New Dish Network Pricing

[Chris Freeland]

A couple of other possibilities for that rumored $9.99 HD packs, the cheaper one could be all the HD channels that have comparable SD channels in your basic package plus some of the dedicated HD channels like HD Net and HD Net Movies (to avoid legal problems like D* had), and probably HD Theator, the rest of the dedicated HD channels and Voom would still require the $20 Dish HD which would still be the same. The 3rd pack could be a resurrection of the old Dish HD Platinum with all the HD channels and AEP channels, for a $5 discount which would soften the blow of the $5 rate increase for AEP. Another possibility is that the 3rd pack would add for $5 more, the rest of the dedicated HD channels except Voom.

Scot any clues yet what that $9.99 pack and possible 3rd pack will consist of beyond speculation?

 

[osu1991]

It will tick a lot of people off to have to pay twice for simulcast channels. I am hoping the first fee will be for just the simulcast channels that correspond to channels in your package, then the voom and standalone hd channels in 2 separate packages or together with the 3rd be an all inclusive package, but that would be too simple for Dish. I am thinking it will be a mpeg 2 pack and then an mpeg4 pack and then the standalones in the last pack.

 

[Chris Freeland]

It will tick a lot of people off to have to pay twice for simulcast channels. I am hoping the first fee will be for just the simulcast channels that correspond to channels in your package, then the voom and standalone hd channels in 2 separate packages or together with the 3rd be an all inclusive package, but that would be too simple for Dish. I am thinking it will be a mpeg 2 pack and then an mpeg4 pack and then the standalones in the last pack.

Who said anything about paying twice for HD simulcast channels? I suspect it will be in tiers and the $20 Dish HD would be the top tier of basic HD and the channels in the new $9.99 package and possibly the 3rd package (if is not a new AEP+HD pack) whichever ones they are, will still be included. Why would E* do a mpeg 2 pack for new subs or new upgrades when those channels will soon be upgraded to mpeg 4?

 

[Stargazer]

Eventually when everything is in HD are they going to charge us a premium for everything that we buy? They will have to have HD as the standard picture quality. They can upconvert all the SD channels and make it an all HD service.

 

[sbsi]

not 2 bad compare to direct and cable. cable keep raising the prices every year by percentage and direct charge the receiver for 2nd-3rd-4th-5th TV.

 

[skottey]

not 2 bad compare to direct and cable. cable keep raising the prices every year by percentage and direct charge the receiver for 2nd-3rd-4th-5th TV.

And I'm paying for my 2nd and 3rd receiver with Dish monthly. That is certainly not a billing practice limited to DirecTV or cable systems.

 

[Bulldog]

My 18 months are almost up, and with news like this, Dish is very likely to lose me as a customer.
So in 18 months, they have Lost me, Lost their lead in HD Content, continue to risk losing DVR, and have lost their advantage of a lower price than D.
So what Exactly do they have that's worth staying on board for??

Charlie Chat

 

[cloudy]

Charlie Chat

That's pretty funny.
Let me think..... Yup, that's about all they got now.
Looks like I'll be saying goodbye for sure.

 

[Jeff_R]

Time to start thinking about switching to antenna/Youtube/Netflix to save a ton of money.

DID that. And I AM saving a ton. YES, there are times when I miss ESPN and FOXSPORTS....but I have been VERY happy with this since October of 2006.

I'm planning on that very thing come February this year, just going to add an HD Tivo to that, and I should be all set. Between Tivo/OTA, Netflix/Blu Ray, and the Tivo/Amazon Unbox, I should be set for nearly all, and not be required to pay 70+ a month for TV service. I'll miss the occasional sporting event on ESPN, but not enough to keep paying that much just for TV.

 

[M Sparks]

I thought by sometime in 2009 there will be no more SD channels and everything has to be broadcast in HD.

HOW IS THIS NONSENSE STILL GOING AROUND?

Seriously, it's worse than the old "Mikey died from eating PopRocks & Coke" bit.

 

[jj63]

If Voom is in a seperate tier, this new pricing may be a good thing. To be able to drop the Voom channels and save some money sounds pretty good.

 

[Tyralak]

HOW IS THIS NONSENSE STILL GOING AROUND?

Seriously, it's worse than the old "Mikey died from eating PopRocks & Coke" bit.

I have no idea. I have to explain that to customers almost every day. It's really tiring.

 

[darrencp22]

If Voom is in a seperate tier, this new pricing may be a good thing. To be able to drop the Voom channels and save some money sounds pretty good.

I've been asking for this for a while. I don't like Voom and believe I shouldn't have to pay for it. Those who want this content should have to pay. Good job by E* if this is the plan.

 

[Jim S.]

I don't like ESPN and shouldn't have to pay for it. Those who want that content should have to pay. Bad job by E* for not having it in a seperate tier.

 

[jj63]

I don't like ESPN and shouldn't have to pay for it. Those who want that content should have to pay. Bad job by E* for not having it in a seperate tier.

Bit of a difference being forced to purchase the voom channels to get hd vs espn. Voom represents over 50% of the hd package while espn is under 5%.

 

[Jim S.]

Where did I say anything about ESPN-HD? I'm talking about the basic package too. The last I heard, ESPN was about the most expensive American channel out there.

Incidentally, if I did watch ESPN-HD, I'd be pretty irate about paying for the picture quality, or should I say lack thereof.

 

[jj63]

Voom is more than 50% of the hd package. Espn is less than 5% of any package, sd or hd. OK?

 

[cincyguy2k4]

Think about it this way folks. This year's round of price increases were most likely to offest the HD prices.

With the new HD tiers coming, Voom still needed to be paid for somehow.

Dish keeps track of everything we watch when were connected via phone or ethernet so they know who is watching Voom and who isnt. They know ahead of time how many of us are going to tell Voom to take a hike.

Also, those new birds going up in the air to provide more HD programming are not cheap.

With that said I think you will see another round of increases over the next 5 years and we will get all HD included FREE. By that time our bills will be 20 more a month than today .

Just my 2 cents.

 

[MarkNelson]

Voom is more than 50% of the hd package. Espn is less than 5% of any package, sd or hd. OK?

I believe what he was referring to was that Disney forces ESPN on all subscribers, driving the cost of the basic package up, whether we want it or not. Personally, I would love to drop all sports and shopping channels from my package to save some money.

 

[BabaLouie]

I believe what he was referring to was that Disney forces ESPN on all subscribers, driving the cost of the basic package up, whether we want it or not. Personally, I would love to drop all sports and shopping channels from my package to save some money.

I can see how dropping sports channels from your package would save you money...I'm not sure how dropping shopping channels would do that?