Everyone,
IMHO, I don't understand why everyone is sooooo upset about this deal, for one thing, be happy Dish is now the leader in HD, they've only been saying it for what, 3 years, it is about time they lived up to it. For another, just the fact that we are looking to the next generation of technology, should be enough to keep us happy, at least Dish didn't say "it will be another 2 years before we can add more HD."
Just because they only give you 1 receiver on a lease, does not mean they value current customers less than new ones, perhaps, they simply don't want $1,400.00 worth of equipment sitting in someone's house for only $598 (for two of the 622's for instance--I know that the 211/411 don't cost that much). Would you? Besides, the argument that this means new customers are a priority over existing customers is bunk. If Dish has 12 million subscribers, and let us say, 10% (I would say that is about right, but I am only guessing here, someone else that knows, you are welcome to correct) are HD customers. Then that means 1.2 million Dish customers will be needing a MPEG4 upgrade, not counting new customers, if Dish allows all those 1.2 million to pick up just 2 of those NEW MPEG4 boxes at a cheap $299 (or less for 211)--less than half the retail. That means Dish would have to have 2.4 million boxes ready to go for just existing customers. That, I am sorry is a large number, and if you add to that possible new customers. Based on last years numbers, Dish added 1 million subs, if 10% holds, that means 100,000 new customers would be HD customers (which I'd think would be a low number, considering Dish has added so much HD) for a total of at least 2.5 million--count that on your fingers and toes--new HD boxes. In addition, even if, Dish added 1 million HD only customers, which number is higher? 1.4 million or 1.0 million? So I am sorry the argument that this means new customers are some how getting all of Dish's attention is bunk.
Of course, you can still buy the new MPEG4 receivers, which Dish is more or less using so that they do not sell out of new boxes when they just fill the order of HARD-CORE HD fans—, which likely is only about 10% of all HD customers—they make you buy them past the first one. I personally feel that this is very fair, and really am tired of all the hoop-la about Dish's upgrade plan, and how Dish is such an evil empire.
IMHO, I don't understand why everyone is sooooo upset about this deal, for one thing, be happy Dish is now the leader in HD, they've only been saying it for what, 3 years, it is about time they lived up to it. For another, just the fact that we are looking to the next generation of technology, should be enough to keep us happy, at least Dish didn't say "it will be another 2 years before we can add more HD."
Just because they only give you 1 receiver on a lease, does not mean they value current customers less than new ones, perhaps, they simply don't want $1,400.00 worth of equipment sitting in someone's house for only $598 (for two of the 622's for instance--I know that the 211/411 don't cost that much). Would you? Besides, the argument that this means new customers are a priority over existing customers is bunk. If Dish has 12 million subscribers, and let us say, 10% (I would say that is about right, but I am only guessing here, someone else that knows, you are welcome to correct) are HD customers. Then that means 1.2 million Dish customers will be needing a MPEG4 upgrade, not counting new customers, if Dish allows all those 1.2 million to pick up just 2 of those NEW MPEG4 boxes at a cheap $299 (or less for 211)--less than half the retail. That means Dish would have to have 2.4 million boxes ready to go for just existing customers. That, I am sorry is a large number, and if you add to that possible new customers. Based on last years numbers, Dish added 1 million subs, if 10% holds, that means 100,000 new customers would be HD customers (which I'd think would be a low number, considering Dish has added so much HD) for a total of at least 2.5 million--count that on your fingers and toes--new HD boxes. In addition, even if, Dish added 1 million HD only customers, which number is higher? 1.4 million or 1.0 million? So I am sorry the argument that this means new customers are some how getting all of Dish's attention is bunk.
Of course, you can still buy the new MPEG4 receivers, which Dish is more or less using so that they do not sell out of new boxes when they just fill the order of HARD-CORE HD fans—, which likely is only about 10% of all HD customers—they make you buy them past the first one. I personally feel that this is very fair, and really am tired of all the hoop-la about Dish's upgrade plan, and how Dish is such an evil empire.
