Urgent Action Required letter

[hrtbreaker]

Greetings,

I am located in the Minneapolis, Mn area.

I received a letter in the mail from Dish Network. It states "Urgent Action Required". It's regarding a free replacement of some or all of my existing equipment due to changes in Dish's technology.

I realize there have been posts on this but they were over a year ago.

I currently have a VIP722, a 4900 and a 510D receiver.

Has anyone recently received this letter? Which model(s) are being replaced by Dish? I would imagine the 722 is probably fine since it's already new technology.

What equipment is Dish replacing the models with?

I haven't called Dish yet as I'd like to learn more about it before calling them.

Thanks for the assistance!

[P Smith]

for sure 4900 and perhaps 510 - and yes, you come late - discussed a few times ...

[921tiger]

Hmmm... did you actually purchase the non-722 units, or are they leased?

Deja vu--check out my parallel thread entitled, "Check your bill carefully for fees" I hope you don't find yourself in the same situation I'm in.

[klyon]

I received one of those letters too. The letter says that it is necessary to replace some or all of my equipment for FREE. So I called them up. Everything except my 722 needs to be replaced including the dish (not sure about my DPP-44). They then continued to tell me that my bill will go up another $10-14 / month. So I asked them how is that FREE? It's because I own most of my equipment and there will now be a lease. Ok, I told the rep that I will decline the FREE replacement, she told me that I may lose my programming I said that was fine since when they do that they will lose my monthly payment. I have a kind note into CEO@Echostar right now. I've been a customer for 13 years, not going to get strong armed into spending even more money with them.

[Kent Taylor]

The fees for equipment are the same for leased vs. owned.

[klyon]

Then I didn't understand why they were raising my bill? Maybe it's something to do with additional HD receivers? I don't know, but there is no way that I'm paying anything additional, I like Dish but every couple of years I have to deal with things like this.

[Kent Taylor]

It has everything to do with the receivers. The fees go up every year. The receiver fees were adjusted in February.

[Wilf]

I'm with you on this. While I haven't received an urgent letter yet, I wouldn't be surprised to get one. I have a 722 and a 508. The 4900 died a natural death a few months ago. I lease the 722 and own the 508. After reading an article in the WSJ, about 40% of my bill being used to pay for sports channels which we never watch, I down graded to the 120 package.

Wilf

[921tiger]

Prior to being forced to get my "free" 722 or lose my HD programming, I paid a full retail cost to buy my DISH receivers from local authorized DISH dealers. During that tenure, the only equipment-related charge I paid for was the DVR fee.

After the DISH installer came and installed my--oops, I mean--the 722 receiver, a lease fee popped up on my monthly bill, countered by an equal credit.

But the credit would disappear every year, and I would have to call and get the credit reinstated. Now the lease fee has gone up, but oops, the credit hasn't kept track.

Don't get suckered in--they're replacing your receiver with a receiver under a lease. And whatever you paid full retail for, do NOT let them take it like I was foolish enough to allow. That's outright theft.

[shadough]

I haven't gotten another letter yet and I have both a 510 and 4900. I did get one some time ago for my 721 an was switched to a leased 522. I did keep the 721 since I owned it. The 522 was shipped so no installer showed up.

[Kent Taylor]

And whatever you paid full retail for, do NOT let them take it like I was foolish enough to allow. That's outright theft.

Did you refuse to let them take your receiver and they took it by force? That would be theft. :rolleyes:

[phrelin]

Some folks need to read some threads here about the Eastern Arc, the Western Arc, MPEG2, MPEG4, etc. so they know what's going on.

Also, they need to read that as of February, Dish charges receiver and DVR fees for boxes receiving a signal, the same price whether it's SD or HD, owned or not owned. The box on the account that would generate the highest fee is free. Dish no longer has a lease fee.

In many places soon, some places already, and everywhere ultimately, a Dish Network MPEG2-only receiver effectively will become a doorstop or paperweight except for certain services such as foreign channels.

[levibluewa]

A friend of mine got a similar communication in the form of a phone call supposedly from DISH. Urgent! she needed an immediate upgrade or she'd lose some of her channels. The install was a couple of weeks previous with vip receivers and a 1000.2 dish. Hello! I wonder if DISH keeps records on what they install. From personal experience I'm not sure they do.

[coldsteel]

A friend of mine got a similar communication in the form of a phone call supposedly from DISH. Urgent! she needed an immediate upgrade or she'd lose some of her channels. The install was a couple of weeks previous with vip receivers and a 1000.2 dish. Hello! I wonder if DISH keeps records on what they install. From personal experience I'm not sure they do.

Depending on where they are, it could be a change to Eastern Arc, which would require a dish swap. Their HD locals might be getting moved.

[levibluewa]

Oregon.

[RMichals]

In many places soon, some places already, and everywhere ultimately, a Dish Network MPEG2-only receiver effectively will become a doorstop or paperweight except for certain services such as foreign channels.

It will go the way of the dodo, but what makes you think international will not?

[TBoneit]

A friend of mine got a similar communication in the form of a phone call supposedly from DISH. Urgent! she needed an immediate upgrade or she'd lose some of her channels. The install was a couple of weeks previous with vip receivers and a 1000.2 dish. Hello! I wonder if DISH keeps records on what they install. From personal experience I'm not sure they do.

Or it could be a scam

I worked with a E* subscriber and the house would get a call every day that they could save him money.

Yup, they could save him money by having him cancel his subscription and then start a new one under his wifes name. :rolleyes:

This local slime dealer called everyday pushing.

[Slamminc11]

Some folks need to read some threads here about the Eastern Arc, the Western Arc, MPEG2, MPEG4, etc. so they know what's going on.

Also, they need to read that as of February, Dish charges receiver and DVR fees for boxes receiving a signal, the same price whether it's SD or HD, owned or not owned. The box on the account that would generate the highest fee is free. Dish no longer has a lease fee.

In many places soon, some places already, and everywhere ultimately, a Dish Network MPEG2-only receiver effectively will become a doorstop or paperweight except for certain services such as foreign channels.

You sure are asking a lot for some of the posters here...That would replace the time they spend complaining! :rolleyes:

[SaltiDawg]

You sure are asking a lot for some of the posters here...That would replace the time they spend complaining! :rolleyes:
:lol:

[patmurphey]

Then I didn't understand why they were raising my bill? Maybe it's something to do with additional HD receivers? I don't know, but there is no way that I'm paying anything additional, I like Dish but every couple of years I have to deal with things like this.

Your old receivers are on the way to being boat anchors. Technology moves on whether you like it or not. Dish is offering to replace them fo free. You are going to have to pay the same fee structure that everyone else is paying for the new equipment. Why should you get a better deal than anyone else. Maybe our fees should go up to compensate? Don't cut your nose of to spite your face over this offer. :D

[klyon]

Your old receivers are on the way to being boat anchors. Technology moves on whether you like it or not. Dish is offering to replace them fo free. You are going to have to pay the same fee structure that everyone else is paying for the new equipment. Why should you get a better deal than anyone else. Maybe our fees should go up to compensate? Don't cut your nose of to spite your face over this offer. :D
Honestly, I don't care about the technology, nor am I dissatisfied with the receivers or service that I have, they are all working and we can watch TV. Let me ask the same question to you, why should I be forced to upgrade and forced to pay more per month? Yes I realize that Dish is making changes which will make my current receivers boat anchors. That is Dish's business decision, and one which has cost implication for them.

I have Dish because 13 years ago my local cable was awful and I wanted to watch TV. The local cable has recently become great, I have their cable modem service, but I stayed with Dish for TV because I was happy with the service. I really have no issue going back to cable, I am just in this to watch TV, not to keep up to date with the latest technology or satellite orbital locations. I don't care where Dish puts their satellites, or which compression method they employ I just want to watch the morning news and the kids watch Spongebob.

If I recall (but my memory is going) when I signed up I had to buy my own equipment and I had to install it as well, there wasn't anyone local to do it without charge. Why should the new subscribers get their equipment given to them and installed for the same cost per month as me? Through the years I have invested enough to watch TV, and I already own Dish door stops (7200, 721) so having a couple more is fine.

The letter that I received from Dish indicates in red FREE and I fail to see free when they are increasing my bill. After all, it's just TV.

[phrelin]

All I can respond to you is that my cable company is still much more expensive than Dish, the monthly charges for hardware were restructured in February and are the same whether your boxes are SD or HD, and they are offering to upgrade your system for free.

If you really believe "after all, it's just TV" then by all means rethink what you are paying for. An alternative - the one used in my youngest granddaughter's home - is free streaming video. There's plenty of free Spongebob and news from that source. If you can get TV OTA for free - or just for the initial cost of a good antenna - that might be the way to go.

[SaltiDawg]

Honestly, I don't care about the technology, nor am I dissatisfied with the receivers or service that I have, they are all working and we can watch TV. ...
I wish Dish could give you the free receivers at the same monthly cost and provide you the same programming that you had when you started subscribing.

Somehow I don't think you'd be satisfied with that.

Programming, hardware, software, etc, have all evolved over the past years. If you are not satisfied, vote with your feet.

[puckwithahalo]

If the receivers are being replaced with "like" HD receivers, you will see no increase in monthly cost. If the agent said otherwise, they probably didn't notice that the work order showed the cost of the new receivers and the cost of the old receivers, which won't drop off until after they are disabled.

So, if you have a single-tv non-dvr SD receiver, and it is replaced with a single-tv non-DVR HD receiver, cost stays exactly the same.

The only instance where you might see a price-increase would be if a 501 or 508 was replaced with a VIP 612.

Now of course this all applies only to the free "Whole Home Upgrade". If you upgrade to something of a different ilk through the DIU program, of course the price will change.

[patmurphey]

Honestly, I don't care about the technology, nor am I dissatisfied with the receivers or service that I have, they are all working and we can watch TV. Let me ask the same question to you, why should I be forced to upgrade and forced to pay more per month? Yes I realize that Dish is making changes which will make my current receivers boat anchors. That is Dish's business decision, and one which has cost implication for them.

I have Dish because 13 years ago my local cable was awful and I wanted to watch TV. The local cable has recently become great, I have their cable modem service, but I stayed with Dish for TV because I was happy with the service. I really have no issue going back to cable, I am just in this to watch TV, not to keep up to date with the latest technology or satellite orbital locations. I don't care where Dish puts their satellites, or which compression method they employ I just want to watch the morning news and the kids watch Spongebob.

If I recall (but my memory is going) when I signed up I had to buy my own equipment and I had to install it as well, there wasn't anyone local to do it without charge. Why should the new subscribers get their equipment given to them and installed for the same cost per month as me? Through the years I have invested enough to watch TV, and I already own Dish door stops (7200, 721) so having a couple more is fine.

The letter that I received from Dish indicates in red FREE and I fail to see free when they are increasing my bill. After all, it's just TV.

If you don't want the upgrade, don't do it. I doubt if you will find a better solution for TV somewhere else than what they are offering here. They only said the upgrade in equipment is free NOW. If you wait, it may not be. If you don't want the fees, just go ahead and let the available service drift away from you. You won't get any sympathy from anyone already paying for the newest equpment.

Technology marches on. :p

[James Long]

The letter that I received from Dish indicates in red FREE and I fail to see free when they are increasing my bill. After all, it's just TV.You have four receivers, models 2700, 508, 522 and vip722?
Based on February 2010 rates the 722 and 522 would be $17 each and the 2700 and 508 would be $7 each. DISH doesn't charge for the most expensive receiver on one's account so one of those $17 charges comes off. The DVR fee dropped in February to one fee per account.

This $31 in receiver fees is charged and will be charged regardless of if you own or lease the receivers. And regardless of if you take advantage of the free offer. The only way to reduce the $31 in fees is to reduce the number of receivers.

As long as DISH is replacing receivers with similar receivers your bill should only go up $3 for receiver fees. The 2700 would be replaced by a "Solo HD Receiver", the 508 would be replaced by a "Solo HD DVR", the 522 would be replaced by a "Duo HD DVR". The solo HD receiver is the same monthly cost (owned or leased) as a solo SD receiver - the Solo HD DVR is $3 more than the $508 (which, although a DVR, is charged as a Solo Receiver) - the Duo HD DVR is the same cost as a Duo SD DVR.

Is this "$10 to $14" increase also including the increase put into effect in February? Your January bill with these receivers would have a $5 charge for the SD receivers and a $7 for the 722 plus two DVR fees. About $31 including DVR fees in January changing to about $37 in February. (This assumes your 2700 or 508 was the primary receiver and you had phone lines connected etc to avoid extra fees. If you have AEP the math gets more complicated since the price of AEP dropped when the package no longer included the DVR fee.)

Upgrading to HD the receiver fee plus per account DVR fee would be $40 ... $9 more than you paid in January and $3 more than you should be paying today. Any additional increase could be the $2 price increase that went into effect in June (on AT200 and AT250 but not AT120 or AEP) or something I'm missing.

Bottom line: Do nothing and all of these fees should be already on your bill from the February and June increase. Upgrade your receivers and the most difference you should see is $3 converting the 508 into a paid Solo DVR.

[Kent Taylor]

Technology marches on. :p

Passing some by. :)

[bnborg]

I got a phone call yesterday from a Dish CSR. He said they needed to schedule a technician visit and possibly install a new Dish antenna, so that I could get all the HD channels.

I told him I was already getting 110, 119 and 129. He was satisfied.

[jkane]

The 7xx should be OK. The 510 shoudl also be OK. I have a 722 and a 501. The 4900 is likely the one they "want" to replace.

If you own it, you do not have to return it. But, it may just quit working! When they want you to return it, they "should" give you a $5 or $10 credit on your bill once they recieve it. They send you a shipping box and pay the shipping. When they get it back, they credit your account. But, you don't HAVE to send it back! They did that with my ... hmmm ... was it a 2000 or something like that? That isn't right, but it was some nubmer like that. I still have it boxed up somewhere at home. Never did take them up on the credit.

I would bet they want them back so you don't try to sell it and then they have to deal with telling some sucker that they won't enable it anymore!

[coldsteel]

The 7xx should be OK. The 510 shoudl also be OK. I have a 722 and a 501. The 4900 is likely the one they "want" to replace.

Not for an EA swap, all SD receivers have to be replaced.

If you own it, you do not have to return it. But, it may just quit working! When they want you to return it, they "should" give you a $5 or $10 credit on your bill once they recieve it. They send you a shipping box and pay the shipping. When they get it back, they credit your account. But, you don't HAVE to send it back! They did that with my ... hmmm ... was it a 2000 or something like that? That isn't right, but it was some nubmer like that. I still have it boxed up somewhere at home. Never did take them up on the credit.

I would bet they want them back so you don't try to sell it and then they have to deal with telling some sucker that they won't enable it anymore!

That 'bounty' credit ended a year ago.

[bnborg]

. . .

That 'bounty' credit ended a year ago.

Yeah, when I upgraded to HD more than a year ago, they gave me $10 each for my extra 510 and 508. The installer took them.