Programming Question

[Mr_Flintstone]

Hey guys, I know this might be a stupid question, but... My parents dropped cable last year because of the expense. They only watch a few channels, and are very happy with the Smart Pack. The only problem is that college basketball here is now almost exclusively on ESPN and SEC Network, and the Smart Pack doesn't qualify for the Multi-Sports pack add-on. If they upgrade to a package with the channels they watch that qualifies for ESPN, the price will go from $36 to $79, and they will have 180 channels they don't watch.

Is there any way they can add ESPN to the Smart Pack without having to more than double their monthly price?

 

[dare2be]

No, but they can switch to the Flex Pack (about the same price, and they will lose some channels and gain others) and add/remove the National or Regional Action packs as needed.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

I looked at that. They only watch a few channels, and switching to flex pack would cost them the same as Top 200 to get the channels they watch now with the sports channels.

 

[LailaS@DISH]

You can change to the Flex Pack depending on your account for $34.99 and add the National Action Pack for $10.00 more per month to get ESPN cheaper than going to the America's Top 120 Plus package and adding MSP for SEC Network. You may also add the Regional Action Pack for $10.00 per month for the SEC Network.

 

[dare2be]

I don't keep most of the add-on packs full time. If a game is on I want to watch, I'll add the Action Pack that day and remove it the next. They might not want that level of management though.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

It's not the cost of adding the sports packs. The some of the channels they like on the Smart Pack aren't on the Flex pack or Top 120, so they would have to add additional channels on Flex or go to Top 200 to keep their favorite channels; either way it figures to over $70/mo.

As it is now, they can pay double to keep The channels they like and add sports, change packages to gain sports but lose what they watch, or keep the channels they like and do without sports.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I don't keep most of the add-on packs full time. If a game is on I want to watch, I'll add the Action Pack that day and remove it the next. They might not want that level of management though..

Don't they charge you the $5 programming change fee every time you do that?


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[dare2be]

Nope.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Nope.

Is that something new? I removed Starz last month and got hit with the fee.


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[dare2be]

Starz isn't part of the Flex Pack. Just the flex add-ons I'm referring to. If I were to add/remove other non-Flex packs within a 30-day window, I would get hit with the fee.

Presumably, these choices are all part of the Flex Pack.

 

[comfortably_numb]

So you can add and remove add-on's for Flex Pack willy nilly as much as you want and there are never any $5 fees?


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[dare2be]

Yes.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Starz isn't part of the Flex Pack. Just the flex add-ons I'm referring to. If I were to add/remove other non-Flex packs within a 30-day window, I would get hit with the fee.

Presumably, these choices are all part of the Flex Pack.

View attachment 122220

I get that. I am just amazed that they don't charge you the fee even to add/remove flex pack options. Guess it really is "flexible"


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[dare2be]

I guess that is why it required a new smartcard.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I guess that is why it required a new smartcard.

I guess I'm late to the Flex Pack party. I didn't know about the smart card either!


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[dare2be]

If you already have a Hopper3 (maybe even HWS), you probably already have the required smart card. Does the Flex Pack show up as an option for you to select online? If not, then you will need to call to get a new smart card.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I use a 211k now.


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[Troch77]

I use a 211k now.


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Is there a card in the Left door on the front of the 211k?
And it should say G4.
If not you need one sent to you.
My 211k didn't have one, My 211z came with one though.
As did The 3 Hoppers Ive had.

All Hoppers should have G4 cards.
G4 cards were out 2 years before the first Hopper was released.

 

[Hall]

some of the channels they like

How much do the really, really like them ?

Seriously, when I considered switching packages, I asked my wife and kids what shows they liked, could do without, and so on. I don't recall any, "tough, you're losing that channel" issues.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

They only watch about 5 channels. If they didn't have those, I doubt they would watch TV at all.