CONFIRMED(?)- Dish Discontinuing Absolute HD Package

[Silly Burrito]

For those that wanted to know what HD Absolute is/was:

So if this is correct (and I have no reason to believe it's not), then if you drop to the Dish America (Bronze), you get the same channels for $29.99 (this was copied from Dish's website about A120):

A&E HD
Cartoon Network (E)
CMT HD
CNBC HD
CNN HD
Comedy Central HD
Discovery Channel HD
ESPN HD
ESPN2 HD
Food Network HD
HDNet
HGTV HD
History Channel HD
Lifetime
Palladia
Spike HD
Syfy HD
TBS in HD
TLC HD
TNT HD
Travel Channel HD
USA HD
Weather Channel HD

In addition, you pick up the following six channels:
E! Entertainment Television HD
FOX News Channel HD
MTV HD
Nickelodeon (East) HD
Headline News HD
VH1 HD

You do, however lose access to these channels (unless you pay for the higher package or get the Platinum add-on)
ANGEL
ANGL2
APL HD
BIO HD
BRAVO HD
CBS C HD
CCNEW
CI HD
CTN
CTRC HD
EARTH
EPIX1 HD
EPIX2 HD
ESNWS HD
FTV HD
GOLF HD
GREEN HD
HDNMV HD
HDTHR
HMC HD
INDIE HD
INSP
KTV
LMN HD
LOGO HD
MAVTV HD
MGN HD
NASA
NBATV HD
NFL HD
NFLRZ SD
NHLN HD
NTGEO HD
PI Channels
RETRO HD
SCI HD
SHRTS HD
TENIS HD
UNIHD
VS HD
WFN HD
WGN HD

There may be a few SDs that you get anyway (maybe PI channels, Earth?), but I have to be honest, besides NFL HD, there's not much I watch on the other channels, although EPIX is nice. I realize everyone else has their own favorites, though.

I wonder if they offer HD for life, will that include the platinums we get now for free, or will that be a free six month holdover?

Either way, I would like to keep Absolute for the variety of channels for the money , but the thought of picking up Nick for the kids (since Disney is gone) and not losing a lot of what I actually watch is interesting.

 

[mike123abc]

I don't really buy that Absolute subscribers are preventing E* from negotiating new carriage deals or carriage renewals. There just can't be that many of us. Every company has customers on grandfathered offerings...and these grandfathered customers are always factored into the negotiations. Generally those customers are fine on what they have, as long as no customers are allowed to continue to enroll into the program in question.

If if is true that Absolute customers are going to have to change plans, than I think that TurboHD and Dish America HD customers are going to have to change plans, too.

E* wants us off these plans for some reason other than Disney, etc...

The program providers demand to be carried in certain packages. They do not want Dish to be able to pick and only pay for certain channels in certain packages. They want Dish to include all their channel (or at least pay for them). Sure, Dish could pick up the extra cost and continue the grandfathering. It is just as bogus as Disney demanding that Dish pay them 2x, once for the SD Disney Channel and again for the HD Disney channel. And that Dish has to carry both (i.e. only carry HD in HD packages).

 

[Hall]

You do, however lose access to these channels (unless you pay for the higher package or get the Platinum add-on)
ANGEL
ANGL2
APL HD
BIO HD
BRAVO HD
CBS C HD
CCNEW
CI HD
CTN
CTRC HD
EARTH
EPIX1 HD
EPIX2 HD
ESNWS HD
FTV HD
GOLF HD
GREEN HD
HDNMV HD
HDTHR
HMC HD
INDIE HD
INSP
KTV
LMN HD
LOGO HD
MAVTV HD
MGN HD
NASA
NBATV HD
NFL HD
NFLRZ SD
NHLN HD
NTGEO HD
PI Channels
RETRO HD
SCI HD
SHRTS HD
TENIS HD
UNIHD
VS HD
WFN HD
WGN HD

There are more than a few channels in there that I really, really don't want to lose... Ones we watch on a frequent basis I've bolded.

 

[yaz96]

So if this is correct (and I have no reason to believe it's not), then if you drop to the Dish America (Bronze), you get the same channels for $29.99 (this was copied from Dish's website about A120):

.

Not even close to the same channels. Look at your list.

How much are the other Dish America packages? I don't see them on the website.

 

[Silly Burrito]

There are more than a few channels in there that I really, really don't want to lose... Ones we watch on a frequent basis I've bolded.

You can still get them, you just have to pay for the Dish Silver or Dish Gold.

Not even close to the same channels. Look at your list.

How much are the other Dish America packages? I don't see them on the website.

I'm getting my info from HDTV - Dish HD Channels & HD Satellite Dish - DISH Network. The way I got there is from logging in to my account, choosing "My programming", and selecting the "learn more" link above the American HD programming.

What I meant was that the first column of names are networks that you get now in Absolute that you would still get if you chose Dish America. The second column was "new" channels that an Absolute customer would receive by switching to the basic Dish America package. The third was the list you'd lose by switching to the Dish America package unless you picked the Silver or Gold packages. On my account list, the Dish America is 29.99, the Dish Silver is 44.99, and the Dish Gold is 54.99.

I figure if you really like the Platinum pack, they'll offer it to you for free for six months (according to the first page), but then it's 10 bucks extra for sixteen more HD channels.

 

[Bob Haller]

so lets see the press release from E stating its the providers causing this package to go away.

 

[RandallA]

so lets see the press release from E stating its the providers causing this package to go away.

Press release? They don't even need to do that.

 

[Bob Haller]

Press release? They don't even need to do that.

its just speculation............

 

[whatchel1]

Scott confirmed

its just speculation............

It's not like your reports which usually are just speculation. Scott confirmed it & I believe him.

 

[bamaweather]

online here as well

I've run into the same problem online. When I called, they removed (in my case the HD Extra Pack) without any questions.

 

[Hall]

You can still get them, you just have to pay for the Dish Silver or Dish Gold.

Well duh.... One would think you're suggesting that Absolute HD and Dish America HD are similar packages based on channels and price. To compare the two is stupid.

 

[Bob Haller]

I believe scott confirmed the package is going away but not the REASON its ending.

Now if E publically stated its canceled because of provider issues fine.

but its far more likely another beancounter move./

remember the beancounter move that bites someone else today may effect you tomorrow........

 

[Silly Burrito]

Well duh.... One would think you're suggesting that Absolute HD and Dish America HD are similar packages based on channels and price. To compare the two is stupid.

Well, they both are $29.99, and they both are HD-only packages. Obviously you get a lot more channels in one than the other. But, you can still get the Dish America package.

All I was trying to say was that if we were forced to get off of Absolute, as long as Dish America still exists, you can get an HD only package for the same price. You lose quite a few channels, but pick up six new ones.

Again, I don't want to lose Absolute. I've had it for a long time. I went to DirecTV's site to see if I could get anything similar, and the lowest priced real alternative was $52/month for the first year (for a HD DVR like I have now).

If I was forced to drop Absolute, I could probably live with Dish America and pay the same as I'm paying now without missing a lot of the dropped channels. You may not feel the same way about those channels, and that's understood. I hope they don't force us off of it, but if they do, the Dish America plan is probably an acceptable alternative to me.

 

[getstuff4less]

I think he confirmed the OP go the call from Dish. I wish E* would just let us keep Absolute w/o Disney. I think someone needs to email ceo@echostar.com and just ask them. I'm not doing it because I don't want the attention.

 

[yaz96]

It's not like your reports which usually are just speculation. Scott confirmed it & I believe him.

He did not confirm why, he confirmed Dish called.

 

[Greg Bimson]

As I said, it could simply be that some channels in Absolute couldn't be there because of the contracts with providers. We've found out that four channels were there for 25 months and Dish Network didn't pay a cent for them, and when confronted they were pulled instead of paid for.

Are there any other channels in Absolute that shouldn't be there? Are there any other channels in Absolute that Dish Network isn't paying the providers for, and the providers are complaining about that? And could it be that Dish Network wants to receive more money from Absolute subs than the paltry $30 a month they receive currently?

 

[yaz96]

Well, they both are $29.99, and they both are HD-only packages. Obviously you get a lot more channels in one than the other. But, you can still get the Dish America package.

All I was trying to say was that if we were forced to get off of Absolute, as long as Dish America still exists, you can get an HD only package for the same price. You lose quite a few channels, but pick up six new ones.

Again, I don't want to lose Absolute. I've had it for a long time. I went to DirecTV's site to see if I could get anything similar, and the lowest priced real alternative was $52/month for the first year (for a HD DVR like I have now).

If I was forced to drop Absolute, I could probably live with Dish America and pay the same as I'm paying now without missing a lot of the dropped channels. You may not feel the same way about those channels, and that's understood. I hope they don't force us off of it, but if they do, the Dish America plan is probably an acceptable alternative to me.

I would think if it's a programmer issue these packages would also go away. IF these do not go away, it would seem that Dish were forcing this Absolute issue.

 

[chc59]

Got the call today. Yes, being discontinued. No final date set. Calling customers "this week" to inform them and make offers for other programming. When asked about "this week", CSR said that a special CSR team has been put together for this project and did not know what happens after Friday. Went on to say that she has spoken to a number of unhappy subscribers this week.

Deal offered was $15/mnth off of a package for 12 months + free HD Platinum for 6 months + HD for Life + HBO/Showtime free for 3 months.

I signed on to the AE package. Because HBO and Showtime are already in AE, the per month discount jumped up to $20/month for 12 months.

For years I have gotten most of my programming on my 4DTV receiver and big dish. Cost was great, until the last few years, and PQ was excellent. But subscription prices have been skyrocketing, programming has been leaving 4DTV, and Motorola recently announced that it was ending services on 12/31. So, I had to do something about replacing that and was considering going to another Dish package. Then this week on the forum, I got a heads-up about the Absolute package. Did some pricing with my two available cable companies. So, I was ready for the call. Considering my wants and needs, the deal came at the right time. Could not pass it up. Even if 4DTV was not going away, I couldn't beat the deal. I've thought for a long time now that the Absolute package would go bye-bye. It was just too cheap for what you got.

When the discounts go away, I can re-evaluate.

Joe

 

[yaz96]

Got the call today. Yes, being discontinued. No final date set. Calling customers "this week" to inform them and make offers for other programming. When asked about "this week", CSR said that a special CSR team has been put together for this project and did not know what happens after Friday. Went on to say that she has spoken to a number of unhappy subscribers this week.

Deal offered was $15/mnth off of a package for 12 months + free HD Platinum for 6 months + HD for Life + HBO/Showtime free for 3 months.

I signed on to the AE package. Because HBO and Showtime are already in AE, the per month discount jumped up to $20/month for 12 months.

For years I have gotten most of my programming on my 4DTV receiver and big dish. Cost was great, until the last few years, and PQ was excellent. But subscription prices have been skyrocketing, programming has been leaving 4DTV, and Motorola recently announced that it was ending services on 12/31. So, I had to do something about replacing that and was considering going to another Dish package. Then this week on the forum, I got a heads-up about the Absolute package. Did some pricing with my two available cable companies. So, I was ready for the call. Considering my wants and needs, the deal came at the right time. Could not pass it up. Even if 4DTV was not going away, I couldn't beat the deal. I've thought for a long time now that the Absolute package would go bye-bye. It was just too cheap for what you got.

When the discounts go away, I can re-evaluate.

Joe

So, you can choose ANY package? Did they offer the HD-Only Dish America packages? Or could we get the Dish Latino Max package?

Did you verify that there is no new commitment?

When does your new deal start? right away, or when Absolute goes away?

Thanks for the update! :up

So, how many who are commenting in this thread are actual Absolute customers? I counted around 10 of us. How many have received the call? I count 3. I have not received a call yet.

 

[yaz96]

As I said, it could simply be that some channels in Absolute couldn't be there because of the contracts with providers. We've found out that four channels were there for 25 months and Dish Network didn't pay a cent for them, and when confronted they were pulled instead of paid for.

Are there any other channels in Absolute that shouldn't be there? Are there any other channels in Absolute that Dish Network isn't paying the providers for, and the providers are complaining about that? And could it be that Dish Network wants to receive more money from Absolute subs than the paltry $30 a month they receive currently?

:tux: