[puckwithahalo]

I just wanted to clear the air about the discontinued receiver promotions since there seems to be a lot of confussion about them.

I would like to not that this is not an official statement by Dish Network, and is purely my own interperetation.

However, I will say that I am positive on the things I am about to post.

First and foremost, there is absolutely no up front cost or contract for this promotion. However, you will need to provide a credit card for leased equipment qualification, a $1.00 hold will be on the card for 48 hours and then it will be dropped. I repeat, the card will not be charged.

7100/7200 and JVCIRR

Free DP501 or DP508 shipped to customer
If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver, then there will be a $5.00 lease fee for the new one.

Net change to bill $0.00

5000

Free DP311 shipped to customer.

If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver, then there will be a $5.00 lease fee for the new one.

change to bill $0.00

721

Free DP522 shipped to customer, possibility of DP625.

DVR fee waived permanently

programming access fee both waived permanently regardless of phone line connection.

If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver, then there will be a $5.00 lease fee for the new one.

change to bill $0.00

6000 and 811

Free VIP 211, shipped if customer has appropriate satellite locations for current HD programming, installed if customer needs additional locations to get current HD programming.

If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver,
there will be a $7.00 lease fee for the new one.

change in bill +$2.00 if more than one receiver on account

921 and 942

Free VIP 622, shipped if the customer has appropriate satellite locations for current HD programming, installed if customer needs additional locations to get current HD programming. (possibility of getting a VIP 722 if installer does not have VIP 622 in stock)

If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver,
there will be a $7.00 lease fee for the new one.

The programming access fee for the second tuner is automatically waived, regardless of whether or not the phone line is connected.

DVR fees would still apply, just like with old receivers.

change in bill +$2.00 if more than one receiver on account

For all new HD receivers added under this promotion.

The normal $7.00 HD Enabling fee for having an MPEG4 HD receiver on an account without current HD programming is waived as long as one of the current HD packages is not added to the account. So, customers who did not have HD programming or wanted to stick with the legacy HD package do not have to add one of the new HD packages to their account, but once they do, they have to maintain it or be subject to the HD enabling fee.

Note: The legacy HD package is $9.99, the Bronze, Silver, and Gold HD packages are $10.00 a month. There is also the HD Platinum package which requires one of the previous 3 and is an additional $10.00 per month.

I think I covered everything, but if I missed something, please feel free to add.

 

[Kevin_F]

If you have a Dolby Digital adapter for your 5000, then they will offer you a 381 for the replacement receiver.

Any word on whether the 4000 will be replaced as well?

 

[Alsat]

I just wanted to clear the air about the discontinued receiver promotions since there seems to be a lot of confussion about them.

6000 and 811

Free VIP 211, shipped if customer has appropriate satellite locations for current HD programming, installed if customer needs additional locations to get current HD programming.

If there was a $5.00 lease fee or additional outlet fee for the old receiver,
there will be a $7.00 lease fee for the new one.

change in bill +$2.00 if more than one receiver on account

I think I covered everything, but if I missed something, please feel free to add.

I have a 6000 - with no (zero zilch none) HD programming currently on it but they will not ship me out a replacement, they insist on doing an install. Since I do not want to take time off for an install, and since I am not currently planning on getting any HD programming at the moment, I declined the offer. If I had the option for them to just ship out the replacement, I would swap it out, even though I would lose the UHF remote. If they are going to drop service to the 6000, I will drop it and just have one receiver on my account (508), it will save me $5 (or $7) on the bill then.

 

[puckwithahalo]

I have a 6000 - with no (zero zilch none) HD programming currently on it but they will not ship me out a replacement, they insist on doing an install. Since I do not want to take time off for an install, and since I am not currently planning on getting any HD programming at the moment, I declined the offer. If I had the option for them to just ship out the replacement, I would swap it out, even though I would lose the UHF remote. If they are going to drop service to the 6000, I will drop it and just have one receiver on my account (508), it will save me $5 (or $7) on the bill then.

Why not just have the install done on a day you already have off?

 

[SteveinDanville]

I have an old 4900 that I'm using in the bedroom and a 721 that is currently inactivated (main unit is a 622). How do I get a replacement for the 4900 or 721? I see nothing on the Dish website. BTW, what would be the replacement unit for a 4900?

 

[puckwithahalo]

I have an old 4900 that I'm using in the bedroom and a 721 that is currently inactivated (main unit is a 622). How do I get a replacement for the 4900 or 721? I see nothing on the Dish website. BTW, what would be the replacement unit for a 4900?

The 4900 is not being replaced at this time. The 721 would need to be reactivated on the account and then set up under the discontinued receiver promotion to get it replaced. I would activate the 721 and disable the 4900 and get the 721 replaced under the promotion. Then would have the dvr at that second location as well as with the 622

 

[Alsat]

Why not just have the install done on a day you already have off?

Sunday?

 

[puckwithahalo]

Sunday?

There are a few places that installers don't work on sundays, but in most areas E* does installs 7 days a week.

 

[jclewter79]

Sunday?

For my 722 upgrade, I took a saturday install but, sunday was an option for me. You won't know until you ask.

 

[SteveinDanville]

The 4900 is not being replaced at this time. The 721 would need to be reactivated on the account and then set up under the discontinued receiver promotion to get it replaced. I would activate the 721 and disable the 4900 and get the 721 replaced under the promotion. Then would have the dvr at that second location as well as with the 622

So I guess I'll call a CSR to get the 4900 taken off the account and re-activate the 721 and immediately say, "okay, now replace it under the discontinued receiver promotion". Think that'll fly?

 

[Zero327]

The 4900 is not being replaced at this time. The 721 would need to be reactivated on the account and then set up under the discontinued receiver promotion to get it replaced. I would activate the 721 and disable the 4900 and get the 721 replaced under the promotion. Then would have the dvr at that second location as well as with the 622

You really want to stop trying to provide information now. What you've provided above is incomplete, and what you've stated here is also incorrect.

 

[SteveinDanville]

You really want to stop trying to provide information now. What you've provided above is incomplete, and what you've stated here is also incorrect.

May I politely ask what you're talking about?

 

[HDRoberts]

An the subject of clearing the air about the upgrades...

Why do some with owned receivers whine that dish is making their technology obsolete? Didn't you recognize that when you bought it, that eventually, it might become a paperweight?

If I bought a TV 5 years ago that only had an analog tuner, should I expect the electronics retailer to give me a new TV just because I made a mistake in buying a TV that was to become obsolete?

I do understand about not wanting lease fees. That's fair. But as for DVR fees, that just part of the game. Think of it like this: you were getting a discount ever since the fee DVRs came out. Everyone charges DVR fees. Just get used to it. Stop sounding like an old man complaining how stuff costs more than it used to.

Really, in today's satellite business model, I can think of no advantage to owning rather than leasing, aside from being able to resell it. But really, how much is obsolete technology worth after a few years?

 

[BattleZone]

But really, how much is obsolete technology worth after a few years?

Agree. A 4900 would probably not get $20 on eBay. My old DirecTV Sony SAT-A2, which I paid $350, is worth zero.

Leasing makes much more sense. It's not like you can do anything with the receiver if you cancel the service, so why own it?

 

[puckwithahalo]

You really want to stop trying to provide information now. What you've provided above is incomplete, and what you've stated here is also incorrect.

I think I covered everything, but if I missed something, please feel free to add.

And if I stated something incorrectly, feel free to correct it. I'm not above saying I made a mistake, but until you show me what that mistake was, just saying "you're wrong" isn't very constructive.

 

[kstuart]

So, they are not replacing the 1000, 2000, 2700, 3000, 4000 or 4900 ??

 

[Alsat]

Agree. A 4900 would probably not get $20 on eBay. My old DirecTV Sony SAT-A2, which I paid $350, is worth zero.

Leasing makes much more sense. It's not like you can do anything with the receiver if you cancel the service, so why own it?

Actually, if you own the equipment, then by *not* having the service, it seems like a waste of money, but by leasing, you stand to lose nothing if you cancel the service. at any point - unless you are locked in by a contract. Thus, in some respects, it should be more beneficial in the long run for Dish to sell the units. Will Dish begin obsoleting units every 2-3 years to force customers into new commitments? Are they going to follow the cell phone model of doing business? Who knows. They started out as "you own the equipment, unlike those evil cable companies who only rent you the equipement". Now they have become them.

I own a 6000, and as long as it works, I might as well keep the service. I paid for the reciever, I might as well get as much use out of it as I can.

Once the 6000 no longer works, (I know I am not normal) there really does not seem to be much worth watching, so I lose nothing by dropping service at that point. I can then devote the money spent on a Dish subcription on DVDs, again doing that weird thing of wanting to purchase something with my money instead of leasing. (I reckon that I could have accumulated 300-500 DVDs with the money I have sent to Dish since the days of America's Top 40).

As they don't seem to be inclined to just ship me out a replacement, and then tack on a new leasing fee to my bill, but want to schedule an install and so forth (See thread Major Screwup as one of many complaints about installs) it seems to be less of a hassle and easier on my pocketbook to drop the service.

 

[puckwithahalo]

it seems to be less of a hassle and easier on my pocketbook to drop the service.

If the 6000 is the only receiver on the account, your bill won't change. If you do have more than 1, your bill goes up by $2.00.

 

[Alsat]

If the 6000 is the only receiver on the account, your bill won't change. If you do have more than 1, your bill goes up by $2.00.

Yes, but if I drop the service, my bill drops by $70+, I have a second reciever, so if I drop the 6000, my bill drops by $5+.

I called Dish when this all started - they called and left messages saying one or more of my receivers need to be replaced. The csr told me that

1) I had to schedule an install. (Minor hassle)
2) My bill will go up $2, and if I ever make any change in my service, the full $7 will be applied.
3) I don't recieve *any* hd programming at this point. The new receiver provides me with *no* additonal advantages.
4) Since I had talked to a csr and they agreed that getting a replacement receiver did not provide me with anything, I did not have to. Also, they would note that I had talked to Dish and the telemarketing calls would stop.

I continue to get calls from Dish, installers and others telling me that I need to replace on or more of my recievers - at least one, usually more each day. That is an annoyance. Plus a weekly letter from Dish saying that one or more of my receivers needs to be replaced.

So, I can schedule an install, pay an extra $2 per month (and I don't know if this is 100% accurate since I receive no hd programming, they might add the unused hd enabling fee to my account) for no net gain in my service. Or, keep the 6000, receive, as the csr told me, the exact same service I sam receiving now, and the exact same service I would recieve after the upgrade, and keep the same cost.

Which would make more sense?

 

[BattleZone]

Dish's policy is to schedule an install if you are moving from a single-tuner to a dual-tuner receiver, or if you are moving to a receiver that needs additional satellite locations to get all the programing.

So, for example, if you had an 811, which is an MPEG2 HD receiver and only needed 119/110, and are getting it replaced with a ViP211 MPEG4 HD receiver, which needs either 61.5 or 129 signals in addition to 119/110, and you don't already have one of those orbital locations listed on your account, they require an install.

This is to the benefit of the vast majority of Dish subscribers, because Dish will cover the costs of upgrading the dish and LNBs needed to get the right signal to your receivers. If you start pricing the equipment, the costs to do it yourself will be as much or more than the cost of the install.