free upgrade: what's the catch?

[Eric Jordan]

got a voicemail from Dish earlier today. Sounds like they are offering:

1. free upgrade from my current ViP 622 to 722 -- essentially same box with a better picture quality is the reason
2. $120 service credit (in three installments)
3. Cinemax for free for a year
4. I need to commit for 12 months

it sounds a little fishy -- I've been a user for 3+ years so new commitment is nothing. Currently I have HD only + cinemax for 1c/year and the 622 (which I Dished-it-up to in January 2007) is working fine -- was there something I missed? I am also hesitant about the new cinemax offer -- if I remember correctly, the 1c/year offer will last until at least 2010/2011?

[jpeckinp]

got a voicemail from Dish earlier today. Sounds like they are offering:

1. free upgrade from my current ViP 622 to 722 -- essentially same box with a better picture quality is the reason
2. $120 service credit (in three installments)
3. Cinemax for free for a year
4. I need to commit for 12 months

it sounds a little fishy -- I've been a user for 3+ years so new commitment is nothing. Currently I have HD only + cinemax for 1c/year and the 622 (which I Dished-it-up to in January 2007) is working fine -- was there something I missed? I am also hesitant about the new cinemax offer -- if I remember correctly, the 1c/year offer will last until at least 2010/2011?

Are you in a Verizon served area?
Possibly the call wasn't from DISH but from a reseller.

[Eric Jordan]

yes I'm in a Verizon area (I'm using Verizon DSL).

I think the call's from Dish -- the message is in Chinese. My wife speaks Chinese so we had the Great Wall package for a while...

Are you in a Verizon served area?
Possibly the call wasn't from DISH but from a reseller.

[BattleZone]

There are only 2 real differences between a 622 and 722:

- 722 has a larger hard drive
- 722 has the Interactive portions in HD, 622 has Interactive as SD only.

Yeah, and the 722 is a black box, while the 622 was silver.

Aside from the interactive features, there's no "picture quality" difference at all.

Also, any new commitment is 24 months, not 12.

[DBS Commando]

Sounds like a scam to me. I wouldn't bite.

If you're really interested in the offer, I would call Dish back directly.

[Eric Jordan]

thanks for all the responses. I now am pretty sure it was a scam -- the guy cannot even tell me why I need an upgrade and kept saying it is a memo from the corporate. Well, I've checked with "the corporate" -- I don't need any upgrade! and there is no such memo... Too bad I don't know how to curse in Chinese...

Sounds like a scam to me. I wouldn't bite.

If you're really interested in the offer, I would call Dish back directly.