[Greg_R]

On my old Dish Network bill (a DVR 942 unit) I had to pay $6 for a DVR service fee and $6 for a Dish home protection fee (even though I owned the box!). I recently decided to upgrade to the new DishHD packages and WOW did the hidden fees skyrocket.

LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
DISH HOME PROTECTION 5.99
PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEE 5.0

My bill jumped to $87 a month (For the BRONZE package and 1 receiver!). What is the home protection fee and programming access fee? These seem like another way for Dish to make $10 a month off of me for something they should be providing in the first place.

Any tips for reducing the monthly cost? I know with some services if you get the platinum level ($99) it will cover all the hidden fees. This may be worth it since I was hoping to add HBO in the future...

 

[calgary2800]

I know what you mean. I called several times wanting to upgrade to HD Gold and just worried Dish wont get the bill right like the 1st time I signed up.

2009 cant come soon enough for all channels to be in HD.

 

[CABill]

PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEE 5.0
comes from not having the 622 continuously connected to a phone line. There would have been the same fee for the 942 if it hadn't been connected. Did you forget to connect the 622 to a phone line? DISH thinks that at some point (maybe the initial install of the 622??), it wasn't connected.

LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
Charged on Dish'N It Up existing customer upgrade receivers. It is charged even if it is the only receiver on the account.

DISH HOME PROTECTION 5.99
This is entirely your choice. The 622 comes with 12 months warranty and if DISH did the install of the 622, there is 90 days "warranty" on that as well. That makes DHPP less worthwhile for the 1st 12 months. You can cancel it and save $5.99, at least until the 12 month warranty expires, and then choose. Read http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customercare/warranty/ and the link to Terms and Conditions. The $29 in home fee is less than what someone would pay that isn't on DHPP, but I don't recall what that fee is.

 

[John W]

2009 cant come soon enough for all channels to be in HD.

Thats not what the law is.It is all OTA must be digital, that is all.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

Not to stir anything up... but they aren't hidden fees when they are clearly separated and listed on the bill. Hidden fees would be charges that are built into a bulk price that you don't know about... Some of these fees are reversable (i.e. you can do things to not have to pay them like connecting a phone line or upgrading to the "everything" pack)... other fees are just part of the deal.

Admittedly, Dish doesn't do a great job of explaining all the possible fees up-front like I wish they would... but at least they aren't truly hidden.

 

[Greg_R]

CABill, thanks for the explanation. I'll call Dish and have them remove those charges.

 

[UTFAN]

On my old Dish Network bill (a DVR 942 unit) I had to pay $6 for a DVR service fee and $6 for a Dish home protection fee (even though I owned the box!). I recently decided to upgrade to the new DishHD packages and WOW did the hidden fees skyrocket.

LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
DISH HOME PROTECTION 5.99
PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEE 5.0

My bill jumped to $87 a month (For the BRONZE package and 1 receiver!). What is the home protection fee and programming access fee? These seem like another way for Dish to make $10 a month off of me for something they should be providing in the first place.

Any tips for reducing the monthly cost? I know with some services if you get the platinum level ($99) it will cover all the hidden fees. This may be worth it since I was hoping to add HBO in the future...

While I disagree with the number of fees DISH charges us, they certainly aren't hidden.

 

[finniganps]

Yeah, the fees are all there if you look or ASK before signing up. Take a look at your cell phone bill. When you signed up they said $39.99/month, or some other cost. I bet you've NEVER had a bill at $39.99 with all the fees added on. They claim they're taxes required to be assessed, yet if you switch to another cell company at the same "price" the bill is still different because of the fees cell co.'s tack on.