Does this look right? Dish Pricing + Adding HD Pack

[<><]

Hey, i currently have 4 receivers (2 DVRs) hooked up to 4 tvs. These are the older DVR's etc w/ 1 tuner each and the regular ones are the DP301's i believe (slim black ones).
My current bill looks like this:
DIGITAL HOME PLAN WITH AT120, 3 RCVRS, LOCALS 59.99
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
LEASED RECEIVER FEE 5.00
PICK3:ZEE,TVASIA,SET INCLUDES ZEE TV, TV ASIA, AND SET 34.99

Account Charges $ 111.94

Now, it looks like im being charged $5 extra for EACH receiver I have, when i thought it should be $5 for each EXTRA receiver. I've tried calling dish and asking them to take it off, but they tell me no each time, and that that's the promotion i signed up for and it cannot be changed. Also, i've read here about the phone line being connected to the receivers to avoid a certain fee...i have no phone lines connected to any of my receivers.

Now, I have one HDTV and want to upgrade to their HD package. I'm going to go with their $29.99 package + $20 HD Pack + $6 Locals and leasing the vip211 to replace my non dvr receiver in my room. The total for me is coming to about $10 more than my current plan, which is fine. I'm also being asked to sign up for the 18month contract.

Does all this sound about right? Anything I can do to reduce my bill? Or maybe pay a little more but also get more? I have 4 TV's total, one of them being HDTV. I need to be able to record on 2 of the SD TV's.

Thanks

[lparsons21]

Unless I'm reading something wrong, here is what looks to be in your best interest.

DVR Advantage 49.99
DVR Fee (only one no matter how many w/dvradv) 5.98
Lease fee 5.00
PICK 3(?) 34.99
HD Package 20.00

Total 115.96

You need to ask about lease fees. I'm thinking that you won't have one for the 211 if you take the DVR Advantage program. If it were me, I would be looking at the 622 instead of the 211. Upgrade to HD programming and get the ability to record it. Difference is in upfront cost. Also DVR Advantage is saying price guaranteed to Feb 2009, and that shouldn't be sneezed at.

The ? mark by the Pick 3 is that I don't know if that pricing changed or not.

[CABill]

Now, it looks like im being charged $5 extra for EACH receiver I have, when i thought it should be $5 for each EXTRA receiver.
:welcome_s to DBSTalk.
Your plan does add $5 for every receiver on the account above the posted price for a given ATxxx package. Whether that 1st $5 charge is for the "insurance" that comes with the Digital Home Plan or for the 1st receiver just changes how you view the total. Pretend the 1st receiver is still free but the $5 must be charged for the extended warranty "insurance".
DIGITAL HOME PLAN WITH AT120, 3 RCVRS, LOCALS 59.99
That total should increase on your next bill by $3 when AT120 is billed as AT200.

I'd be curious what the CSR would quote you as a Digital Home Plan subscriber for DishDVR Advantage. It is listed as $49.99 for AT200 plus locals plus the first DVR fee on the account. All DVRs after the 1st add $5.98 each unless you subscribe "everything" (or it is one of the older DVRs that don't have the fee like 501/508/721). All receivers after the 1st will have a lease fee.

You should also ask a CSR about getting a ViP622 instead of a 211. You already have 4 leased tuners which might mean that you would have to return both a 510 DVR and a 301 to stay at the 4 leased tuner limit. You would be replacing one $5.98 DVR fee on a 510 with the DVR fee on the 622, but replacing two $5 lease charges with a single $6 lease fee. Whoever was using the 301 (actually, all the TVs in the house) can share TV2 from the 622 that is used for the new HD TV. The ViP622 is one of the Dual Output receivers where the $5 phone line fee actually does apply. Since it can supply the independent output you currently have a receiver for, they will charge another $5/month if that 622 isn't connected to a phone line. If you happen to be cell phone only, it would eliminate the $4 savings (but still allow you to DVR HD channels and supply DVR viewing to where the 301 was).

Also, you should still qualify for a $10/month rebate for the 1st 10 months of the DishHD subscription. Wouldn't matter if it was the 211 or 622.

[<><]

hmm..what happend to the $5 extra that i get charged for each extra receiver? Will i not be charged that?
And i dont understand what you mean by this: "DVR Fee (only one no matter how many w/dvradv) 5.98", so if i have 3 drvs, it'll only charge me 5.98 once? Doesn't the DVR ADV plan include the price of the first dvr? So that means that if i ad 2 more dvrs, it'll still only charge my 5.98? If thats the case then it makes sense for me to go for the 622 instead since i wont be charge any extra than the upfront cost as you mentioned...even tho i dont really have a need to record.

Thanks for the info.

[lparsons21]

The fees are always a bit weird in that if you read everything, you could either be charged or not depending on which paragraph of the legaleze you read.

That said, they do say specifically that with the DVR Advantage plan you only pay one DVR fee.

[lparsons21]

Forgot about the receiver fee, sorry. I'm assuming that is the lease fee, and frankly I don't know whether that still gets charged or not. Looking at my account with numerous entries about DVR fee and Lease fee, it doesn't appear that you pay that any more, but I'm not sure.

[CABill]

That said, they do say specifically that with the DVR Advantage plan you only pay one DVR fee.
You are the ONLY one saying there is one DVR fee. Everything you can presently find on the website is explicit that DishDVR Advantage covers the 1st, and only the 1st, DVR fee on the account. It says that over and over. If DISH is ever able to get customersupport.dishnetwork.com working again, maybe we can find the existing customer upgrade message that made you think there was only one DVR fee with the plan, but you shouldn't keep saying that. It isn't correct.

[<><]

CABill,
That was a lot to take in...heh, so your saying the guy above had the wrong figures right? What do you mean by "subscribe everything"?
Well, to stay at the 4 tuner limit, why would i have to return a DVR? Can i just not return the 2 non dvr receivers? The reason im asking is, if i have the 622 in my room and connect the 2nd tuner to my SD TV, would that SD TV be able to record shows etc even tho the receiver is in my room? Does the remote work fine thru walls? (guessing its RF based)..(off topid: will it work w/ my universal harmony 880 IR remote?)
I'll call the CSR and see what they quote me...i cant seem to login to my dish account at the moment...site says " Unable to logon to system due to technical difficulties. Please try again at a later time."

So according to your plan it would be (if i get the 622).
DVR Advantage: 49.99 (200 chans, locals, 1st dvr fee)
HD Package: 20.00
Aditional DVR Fee: 5.98
2 Adional Receivers: 10 (or will it count my first too?..so maybe 15)
Leave Reciver Fee: 5.00
Pick 3: 34.99

Total: 130.96 (plus the upfront cost getting the 622)

and with my original idea, w/ getting just the vip211:
Top 100: 29.99
HD Pack: 20.00
Locals: 6.00
2 DVRS: 12.00
3 Adtional Receivers: 20.00
Leased Reciver: 5.00
Pick 3: 34.99

Total: 127.98 .. (it was coming to 122 when i talked to CSR but i dont think we were adding in the price of the locals).

Thanks

[lparsons21]

You are the ONLY one saying there is one DVR fee. Everything you can presently find on the website is explicit that DishDVR Advantage covers the 1st, and only the 1st, DVR fee on the account. It says that over and over. If DISH is ever able to get customersupport.dishnetwork.com working again, maybe we can find the existing customer upgrade message that made you think there was only one DVR fee with the plan, but you shouldn't keep saying that. It isn't correct.

OK, I'll quit saying it, just to make you happy! ;-)

But when the customer support comes back up, log in to your account and select the DVRAdvantage upgrade part. I believe the next screen will show what I've been saying. You can back out of it at anytime until the last accepting link shows up.

I can't check it, because once you sign up for it, it doesn't show up anymore.

[lparsons21]

OK, I managed to get on customersupport and use a history page to get where I was about the DVR fee. On one page it says it includes (1) DVR fee and on the next it says 'DVR Fee'. Somehow I got that screwed around in my head (too much MonstersHD I guess) into one DVR fee regardless of DVR's. It appears that the DVRAdvantage includes (1) DVR fee, but you would pay that fee for each DVR beyond the 1st.

Does that sound right?

[CABill]

I was never able to login to My Account for the 1st few days of Feb. They weren't even prepared with some "Maintenance" page then to tell you it was broken. I got in for a little over 24 hours and then it went south again. A lot has been changing on the website (HBO & Cinemax displayed again and included as part of 3 months free premium of your choice), DishBuilder doing "odd" things, ... Then only thing consistent is account login hasn't worked well.

I'm quite curious what a CSR will tell you as a Dish Home subscriber for the cost of DishDVR Advantage.

Sure you can replace two 301s with a 622 and stay at 4 tuners. But it does increase your costs by the $5.98 DVR fee you add. I was working on decreasing the bill. ;) You'd offset $4 of the DVR fee replacing two receivers ($10) with one ViP ($6). A year ago at this time, there were Dish Home subscribers (you've had yours a while!) that were only increasing their bill by $5 instead of $6 when they got a ViP.

"Everything" is America's Everything Pak - AT250 plus 4 premium movies. If you read the "current" lease agreement (differs from your Dish Home, but your's hasn't been displayed in years):
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/offers/disclaimers/dha/index.shtml

Network DVR Service Fee: A $5.98 per month DISH Network DVR service fee will be charged to your account for each model 510, 522, 625, ViP622 DVR or HomeZone 1022 receiver activated. This fee will not apply with respect to one (1) such receiver if you subscribe to DishDVR Advantage and will be waived if you subscribe to America’s “Everything” Pak;

I can only assume your Dish Home has the 4 tuner limit, but I really don't know. Ask if you can add a 622 w/o removing two?

Remotes: You would want the 622 in the room with the HD TV for a component or HDMI connection. That TV1 can be controlled by IR (Harmony works fine), but can also be controlled with RF with 6.x model UHF Pro remotes. You get one 6.3 UHF Pro with the 622 and it is configured to control TV2 (through walls). TV2 can ONLY be controled with a UHF Pro remote, not the Harmony or the IR 5.3 that comes with the 622. FWIW, I take the TV2 coax from the front room (where my TV1 is) and run it to every TV in the house. I had to get more UHF Pro remotes for bedrooms, but it is very handy to have a single DVR going everywhere. I have a 508 DVR in my bedroom, but actually watch TV2 more often. With a 622, you can watch both TV1 on Channel X and TV2 on Channel y on the same coax in the remote room(s). I strongly endorse it above a 211.

[CABill]

OK, I managed to get on customersupport

I tried again after reading you got in, but didn't get a user : pass prompt. I tried a couple of other routes and did get signed on but seem to be stuck ... started again and I'm working. I saved three screens of the upgrade but stopped when it looked like I was going to commit to something. I'd seen those screens on the day My Account was working showing the "one DVR fee", but that is what it includes:

The DishDVR Advantage includes
America's Top 200 Entertainment Package

Your Local Channels

One DishDVR Service Fee
[tiny light grey font]
Additional programming subscriptions, DishDVR service fees and other charges above and beyond the inclusions in the DishDVR Advantage package will continue to be billed separately
[/tiny light grey font]
Please choose from one of the following options to enroll DishDVR Advantage:

Autopay-automatic debit and credit card bill payment
OR
18 Months Commitment-agree to 18 months uninterrupted Dish Network service

The 2nd part applies to some other thread here, but I don't know where right now. The fact that it is either CCAP or 18 months was mentioned, and I'd seen this page, but now I know where it is (and why I haven't been able to find it). What I don't find with the existing customer upgrade path is the choice to use DishHD as a replacement for the Premiums. I don't have DishHD, but I do have the old $9.99 HD Pak so maybe what I see differs from what others see.


Now we need "<><" (I'll call him Prince because I don't know how to say his symbol) to find out what he sees when he starts a programming upgrade on My Account.

[lparsons21]

His will most likely be different. I know that mine had all the premiums selected and no way to change that. There was an explanation to the effect that you could upgrade but not downgrade. That makes sense because you never could downgrade online.

[CABill]

Leave Reciver Fee: 5.00
Pick 3: 34.99

Total: 130.96 (plus the upfront cost getting the 622)
...
Total: 127.98 .. (it was coming to 122 when i talked to CSR but i dont think we were adding in the price of the locals).


Dish Home Plan is special, so I can only GUESS.

Replace both a 510 DVR and a 301 with 622 giving a 301, 510, and a 622


$49.99 DishDVR (200 chans, locals, 1st dvr fee)
20.00 DishHD
5.00 1st receiver plus "insurance"
5.00 2nd current receiver
6.00 622 lease
5.98 2nd DVR fee
34.99 Pick 3

126.96 Total if you replace a 510 and a 301.
132.94 If you replace both 301s and have 3 DVR fees (one free)

I added $1 to 622 lease and dropped $5 (you had $15 in your $130 total).

If you replace a 301 with a 211, my GUESS is


$29.99 AT100
20.00 DishHD
5.00 Locals
5.00 1st receiver plus "insurance"
5.00 2nd current receiver
5.00 3rd current receiver
6.00 211 lease
5.98 1st 510 DVR fee
5.98 2nd 510 DVR fee
34.99 Pick 3

122.94 Total if you replace a 301 with a 211 and drop from AT200 to AT100.



There is a $13 monthly difference between AT100 and AT200 starting with bills generated after 1-Feb. Your current $111.94 should read $114.94 w/o any changes next month.

Any of the above DishHD subs should qualify you for $10/month for 10 months. If you select equipment upgrade in My Account it will show you the price you would pay for a 211/622 and indicate if the $50 HD Bonus credit applies.

[<><]

This is what it says when i try to do the upgrade:
The DishDVR Advantage includes
# America's Top 200 Entertainment Package
# Your Local Channels
# One DishDVR Service Fee
Additional programming subscriptions, DishDVR service fees and other charges above and beyond the inclusions in the DishDVR Advantage package will continue to be billed separately

I'm already setup for autopay, but i don't see what you saw about either autopay or 18month contract.

Also, the reason I added 15 dollars was because w/ my current 4 receivers i get charged $20, so i assumed w/ 3 receivers i'll get charged $15 (5 for insurage, and 10 for the 2 additional)
So your saying that the lease fee would cover the adtional receiver fee? If you see my current plan in the first post, im being charged $20 extra for my 4 receivers PLUS a $5 leased receiver fee....i dunno how they get all these extra fees :/

And dish customer support isnt really all that...i tried telling them to take off $5 because i thought i wasnt supposed to be charged that..and the rep told me to cancel my service w/ dish network and try again and maybe you'll get a better deal :confused:

I think im gonna get charged $5 more than what you posted...i'll call them tomorrow and report back

thanks

[CABill]

39.99 Old AT120 price, add $3 1-Feb
5.00 Locals
5.00 1st of initial 3 receivers plus "insurance"
5.00 2nd of initial 3 receivers
5.00 3rd of initial 3 receivers
59.99 DIGITAL HOME PLAN WITH AT120, 3 RCVRS, LOCALS

5.00 LEASED RECEIVER FEE
for a receiver added after initial account setup with 3 receivers

For me, it is easiest to say $5 for each of your existing receivers that you keep plus $6 for each ViP receiver added. That is $16 for a 301, 510, and 622. Other Digital Home people have posted $5 appearing on their bill for a 622, but not all Digital Home subscribers. It could easily be either $15 or $16. That MIGHT have something to do with the 622 replacing their Primary receiver??

I see the text you quoted at https://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/customercare/programming/prepDDAUpgrade.do
but the CCAP OR 18 month choice is right below it for me (I'm not CCAP). Maybe that doesn't appear for someone already doing CCAP? I can't "Continue" unless one or the other radio button is picked. Whichever I pick will eventually produce some DDA T&C w/ CCAP or DDA T&C w/ 18 Months.

DishDVR Advantage Package & Autopay set-up Disclosures
...
By clicking "Agree" below you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set forth in the text box above and that such terms and conditions were disclosed to you prior to sale.

CSR's have quoted something like "Once Digital Home Plan, always Digital Home Plan" but it is possible to leave DISH for 6 months and return under Digital Home Advantage. That has no fee for the 1st receiver, but its DHPP "insurance" is $5.99, less generous than yours, but optional.

[<><]

oh ok i get it...
Just one last question before i call them, i was at their website and they offer a TWO tuner non-hd DVR as well, so what if i got 1 622 and 1 625? Would they let me do that? Would that make sense....i think that would save me an extra receiver fee right?
on the phone w/ them right now...
they said they cannot replace all of my receivers and give me a 622 and a 625...which i dont understand why, first she said under my promotion i'm only allowed 3 tuners...but i said i currently have 4 receivers in my house, she's like yeah i know, but we cant replace all your receivers under your promotion...:?

but anyway....
your 126.96 total was on the dot on, i signed up for that
got a 622 and replaced a 311 and a 501 for 126.96.

Thanks for your help :)

edit: I coulda signed up for the AT100 deal w/ the 622 and woulda saved about $9 a month (but 100 less chans)...most of the chans i watch are in that 100 neway! ... i guess too late to change now? 18 MONTH contract !

[CABill]

As far as not being able to do both a 622 and a 625 to save another $5, that is because the DISH'n It Up (DIU) promotion has restrictions. 3 tuners per transaction, one transaction in a year, ... If you login to My Account, Equip Info, then the DIU link, it says
Limit of 2 receivers or 3 tuners per transaction. Limit 4 leased tuners per account. Maximum of one DISH'n It Up upgrade transaction per 12 month period.

You actually aren't commited to 18 months of DishDVR Advantage. You agreed to remain a DISH sub with a minimum programming package for 18 months. There are tons of things you could do that would eliminate the benefits of the DDA package without getting hit with the $240 or $13.33/month that comes from breaking the 18 month commit. If you drop locals or switch from AT200 to AT100, you are no longer in DDA and would get billed the other (no DDA discount) amount. Since you are in DDA, you probably can no longer see the Disclosures so I'll paste them. First screen covers what happens if you drop below the AT200 minimum:

DishDVR Advantage Package pricing includes America's Top 200 package, your local network channels and the monthly DISH Network DVR Service Fee for up to one (1) qualifying DVR receiver. Additional fees may apply. If you downgrade your programming below America's Top 200, deactivate any qualifying local network channels, deactivate the applicable qualifying DVR receiver, stop participating in Credit Card AutoPay or if any credit/debit/check card you provide at any time in connection therewith expires (not applicable to existing customers who agree to a 18-month term agreement under the DishDVR program), the DishDVR Advantage Package will be automatically removed from your account and you will thereafter be billed the then-current applicable prices for the DISH Network services you are receiving at that time. All other terms and conditions applicable to this promotion, including without limitation any term agreement and cancellation fees to which you have agreed will continue in full force and effect.

If you choose the 18 month commit INSTEAD of CCAP, you have to agree to a long set of disclosures that cover dropping below DishFAMILY. If you instead choose CCAP with the online signup, you get a different set of disclosures. The 18 month one in its entirety:
DishDVR Advantage Package & 18 months commitment Disclosures

You agree to purchase DishFAMILY, America's Top 100, DishLATINO, or Great Wall TV Package, as your minimum subscription level for eighteen (18) months from the date of enrollment in this promotion ('Eighteen-Month Term'). If after enrollment, but before the end of the Eighteen-Month Term, you elect to downgrade your programming below the required minimum programming package of DishFAMILY, America's Top 100, DishLATINO, or Great Wall TV Package, or your service is disconnected for any reason, and all programming and other fees and charges for the Eighteen-Month Term have not been paid in full as of such termination, downgrade, or disconnection, you agree to pay, and we will automatically charge, a cancellation fee equal to $13.33 multiplied by the number of months remaining in the Eighteen-Month Term to your DISH Network account or your Credit Card as defined below, at our option. In the event that at any time during the Eighteen-Month Term you are eligible to participate and participate in the 'DISH Pause Program' or any other program pursuant to which your DISH Network service may be temporarily suspended, you agree that the Eighteen-Month Term shall automatically resume immediately following such suspension and that the last day of such Eighteen-Month Term shall be extended for the number of days by which your DISH Network service was suspended. DISH Network shall determine eligibility for any such promotion in its sole discretion and reserves the right to deny eligibility for any reason. In the event that at any time you otherwise owe more than one cancellation fee with respect to the same minimum programming package pursuant to this Agreement and any other agreement(s) between you and DISH Network, you agree that the terms and conditions applicable to the cancellation fee with respect to such minimum programming for which the greatest amount is then owing to DISH Network shall be controlling. Except as expressly set forth herein to the contrary with respect to any such cancellation fees, these terms and conditions do not replace or change any prior written agreement between you and DISH Network. Any such agreement remains in full force and effect.

Collection of Fees/Credit Card Authorization. You hereby authorize DISH Network to charge, and/or place a hold with respect to, any and all cancellation fee(s) owing under this Agreement (collectively, the 'Authorized Amounts'), to your credit card or debit/check card that you initially provided to DISH Network and/or to any other credit card or debit/check card of yours that you provide to make payments to DISH Network (the 'Credit Card'), authorize the issuer of the Credit Card to pay the Authorized Amounts without DISH Network submitting a signed receipt, and agree that this Agreement is to be accepted as such authorization. You authorize DISH Network to continue to attempt to charge, and/or place holds with respect to, the Authorized Amounts, or any portion thereof, to the Credit Card until such amounts are paid in full. You acknowledge and agree that DISH Network shall have no liability whatsoever for any non-sufficient funds, rejected debit, or other charges incurred by you as a result of such attempts to charge, and/or place holds on, the Credit Card. Payment of a cancellation fee shall not relieve you of your obligation to pay all unpaid charges on your account. In the event that you are enrolled or later enroll in DISH Network's AutoPay ('AutoPay') or Electronic Funds Transfer ('EFT') payment programs, you agree that the Authorized Amounts and any and all monthly programming, pay-per-view, and other similar and related charges and other amounts owing under this Agreement or the Residential Customer Agreement may be charged to the credit card, debit/check card or account provided by you to DISH Network pursuant to such AutoPay or EFT program.




By clicking "Agree" below you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set forth in the text box above and that such terms and conditions were disclosed to you prior to sale.

[<><]

ahhh...ok ok so as long im w/ dish network w/ a plan above dishFamily, i should be ok?
Ok cool, i think im probably going to downgrade to ata100 (will save me $9/month) and also get rid of my 4th SD Reciever (the 301) since its not being used much anyway, save another 5 dollars.

Thanks for your help CABill.

[CABill]

If you don't keep at least DishFAMILY, you'd be hosed with the $13.33/month termination fee!

The DDA package comes with a price guarantee thru Jan '09 and you can expect AT100 to increase in price in '08 (it didn't this year). You can still keep the current $29.99 price until 2009 if you do an Annual subscription to AT100 next January. You would have a lump sum $330 for the year. It isn't quite "one month free" because with the annual deal, locals go from $5 to $5.99. It would still save you another $18 if you do it in the current year. There would be more benefit to doing it next year.

Run the coax from the 622's TV2 to whatever room the 301 had been in and you can at least still watch Sat channels.

[CABill]

You should think of AT100 as your minimum choice. If you were to drop to DishFAMILY, I don't think you can keep the DishHD.

Once you get the bill with DishHD, don't forget your $10/month rebate as a new DishHD sub. http://www.dishnetwork.com/redirects/promotion/100_back/index2.asp
You could keep the money, or pretend DISH is paying the difference for 10 months of AT100 or DDA.