2021 Dish Prices

[ChadT41]

It is all speculation, of course. However, there have been some pretty solid signs that Dish is heading towards a major dispute with the NBC/Comcast channels. (NBC Sports Chicago is already long gone, since fall 2019.) So, if/when the remaining NBC Sports channels get dropped, that would only leave the AT&T Sportsnet channels, for however much longer their contract lasts. Dish could renew with AT&T for continued carriage of those channels, but why would they? With all of the other RSN's (the vast majority of them) gone, and considering the long-standing bad blood between Dish and AT&T over HBO and Cinemax, it is easy to imagine Dish dropping those channels also, and being completely done with RSN's. This would help make Dish's pricing consistent across the entire country, instead of needing to add Regional Sports surcharges in select areas. Dish has been reluctant to add surcharges for more expensive local channels markets. So, it would also make sense that Dish would be looking to eliminate the (relatively recent) Regional Sports surcharges in the few areas that have them.

The bad blood started long before ATT purchased Directv or Time Warner.
Remember, early 2000’s ATT and Dish were partners in a telco situation, and Dish ended up backing out towards the end. ATT was in talks of buying Dish, and Charlie told them to kick rocks. At the time, the CEO said he would never work with Charlie Ergen ever again, and the beginning of the blood feud was born.

 

[DialgaChampion]

Dish has posted their updated prices for 2021 - $5 per package. The locals core package goes up $3.

MyDISH

my.dish.com

They are also reducing equipment fees. "In addition to the core package changes, we also will be removing receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any. If you own your equipment, you will see a new, lower service fee for access on those TVs. Select your receiver below to see your updated service fee starting in 2021." Hopper is $10 less...

Okay, so here's a puzzle for you then. I just got my recent bill for Feb. 3 to March 2 and it says "Last month we informed you that DISH is changing prices on select programming, fees and surcharges. We wanted to remind you of this change and let you know you will start to see your updated rate with this billing period. Please visit mydish.com/infocenter for more details."

For previous bills, it showed the "Equipment Fees" as $22 for my owned receivers -- Hopper 3 ($15) and 4K Joey ($7).

Now on this recent bill, it shows the 4K Joey reduced down to $5, billed as a separate "Access for add'l TV" fee, which is correct, but it still shows the main Hopper 3 as $15 under "Equipment charges".

I called and spoke with someone in loyalty to ask. Apparently he had to chat with some escalated support team on his end to confirm it, because he didn't understand it either, but after about 30 minutes on the phone, he said the support team was telling him that the $15 Hopper DVR Service fee was separate from this change in fees and it applied to all Hoppers as a "service", so it didn't qualify for the $10 discount, even though in the chart on that info center page, it shows the Hopper 3 service fee going down to $5.

And that was the end of the discussion.

Not sure if anyone else has noticed this on their bills yet, but I'd be interested if anyone can confirm if they have an owned H3 and if they have gotten their fee reduced down to $5 from the new changes.

 

[ChadT41]

Okay, so here's a puzzle for you then. I just got my recent bill for Feb. 3 to March 2 and it says "Last month we informed you that DISH is changing prices on select programming, fees and surcharges. We wanted to remind you of this change and let you know you will start to see your updated rate with this billing period. Please visit mydish.com/infocenter for more details."

For previous bills, it showed the "Equipment Fees" as $22 for my owned receivers -- Hopper 3 ($15) and 4K Joey ($7).

Now on this recent bill, it shows the 4K Joey reduced down to $5, billed as a separate "Access for add'l TV" fee, which is correct, but it still shows the main Hopper 3 as $15 under "Equipment charges".

I called and spoke with someone in loyalty to ask. Apparently he had to chat with some escalated support team on his end to confirm it, because he didn't understand it either, but after about 30 minutes on the phone, he said the support team was telling him that the $15 Hopper DVR Service fee was separate from this change in fees and it applied to all Hoppers as a "service", so it didn't qualify for the $10 discount, even though in the chart on that info center page, it shows the Hopper 3 service fee going down to $5.

And that was the end of the discussion.

Not sure if anyone else has noticed this on their bills yet, but I'd be interested if anyone can confirm if they have an owned H3 and if they have gotten their fee reduced down to $5 from the new changes.

That makes sense. The DVR fee of $15 being the first H3.... $10 for any owned hoppers after that.

 

[Altitudinous]

That makes sense. The DVR fee of $15 being the first H3.... $10 for any owned hoppers after that.

No it doesn't. Here's what MyDISH says:

Here's what the agent told me via chat on 12/14/20:

You,

MyDISH

my.dish.com

says that service fee for customer-owned Hopper 3 is $5

1:18 PM
DanielleMari,
I have opened the link and since there will be a pricing updates on 2021 if you you be having a purchased receiver then we will provide the $5 fee for the hopper

 

[pattykay]

No it doesn't.

It still doesn't make sense, though. As I pointed out earlier in the thread, the DVR fee for my purchased Hopper Duo is still $10, even after all of the other equipment fee changes for purchased equipment took effect. Why would Dish lower the DVR fee for their most advanced, flagship product to only $5, while continuing to charge double that amount for a much less-capable model?

 

[Altitudinous]

the DVR fee for my purchased Hopper Duo is still $10, even after all of the other equipment fee changes for purchased equipment took effect

As you pointed out somewhere, the Hopper Duo does not appear on the list in the 2021 Price Changes web page, for some reason.
What DOES appear, however, is the Hopper 3, among all the other receivers. And the price change page says:
"We also will be removing receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any. If you own your equipment, you will see a new lower service fee for access on those TVs."

That is a pretty clear statement that owned equipment will see lower service fees, and ZERO receiver fees. Then when the Hopper 3 is selected from the list, it says that the previous $15 will now be $5.

My owned 4K Joeys don't appear on the list either, but I expect that the charge for them will go from $7 to $5.

I just looked at my latest bill which does not reflect the 2021 price changes. My billing cycle goes through 1/21. Here is the relevant line:
Hopper DVR Service $15.00

So now, going forward, the infocenter page says that Hopper DVR Service will go from $15 to $5 for owned equipment. The way that it says this by using the term "2021 Service Fee" in the chart on that page.

 

[ChadT41]

No it doesn't. Here's what MyDISH says:

View attachment 149989

Here's what the agent told me via chat on 12/14/20:

You,

MyDISH

my.dish.com

says that service fee for customer-owned Hopper 3 is $5

1:18 PM
DanielleMari,
I have opened the link and since there will be a pricing updates on 2021 if you you be having a purchased receiver then we will provide the $5 fee for the hopper

There is a difference in the receiver fee and the DVR service fee. The first receiver is free(unless you don’t have a DVR). That’s my understanding of it, and nothing on the link disputes that. Can you point to something that specifically mentions the DVR fee and not the receiver fee?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Yeah I don't think that DISH is really going to go down on the hopper dvr fee to $5.00. I tried to talk to them via chat but the guy kept feeding me pre written posts from DISH about it. But I did look at their press release on DISH site and it looks like they should swap the savings and the fees on that line. So then it would say Hopper fee is $10.00 and it will be a $5.00 savings instead of the opposite that is listed now.

 

[Altitudinous]

Can you point to something that specifically mentions the DVR fee and not the receiver fee?

Sure. The "DVR fee" as you call it is the "service fee."

The infocenter link specifically says "We also will be removing receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any." This is the "receiver fee" because it says "receiver fee." And when it says "removing receiver fee" that means there won't be a receiver fee for owned receivers.

Then the web page says "If you own your equipment, you will see a new lower service fee for access on those TVs." That would be the "service fee" because it says "service fee."

Then when you refer to the chart it says "2021 Service Fee". That would be the new "service fee" because it says "2021 Service Fee."

Then, in the Hopper 3 case, it says that the "2021 Service Fee" will be $5.00. It even spells it out and says the savings are $10.00 over the previous
"service fee."

And, as I posted, my bill before the price changes says "Hopper DVR Service" is $15.00. That is the "service fee" because it says "DVR service".

 

[DialgaChampion]

I have to agree with Altitudinous here. On my previous bill before this recent one, there's also a statement there too that reads:

"Effective January 14, 2021, DISH is changing pricing on select programming, fees and surcharges. We've also removed receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any; however, you will see a new, lower service fee for access on those TV's. Please visit MyDISH.com/infocenter or log-in to MyDISH.com to see your current bill for more details."

First, it specifically refers to the InfoCenter page on the Dish site which asks "Do you own your Dish equipment?" on the right side.

Then when you pick "Hopper 3", the chart itself specifically says "2021 Service Fee" is $5 and then says $10 Savings next to that, which would indicate the fee used to be $15 (which it has been up until now) and that it's now being reduced to only $5.

On my current bill, it says "Hopper DVR Service - $15" so that is the exact same thing -- it's the Service Fee.

It doesn't mention anywhere that this change only applies to non-Hopper units, or only additional receivers beyond the first one, or only receivers that are (or are not) DVRs.

Also, if that InfoCenter page is wrong, then why did my 4K Joey drop down to $5 on the bill -- it should've just stayed at $7 like before. And on top of that, the Hopper 3 wouldn't be listed in that drop-down menu at all, especially because it's not like the menu only applies to additional receivers beyond the first one.

So the fact that the Joey itself has dropped in price on my bill gives me the impression that the InfoCenter page is correct, but it's some kind of glitch in the system that's still charging the old $15 fee for Hoppers themselves.

I mean, that $15 charge has always been there, whether you rented or purchased the Hopper outright (well I think it used to be $12 or something with the older Hopper 1 and 2, but you still had to pay it regardless of equipment status). Also, it's not like there were 2 separate $15 charges in the past for Hoppers, each one referencing a different Hopper-related fee and this only affecting one of those $15 charges. It was a flat $15 equipment service fee, which is what the InfoCenter page is talking about.

 

[ChadT41]

This is where charlesrshell comes in. He has multiple H3’s. The “service fee” you guys keep talking about, I think is specific to that receiver. Not to the DVR Service fee. And the billing reflects that also.

 

[charlesrshell]

This is where charlesrshell comes in. He has multiple H3’s. The “service fee” you guys keep talking about, I think is specific to that receiver. Not to the DVR Service fee. And the billing reflects that also.

I should get my new bill in a couple of days and will see what she says.

 

[pattykay]

I should get my new bill in a couple of days and will see what she says.

But do you own both Hopper 3's, or is one of them leased? If one of them is leased, the old fee would continue to apply to that one regardless of these changes, or lack thereof as the case may be.

 

[charlesrshell]

But do you own both Hopper 3's, or is one of them leased? If one of them is leased, the old fee would continue to apply to that one regardless of these changes, or lack thereof as the case may be.

One Hopper 3 leased and the other one I own. Also own my two WJs.

 

[pattykay]

As you pointed out somewhere, the Hopper Duo does not appear on the list in the 2021 Price Changes web page, for some reason.
What DOES appear, however, is the Hopper 3, among all the other receivers.

What also does not appear, though, as has been pointed out repeatedly, is the 4K Joey. And yet, as has now been confirmed more than once, that 4K Joey fee did go down for purchased 4K Joeys, despite the omission from the chart.

"We also will be removing receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any. If you own your equipment, you will see a new lower service fee for access on those TVs."

That is a pretty clear statement that owned equipment will see lower service fees...

(additional emphasis added)
That is a pretty clear statement that all owned equipment will see a new lower service fee. The statement does not specifically say that it only applies to the receiver models listed in the chart. However, my owned Hopper Duo did not see a new lower service fee. So what happened?

 

[pattykay]

But I did look at their press release on DISH site and it looks like they should swap the savings and the fees on that line. So then it would say Hopper fee is $10.00 and it will be a $5.00 savings instead of the opposite that is listed now.

I would like that very much, if true. That would make my ViP222k only $4 per month (a savings of $10) and my ViP211k only $2 per month (a savings of $5).

 

[pattykay]

Also, if that InfoCenter page is wrong, then why did my 4K Joey drop down to $5 on the bill -- it should've just stayed at $7 like before.

Actually, it is the opposite: If the InfoCenter page is correct, then the 4K Joey should have stayed at $7 like before. The fact that it did decrease to $5 proves that the InfoCenter page is wrong. That is, unless my earlier interpretation (of the broader statement that appears above the chart) is correct, and there is supposed to be a savings on all purchased equipment, regardless of whether your specific receiver model actually appears in the chart.

 

[Liam4824]

my Hopper Duo stayed at $10. 00 but I had a PCO and 2 year price guarantee on the Flex Pack at $32.99...

 

[Altitudinous]

However, my owned Hopper Duo did not see a new lower service fee. So what happened?

I think what happened is Dish displayed again the ability to do certain things in a half-fast manner. My point about the chart was simply that for the models that ARE there, in black and white, there is no loophole for Dish to sheepishly crawl through. The omission of a model from the chart COULD allow them to say that the changes don't apply to that model. Then, the subscriber would point out the clear statement:
"We also will be removing receiver fees on equipment you've purchased and own, if any. If you own your equipment, you will see a new lower service fee for access on those TVs."

 

[Altitudinous]

What also does not appear, though, as has been pointed out repeatedly, is the 4K Joey. And yet, as has now been confirmed more than once, that 4K Joey fee did go down for purchased 4K Joeys, despite the omission from the chart.

OK, that's more information to make the argument about the reduced fee for the Hopper Duo. Again, half-fast.