Welcome Pack + HBO for least expensive legal HBO GO

[dlsnyder]

I was looking over Dish's basic programming packs awhile back when an idea occurred to me. There are a significant number of people who are only interested in getting HBO GO to supplement Netflix and HULU subscriptions. If you buy a receiver and subscribe to the Welcome Pack for $14.99/mo., then add HBO for $16/mo. you end up with HBO Go for $31.00/mo. Since you own your own receiver you can self install, and you really don't even need to have it hooked up if you don't want to. All you need is that active Dish account and you are good to go.

I checked with a couple of Dish CSRs and they agreed that this should work. I passed it along to Tom Merritt and Brian Brushwood for the Frame Rate podcast and they both liked the idea.


Can anyone see a downside to this?

 

[Tampa8]

I'm not seeing $31 a month as a good for just wanting HBO GO, but yes that might be the least expensive way.

 

[Mr Tony]

Yeah if all you want is that it is kinda spendy

but hey people spend money foolishly (in others mind) on stuff so hey why not?

 

[mike123abc]

You do not even have to subscribe to a package to get HBO, you can just pay $7 no package fee if you like.

 

[Teehar]

You do not even have to subscribe to a package to get HBO, you can just pay $7 no package fee if you like.

Yep,that was my way of thinking as well.$23 vs $31

 

[dlsnyder]

I didn't know that. That's an even better option! Do you need to start off with a channel package and then downgrade, or can you just start off as a new subscriber with no package and HBO only? The Dish website clearly says you must have a qualifying package in order to subscribe to HBO. Has anyone tried it?

 

[TNGTony]

You don't need a package of any kind to get HBO, SHO/TMC. Starz, or Cinemax. The is a $7 "because we can" fee for not having a basic package. You can get HBO/Max (with HBO Go and Max Go) for $35/ mo.

 

[mike123abc]

You do have to own your own receiver. I would of course recommend the 211k with EHD since you can pay the one time $40 EHD fee and have a DVR that is free of fees.

If you lease a receiver you have to have a qualifying package for the receiver lease.

 

[TNGTony]

Yes. Mike is right. You need to own your receiver otherwise you have to have a qualifying basic package for lease deals. I neglected to mention that because I have always owned my own equipment.

 

[Mr Tony]

You do not even have to subscribe to a package to get HBO, you can just pay $7 no package fee if you like.

interesting....I thought they did away with that option

 

[MikeD-C05]

interesting....I thought they did away with that option

I thought that as well and that you had to have the Welcome pack at least to get any other programming.

 

[Mike_H]

Could you do this and do a self install (i.e. it isn't actually installed?). Could be useful for cord cutters that can't get LOS for satellite... i.e. many apartment dwellers.

 

[mike123abc]

Could you do this and do a self install (i.e. it isn't actually installed?). Could be useful for cord cutters that can't get LOS for satellite... i.e. many apartment dwellers.

I do not see why not. If you do not hook up your receiver to the internet or phone they will never know. I own my own equipment, and when I installed it they just turned it on via the R# & S#, no installer was there to verify that the dish was even installed.

 

[MattG@DISH]

All accounts do require a core programming package. The lowest being the Welcome Pack. Even new "activation only" accounts (self install, purchased equipment) have this requirement.

 

[TNGTony]

Wow. That's news to me. Thanks for the info. I'll have to tell the 3 friends I have with HBO/Max ONLY subscriptions with Public Interest Packs + 7 access fee not to change a thing if they want to keep this option! The last person to get this I know did it late last year.

 

[mike123abc]

Dish stealth change again... I bet it is part of the broadcaster's deal to slowly force everyone to pay for locals.

 

[Mr Tony]

All accounts do require a core programming package. The lowest being the Welcome Pack. Even new "activation only" accounts (self install, purchased equipment) have this requirement.

Thanks for the update!

Stupid question...you can't sub to the International Basic unless you have a INt'l channel too right? SO you couldnt juts sub to Int'l Basic + HBO?

 

[MattG@DISH]

Stupid question...you can't sub to the International Basic unless you have a INt'l channel too right? SO you couldnt juts sub to Int'l Basic + HBO?

I don't know if you need to have an int'l channel with it, but I'm pretty sure we'd also toss in the local channels for $5.99

 

[Mr Tony]

oh shoot you're right....It doesnt include locals
nevermind....Welcome Pack is better deal then

 

[jscud]

It is not spelled out on the website, but is it still a requirement to own your own receiver to get the "Welcome PacK".