Life after DishNets DHP?

[IndyMichael]

My how time flies, my first year with satellite TV is almost over. Oct 21st, my one year commitment with Dish is up. What are my options after that. I assume one is to do nothing, and be on a month to month contract basis. Other than cancelling Dish and going with DirecTV, what other options do I have if I stay with Dish?

 

[rtt2]

I am planning on getting off the DHP status because we are treated like second class citizens by E* We miss out or are excluded from all the good promotions by E*

 

[rad]

The word I've heard from Dish is that the executive office is looking at alternaitves for folks that want to get off of DHP at the end of their commitment vs. the process that's in place now.

 

[rtt2]

They better get their act together because we are their best customers and they treat us the worst. They are going to be making a big push with the DHP with the release of the 322 & 522 soon. I hope they make it a priority in Littleton to resolve this before this new push.

 

[JohnnyB40]

Something DHP Customers forget is that they are the most costly Customers for Dish Think about it all other Customers pay something towards their equipment and have an investment in this equipment
and Dish (except for those who have only one TV hooked up and went with Free dish BUt in most cases these Customers end up upgrading and adding more receivers to there accounts)

I have been a Dish Customer since 1997 since then I have bought a
4000,1000,Dishplayer 7200,4900,6000,501, and a 2nd 501 and being an existing Customer the only receiver that Dish ever subsidized was the 4000 and that original one receiver system still cost me 440.00 !

So for a DHP customer who pays an activation fee of 49.00 and then can receive up to four receivers and receives free installation then gets their activation fee of 49.00 back on their first bill as Dishes "best Customers" I think not

it'll take years for Dish just to break even on these Customers when factoring in equipment and installation payments to retailers and equipment reimbursements to retailers and once this equipment is given out to customers New by the way what is Dish to do with them they can't resell them as new after a year when the DHP customer leaves thinking they have been treated wrongly since Dish gives it's other customers like myself who have invested 1000's of dollars in equipment receivers,switches dishes over the years a deal on a system upgrade ......

Dish is gambling that DHP customers will stay and continue after there one Year commitment is over so that they can recoupe their investment in programming and equipment fees it does take a while to get back up to 1000.00 in equipment and labor costs at 20.00 a month profit

People should just slow down and look at the other side of the
fence if the lawn looks greener on that side maybe more has been paid to get it there

 

[rad]

Something DHP Customers forget is that they are the most costly Customers for Dish Think about it all other Customers pay something towards their equipment and have an investment in this equipment
and Dish (except for those who have only one TV hooked up and went with Free dish BUt in most cases these Customers end up upgrading and adding more receivers to there accounts)

I have been a Dish Customer since 1997 since then I have bought a
4000,1000,Dishplayer 7200,4900,6000,501, and a 2nd 501 and being an existing Customer the only receiver that Dish ever subsidized was the 4000 and that original one receiver system still cost me 440.00 !

So for a DHP customer who pays an activation fee of 49.00 and then can receive up to four receivers and receives free installation then gets their activation fee of 49.00 back on their first bill as Dishes "best Customers" I think not

it'll take years for Dish just to break even on these Customers when factoring in equipment and installation payments to retailers and equipment reimbursements to retailers and once this equipment is given out to customers New by the way what is Dish to do with them they can't resell them as new after a year when the DHP customer leaves thinking they have been treated wrongly since Dish gives it's other customers like myself who have invested 1000's of dollars in equipment receivers,switches dishes over the years a deal on a system upgrade ......

Dish is gambling that DHP customers will stay and continue after there one Year commitment is over so that they can recoupe their investment in programming and equipment fees it does take a while to get back up to 1000.00 in equipment and labor costs at 20.00 a month profit

People should just slow down and look at the other side of the
fence if the lawn looks greener on that side maybe more has been paid to get it there

What you're saying it not completly true. When I switched from D* to E* I went with the DHP to help keep down the costs of the hardware. I'm taking about the Dish 6000+8VSB, a Dish 300, a SW64 and the installation of all that extra hardware, which was over $1,000. Since that time I've sent back the 301 that was part of the plan and purchased for $299 a 508. Nowhere in the terms of service that you get when you sign up for the DHP did Dish say that we would be excluded from future specials offered to customers.

Since my switch in 5/2001 to E* my monthly bill has always been over $100 per month, so E* is making a bit of money off my account. I'd be more then happy to pay E* for the 501 and Dish 500 that came are part of the DHP so I can get out of it but that's not allowed. The only way out is to cancel my account, send back the hardware, then sign up as a returning customer. Does this make sense from a cost point? Dish get's back a used 501 and two legacy LNB's that they would have to refurbish and repackage vs. just sell them to me?

Since I wouldn't be a new customer at E* it almost makes sense to switch to D* and get some of the new customer deals that are available out there.

 

[jm9]

I'm a DHP customer, I have no complaints about the service or products that dish has provided me within the last two years. So Here are my options:

Stick with Dish and pay retail for a new satellite and receiver so that I can receive HD content.

Take Directs offer and get their new equipment with name based recording, not sure of the price, expect it to be cheaper than staying with dish.

Go with comcast and get $400 off programming for the next 16 months, reduce my DSL bill from $60 to $20 a month. Do not pay for any hardware cost except a $5 or $10 monthly.

From a $ standpoint dish looses this battle. At this point in time dish does not have an advantage over the competition. They have The same exact programming and equipment as direct. Comcast is behind at this point, but is closing the gap quickly.

Just because DHP have not spent $ with dish over the years is not the point. If Dish want's to keep DHP as subscribers they need to be competitive with the market.

I want to stay with Dish, But Comcast is really leaning on me to switch. Dish has created a problem with DHP customers, we have no investment in equipment. If we walk away we don't loose anything. They can reinvest in us or let us walk. I have been waiting for Dish's answer, then I will make my decision. If it is full price then they will loose me and probably a good % of DHP.

 

[JohnnyB40]

But you won't be able to switch back to D* as a new customer since you have been a customer in the past you are not eligible for any other promotions with D* as a new Customer

E* is making 100.00 off your account but only a small percent is going towards the original equipment costs( what 10 bucks for what did you sign up for a 2 receiver DHP ?)the rest is for Programming and the last time I checked Dish isn't getting that for free ? E* is making 1300.00 a year off me D* is making another 179.00 and I still invested well over 2500 over the years in equipment at Dish understands this and offers upgrade deals to Cash and carry Customers and long term Non-leasing Customers who have been there backbone for years

DHP cannot keep the cost of a 6000,and adapters or even a 64 switch down? why would you go DHP ? you could have taken the 199.00 discount
for like Free for all and bought other receivers used cheaper in the long run then DHP if you were interested in getting HD?

IF you were interested in getting a 6000 and HD you should have never signed up as a DHP customer in the first place? and the retailer should have steered you out of that program it was told to us early on that leasing Customers were not included in most of the promotions this is why Charlie always say Know what your Customers needs are and place them in the proper promotions

you said
" Nowhere in the terms of service that you get when you sign up for the DHP did Dish say that we would be excluded from future specials offered to customers"

this maybe true but there is nothing that also says that DHP customers will be included as well each Promo that comes out comes with a set of new rules and guidelines and in these guild lines
they state this

"DISH Player-DVR Upgrade (for existing non-lease customers) " taken straight from the Retailer website and the reason they do this is as I stated above from a previous Retailers Charlie chat not taken from word for word but is basically what Dishnetwork believes to be that infact DHP Customer Costs more per Customer then do Cash and carry customers

and it was up to your original retailer to explain the positives and the disavantages to the DHP program as a retailer I didn't like the program
and the fact that DHP customers were stuck in the DHP excluded from all promos and after explaining this all my Customer agreed and went with a different program like free dish

What I said was and is completely true you may not like what you heard But it doesn't change the facts Just don't shoot the messenger

 

[rad]

JohnnyB40, it's been reported by other that if you call DirecTV's retention department they've been able to come back and get the deals. If worst comes to worst I'd have my wife hold the account since her SSN was never there, which is what some others have reported doing without any problems.

I don't disagree that DHP customers got a good deal on their hardware. The big issue that I have with E* is how they won't let you out of the plan without completely cancelling the account and starting over. This makes no sense what so ever to me for a company that want's to keep costs down. As I said, I'd purchased the equipment from them, so they'd be making money from the sale in addition to the lease payments that I've been making. I'm not trying to get anything for free from Dish, but their current policy make no sense.

The other issue is why special promotions are not available to DHP customers. So I want to purchase a PVR, what difference does it make to Dish? I'm spending the same amount of $'s for the purchase as a non DHP customer and will pay the same extra receiver fee as the non DHP customer, so what's the issue here?

 

[JohnnyB40]

I don't disagree that DHP customers got a good deal on their hardware. The big issue that I have with E* is how they won't let you out of the plan without completely cancelling the account and starting over. This makes no sense what so ever to me for a company that want's to keep costs down. As I said, I'd purchased the equipment from them, so they'd be making money from the sale in addition to the lease payments that I've been making. I'm not trying to get anything for free from Dish, but their current policy make no sense.

The other issue is why special promotions are not available to DHP customers. So I want to purchase a PVR, what difference does it make to Dish? I'm spending the same amount of $'s for the purchase as a non DHP customer and will pay the same extra receiver fee as the non DHP customer, so what's the issue here?

I'll try again
Dish looks at the Cost per getting a Customer . IT considers DHP customers more costly then other cash and carry Customers hence the importance of steering the customer into the correct Promotion to begin with DHP Customers were to stay DHP Customers period they were not suppose to get into HD or dual tuner DVR's they were Customers who just simply didn't want to own equipment just wanted to get into satellite TV cheap and easy

you said so what if I wanted to buy a PVR what the big deal ? The Big deal is you want to buy the PVR at the Promotion price there is no big deal just buy it at the MSRP they will allow that Dish offers Promotions and with these promotions guidelines and rules are set to who are elligable for these promotions a good example is when DHP came out existing and past cash and carry Customers were excluded what about the guy who only had one STB installed and now his neighbor got four installed ???? Think he was abit unhappy?

another point the non-leasing Customer is extending his commitment period to get this special price on a promotion commiting yet another time period of a certin package

it also matters to Dish when they feel they still haven't recouped the cost of gaining that DHP customer ( like I stated it takes longer then the one Year Commitment period to recoupe costs in today's DHP with multiple STB's and PVR's available the original DHP only offered a single STB with a one year commitment the commitment period hasn't changed but they have added three other STB's) before they have to offer then yet another deal ? I think that maybe your over estimating the profit margin in programming on DHP true that is the ultimate goal to keep the Customer programming active I still believe Dish really doesn't see a profit on a DHP customer ( depending on STB's) till closer to two years
You don't have to agree you only have to understand their point


Dish cannot make everyone happy
they have and always will make a distinction between leasing and non-leasing Customer

I never liked the DHP and any Customers wanting it I talked them out of it for this very reason I forsaw this issue you were on a lease and stuck forever this thread started asking why I tried to give Dishes reason why you may not like the reason or even understand I been reading the DHP rules for the past couple of years and I'm not too sure I fully understand why but I tried to give an answer why again don't shoot the messenger some stated that Dish is trying to work out a deal to change the rules for DHP I wouldn't count on it

and as far as D* Customer retention dept. I called when I was thinking about switching I bought and paid for my own D* equipment with no deals
subscribed to only NFL Sunday Ticket wanted to switch and only asked for a deal on one STB I was going to get a HD receiver and two DVR's and a 4200 STB they said they could offer me no deal ? except free install on a Dish ( which I have already installed ?)since I'm a existing Customer .... So I said you won't offer me any deals to get my 1300.00 programming a year they said no again I said I'd stay with Dish

you maybe able give out your wifes SS number and put it in her name but if their Customer sign up programs works like Dishnetwork it might catch your last name at the same address?

 

[rad]

I don't disagree that DHP customers got a good deal on their hardware. The big issue that I have with E* is how they won't let you out of the plan without completely cancelling the account and starting over. This makes no sense what so ever to me for a company that want's to keep costs down. As I said, I'd purchased the equipment from them, so they'd be making money from the sale in addition to the lease payments that I've been making. I'm not trying to get anything for free from Dish, but their current policy make no sense.

The other issue is why special promotions are not available to DHP customers. So I want to purchase a PVR, what difference does it make to Dish? I'm spending the same amount of $'s for the purchase as a non DHP customer and will pay the same extra receiver fee as the non DHP customer, so what's the issue here?

I'll try again
Dish looks at the Cost per getting a Customer . IT considers DHP customers more costly then other cash and carry Customers hence the importance of steering the customer into the correct Promotion to begin with DHP Customers were to stay DHP Customers period they were not suppose to get into HD or dual tuner DVR's they were Customers who just simply didn't want to own equipment just wanted to get into satellite TV cheap and easy

you said so what if I wanted to buy a PVR what the big deal ? The Big deal is you want to buy the PVR at the Promotion price there is no big deal just buy it at the MSRP they will allow that Dish offers Promotions and with these promotions guidelines and rules are set to who are elligable for these promotions a good example is when DHP came out existing and past cash and carry Customers were excluded what about the guy who only had one STB installed and now his neighbor got four installed ???? Think he was abit unhappy?

another point the non-leasing Customer is extending his commitment period to get this special price on a promotion commiting yet another time period of a certin package

it also matters to Dish when they feel they still haven't recouped the cost of gaining that DHP customer ( like I stated it takes longer then the one Year Commitment period to recoupe costs in today's DHP with multiple STB's and PVR's available the original DHP only offered a single STB with a one year commitment the commitment period hasn't changed but they have added three other STB's) before they have to offer then yet another deal ? I think that maybe your over estimating the profit margin in programming on DHP true that is the ultimate goal to keep the Customer programming active I still believe Dish really doesn't see a profit on a DHP customer ( depending on STB's) till closer to two years
You don't have to agree you only have to understand their point


Dish cannot make everyone happy
they have and always will make a distinction between leasing and non-leasing Customer

I never liked the DHP and any Customers wanting it I talked them out of it for this very reason I forsaw this issue you were on a lease and stuck forever this thread started asking why I tried to give Dishes reason why you may not like the reason or even understand I been reading the DHP rules for the past couple of years and I'm not too sure I fully understand why but I tried to give an answer why again don't shoot the messenger some stated that Dish is trying to work out a deal to change the rules for DHP I wouldn't count on it

and as far as D* Customer retention dept. I called when I was thinking about switching I bought and paid for my own D* equipment with no deals
subscribed to only NFL Sunday Ticket wanted to switch and only asked for a deal on one STB I was going to get a HD receiver and two DVR's and a 4200 STB they said they could offer me no deal ? except free install on a Dish ( which I have already installed ?)since I'm a existing Customer .... So I said you won't offer me any deals to get my 1300.00 programming a year they said no again I said I'd stay with Dish

you maybe able give out your wifes SS number and put it in her name but if their Customer sign up programs works like Dishnetwork it might catch your last name at the same address?

I'll try again. So Dish would rather loose a paying customer, that has satisified their commitment to DHP plan then to provide them a path out of the program besides cancelling the account and starting all over. This just opens the door to loosing a current paying customer to D* or cable. Even with an auto lease you have the option to either return the car or pay the fair market rate and keep it.

You may not like the plan, and if Dish would have been foward with the potential customers and said that you would not be able to take advantage of future specials and would be treated like a 2nd class customer it might be different.

 

[JohnnyB40]

MY feeling is Dish made a huge mistake trying to go the DHP route
It complicates things in a fast changing indrustry I mean it's like pulling teeth for non-leasing Customers like myself to get deals from Dish

look at what they are doing now giving out 6000u for 199.00 and I also heard that if you call and ask for they are also giving out a 8VSB tuner for shipping only I paid 569.00 for this receiver and received the 8psk
tuner with the Discovery HD Theater package for 109.00 it goes on and on I could be standing on a soap box screaming where is my deal? I paid I want to say 399. for my first Dishplayer with a PVR fee and 350.00 for my first 501 you just have to look at the deal you got and move on Dish cannot as a company just keep going on offering give away deals it existing Customers Non leasing or leasing they will go belly up if they did

 

[JohnnyB40]

Yes your only path out is to quit the DHP plan and restart another account as an returning Customer I believe Dish has always made that point maybe your Retailer you used wasn't upfront they should have been
and Dish would since it's disconnect rate is very low on DHP customers they aren't going to sweat a few Customers leaving because they didn't get something for free or a reduced price
and I had a coworker who had a auto lease his fair market price at the end of the lease of his camry was $14000.00 for a four year old car plus his $400.00 a month lease price Leasing overall is just a bad idea

I'll try again. So Dish would rather loose a paying customer, that has satisified their commitment to DHP plan then to provide them a path out of the program besides cancelling the account and starting all over. This just opens the door to loosing a current paying customer to D* or cable. Even with an auto lease you have the option to either return the car or pay the fair market rate and keep it.

You may not like the plan, and if Dish would have been foward with the potential customers and said that you would not be able to take advantage of future specials and would be treated like a 2nd class customer it might be different.[/quote]

 

[rtt2]

Dish often uses refurbished receivers in the DHP. DHP privides Dish with a convient option of recirulating receivers and keeping SAC cost down. In addition Dish gets the receivers back at the end of the customers lease so they will be able to recirulate those receivers again.
DHP is a great cable killer. A lot of customers don't want the cost associated with installing a multiple receiver system. In addition they want the comfort of having Dish being there to fix the system if it breaks free of charge. Similar to the cable company (within reason).
But the fact DHP customers feel like second class citizens tells of a problem. Dish needs to take action and fix customer dis-satifaction.

 

[Guest]

Turns out cancelling is not the only way out of DHP. I was in the same boat and the CSR told me I had to cancel and come back as a returning customer if I wanted out of DHP. So I said fine connect me to cancellations. The gal at the cancellation desk told me I could purchase any DVR receiver (either through them, a retailer, ebay) and Dish would send me boxes to return the DHP equipment. Once they got that back they would then send me free of charge a 301 and remove the DHP flag from my account.

They need to train the CSRs better but there is a way out even though its not all that cheap (510 is $299 bucks).

 

[AndyMon]

Turns out cancelling is not the only way out of DHP. I was in the same boat and the CSR told me I had to cancel and come back as a returning customer if I wanted out of DHP. So I said fine connect me to cancellations. The gal at the cancellation desk told me I could purchase any DVR receiver (either through them, a retailer, ebay) and Dish would send me boxes to return the DHP equipment. Once they got that back they would then send me free of charge a 301 and remove the DHP flag from my account.

They need to train the CSRs better but there is a way out even though its not all that cheap (510 is $299 bucks).

Does it have to be a DVR that you purchase? If not you could purchase a cheaper receiver, become a "normal" customer and then apply for the free 510 promo. Just a thought.

 

[rad]

Turns out cancelling is not the only way out of DHP. I was in the same boat and the CSR told me I had to cancel and come back as a returning customer if I wanted out of DHP. So I said fine connect me to cancellations. The gal at the cancellation desk told me I could purchase any DVR receiver (either through them, a retailer, ebay) and Dish would send me boxes to return the DHP equipment. Once they got that back they would then send me free of charge a 301 and remove the DHP flag from my account.

They need to train the CSRs better but there is a way out even though its not all that cheap (510 is $299 bucks).

Did they say you also need to return the LNB(s) along with the DVR?

 

[rtt2]

I believe the contract we signed specifically said that the LNB must be returned. From conversations I have had at DBSTalk it does. But I would vove to hear anyone who got off DHP who did not have to return the LNB.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The problem is that the people on these forums are not considered "Average" customers. Customers who use these forums generally don't need the inhome service plan and usually replace and or upgrade equipment about once per year, or as soon as the latest and greatest becomes available.

Most customers are not like this, they will not spend a dime upgrades. Heres a perfect example, about 2 years ago I had a customer who wanted a PVR and a 6,000. I quoted the deal out under FREE DISH, which would have given the most flexability on his equipment if he wanted to upgrade. He didn't like my price and said he would call back later.

I guess he did some shopping around and called back, but this time spoke to my father who sold him 501 as the Primary reciever under DHP and then sold him the 6,000 outright.

My fathers price was $200 less, but $10 more per month. Needless to say the customer thought he was getting a deal and signed up on the spot.

I actually went and did the install on this and I brought the paperwork for both promotions. I explained both programs again and the customer still wanted to go with DHP, so thats what he got.

He calls me last week asking about more HDTV channels. When we installed the system we had a little mis-understanding about the CBS HDTV Feed. I told him we had CBS and it turns out he didn't qualify for it, and I can't get it through his head that its not my fault that he can't get it.

So anways, he is too cheap to put up an OTA antenna, so I told him about the HDTV package which is now available. He told me its too much money for the $49.99 8PSK upgrade for his 6,000, and he doesn't believe in paying annually and letting them hold his money for 12 months to get the 8PSK for FREE.

But this is a typical Dishnetwork customer, and is the reason why we have programs such as DHP.

My feeling is that, when you signed up for DHP you got everything for FREE, I just can't see them giving you a free 6,000 also.

 

[Guest]

Does it have to be a DVR that you purchase? If not you could purchase a cheaper receiver, become a "normal" customer and then apply for the free 510 promo. Just a thought.

Has to be a DVR.

Did they say you also need to return the LNB(s) along with the DVR?

No, based on my conversation it was clear the LNB would be kept and used with the new receiver.