Do I legally own the equipment given to me when I first signed up?

[Minto Took]

I was doing some comparison shopping today between telecommunications providers in my area and what really has me confused is whether or not I would be subject to a lease fee for my 625 anytime ever. I'm currently planning on buying a ViP211 and DISH 1000.2 package from Sadoun and integrating both receivers to work with a Linux HTPC machine.

I had gotten the assumption when I first signed up for service that the legal owner of my current dish and 625 was me and I could do what ever I wanted with them. What I've gathered from other threads is that if I right-out buy a receiver from a retailer, its mine and I won't have to pay a lease fee.

Sorry if my post is hard to make sense of. I'm mentally exhausted and its been a long week with next week promising to be longer.

/edit: Another question I just thought of. If I out-right buy my receivers (say getting a ViP622 instead of the ViP211), how is the DVR fee calculated into the monthly bill?

 

[TNGTony]

If you buy your receiver it is yours and that is that. HOWEVER, there is still an "additional receiver fee" if you have more than one.
Receiver 1 (no extra fee)
Receiver 2 (add $5 bucks a month)
Receiver 3 (add another $5 bucks a month for a totap of $10)
and so on.

Also, some receivers like the 625 and 622 REQUIRE a phone line hook up. If you do not hook them up to a phone line they treat the second tuner in the receiver like an additional receiver each and every month, so add another $5.

DVR fees are $5.98 for each and every DVR receiver you own and have active on your account. So if you have a 622 and a 625 there would be $11.96 in DVR fees on your bill. There are exceptions to this.
1) America's Everything Pack includes all DVR fees
2) 721 Dual tuner receiver (great alternative to the 625) has no DVR fees
3) 501/508 single tuner receivers have no DVR Fees. Identical to the 510 except smaller hard drives.

See ya
Tony

 

[Minto Took]

DVR fees are $5.98 for each and every DVR receiver you own and have active on your account. So if you have a 622 and a 625 there would be $11.96 in DVR fees on your bill. There are exceptions to this.
1) America's Everything Pack includes all DVR fees
2) 721 Dual tuner receiver (great alternative to the 625) has no DVR fees
3) 501/508 single tuner receivers have no DVR Fees. Identical to the 510 except smaller hard drives.

How does the DVR Advantage discount break down? I currently have it (so I know it's requirements), but I'm unable to get a good idea of how it breaks down.

 

[boba]

Call DISH and ask if you own the equipment, 99% of the time you are leasing it. For the DVR advantage call and ask several CSRs it is such a confusing program you will get several answers, average it out and go with the most common answer.

 

[FitzAusTex]

The "Additional Receiver Access Fee" is $6, rather than $5, on the HD DVRs (or at least on the vip622).

 

[tsduke]

What's the advantage to owning your own receiver if you still have to pay the additional receiver fee?

 

[moltomateo]

I was doing some comparison shopping today between telecommunications providers in my area and what really has me confused is whether or not I would be subject to a lease fee for my 625 anytime ever. I'm currently planning on buying a ViP211 and DISH 1000.2 package from Sadoun and integrating both receivers to work with a Linux HTPC machine.

I had gotten the assumption when I first signed up for service that the legal owner of my current dish and 625 was me and I could do what ever I wanted with them. What I've gathered from other threads is that if I right-out buy a receiver from a retailer, its mine and I won't have to pay a lease fee.

Sorry if my post is hard to make sense of. I'm mentally exhausted and its been a long week with next week promising to be longer.

/edit: Another question I just thought of. If I out-right buy my receivers (say getting a ViP622 instead of the ViP211), how is the DVR fee calculated into the monthly bill?

If you are paying a lease fee, then no you don't own it. When you signed up, did you get free install or did you pay over 300$? If you "own" it, then you should have bought it or paid for it. If you didn't then you don't own it. There are many threads here outlining dvr advantage.

 

[Dodge Ram Nut]

I have 1 question about the phone line hookup. When will DISH or Direct get it through their thick heads that a lot of us, if not, about half of us do not have land line phones anymore? I'm sure many, like myself have cell phones and have done away with the land line phones. It feels like we're being punished for not having land line phones and forces us to pay the extra 5 dollars a month. Small..cheap..I know..but its the principal of the thing.

 

[iKramerica]

I have 1 question about the phone line hookup. When will DISH or Direct get it through their thick heads that a lot of us, if not, about half of us do not have land line phones anymore? I'm sure many, like myself have cell phones and have done away with the land line phones. It feels like we're being punished for not having land line phones and forces us to pay the extra 5 dollars a month. Small..cheap..I know..but its the principal of the thing.

You are right... it's NOT about 1/2 of us. It's still a small percentage with no land line or VoIP service at all.

 

[WhenYouAwake]

I signed up two years ago with the free install for up to four rooms. I just called yesterday for the upgrade to HD and was told the 625 that is being replaced is mine to keep. If I want to send it back they will give me a $10.00 credit on my bill.

 

[lakebum431]

Well don't send it back, I'm sure you can get more than $10 in the for sale section here.

 

[Zero327]

To answer you edit, nothing changes. All DVR fees would still be applicable and charged just as they are for customers who lease.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I signed up two years ago with the free install for up to four rooms. I just called yesterday for the upgrade to HD and was told the 625 that is being replaced is mine to keep. If I want to send it back they will give me a $10.00 credit on my bill.

You must have been originally installed under the Free Dish promotion. Under that promotion the customer did own the equipment. Under the Digital Home Advangate promotions, its a lease deal.

 

[Minto Took]

You are right... it's NOT about 1/2 of us. It's still a small percentage with no land line or VoIP service at all.

With the abundance of cell phones and many of my friends out there in the real world only having a cell phone, both D* and E* are limiting their customer base.

Anyway, I know that TiVo-proper offers an Ethernet port on some of their newer boxes along with a landphone port for programming and software updates. So some group of mustaches out there is looking ahead.

On topic though, I did get my stuff through a "free installation" promotion. Therefore from reading some of the responses, I may or may not have to give it back.

 

[StanUbankit]

I have 1 question about the phone line hookup. When will DISH or Direct get it through their thick heads that a lot of us, if not, about half of us do not have land line phones anymore? I'm sure many, like myself have cell phones and have done away with the land line phones. It feels like we're being punished for not having land line phones and forces us to pay the extra 5 dollars a month. Small..cheap..I know..but its the principal of the thing.

"It's never the money, it's the principal of the thing", isn't that the third biggest lie in the world? (Right behind, "I'm from the goverment, and I'm here to help"; "Of course I'll respect you in the morning", etc).
Those with only cell phones are still a very small percentage of households, I don't think E* & D* are gonna worry about their customer base being restricted because of this. Last time I looked they're still adding subs. Why don't you just think of the $5 charge as being part of your cell phone bill and figure that "Well, I'm still saving $_ dollars a month by not having a landline"; or someone market a cheap gps transponder you could attach to your dvr/reciever box so D* & E* would know exactly where their leased box is at all times.........Woo-hoo, wouldn't people sqawk about that!

 

[DishSubLA]

I have 1 question about the phone line hookup. When will DISH or Direct get it through their thick heads that a lot of us, if not, about half of us do not have land line phones anymore? I'm sure many, like myself have cell phones and have done away with the land line phones. It feels like we're being punished for not having land line phones and forces us to pay the extra 5 dollars a month. Small..cheap..I know..but its the principal of the thing.

Unfortunately, far too many people lack the principals you cite when they pirate satellite TV or engage in "account stacking". Now, you and the rest of us have to prove to Dish that we are legit. The phone line is primarily an anti-piracy tool, secondly, a marketing tool. Dish has not made it a requirement for older boxes because it would really tick-off a whole lot of people. Charlie really hates pirates and account stackers.

I remember Charlie having said that they are aware of situations like yours and are working to have a solution for those who don't have land lines.

 

[Brussam]

We don't have a phone

We use a 622 without a phone. It costs us $5.00 a month because it is a dual tuner.