The promotion ended awhile ago, but it was still in their list of programming so CSRs kept adding it for people. Customers were calling up and threatening to cancel if they didn't get it last I heard (as with everything else, people need a new trick). Cinemax extended the offer to DISH to account for most of those people but wanted it to stop.
It sounds like the OP called in after the expiration date and now life's unfair. This also makes CSRs idiots for the most part, but we knew that already.
Nope thats not it. I have had this promo for 2 yrs. I got my 2nd year in Sept. way before any mention this promo was going to expire. Dish was letting everybody who had auto pay keep the penny deal into the 2nd year till it ended, and grandfather people who renewed for the 2nd year as long as it was before Nov. 1st 2009. Dish Automatically extended the penny deal into the 2nd year as long as you had Auto pay.