Any word on Dish price increases?

[pattykay]

I hope that is not the case

If locals are being removed from Welcome Pack, I wonder if the add-on will be automatically added to the bill, so the subscriber has to call to remove it, or if the locals will be automatically removed, so the price stays the same. Either way, a lot of subscribers are going to be ticked off.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Here's confirmation from Corporate that the Welcome Pack will indeed continue to include locals

 

[kc1ih]

I see the price for HBO listed as $15, does that mean the $10 HBO offer is going away? And would that be only for new HBO subs or would those of us getting HBO for $10 be grandfathered?

 

[Tampa8]

HBO has been $15 that is the official cost, but you could call to get the $10 rate, or if online you dropped it you would get a message asking if you wanted to keep it for $10. Without complete certainty I believe you keep the $10 cost for the duration of keeping HBO.

 

[Tampa8]

That's the problem, a $10 charge for locals, but they cannot be removed. So, they are blaming there $5 increase on local contracts this year. What will they come up with as a blame next year?

It's obvious to me this is indeed all about the increases in locals costs. When the Flex Pack came out and locals cost to add on was $10 it was clear to me the overall cost was around $5 more than has been included in the packages. That's why packages are going down by $5 before the locals cost is added in, the approximate amount that had been allocated for locals inside the package. The higher cost of locals is hardly a secret, this isn't made up just as others are charging an additional RSN fee to show how much more they have gone up something DISH has managed so far to keep a lid on.
As for the option of having locals or not, we don't know if their contracts must include them in those packages - or if eventually DISH will have the software updated that would allow you to drop them. Going to all the trouble of accounting for the cost of locals separately I believe indicates they can't allow them to be dropped or they would do it as they do with Flex.

 

[hvarma2008]

It's obvious to me this is indeed all about the increases in locals costs. When the Flex Pack came out and locals cost to add on was $10 it was clear to me the overall cost was around $5 more than has been included in the packages. That's why packages are going down by $5 before the locals cost is added in, the approximate amount that had been allocated for locals inside the package. The higher cost of locals is hardly a secret, this isn't made up just as others are charging an additional RSN fee to show how much more they have gone up something DISH has managed so far to keep a lid on.
As for the option of having locals or not, we don't know if their contracts must include them in those packages - or if eventually DISH will have the software updated that would allow you to drop them. Going to all the trouble of accounting for the cost of locals separately I believe indicates they can't allow them to be dropped or they would do it as they do with Flex.

These broadcast networks are double dipping as far as I am concerned or something is fundamentally wrong in their economic model, that they rely on getting paid that much extra money "free to air" broadcast channels.
Advertising revenue should be more than enough to cover the costs of running these local stations, and the broadcast networks themselves make plenty of money through advertising.
Even when using their streaming apps, they have inserted more advertising that you can't skip over. That is almost tripple dipping. They first got ad revenue when the program was first broadcast, then when we stream it and on top that DISH is paying them fees just to carry it! Something is definitely not right.

 

[rvvaquero]

These broadcast networks are double dipping as far as I am concerned or something is fundamentally wrong in their economic model, that they rely on getting paid that much extra money "free to air" broadcast channels.
Advertising revenue should be more than enough to cover the costs of running these local stations, and the broadcast networks themselves make plenty of money through advertising.
Even when using their streaming apps, they have inserted more advertising that you can't skip over. That is almost tripple dipping. They first got ad revenue when the program was first broadcast, then when we stream it and on top that DISH is paying them fees just to carry it! Something is definitely not right.

It's actually pretty simple. When you no longer agree to pay for it, they will no longer be able to charge you for it.

 

[comfortably_numb]

It's actually pretty simple. When you no longer agree to pay for it, they will no longer be able to charge you for it.

Kinda like the RSN's too?


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[pattykay]

Here's confirmation from Corporate that the Welcome Pack will indeed continue to include locals

If that is what Dish intended their price chart to mean, wouldn't it have saved a lot of confusion to simply list Welcome Pack at $9.99 with a separate line item of $10 for locals, just like they list all of the other packages that include locals? Also, I would like it if we had the option to pick a different add-on as part of the $19.99 bundle, instead of the locals.

 

[rvvaquero]

Kinda like the RSN's too?


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Not kinda like, but exactly like.

 

[DustNavy]

If that is what Dish intended their price chart to mean, wouldn't it have saved a lot of confusion to simply list Welcome Pack at $9.99 with a separate line item of $10 for locals, just like they list all of the other packages that include locals? Also, I would like it if we had the option to pick a different add-on as part of the $19.99 bundle, instead of the locals.

I think that's what they're trying to prevent. They don't want people to opt out of locals and only get $10/mo for it. Knowing you could use the OTA connector, they don't want to give you a different add-on, because that's what the flex pack is for. So, they force you to have locals in the welcome pack for $20/mo with no opting out to save money.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I think that's what they're trying to prevent. They don't want people to opt out of locals and only get $10/mo for it. Knowing you could use the OTA connector, they don't want to give you a different add-on, because that's what the flex pack is for. So, they force you to have locals in the welcome pack for $20/mo with no opting out to save money.

Welcome Pack is a really good deal IMO, so no complaining from me


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[Yespage]

If that is what Dish intended their price chart to mean, wouldn't it have saved a lot of confusion to simply list Welcome Pack at $9.99 with a separate line item of $10 for locals, just like they list all of the other packages that include locals? Also, I would like it if we had the option to pick a different add-on as part of the $19.99 bundle, instead of the locals.

Welcome Pack is probably the lowest they want to charge any customer. They have infrastructure/overhead that must be paid for. I would doubt a $10 package would come up.

Not kinda like, but exactly like.

How so? An RSN individually pays for rights to broadcast specific sports teams. Local Affiliates don't bargain with the NFL. At least the RSN produces actual programming, though, not a lot. RSNs can get crazy expensive, but I don't think it is quite 1 to 1 with Local Affiliates that are bleeding Sat and Cable subscribers.

 

[Tampa8]

If that is what Dish intended their price chart to mean, wouldn't it have saved a lot of confusion to simply list Welcome Pack at $9.99 with a separate line item of $10 for locals, just like they list all of the other packages that include locals? Also, I would like it if we had the option to pick a different add-on as part of the $19.99 bundle, instead of the locals.

First I think some are not characterizing separating out the locals in billing correctly, I don't see them as all of a sudden being an add on. This where you get posts like yours now questioning why you can't change that "Add On." Only for Flex are the locals an Add on. No idea if in the future DISH could make them A La Carte for everyone but right now they are not. (They were at one time so for those that want it that way there is hope)
Problem is everything is intertwined. The Welcome package may not be able to be sold with a different "add on" or even sold without the locals as posted above, not enough revenue to bother with it at that point. Flex was constructed with the channels and price for a reason and is set up financially to allow the Packs. I would also think it to be just as with the Top packages content providers did not agree to being in that package and DISH would have to adjust the cost of Welcome to add other channels.

 

[rvvaquero]

How so? An RSN individually pays for rights to broadcast specific sports teams. Local Affiliates don't bargain with the NFL. At least the RSN produces actual programming, though, not a lot. RSNs can get crazy expensive, but I don't think it is quite 1 to 1 with Local Affiliates that are bleeding Sat and Cable subscribers.

It's still the same truism. When you no longer agree to pay for it, they will no longer be able to charge you for it.

 

[pattykay]

If that is what Dish intended their price chart to mean, wouldn't it have saved a lot of confusion to simply list Welcome Pack at $9.99 with a separate line item of $10 for locals, just like they list all of the other packages that include locals? Also, I would like it if we had the option to pick a different add-on as part of the $19.99 bundle, instead of the locals.

I think that's what they're trying to prevent. They don't want people to opt out of locals and only get $10/mo for it.

First, I was not suggesting that Welcome Pack (minus locals) should be sold by itself for only $9.99 per month. I was saying that the price chart was confusing, regarding whether or not Welcome Pack includes locals. None of the other packs that list the separate $10 charge for locals give you the option to drop the locals, so if the same holds true for Welcome Pack, then Welcome Pack should have been listed the same way.

My suggestion was that we should still be required to purchase an add-on to get Welcome Pack, but we should be able to choose which add-on we want. This way, both sides win: Dish continues to collect their $19.99 per month, and Welcome Pack subscribers gain more options. This is exactly how Dish sells the $10 per month basic packages for international subscribers. (International Basic and Chinese Basic) You can't get either of those packages by itself, either. They each require the purchase of an additional international package. Why can't Welcome Pack be priced and sold in a similar way?

Here is another thought: how about making the $9.99 Welcome Pack an add-on for Flex Pack, so Flex Pack subscribers do not have to add so many different add-ons to get all of the Welcome Pack channels. This would be especially handy for those upgrading from Welcome Pack, so they don't lose any channels they like when they switch to Flex Pack.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I think the Welcome Pack is kinda considered a "retention" package, right? So my guess would be it is intended to stand alone. Seems to me that it's a bottom-end package designed to retain subscribers who otherwise might be leaving or buying out their contracts. They don't really advertise it


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[pattykay]

I think the Welcome Pack is kinda considered a "retention" package, right? So my guess would be it is intended to stand alone. Seems to me that it's a bottom-end package designed to retain subscribers who otherwise might be leaving or buying out their contracts. They don't really advertise it

The same could be said for Flex Pack, back in July before Dish started advertising for it.

 

[ewindowman]

There is a check box under international on my dish for locals pack for 10 dollars. Hopefully I can uncheck it and save 10 . When the price goes up . Locals used to be 5 dollars before they were included in the packages .

 

[pattykay]

There is a check box under international on my dish for locals pack for 10 dollars. Hopefully I can uncheck it and save 10 . When the price goes up . Locals used to be 5 dollars before they were included in the packages .

Back when that check box was only $6, I remember reading on SlickDeals that Welcome Pack subscribers could uncheck it to save money, but I never actually tried it because I wanted to keep the locals. Then, Dish greyed out that box unless you only have international programming. I seem to remember that the ones who unchecked it only saved $5 per month. My guess is that it was like the deals you get for trying to drop the premium movie packages online: a pop-up came up offering a discount, and the locals were not actually removed. I could be wrong, though.