Dish Essential service for 9.00?

[MikeD-C05]

I have three accounts with DISH : One for me for the HD pack , one for my parents with the dvr advantage top 250 pack +.01 Cinemax pack , and one for my aunt for just locals + encore pack + .01 Cinemax pack. My relatives pay me for the accounts and I handle the technical and bill paying. Today I received an email from DISH for my Aunt's account . IT advertised for just three dollars more I could get the DISH essentials pack. In this pack they offered the following channels :

AMC
Bloomberg
Boomerang
Cmt
Comedy Central
Discovery kids
Food network
Hallmark
Hgtv
The History channel
Home shopping network
MSNBC
MTV2
Oxygen
QVC
Shop NBC
TBS
TLC
WE
The Weather Channel

Presently I pay just 6.00 for no basic pack fee with Little Rock locals 5.99 + Encore pack for 4.99 + .01 Cinemax pack. So now I can pay 9.00 and get all the above channels instead of 6.00 for no basic pack channels. My aunt gets more choices and I guess DISH benefits from having subs actually watching some of their basic pack channels. I notice that these channels come from all of the top programming packs like MSNBC from the top 250 pack. I just wanted to tell ya'll because it is a way for those people to keep DISH active for only 9.00. A pretty good deal if you wanted to have both sat services in your house and pay only 9.00 for DISH. At least until DISH starts up an all mpeg 4 service. RIght now I have both DISH and DIRECTV in my house for more hd channels. I plan to go back to DISH for all my programming needs once they get the all mpeg 4 service up with more hd channels. I still like my 722 /622 dvrs much better than the DIrectv HD dvr -hr 21- THis receiver is really clunky.

 

[FitzAusTex]

Mike, I'm a little confused. Is this SD Dish Essentials Pack the only thing you can have on your account, or could it be added to let's say the HD Only pack? I'd kill for it, as I'm really missing MSNBC.

So you (your aunt) pays $16.99 currently ($6+5.99+4.99+.01)? and this Dish Essentials pack would be an additional $3, with the $9 replacing the $6 fee, making her bill $19.99+taxes?

Is there a link on the email you got for this package on E*'s website? I searched and cant find it.

 

[Link]

So this new Essentials package would only be $14.99 a month ($9.00 + $5.99 locals) correct? Intstead of paying a $6 access fee for no basic package you pay $9 ($3 more) and get some additional channels. That is a pretty good option.

 

[MikeD-C05]

So this new Essentials package would only be $14.99 a month ($9.00 + $5.99 locals) correct? Intstead of paying a $6 access fee for no basic package you pay $9 ($3 more) and get some additional channels. That is a pretty good option.

I am not sure if the locals will be 5.00 or 5.99 yet since the csr was not forthcoming with the details. He just answered yes to my questions as I asked them but I won't know for sure till I check extra activity on my Aunt's account tomorrow . But either way the sd essentials pack is just 9.00 ,which beats paying 6.00 to NOT have any basic pack and you get 20 channels from various top programming packs.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Mike, I'm a little confused. Is this SD Dish Essentials Pack the only thing you can have on your account, or could it be added to let's say the HD Only pack? I'd kill for it, as I'm really missing MSNBC.

So you (your aunt) pays $16.99 currently ($6+5.99+4.99+.01)? and this Dish Essentials pack would be an additional $3, with the $9 replacing the $6 fee, making her bill $19.99+taxes?

Is there a link on the email you got for this package on E*'s website? I searched and cant find it.

I don't think you can add the essentials pack in hd to the sd essentials pack but you could always ask. This is new sd essentials pack since I have never heard of it. My aunt has been having just locals +encore pack for about 5 years now and I am sure that DISH wants people to pay more , so this is there answer . A new sd essentials pack of about 20 channels. As to her bill I am not sure yet if the locals will be 5.00 or 5.99 since this is a basic pack now . It is not a top programming pack but it should qualify as an essential pack. I think her bill should be :

9.00 essential sd pack
5.00/ 5.99 locals
4.99 encore pack
.01 CInemax
-----------------------------
19.00/ 19.99 depending on locals.

I also think this must be DISH's way of giving everyone a lifeline type cable pack like Cable does. A way to keep DISH and still add other sat or cable services to your household . I am sure many have downgraded to just hd pack like I did on my main account ,to keep DISH active while I sub to Directv as well, for more hd channels I can't get with DISH yet.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Mike, I'm a little confused. Is this SD Dish Essentials Pack the only thing you can have on your account, or could it be added to let's say the HD Only pack? I'd kill for it, as I'm really missing MSNBC.

So you (your aunt) pays $16.99 currently ($6+5.99+4.99+.01)? and this Dish Essentials pack would be an additional $3, with the $9 replacing the $6 fee, making her bill $19.99+taxes?

Is there a link on the email you got for this package on E*'s website? I searched and cant find it.

I didn't get this off the DISH website I got an email from DISH telling me to call the following number to get 20 more channels for only 3.00 more than I was presently paying.

1-888-773-2162

 

[Link]

A friend of mine got the email today about the Dish Essentials Service. They only pay $11.99 now (5.99 locals plus plus $6 access fee). Dish refers to this package as Essentials Service (not to be confused with the HD Essentials package). If you click on some of the channels on the Dish site like CMT or Hallmark, it will tell what packages the channel is available in. You'll see Essentials Service listed at the bottom of the list.

What is the .01 Cinemax pack? How is it that cheap?

 

[Dah-Henny]

Wow...that's pretty interesting. Definitely have to dig a little to find the "essential service".

The page for comedy central:
DISH Network -- Channels

Network: COMEDY CENTRAL
Channel Name: CMDY
Category: GENL ENTERTAINMENT
Description: The only all-comedy network. Comedy Central is the place viewers turn to for 24 hours of programming that is clever, smart and, of course, funny.
Satellite:
Channel:
119
107

Available in:
AMERICA'S "EVERYTHING" PAK
AMERICA'S TOP 100
AMERICA'S TOP 100 PLUS
AMERICA'S TOP 100 PLUS (WITH LOCALS)
AMERICA'S TOP 200
AMERICA'S TOP 250
DISH LATINO DOS (W LOCALS)
DISH LATINO DOS DHA
DISH LATINO EVERYTHING PAK
DISH LATINO MAX (W LOCALS)
DISH LATINO MAX DHA
DISH Latino Dos w/o Playboy Espanol
DISH Latino Max w/o Playboy Espanol
DishLATINO Dos w/Playboy Espanol
DishLATINO Max w/Playboy Espanol
ESSENTIAL SERVICE

 

[MikeD-C05]

Yes you can check the channels on the website and see that they belong to the essential service . I just checked by doing this and there seems to be a latino essential service as well. Not the exact same channels as in the essential service but there does seem to be two essential services. I did a search on the DISH website and the term essential service does not come up as a programming pack option. THis must be a last ditch pack they offer when you don't want any of the top programming packs . A life line cable like service.

 

[Skibum]

I would probably sub to this Essential Service since I do technically own a 311! XD

 

[FitzAusTex]

I tried to add the Essentials Service to my dishHD Only, and the CSR couldn't get it to add, and he sounded like he knew what he was doing.

If anyone else tries it and is successful, I'd love to hear about it.

 

[robre]

I thought with the price increases this year I read somewhere that the HD enableing fee was going from $6 to $7. If that is true, that would explain why it would only be $3 more to get the HD essential pack, witch would be crazy no to pay $3 more to go from no HD to a decent amount of HD for only $3.

 

[Dah-Henny]

I tried to add the Essentials Service to my dishHD Only, and the CSR couldn't get it to add, and he sounded like he knew what he was doing.

If anyone else tries it and is successful, I'd love to hear about it.

Those 2 don't seem compatible with each other. Let us know if you or anyone manages to get them both. :up

 

[wii_dont_care]

I tried to add the Essentials Service to my dishHD Only, and the CSR couldn't get it to add, and he sounded like he knew what he was doing.

If anyone else tries it and is successful, I'd love to hear about it.

No doubt, if anyone has success at doing this, please post it. This would meet my family's viewing needs and some me some $$$. :up:up:up

 

[boba]

Signed up for "Essential Service" today. You have to go through an "ACCOUNT SPECIALIST" to get the service standard CSRs don't seem to know what it is. The service is $9.99/mo. and the only optional programming is local channels. On a tight budget it really isn't that bad for $15, definitely better than OTA only.

 

[dennispap]

A friend of mine got the email today about the Dish Essentials Service. They only pay $11.99 now (5.99 locals plus plus $6 access fee). Dish refers to this package as Essentials Service (not to be confused with the HD Essentials package). If you click on some of the channels on the Dish site like CMT or Hallmark, it will tell what packages the channel is available in. You'll see Essentials Service listed at the bottom of the list.

What is the .01 Cinemax pack? How is it that cheap?

Not sure if it is still available but if you signed up for autopay and paperless billing you could get all of the cinemax channels for 1 penny per year, for 3 years. You Might want to call before march 1st to see if it is still available.

 

[chapelrun]

This is interesting

I'm losing Sky Angel in less than two weeks. This might be a very good alternative to Sky Angel.

One question though. I would like to add one channel...

Dish Network Channel 7207 (Guardian Television Network) possible?

 

[Pepper]

chapelrun, not legally, unless you "move" to the local market where that station is and happen to be located in the spotbeam.

 

[CDH]

Anyone managed to get this package added with the "dish HD" pack? I know that some folks tried a while ago and were unable, but I thought I'd see if anyone had any luck before I called.

CDH.

 

[LisaA]

Switched to Essential Package

I want to thank you for informing us of the essental package. I had Sky Angel and they were leaving the air 4/1 so we had to do something. I love Hallmark which this plan included for 9.99. I called Sunday night I received a english speaking consultant who was extremely friendly and helpful. I received the essential package and the cinemax for a penny plus the free public interest programming. Which I could have received the educator channel but we can't have everything The only problem I encountered was two consultants that stated my present dish would not work (dish 500 twin lnb) when I received technical support to find coordinance he told me my dish would work fine. My Sky Angel ended immediately once I switched to Dish which I wasn't expecting that. I truly miss SkyAngel I hope them the best and very pleased Angel 1, Angel 2, and KTV is on Dish for people to enjoy hopefully they can reach more people in this small way. It only took us a half hour or so to adjust the dish and we were back in business. So, thanks again for informing us about these options this site is truly a blessing. Now I need to get a fta box to hook up for GloryStar.