different. Their policy makes sense (though I think they should offer a service commitment as an alternative to charging a fee for adding additional equipment... I imagine it would help their average cost per subscriber) and I can't fault them for it.

But, if my costs to retain service is greater then my cost for canceling service, the ETF fails in its objective in retaining me as a customer, and forces me to reconsider my options.

When I first became a subscriber, DirectTV had a bundle with my internet provider, NFL Sunday Ticket, and the local Fox affiliate in HD, where Dish had a better DVR and more national HD. Now that D* has surpassed E* in national HD, I'm much more cost sensitive in my decision making.

Hopefully it won't come to that, as I think the 622 is as easy (though certainly different) as TiVo and much more flexible with multi-room use.

[rictorg]

Received Resolution, via executive escalations. They offered to waive the ETF on my fiancee's account, so my net cost will be $75 (for the additional receiver). I must say, I'm quite satisfied with Dish Network's willingness to work with me on this matter.

[James Long]

Congrats!

[jclewter79]

That is great, happy that they saw it your way.