AEP

[Tampa8]

What it means is that if I look at what I had when I started with dish, over 12 years ago, I don't see the value increase for the price increase. I think they are charging more because they feel they can, and eventually they will price me out of the services. What that means is that if I'm going to cut out DVR's and channels to save money with Dish, I might as well just drop them completely and get Cable. That is the thing I don't believe Dish Understands. They are ever so slowly pricing themselves into becoming a commodity. Once they are a commodity it won't matter who you pick, the price is the same.

I do get your point about becoming like any other provider, just don't think they are at least as of yet.
But I disagree about adding value over the years. I would argue the exact opposite.
1. At one time Dish receivers paled to Direct TV and were slightly better than Cable. Now they have about the best overall lineup of receivers.
2. At one time early on Direct had more HD and quicker. Now Dish has more national HD channels, and some that people really do watch alot.
3. I don't care what some are trying to say in some of the threads, overall - not in every configuration, Dish is as low or lower than the competition, and when you look at what is in the package they are giving you as much and more. I am not ignoring the increase in equipment fees, and I do think they have to freeze those or even reduce some of them. But, even at that, including those fees, they are competitive to the competition. I have the advantage of seeing three cable companies from time to time. In Ct Charter, In FL Verizon Fios, and Brighthouse. They are more expensive and give less in their packages. Charter picture is not good. And none of them have boxes as good as the current Dish ones at least the ones I see in my friend's homes.

So my conclusion is Dish has indeed upgraded and is giving value compared to years ago. Where I agree they are pushing the limits is with equipment fees.

 

[Mike_H]

Dish DVR functionality does not incur any additional cost for Dish Network to include on their receivers. The cost of the equipment and software development for the device to be a dvr is built into the equipment cost. That they charge the fees they do for their DVR service today is a slap in the face of every customer. It is pure cream for them. The more dish brings themselves even with their competitors, the more churn they will experience. Continuing to increase prices, and high equipment usage fees are earmarks of the Cable TV industry. Unfortunately it now has become an earmark of Dish Network.

 

[MikeD-C05]

OH YES ! DISH is the satellite version of the CABLE PIG they used to parody in their advertisements a few years back . OINK ! OINK! The very things they said cable were guilty of ,DISH has not only matched them but surpassed them in the amount of Cable like fees that they charge "just because they can". Here are just a few of DISH's made up Cable fees :

Dvr fee- PER DVR RECEIVER. Supposedly now per account but if you look closely still included in the additional receiver fees at a reduced rate.

TV 2 Connection fee. Used to be able to escape it if you kept a phone line connected to your receiver. Now included in additional receiver fees and NO one can escape it if you have more than one dual tuner receiver.

Additional receiver fees that started at ONE single $4.99 a month price , now range from $7.00 all the way to $17.00 OUTRAGEOUS dollars a month per dual tuner dvr for additional receivers on your account.

The $40.00 per account external hard drive enabling fee , now done away with and is FREE!

The $40.00 per account dvr software fee for 211/211k. Use your own external hard drive paired with a 211/211k and you get a single sat tuner+ ota tuner dvr . Applies one time for all 211/211k on your account. Actually a good deal compared to the other additional receiver fees.

The $4.00 google integration fee per month. Totally useless fee and I encourage all not to pay for it.

But when you consider that DISH is continuing to lose subs EVERY quarter ,going on three now, they have to find a way to keep making profits on the remaining subs by charging these extra little monthly fees, that they alone created. But you can only do this so long before your fees become the reason why your company has no long term viability as a company. Churn does have consequences , just ask TIVO how they are doing on subs.

 

[Stargazer]

Do you realize that the cost of AT250 alone is now the same cost as what AEP was a while back? Wow have the prices increased the past five to seven years.

 

[MikeD-C05]

AEP was only $69.99 back in 2000 AND included all dvrs on your account with no monthly dvr fee. That should tell you how inflation is out of control . It is now $104.99 a month for AEP and there is STILL a monthly Dvr fee on your account. A $40.00 increase for a few extra channels and less perks. There is actually NO reason to have AEP any longer unless you have money to Burn . HBO alone is $16.00 a month and I feel is not worth the amount. I can remember when it was only $9.99 a month.

 

[Stargazer]

So the reality is it is $110.99 with one DVR fee and $113.99 if you have two DVR's (considering it costs $3 more to have DVR on a duo vs not having it) plus the extra $2-4 for additional outlet fees so add a little more onto that. Roughly 50% more in ten years. In another ten years everything will be double what it was ten years ago. It probably won't even take that long.

 

[MikeD-C05]

IF you have two dvrs on your account and they are both duo tuner dvrs , you can add an extra $17.00 for the additional receiver fee on your account. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE compared to the $5.00 additional receiver fee for ANY receiver on your account a few years back.

 

[NightRyder]

I've had enough too. I'm dropping back to AT 250 and signing up with Netflix next month.

 

[long_time_DNC]

No doubt, the DVR fees are absurd (which is why I only have one DVR), but cable is the only other option here and they're far more expensive than Dish for the same programming...

 

[Stargazer]

Dish has the best DVR in the business otherwise I don't think they would be able to get away with the additional fees that they are charging. I am looking forward to the day that Directv gets a good DVR like Dish Network has then me along with many others will be jumping ship. With Dish Network fees it makes something like a standalone Tivo or similar DVR device look more tempting. I wonder if Tivo has near as high of a failure rate as Dish Network DVR's?

 

[long_time_DNC]

I've had my 622 for almost 3 years now and it's been extremely reliable...