UPDATE:Retailer Chat Update (Inc. Hardware and New Locals)

[Stargazer]

With credit card autopay, if they charge you things you did not authorize them to charge you for, then couldn't you have those taken off by the credit card company, or are there statements in the paragraphs where you have to sign to allow them to do the credit card autopay stating that you authorize any charges Dish puts on the bill as a stipulation. Once they double charged paying a bill and I went to the bank, had it removed, and received free ppv coupons and an apology letter from Dish Network.

Having one year of programming paid in advance they have asked me and more than once if I wanted some of the money refunded and I said no because I would just have to send it back in later. I bet they will not accept checking account autopay because they want to be able to charge your credit card a cancellation fee if you do not keep your programming commitment for a year charging you f for the SuperDish and installation. I do hope they allow you to pay the $25 shipping fee if you choose to not do cc autopay just as you could do with the Dish 500 upgrade.

 

[Guest]

But the REAL question...where are the Hartford locals?

 

[Stargazer]

The 311 receiver is supposed to have the smart card built in along with the 111, 322, and 522 I do believe. I am surprised that they are retailing the 111 the same price as the current 301 (they said that the 111 was supposed to be cheaper receiver).

A lot of people are going to be upset about the credit card autopay issue and having to fork out $300 just to get their locals but even more upset when they find out they will have to buy a $60+ DP adapter and they might as well just get a new receiver or used 301 than getting a $60+ adapter.

On top of that how many people are REALLY going to want a Primestar sized dish sitting in their yard especially when DirecTv is going to have a dish almost half that size in many cases that would also bring you your local channels for a lot cheaper? I bet DirecTv is not charging $200 plus $100 installation ($300 total) for their dish and I also bet you can install those on your own.

I knew the price of the 522 would be equal to or less than what the 721 was. I predicted it would be $399 (in between the price of a 5xx and 721 receiver). I just wish we could get a bigger hard drive seeing how we have to share the receiver for two tuners.

 

[jssat]

I do hope they allow you to pay the $25 shipping fee if you choose to not do cc autopay just as you could do with the Dish 500 upgrade.

This is the case according to the Retailer Chat.

 

[AppliedAggression]

I have no idea why people make such a big deal out of auto pay. I find it great. Plus if you have them put it on a credit card then you'll pay it on the same day you do your credit card so the people that complain about it never being on the same day have no excuse.

 

[gpflepsen]

Debit card autopay sucks. CC autopay rocks.

 

[Tampa8]

Scott, if you can dig deep for more information on locals - I am told Hartford should be in the group on the 16th - on Dish 500.

 

[Guest]

DVR 522 Pricing confusion .....

Hey thanks Scott for the pricing news, BUT why do you think that the 522 is priced lower than the 721? They seem to offer the same features and have the same soze drive.

Thoughts?

Dish DVR 522 - $399

 

[ROLLTIDE]

CC Auto Pay doesn't work when you have problems with your billing system . I have had very few problems with Dish nets creditcard auto pay other than they telling me to pay them $125 and they would credit it to me next bill . The next month they still didn't credit me and it took 4 phones calls to get it fixed. Now Tmobile creditcard auto pay is something you should really not even go close too.

 

[rad]

I am amazed at how many people claim they don't get a refund for unused service. I had DHP with CC Auto Pay. I wanted to own my equipment but had to terminate service and return eq before I could go out on my own.

Here's the statement from the last month I had DHP


Payments
9/09 CREDIT CARD PAYMENT -76.34

Balance $ 0.00

New Monthly Charge(s) Service from: 09/14 to 10/13
DIGITAL HOME PLAN, PARTIAL MONTH(S) 09/13-10/05 -39.06
NETWORK PACKAGE WITH PBS PARTIAL MONTH(S) 09/13-10/05 -9.16

Account Charges $ -48.22
Total $ -48.22

Total Amount Due
$ -48.22

Once the eq was returned, I received this credit on my CREDIT CARD!

Unless you have evidence that Dish cheated you personally, quit making the bogus claim.

This is directly from the Dish network web side in the customer agreement section:

E. You understand that charges for Services, once charged to your account, are nonrefundable. For monthly subscriptions, the cancellation will be effective at the end of the period covered by the last monthly bill. No refunds or credits will be provided in connection with the cancellation of monthly subscriptions.

Now maybe you had a nice CSR that worked things out for you. But when I called to see what it would take to get out of DHP plan, not leave Dish, just get out of DHP (for which I've completed my initial agreement period) and I was told the above. So unless you personally guarentee that you will cover everyone that gets charged by Dish as per their agreement I'd be careful about making bogus statements.

I have no problem problem with CC autopay, I have been using it up until recently. I got off the plan, and will stay off, until all the HD stuff comes out and I see what Dish is actually going to provide, just incase I make the switch.

 

[Stargazer]

I think the 522 is cheaper than the 721 because the production costs have went down, there is no device in the 522 that makes it possible to browse the internet in the future, no ethernet port (to my knowledge) and I notice the 721 has Linux while the 522 will not. They have made it more on the 510 platform than the 721 platform.

Seeing that the 522 is going to be only $100 more than the 510 there should be a lot of people that will be very willing to shell out an extra $100 for it seeing that its the same cost as an additional receiver.

 

[LER]

People keep mentioning CC autopay and the timing with paychecks. Why?? You have 30 to 45 (aprox) days to pay your credit card bill after the charge is made. I have had CC autopay for yrs. First on Directv in the nineties and Dish since 2000 and never had one problem.

The issue is folks like me with just MC/Visa branded DEBIT cards, where the funds are pulled DIRECTLY from our CHECKING accounts. (and when there is no / little buffer).

 

[jssat]

Scott, you should just do a poll on who likes CC auto pay and who dont. :mrgreen:

 

[mikew]

Now maybe you had a nice CSR that worked things out for you.

I didn't ask and it wasn't mentioned. I was simply credited for service that I did not use.

 

[mikew]

So unless you personally guarentee that you will cover everyone that gets charged by Dish as per their agreement I'd be careful about making bogus statements.

I do personally promise to pay everybody's charges per their agreement. Simply come to Vegas and find me...I'll be happy to pay you with my Craps winnings. I'll be the blonde guy standing in front of the volcano at The Mirage.

 

[Bobby]

So unless you personally guarentee that you will cover everyone that gets charged by Dish as per their agreement I'd be careful about making bogus statements.

I do personally promise to pay everybody's charges per their agreement. Simply come to Vegas and find me...I'll be happy to pay you with my Craps winnings. I'll be the blonde guy standing in front of the volcano at The Mirage.

Are you sure you're not one of the pirates next door at Treasure Island?

 

[mikew]

HAR, HAR, HAR...They've actually ripped down the sign to Treasure Island and halted the Pirate Show. It is now affectionately called the TI. A new sign will be going up, and the new Pirate Show will include scantily clad females. The new, racier, show starts in a month or two.

 

[Stargazer]

I have had them offer to credit me on my bill back to me in a refund as well without asking. I wish they were this friendly when it came to other things.

 

[Guest]

What happens if some of your local stations are on 61.5? Will superdish and one at 61.5 still work with DP34 switch? It doesn't seem like there are enough inputs on the switch for all those locations.

 

[Bill R]

What happens if some of your local stations are on 61.5? Will superdish and one at 61.5 still work with DP34 switch? It doesn't seem like there are enough inputs on the switch for all those locations.

We think that a DP44 switch will be needed. It will not be released until after the first of the year.