# HD Platinum Free-No More



## teddy (Jun 9, 2006)

Dish has started the HD for Life program. Looking at my bill, it now appears that I don't pay for HD, *but* HD Platinum is now $10. I was getting HD Platinum free. Since I don't watch HD Platinum much, I called Dish to cancel. They want to charge me $5 to cancel. :nono:
They change their pricing structure, I should have a right to change my subscription without penalty! I spoke to a supervisor who told me that the only time they waive the $5 fee to cancel is when there is a promotion. I know it is only $5, but these people are starting to show their true face IMO. HD Free for Life? Rip Off.


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

HD Free for Life does not include the Platinum HD package. You need to read what is and isn't included.


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## Tony S (Mar 28, 2002)

You are wrong! You were not getting HD Platinum for free. If you called Dish when the promotion started, you got the regular HD channels plus the Platinum channels for $10. You can still drop the Platinum channels and save $5 per month. If you look at the Dish promotion, you will see that the Platinum channels are separated into their own package for an additional $10. They never said that you would get ALL the HD channels for free.


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## koji68 (Jun 21, 2004)

I was getting HD platinum 'free' before because I was paying $10 for HD+Platinum. When Dish changed the fee structure, I was still paying $10 for the same channels but I had the option to drop the Platinum channels, save 10 bucks and keep watching the other channels in HD, which I did.

Is that what you are referring to?

The $5 charge is standard for any drop in programming. I'm not saying that I agree with it, just saying that this has been standard practice at Dish and that we all agreed to it when we signed the contract.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

teddy said:


> Dish has started the HD for Life program. Looking at my bill, it now appears that I don't pay for HD, *but* HD Platinum is now $10. I was getting HD Platinum free. Since I don't watch HD Platinum much, I called Dish to cancel. They want to charge me $5 to cancel. :nono:
> They change their pricing structure, I should have a right to change my subscription without penalty! I spoke to a supervisor who told me that the only time they waive the $5 fee to cancel is when there is a promotion. I know it is only $5, but these people are starting to show their true face IMO. HD Free for Life? Rip Off.


HD is free for life, but you still pay for the extra channels. I'm down with it!


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Since at one time I was paying $20, $10 for HD and $10 for Platinum, then they gave me Platinum for free, and now they're giving me HD for free for life, I pretty sure I'm way ahead because I can always cancel Platinum (yes, for the usual one time $5 charge).


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

phrelin said:


> Since at one time I was paying $20, $10 for HD and $10 for Platinum, then they gave me Platinum for free, and now they're giving me HD for free for life, I pretty sure I'm way ahead because I can always cancel Platinum (yes, for the usual one time $5 charge).


Yeah hard to imagine how anyone could be complaining about this. It wasn't too very long ago you would be paying $20.00 to have HD+Platinum. Now you only pay $10.00 for that combo and if you want to pay $0.00 extra and still get lots of HD all you have to do is drop the Platinum. I don't see how anyone could see that as a bad thing? :nono2:


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I can see where those who signed up since last August can be confused. They never experienced the choice of paying $10 for HD or $20 for HD plus Platinum. They were forced to pay $10 for "HD & Platinum HD" while existing customers continued to pay $20 for the pairing.

For them it is just a shift in what is free. Fortunately they are getting the Free HD deal without any further obligation (service commitment or autopay/paperless) or one time fees. They _*are*_ getting the best deal in this transition.

The sad part is there are still people paying $20 for HD. Those are the people who have a more valid complaint. If they decide now to go with "Free HD" they are required to make the commitments or pay $99.


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

teddy said:


> Dish has started the HD for Life program. Looking at my bill, it now appears that I don't pay for HD, *but* HD Platinum is now $10. I was getting HD Platinum free. Since I don't watch HD Platinum much, I called Dish to cancel. They want to charge me $5 to cancel. :nono:
> They change their pricing structure, I should have a right to change my subscription without penalty! I spoke to a supervisor who told me that the only time they waive the $5 fee to cancel is when there is a promotion. I know it is only $5, but these people are starting to show their true face IMO. HD Free for Life? Rip Off.


How long have you been with Dish? You joined the website back in '06, so you have been around here for 4 yrs or so.
Seems like you were one of many current Subs, like myself that found out how last August, how to jump on a New Sub deal, and get HD+Platinum merged for $10.

So you were saving $10 a month, the average Current sub was actually paying, you saved around a $100 total or so depending on when you started. Dish never said that HD+Platinum was forever, deals like that end.

The HD+Platinum package ended, and instead of having to pay for HD and Platinum individually again. Dish ended the HD fee all together, you were grandfathered in for HD for life.

So you don't have to commit for 2yrs, add autopay and paperless or pay a onetime $99 fee, you now have HD for life for Free, and had to nothing except luck out and merge HD+Platinum last year. If you didn't merge HD+Platinum last year, and that was NOT an automatic thing for current subs, you had to call in and do it, you bill would be going down $10 month now. You just got the deal $10 earlier for current subs. Now you can drop Platinum, or add drop anything you want to, and HD for Life is still free for you.


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## teddy (Jun 9, 2006)

Alright! alright! I'll pay the $5.
Do you all work for Dish?


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## deepen10 (Jan 12, 2010)

bottom line is that this is all BS.. DISH is doing us customers wrong with all these changes.. HD should be free just like Cable does it. Here in NJ, Optimum gives HD free with all packages, no extra charge. Dish keeps their basic package prices low, but you have to pay 10 bucks per receiver.. That is BS. I get charged 24 bucks extra per month for HD, 10 bucks for a Solo HD receiver and 14 bucks for another HD DVR receiver. That is straight up crap.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

deepen10 said:


> I get charged 24 bucks extra per month for HD, 10 bucks for a Solo HD receiver and 14 bucks for another HD DVR receiver. That is straight up crap.


Your price list is wrong. $20 is the most anyone should be paying for HD (and that is easily fixed by accepting the terms of the HF Free for Life offer). Solo HD receivers are $7 (solo DVRs are $10). The only $14 receivers are Duo non DVRs.

Do a fair comparison of the package prices and you'll probably find where you would be paying for that "free" HD from the cable company.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

deepen10 said:


> bottom line is that this is all BS.. DISH is doing us customers wrong with all these changes.. HD should be free just like Cable does it. Here in NJ, Optimum gives HD free with all packages, no extra charge. Dish keeps their basic package prices low, but you have to pay 10 bucks per receiver.. That is BS. I get charged 24 bucks extra per month for HD, 10 bucks for a Solo HD receiver and 14 bucks for another HD DVR receiver. That is straight up crap.


Cable DVR fees are outrageous, usually...Some are $17/DVR.


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

deepen10 said:


> bottom line is that this is all BS.. DISH is doing us customers wrong with all these changes.. HD should be free just like Cable does it. Here in NJ, Optimum gives HD free with all packages, no extra charge. Dish keeps their basic package prices low, but you have to pay 10 bucks per receiver.. That is BS. I get charged 24 bucks extra per month for HD, 10 bucks for a Solo HD receiver and 14 bucks for another HD DVR receiver. That is straight up crap.


Whatev. SD customers pay the same receiver prices.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

teddy said:


> Alright! alright! I'll pay the $5.
> Do you all work for Dish?


Save by a smiley face.


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## deepen10 (Jan 12, 2010)

James Long said:


> Your price list is wrong. $20 is the most anyone should be paying for HD (and that is easily fixed by accepting the terms of the HF Free for Life offer). Solo HD receivers are $7 (solo DVRs are $10). The only $14 receivers are Duo non DVRs.
> 
> Do a fair comparison of the package prices and you'll probably find where you would be paying for that "free" HD from the cable company.


yea I have a solo HD DVR and one Dual non DVR so there it is.


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## DodgerKing (Apr 28, 2008)

Dish charges $5 to change packages, even if you have been paying for a package for years? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

deepen10 said:


> bottom line is that this is all BS.. DISH is doing us customers wrong with all these changes.. HD should be free just like Cable does it. Here in NJ, Optimum gives HD free with all packages, no extra charge. Dish keeps their basic package prices low, but you have to pay 10 bucks per receiver.. That is BS. I get charged 24 bucks extra per month for HD, 10 bucks for a Solo HD receiver and 14 bucks for another HD DVR receiver. That is straight up crap.


Bullsheet. Optimum HD is free, but you have to pay a LOT extra for your box, and MORE than that for the DVR. On top of that their HD is horribly overcompressed. Dish all the way.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

DodgerKing said:


> Dish charges $5 to change packages, even if you have been paying for a package for years? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard


Oh come on, I"m sure that's not the stupidest thing you've ever heard unless you've led a very sheltered life. Read some of the posts here before you make that claim.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

I just shake my head in disbelief that people can grow to adulthood without learning this lesson:

There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!

Nothing is free. NOTHING.

If you believe otherwise, you are being duped by someone's Marketing Department, and forgetting the fundimental lesson: nothing is free.

When they say "Buy 3 tires and the 4th one is FREE!", what they mean is: "we've raised the prices on all our tires by 33%."

When they say "Kids eat free" they mean "we've raised the price of the adult meals."

And when they say "Free HD For Life", they mean "We're now using receiver fees to collect our money, and will make enough of a profit gain with eBilling and credit-card auto-pay to cover the HD costs."

You're going to pay either way.

Remember a year or so ago, when Dish was offering "$9.99/month" for new customers? All they did was double the normal 1st year discount but cut the discount period in half. Over the first year, your costs are identical.

Anytime someone says something is "free", you should ask yourself "but what will it COST me?"


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Reminds me of a nice bit of lyrical witticism from a song by Rush...

"We will pay the price, but we will not count the cost"


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## Wilf (Oct 15, 2008)

5 or 10 bucks, pales compared to the 40% or so of you pay for the sports channels. By my calculation, that amounts to about 30-35 bucks. Nobody seems to complain about that. For those that don't watch these channels, thats equivalent to a hefty tax.

Wilf


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

The bottom line ... it's all WAY TOO CONFUSING! Nickle and dime charges are wrong. My bill went up by $2 after HD became free. That was borderline evil!

BTW: I actually do get free lunch every day. You can say it's part of my salary, but when I was a contracter here, it really was completely free without strings attached. 

Last time I bought tires, the buy 3 get on free was a deal. They did not jack up the prices for the sale. That is not to say that they normally sell those tires for too much. But a sale is not alwasy tied to a price increase. That is ... unless it's Dish Network!

I have been a customer since 1995. They have always been this way. However ... they still tend to be cheaper than DirectTV and Cable. So we live with their tactics and complain about how it gets implemented.


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

jkane said:


> The bottom line ... So we live with their tactics and complain about how it gets implemented.


I agree. For me, and this is just me. This change was just, eaiser to handle then most. Knowing that the HD+Platinum deal, was a loophole for existing users, and packages like that don't last forever, I was more than relieved, when Dish didn't seperate HD and Platinum, they didn't go back to the old format of $10 each.

For the 1st time in a LONGTIME, with Dish, I feel rewarded. By getting HD+Platinum, through the loophole, last year, I saved $10 from Sept-June.
Was grandfathered into HD free for Life, just by having HD and Platinum on my account(and saving $10 at the sametime), so I didn't have to sign up for autopay, didn't have to recommit for 2yrs, didn't have to pay a onetime fee, didn't have to play CSR roulette, for once something happened automaticly.

Did my overall bill go up by $2? Yes. Was that a lot less then what I was expecting once Dish ended the promo and seperated HD and Platinum. Yes.
Did Dish do a great job of adding enough good programming to entice me to Keep Platinum? Darn them, they Did.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

OK ... I went online and tried to figure out what the difference is betwene HD Platinum and HD for life! I was paying $10 for "somethign". I clikced the HD free for life offer, and now it is offereing the HD PLatinum package for $10. But, nowhere can I find what is in it. Did I remove some programming for signing up for the HD for life package?

I know a few months ago I had some HD removed since it did not seem like I was wathcing it enough.

Why can't the web site just have a chart of each package lined up against each other?


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

jkane said:


> OK ... I went online and tried to figure out what the difference is betwene HD Platinum and HD for life! I was paying $10 for "somethign". I clikced the HD free for life offer, and now it is offereing the HD PLatinum package for $10. But, nowhere can I find what is in it. Did I remove some programming for signing up for the HD for life package?
> 
> I know a few months ago I had some HD removed since it did not seem like I was wathcing it enough.
> 
> Why can't the web site just have a chart of each package lined up against each other?


Platinum is a addon package. In the Past you Paid $10 for HD access and $10 for the Platinum addon. Some people found a way to get a new sub package and get HD Access and the Platinum package addon for just $10.
HD for Life means no more paying the $10 for HD access to the channels. Platinum is still its own addon package, that you add to your AT120, AT200, AT250. Platinum is a package just like HBO, Showtime, Starz, Multisports, and the rest, its a addon to your base package.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

jkane said:


> Why can't the web site just have a chart of each package lined up against each other?


http://www.dishnetwork.com/hdtv/customer.aspx

Platinum HD is at the bottom.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

HD Free for Life is HD versions of whatever's available in your package, AT120/120+/200 etc.

HD Platinum is an HD-only package above and beyond that.

It's really not that tough.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

Ah! I didn't study the bottom banner hard enough. Thought it was another advertisement. I wasn't sure if the red "buttons" next to the offereings or "green/blue" buttons were the HD Platinum, or just the differeneces between the packages. It made sense that they were the differneces, but the top banner made me wonder where the Platinum HD offering explaination was at.

Platinum is the 16 HD channels I cancelled a few months ago. Although there is a show every now and then on one of those channels, it wasn't often enough to justify another $10 to keep them. That is good. Then my bill should now go down by $8 effectively with the addition of "free HD". That is a good thing!


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## teddy (Jun 9, 2006)

When Dish changes it's pricing structure, the consumer should be allowed to change his/her subscriptions without penalty. That just seems a principle of fairness, whether my bill goes up, down or doesn't change. If they are going to change our agreement, I should be able to have a say in it.

I am not holding a grudge here or trying to push any hidden agenda. 
Dish can change it's prices anytime it wishes, within the law and it's contractual arrangements. That is their right. Although I don't like it when prices go up, it is their right. If I don't like it I can go else where.

Still, I should be able to change my choices, _without penalty_, when they change how they charge me for my choices.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

jkane said:


> Platinum is the 16 HD channels I cancelled a few months ago. Although there is a show every now and then on one of those channels, it wasn't often enough to justify another $10 to keep them. That is good. Then my bill should now go down by $8 effectively with the addition of "free HD". That is a good thing!


By "a few months ago" I hope you mean before last August? Last August Platinum HD was offered free as part of a promotion to new customers. Existing customers could cancel their HD service (Bronze/Silver/Gold and Platinum if they subscribed) and immediately add the new "HD & Platinum HD" getting all the channels for $10. These customers (the new ones since last August and existing customers who adjusted their plans) were automatically put into "HD Free for Life" on June 3rd.

If you canceled Platinum since last August you could have canceled all HD then readded "HD & Platinum HD" and paid $10 instead of $20 for the same HD.

DISH did not automatically convert those paying $20 for their HD over to HD & Platinum HD in August nor did they automatically convert those still paying $20 for their HD over to HD Free. Those people are only finding out now that they can reduce their bill by $10 - but they need to make the commitment.

Personally I wish that DISH would have converted all the $20 HD people over to HD Free like they did with the HD & Platinum HD customers. These people "overpaid" from August through May (9 months) which is about the same as the $99 fee DISH is currently charging to get HD Free without commitment. Then again - giving money away without people asking for it can ruin a business.

Making the pre-August 2009 $10 per month subscribers make a commitment doesn't bother me as much as making the $20 per month subscribers make a commitment to get their bill lowered.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

teddy said:


> Still, I should be able to change my choices, _without penalty_, when they change how they charge me for my choices.


There is something to be said about your agreement with them. At the time you signed up Platinum HD was included "free". You agreed to pay $10 per month for all of the HD channels you received. This year DISH has added 23 HD channels plus 7 PPVs. More channels than they offered when you agreed to pay $10 for HD. And although they have changed the way they itemize what you are paying for on the bill, you were still paying $10 for HD (including any of the 23 HD channels included at your programming level).

The price increase on June 3rd was on the SD channel packages - not HD. The restructuring of receiver fees in February primarily hit SD customers (charging $7 instead of $5 for a "Solo" SD receiver - raising SD receiver prices to match HD receiver pricing). While the February changes also hit multiple HD receiver customers it hit multiple SD receiver customers just as hard. DISH doesn't charge for dropping receivers - no penalty there.

One can sometimes get a CSR to waive the $5 fee but I don't see it as a big deal. Paying $5 once so you don't have to keep paying $10 isn't the worse thing in life.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

teddy said:


> Dish has started the HD for Life program. Looking at my bill, it now appears that I don't pay for HD, *but* HD Platinum is now $10. I was getting HD Platinum free. Since I don't watch HD Platinum much, I called Dish to cancel. They want to charge me $5 to cancel. :nono:
> They change their pricing structure, I should have a right to change my subscription without penalty! I spoke to a supervisor who told me that the only time they waive the $5 fee to cancel is when there is a promotion. I know it is only $5, but these people are starting to show their true face IMO. HD Free for Life? Rip Off.


Don't your other bills go up yearly? Come on!


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

I was just a few months ago, not August. I deleted it when they increased the HD stuff from $10 to $20. I did not get automatically added to Free HD which is what made me look at it. When my bill went up $2, I checked, and that's when I saw the offer for Free HD. I had to commit to another 2 years. I have had them long enough now that I can live with that instead of a $99 fee!

I don't think they are charging me a $5 reduction fee. I have some grandfathered thing on my account that prevents that. I don't know exactly why, but it's there listed in my programming list! Looks like it expires soon though. Got a message saying if I was not happy that now is the time to remove programming before it expires.


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## Borgie (Dec 30, 2006)

so when are they going to start moving the "free" HD channels into the platinum? The already did it with Palladia and HD Theater


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

Borgie said:


> so when are they going to start moving the "free" HD channels into the platinum? The already did it with Palladia and HD Theater


Because all but one HD-only channel is moved to Platinum. With the curious exception of HDNet, the HD 120/200/250 only has HD versions of SD channels in the Top 120/200/250.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

jkane said:


> Last time I bought tires, the buy 3 get on free was a deal. They did not jack up the prices for the sale. That is not to say that they normally sell those tires for too much. But a sale is not alwasy tied to a price increase.


That's exactly the point: the normal price has enough margin built in already that they can afford to give you that 4th tire "free" (when you buy 3 tires at the normal, inflated [no pun intended] price). You are paying for that "free" tire; don't fool yoursef.


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## audiomaster (Jun 24, 2004)

And when they say "But wait! Order now and we will include a second thingy for free and you only pay the cost of shipping and handling" It means the cheap Chinese-made thingy costs them less than even the shipping to make!


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