Dish pricing

[rogerpl]

Just got off the phone with E* about new pricing. Currently I have Top 180 + HBO+ DVR + one lease for $85.96 with tax. According to CSR same package renamed DVR Advantage pack with HD will be $100.40 with tax. Website shows DVR Advantage pack at 49.99 but this is the old Top 120 channels and i had to pay $10.00 more for next package up to get History Int., National Geographic, DIY and others.

[lamp525]

Just got off the phone with E* about new pricing. Currently I have Top 180 + HBO+ DVR + one lease for $85.96 with tax. According to CSR same package renamed DVR Advantage pack with HD will be $100.40 with tax. Website shows DVR Advantage pack at 49.99 but this is the old Top 120 channels and i had to pay $10.00 more for next package up to get History Int., National Geographic, DIY and others.

Did we get any new channels today???

[Stewart Vernon]

Did we get any new channels today???

There were 3 new channels yesterday... I don't think we were expecting any new channels today.

[koralis]

Just got off the phone with E* about new pricing. Currently I have Top 180 + HBO+ DVR + one lease for $85.96 with tax. According to CSR same package renamed DVR Advantage pack with HD will be $100.40 with tax. Website shows DVR Advantage pack at 49.99 but this is the old Top 120 channels and i had to pay $10.00 more for next package up to get History Int., National Geographic, DIY and others.

Ah, thanks much! So current customers do qualify. They'd give you the 622, yes? I assume you have an SD dvr currently?

[rogerpl]

Ah, thanks much! So current customers do qualify. They'd give you the 622, yes? I assume you have an SD dvr currently?

With rebates and $10.00 a month off the bill you recoup the $149.00 price you need to charge for the 622.

[Kingfish46815]

I have to jump on this thread. I had deactivated two 301's last October. I own these units outright. I decided to give them to my son and attempted to activate them on his account. NO I am told my receivers are prepay units and I am to go to Radio Shack and arange for my programing. What bull****. Prepay is a new program broiught out long after the 301 was put out. Moreover I was told that this is surprising because the 301 is not set up for the so called Dish Now card prepay card. So let's let our imagination go. Have they figured a way to make a whole bunch of units useless. What does the FTC have to say abouit this. h

[boba]

I have to jump on this thread. I had deactivated two 301's last October. I own these units outright. I decided to give them to my son and attempted to activate them on his account. NO I am told my receivers are prepay units and I am to go to Radio Shack and arange for my programing. What bull****. Prepay is a new program broiught out long after the 301 was put out. Moreover I was told that this is surprising because the 301 is not set up for the so called Dish Now card prepay card. So let's let our imagination go. Have they figured a way to make a whole bunch of units useless. What does the FTC have to say abouit this. hCall again and select tech support to get an american then get a correct answer.:)

[pgg211]

Thought I would add to this thread since it seems relevant.

I am confused. The E* website seems screwed up with their new pricing.

The Dish DVR Advantage package boldly anounces that you get 200 channels, including LOCALS, 2 room DVR service all for $49.95. "No hidden fees" You can add HD for just $20.

So I use the dish builder to order this HD package.
It comes up with:

Americas Top 200 $42.99
HD Channels $20.00
Local Channels $5.00
DVR fee $5.98
HD Enabling fee $6.00


Doesn't add up. What is with the fees? I thought it was advertised as all inclusive? Is thier website not setup right for the new package?

If you order a regular package, you get the Local Channel fee as well as the DVR fee as one would expect. The HD enabling fee is not charged on the regular package of course.

Hmmm:scratchin

[rogerpl]

Thought I would add to this thread since it seems relevant.

I am confused. The E* website seems screwed up with their new pricing.

The Dish DVR Advantage package boldly anounces that you get 200 channels, including LOCALS, 2 room DVR service all for $49.95. "No hidden fees" You can add HD for just $20.

So I use the dish builder to order this HD package.
It comes up with:

Americas Top 200 $42.99
HD Channels $20.00
Local Channels $5.00
DVR fee $5.98
HD Enabling fee $6.00


Doesn't add up. What is with the fees? I thought it was advertised as all inclusive? Is thier website not setup right for the new package?

If you order a regular package, you get the Local Channel fee as well as the DVR fee as one would expect. The HD enabling fee is not charged on the regular package of course.

Hmmm:scratchin

gotta choose the dvr advantage package- no dvr fees and includes locals- I had to upgrade to the 250 channel package for 10.00 more-

[pgg211]

gotta choose the dvr advantage package- no dvr fees and includes locals- I had to upgrade to the 250 channel package for 10.00 more-

I definately did choose the DAP package on the website. Seems to come up with the wrong pricing. At least I just want to know that it is wrong and the pricing is what I understand it to be.

[BobaBird]

pgg211, you would either subscribe to the $20 HD channels or pay the $6 HD "enabling" fee. Not both.

[pgg211]

pgg211, you would either subscribe to the $20 HD channels or pay the $6 HD "enabling" fee. Not both.

Right. Though it is not what the website indicates when DAP is selected with HD.

[CABill]

The E* website seems screwed up with their new pricing.

Winner, winner, winner - it is screwed up! I never liked the old DishBuilder, but at least there was a link to skip it and pick things. That's gone too. I had great difficulty in the "Add a TV" section too - If I pick W/ HD, the With DVR is unselected and greyed out so you can't reselect it.

The old rule was that the HD Enable fee jumped out for $6 if you didn't subscribe to HD Bronze or better. They don't offer it so it tacks on the HD Enable fee even if you have the DishHD $20. That part may get fixed quickly. After you see the totals there, it "notices" that what you've picked might make you want to instead go with DishDVR Advantage (without mentioning that it has a fixed price). If you say Yes or click whatever it was, the totals stay there but then go into DishDVR stuff. If you proceed to the final order where you enter your CC info, there was absolutely NO mention of how much they were about to charge! Just the "Yes, I agree box"!!!

Clicking around on other things shows lots more options available with DishDVR Advantage, but none seem to me to be built into DishBuilder. I wouldn't use it for a day or two.

[CABill]

I am confused.

What you get will depend a lot on what you pick for interests on the 1st screen. Try Yes HD and Yes DVR, and pick just children's programs. Then try again but instead be interested in Movies - maybe Drama. You'll get quite different results with different initial choices. Not necessary good or helpful results, but they will be different.

[rogerpl]

Yup, dish builder was working earlier but now it's not dumping those fees.

[Stewart Vernon]

Earlier when I tried the Dish Builder... It would not let me select a DVR with just one HDTV. For one TV, even an HDTV, it would not let you have the DVR... you had to add a 2nd TV before it would let you get the ViP622. Strange.

If I was a brand new customer, the DishBuilder experience would really put me off.

[pgg211]

They just fixed it partly. It still adds the HD enable fee but the other pricing is fudged with a $3.98 rebate to make the numbers come out.

I talking with dish, they insisted that the online price was correct, but also said the HD enable fee would be taken off the actual bill. :scratchin

They also said the rebates don't show online when they actaully do.

[CABill]

For me, it is more the route I take to the finish line that determines the end result. As HDMe says, ordering a HD DVR with a single HDTV is pretty hard. It certainly has changed though. I used to get AT200 for $42.99 and DishBuilder is showing me AT120 for $39.99. Depending on what I pick, I may be presented with DishDVR Advantage immediately and if I pick "Yes, I'm interested" right there, I'm never asked how many TVs I have. If I say "No, not at this time", I'll get the TV configuation screens and later see DishDVR offered a 2nd time. If I configure anything other than exactly one HD and one SD w/ DVR for a 622, I won't get a choice to pick DishDVR Advantage and it is proceed to checkout (with AT120 @ $39.99 still displayed). It is different, but "partly fixed" wouldn't be my phrase. ;)

I can get the rebates to show if I take the right path. No path I've seen shows any $ figure where you enter your credit card number! :(

I keep thinking maybe I have something cached that is messing things up - surely the new DishBuilder went through some sort of QA.

[AVITWeb]

They just fixed it partly. It still adds the HD enable fee but the other pricing is fudged with a $3.98 rebate to make the numbers come out.

I talking with dish, they insisted that the online price was correct, but also said the HD enable fee would be taken off the actual bill. :scratchin

They also said the rebates don't show online when they actaully do.

Yeah well they still didn't fix it...I cannot change the programming pack from AT180...everything I click still keeps it at that. And I do not see an "Everything" pack.....

Frustrating to have this go live and not even remotely work properly.

[pgg211]

Not to dwell on a buggy website but, I thought they fixed it, but it is broken again. It kind of worked once, I swear.

This can't be that hard to get right, can it?




surely the new DishBuilder went through some sort of QA.
(Those monkeys in the CareerBuilder commercials keep coming to mind.:rolleyes:)

[suptech]

I am confused. The E* website seems screwed up with their new pricing.
AHMEN ! I mentioned this in another thread ..and no one seems to have picked up on i t.
But this is insane ! A company with 13 million customers is this incompetent ???
And especially with something that is their cash cow ..ie Dish builder it there to bring in customers .
Sheesh !

[Slordak]

So this is available for existing customers? What exactly does one have to do in order to get the "DVR Advantage" package without having the CSR hopelessly screw up the billing?

And is this compatible with existing promotions, e.g. being locked into an "HD Metal" package for 18 months or whatever?

[John W]

AHMEN ! I mentioned this in another thread ..and no one seems to have picked up on i t.
But this is insane ! A company with 13 million customers is this incompetent ???
And especially with something that is their cash cow ..ie Dish builder it there to bring in customers .
Sheesh !

Maybe one of those folks who usually defend Charlie and all he does could stop by and advise why the only thing these bumblers can get right is increasing the prices?

[lparsons21]

So this is available for existing customers? What exactly does one have to do in order to get the "DVR Advantage" package without having the CSR hopelessly screw up the billing?

And is this compatible with existing promotions, e.g. being locked into an "HD Metal" package for 18 months or whatever?

Yes it is available and you can do it online. Login to your account and you should see a blurb towards the top of the 1st page about the DVR Advantage, click the link and it will start you going.

It will pick your subscription level determined by your current subscription level and you can't go lower than that online. You can add to it if you like.

One caveat, nowhere will it show you your new total bill.

To reduce below your current level or to find out exactly what the new bill will be, you have to call in.

For info, I am at the DVR Advantage with the 'everything' option, including locals and HD. The CSR told me my new bill will be $115/month before taxes. I'll see how true that is when I get the next bill.

[CABill]

The CSR told me my new bill will be $115/month before taxes. I'll see how true that is when I get the next bill.
You have to wait for the bill to be generated to see exactly what will be on it, but once you are there in My Account online, the Recent Activity choice on the day after you've made a change will show you the prorated amounts for the items that will be repeating on a monthly basis going forward.

For example, you should not see any line item for a positive amount called DVR fee. If you actually have the "Everything" package, all DVR fees are waived - you don't just have "a single DVR fee". Someone signing up for AEP plus DishHD plus locals would pay $114.99, so I'm not clear what DishDVR Advantage is saving you (18 months of DHPP?). Do you have a 2nd receiver on the account? The $115 is a $10 increase over the price in Jan for a 622 with HD Platinum + Locals but it is also the current price so I don't see a benefit to DishDVR Advantage for you.

[lparsons21]

Given that they've kept the fees confusing, you may be right. My recent activity doesn't reflect any of the changes in subscription yet. But it appears that the lease fee is gone, but a DVR fee is there. But there are so many entries that say the same thing with varying amounts of debits and credits, it is total confusion.

The biggest advantage to the DVR Advantage program in the long term is that my rate is frozen until Feb 2009. So even if they add more HD, for instance, my rate stays the same. Even if the program providers raise rates. That is probably going to be a big thing, imo.

I also got a 100 rebate in the switch ($10 for 10 months).

[CABill]

my rate is frozen until Feb 2009.
Thanks - I just couldn't see the obvious. AT60/100 didn't change price - my mindset is skewed.

[rogerpl]

I finally figured out the pricing -
dvr advantage 49.99 includes locals and dvr
for 20.00 i can add what they now call a premium service "HD programming" and I can add additional premium services for 10.00 each - HBO for 10.00 and the top 250 channel package is listed as a premium for another 10.00.
Final total 94.99 plus tax. This works for me as my bill with HD added will go up less than 10.00.

[thefunks67]

Roger,

Are your receivers hooked to a land line?

I subbed today and here is what I came up with today without using the DVR Advantage program

Top 250 $52.99
Dish HD $20.00
Locals $5.00
DVR Fee $5.98
Outlet $5.00
DVR Access Fee: $5.00

Total = $93.97 before the 10 month $20 rebate.

-Funk

[rogerpl]

Roger,

Are your receivers hooked to a land line?

I subbed today and here is what I came up with today without using the DVR Advantage program

Top 250 $52.99
Dish HD $20.00
Locals $5.00
DVR Fee $5.98
Outlet $5.00
DVR Access Fee: $5.00

Total = $93.97 before the 10 month $20 rebate.

-Funk
phone -yes
with dvr advantage no local or dvr fees
ure bill would be
dvr adv. 49.99
hd 20.00
top 250. 10.00
outlet 5.00
total-- 85.00