Chat with DISH about SkyAngel

[chapelrun]

I thought I might try one more time to see if DISH wanted my business. Even though I really don't think they do want my business. I was giving it one final try. Now I'm sure DISH is pretty short sighted or have almost NO flexiblity when dealing with potential customers.

Here is the chat - that just happened.

(01) Lorenz B: Welcome to Dish Network, the leader in HD and DVR services. How can I assist you with your order
today?
Charlie: Good Day, I'm a current SkyAngel customer and I'm interested in Essential Pak.
(01) Lorenz B: Thank you for that information.
(01) Lorenz B: Is there anything else I can help you with?
Charlie: I own all my DISH equipment and have a DVR-510 that I want to use with DISH Essential Pack. I don't want
to be charged $6 a month for a DVR that I own. If I sign up for Essential pack can that fee be waived?
(01) Lorenz B: No, the DVR service fee for only $5.98 is for the recording capability of the receiver.
Charlie: You know you are lossing a customer because of this---Sorry no thanks.
(01) Lorenz B: Even though you own the receivers or lease the DVR you still need to pay for the DVR service fee.
Charlie: But if I have a DVR-508 I don't so it does not make much logical sense.
(01) Lorenz B: The $5.98 is being charge to our customer because of the recording capability of the receiver not
because of the receiver itself.
Charlie: Can I talk to a Supervisor, please ?
(01) Lorenz B: If you don't mind me asking, what will be your concern with my Supervisor?
Charlie: I don't have a concern with you. I would think DISH would want SkyAngel customers but they don't seem to
be offering much to get us in the door.
(01) Lorenz B: Thank you for informing me about your concern.
(01) Lorenz B: I do apologize for that.
(01) Lorenz B: Please give me a moment while I transfer you to my Supervisor.
Charlie: Is a supervisor available? I know it is possible for DISH to offer folks incentives to sign up. This would
be a perfect example of when DISH should make an offer.
(Admin01) Joy G: HI! This is Lorenz's supervisor.
(Admin01) Joy G: How may I assist you today?
Charlie: Oh hi, I have Sky Angel which is ending Monday, I own all my equipment - If I sign up for Essential pack
and I want to use DVR-510 can the $6 fee be waivered?
(Admin01) Joy G: Thank you for that information.
(Admin01) Joy G: I apologize but the Dish Video on Demand fee of $5.98 will not be waived if you sign up with the
HD Essential package.
(Admin01) Joy G: The only time that we can waive the DVR fee is when you subscribe to our America's Everything
Package, which is the biggest package that we have.
(Admin01) Joy G: Just to verify, is it only the Dish HD Essential that you like to have?
Charlie: I think we are not talking the same thing here. I do not required DISH to even come to my house. I have
all my equipment setup already. I want the Dish Essentials Pack for 9.99 a month and DISH to waiverer the $6 Fee to
use a DVR-510. Is that possble?
(Admin01) Joy G: I understand that you already have the equipment needed to get the service since you currently
have Sky Angel.
(Admin01) Joy G: The $5.98 Dish Video on Demand is charged to all customers who has an active DVR on the account.
(Admin01) Joy G: It can only be waived with the America's Everything Package but not with the Dish HD essential.
Charlie: I'm currenty pointing to 110, 119 and 61.5 thus I don't even need DISH to come out. I would think this
would be something DISH would like. No service call just turn me on. I'm not asking alot here.
(Admin01) Joy G: I know that you don't need instakllation because you already have the equipment in place.
(Admin01) Joy G: *installation
Charlie: But DISH waives the FEE for DVR-508 which is one step below the DVR-510. I'm not a current customer. Don't
you want my business?
(Admin01) Joy G: I apologize but we cannot waive the DVR fee of $5.98 if you will only have the Dish HD Essential.
(Admin01) Joy G: We want to do business with you.
Charlie: So I guess--you are saying for $6 month---you don't want me as a customer. I think DISH is short sighted
here.
(Admin01) Joy G: We cannot waive the DVR fee. I apologize.
(Admin01) Joy G: The fee is being charge to all the customers we have, new or current customers.
Charlie: OK thanks for your time. I guess I will go BU
(Admin01) Joy G: Thank you for chatting with Dish Network and have a great day!
Thank you for visiting Dish Network. You may now close this window.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

 

[Scroll]

The only time that we can waive the DVR fee is when you subscribe to our America's Everything Package

Don't they waive at least 1 tuner with the DVR advantage package?


http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/129903-dvr-fee.html

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-ne...twork-dvr-servicefee-my-bill.html#post1294207

 

[jegrant]

It's also clear that neither CSR understood or appreciated the difference between HD Essentials ($29.99) & SD Essentials ($9.99).

 

[RandallA]

I really don't understand what the issue is here. There's a $5.98 DVR fee, we all pay it. Do we like it? Is it fair? Of course not but the DVR fee will not be waived just because someone asks for it. If you don't want to pay the DVR fee you have a few options:

- Go for the Everything Package.
- Get a 501, 508 or 721 receiver. There's no DVR fee for these receivers.
- If you only have one DVR receiver go with the DVR Advantage plan. They waive the DVR fee for one DVR receiver.

 

[chapelrun]

No issue now...

The issue for me would be the difference between $120 per year and $192 per year.

I guess I could go buy a DVR-508 but I already have a 510.

I must say that after the "Chat" I completely removed my DISH receiver from the cabinet.

G-10R for now and another Fixed FTA dish soon.

 

[Juan]

I didn't think a christian would try to "steal" a dvr fee!!

 

[HokieEngineer]

They want your business, but they aren't going to waive the fees that everyone else pays to get it. Pretty much all the big providers charge some sort of fee for using their DVR. Yea, it sucks but they have found people are willing to pay for it.

I'd look into the DVR Advantage program, but it seems you want to pay for only the cheapest package. Considering many of their customers pay $120+ a month I doubt Dish will go out of their way to cut you a deal to get you to subscribe.

 

[chapelrun]

Not Trying to "steal" anything

I didn't think a christian would try to "steal" a dvr fee!!

I hope you understand I was not trying to steal anything! Some companies big or small will give an incentive to a new customer to get them in the door. I tried, and they did not go for it; and I moved on.

I am a Christian and I was not trying to "steal" anything. Just wanted to clarify that point.

 

[kb7oeb]

I think you should be happy you were able to skip the DVR fee for as long as you did. Dish is not going to cave because you can't go anywhere else and get basic service with a DVR for $16 a month.

 

[Scroll]

I think you should be happy you were able to skip the DVR fee for as long as you did. Dish is not going to cave because you can't go anywhere else and get basic service with a DVR for $16 a month.

Unless you get Tivo or Tivo with lifetime.

Come to think of it, Dish will be selling an OTA DVR for like $99 around July with no monthly fees. So I guess it depends on what basic means. There is also a GloryStar DVR for $0 a month.

 

[Scroll]

They want your business, but they aren't going to waive the fees that everyone else pays to get it. Pretty much all the big providers charge some sort of fee for using their DVR. Yea, it sucks but they have found people are willing to pay for it.

I'd look into the DVR Advantage program, but it seems you want to pay for only the cheapest package. Considering many of their customers pay $120+ a month I doubt Dish will go out of their way to cut you a deal to get you to subscribe.

Well that's sort of a misconception. I have seen cable specials that include the 1 DVR and as mentioned even Dish has a plan that waves 1 DVR fee. And there is a limited time offer to waive home protection fees in the letter I got for like 8 months.

Now you are probably quite correct that even a retention rep does not have authority to waive DVR fees but they may be able to offer service credits or movie credits. I agree not too likely on a basic tier but he lost little by asking. Dish even had a deal for Primer tire for $20 less just for asking (not well known outside of sites like SatelliteGuys, the AVS Forum & Tivo Community and such).

But I do pick a bone with just accepting the higher costs some pay. Such incomplacency is the basis of free market competition. We didn't even have a Family Pak until enough Direct TV customers complained and demonstrated a need. Now Dish has one too.

 

[chapelrun]

During Sky Angel I had an old JVC 3700

I think you should be happy you were able to skip the DVR fee for as long as you did. Dish is not going to cave because you can't go anywhere else and get basic service with a DVR for $16 a month.

When I had SA I was using an old JVC 3700 receiver. (Until I removed it today) When and if I went to DISH, I wanted to use my DVR-510 that I purchased from a friend a while back. Thus I did not have any DVR fee because I was not using a DVR.

 

[Scroll]

you can't go anywhere else and get basic service with a DVR for $16 a month.

I almost forgot! Yes you CAN! Direct TV charges a single DVR fee for DTivos and UTVs.

Not sure you can still activate a UTV DVR or not if you didn't have one before but I have a DTivo at mom's that I activate off & on when I will be there for an extended period. I think that DVR fee is even waived for the Primer and up tiers.

 

[kevinbct]

you can't go anywhere else and get basic service with a DVR for $16 a month.

I almost forgot! Yes you CAN! Direct TV charges a single DVR fee for DTivos and UTVs.

Not sure you can still activate a UTV DVR or not if you didn't have one before but I have a DTivo at mom's that I activate off & on when I will be there for an extended period. I think that DVR fee is even waived for the Primer and up tiers.

Not exactly true.....

The cheapest advertised package on DirecTV is Family - 29.99 / mo.

If you are in the know (now you are) -- you can get the Basic Package 9.99. This includes your locals, the Christian stations, Link TV, CSPN 1 and 2, NASA, RFD TV (now featuring Don Imus), and CCTV9 (Chinese programming), plus nearly all XM radio stations (50 of the 67) but.... you have to add on an international package like Italian, etc. for at least 9.99. If the lowest dollar spent is your goal, you may want to consider this plan. You would have to re aim your dish to actually get Italian, but DTV doesn't make you do this to qualify for the 19.98 / mo package -- so the DVR would be added to this totally 25.97 per month

 

[kb7oeb]

I was adding essentials+DVR fee. Here lifeline cable is $20 and they won't let you rent their $18 a month dvr without buying digital.

Chapelrun, I thought you were saying SA was not charging the fee on your 510, now its more clear.