# A question about *purchased* 622s and the "lease fee"



## rfowkes (Nov 8, 2004)

I'm opening this new thread here since I've asked this question buried deep in another thread I started about my ViP622 experiences here and I would think that many people would not see it.

Here's my situation. I received and installed a 622 the other day with the understanding that I would wait until April to do a 921->622 rebate upgrade for another 622 lease. Now I'm getting some feedback that there might be a problem with a 2nd 622 lease due to a shortage of units or whatever. However, if push comes to shove I'm willing to purchase a 622 from Dish Depot, etc. However, I'm getting some conflicting reports about the fees associated with an "owned" 622.

I subscribe to HDPlatinum so that waves the $5/month DVR fee. I also connect a phone line to each box so affected, avoiding the $5/month "phone access fee." But it's the $6/month "lease fee" that I'm questioning. Yes, I'm paying this on my new "leased" 622 but am I right in assuming that there is no "lease" fee on an "owned" 622? I seem to recall someone stating that the lease fee even applies to owned units but that doesn't make any sense to me. Could someone clear this up for me? I'm hoping I've misinterpreted this, but one never knows in the convoluted pricing structure of E*. At least the potential $72/year savings in lease fees would lessen the sting a bit of purchasing a unit if I'm not allowed to lease a 2nd 622.

Thanks in advance for any clarity that anyone might provide.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

I am certainly no expert on their fee structure, so I hope someone else can confirm this, but it is my understanding they will continue to charge you the fee one way or the other. They call it an "additional receiver" fee if you own the receiver rather than a lease fee. At least that is what they did to me after I purchased an older receiver rather than lease it. I doubt the 622 will be any different.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

The DVR fee ($5.98) will be charged per 622 regardless of lease or own.
$6 will be charged per month for having the 2nd 622 on the account - either as a $6 lease fee or as a $6 'additional HD receiver' fee.

Basically E* is going to hit you up for $11.98 per month regardless of if you own or lease. (And you can also add an additional $5 per 622 that isn't connected to a phone line.) The difference would be whether you can sell your 622 when you are done with it - and if you do if you lose less on the sale than it would cost you for a lease upgrade.

BTW: Don't borrow problems from the future. Questioning whether or not 622s will be available six weeks from now is premature.


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## rfowkes (Nov 8, 2004)

ChuckA said:


> I am certainly no expert on their fee structure, so I hope someone else can confirm this, but it is my understanding they will continue to charge you the fee one way or the other. They call it an "additional receiver" fee if you own the receiver rather than a lease fee. At least that is what they did to me after I purchased an older receiver rather than lease it. I doubt the 622 will be any different.


Thanks for the prompt reply. I appreciate it.

Yes, I'm aware of the "additional receiver fees" as I'm already paying that on the equipment that is in my system. When I add the 2nd 622 (either by lease or by outright purchase) I'm going to deactivate another receiver (probably the 501 DVR if I can't qualify for the 921/622 rebate). So that fee (for the 501) would just transfer over to the 622 and I understand that. What I'm questioning is the validity of the claim by some that you have to pay a $6/month "lease" fee for the 622 even if you own it.

I'm hoping that there's only one "fee" that I will pay for my owned 622 (since I have HDPlatinum which waives DVR fees and since I also will connect a phone line which waves the "access" fee.) and that this fee will be the "additional receiver fee." Adding a $6 "lease" fee on top of that since I'm not leasing it would appear not to be proper and that's what I'm trying to clarify. (Incidentally, I could see them upping the "additional receiver fee" from $5/month to $6/month if I use a 622 in place of a retired 501 but that's not the issue.)

Does anyone know for sure?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Missed the DishHD Platinum comment. Erase the $5.98 per DVR fee if you have DishHD Platinum like rfowkes.

$6 to E* either way - lease or additional receiver.


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## Rob Glasser (Feb 22, 2005)

Just wanted to add that the DVR fee is waived if you are an HD Platinum subscriber, just like it is/was for America Everything Pak.

As far as fees if you have the phone line connected the only fee you'll pay with HD Platinum is an additional receiver fee or lease fee depending on whether you own the second receiver or lease it.


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## MusicDan (Feb 10, 2006)

rfowkes said:


> I'm opening this new thread here since I've asked this question buried deep in another thread I started about my ViP622 experiences here and I would think that many people would not see it.
> 
> Here's my situation. I received and installed a 622 the other day with the understanding that I would wait until April to do a 921->622 rebate upgrade for another 622 lease. Now I'm getting some feedback that there might be a problem with a 2nd 622 lease due to a shortage of units or whatever. However, if push comes to shove I'm willing to purchase a 622 from Dish Depot, etc. However, I'm getting some conflicting reports about the fees associated with an "owned" 622.
> 
> ...


Seems the most oft question within this entire site concerns lease and additonal receiver fees. Under DHA, as a new customer, there is no lease fee on the first leased receiver. Similarly, for owned receivers, there is no charge on the first receiver owned. Anytime under DIU that you upgrade, a leased fee will apply. For example, if you own a 622 and lease a 622, you will only have a lease fee. If you own two receivers, the "additonal receiver" fee only applies to the 2nd receiver owned. Hope this helps although most will never understand it. LOL


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## Atoyot (Apr 3, 2004)

So, when you lease, how does the warranty work? I've heard it is only for one year. If that is the case and the unit dies after the year, do I have to pay another $300 to get another one?


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## rfowkes (Nov 8, 2004)

Thanks for the responses. I *think* I understand it now but maybe it will get a bit clearer when I receive my first new bill under the HDPlatinum regime.

I had 4 boxes. 301/501/921/942. Dish Home Plan With America's Everything Plan Pak 2 RCVR. Since I had 2 additional receivers I paid $4.99x2/month for those. The DHP also included the maintenance fee so all is covered.

I still have 4 boxes but now they are 501/921/942/622. With DishHD Platinum I assume that most things will remain the same (except that a 622 monthly fee is $5.99 instead of $4.99). In other words, as James said, Dish is going to get $6/month out of you for either leasing a 622 or owning one via an additional receiver fee. You won't be charged both fees (additional receiver and lease) on a single box.

I think this is clear (at least as clear as it can be) and I'll get the full breakdown with my first bill. The only "advantage" of purchasing a 622 over leasing it seems to be if Dish will only allow you to lease one 622 a year and you want a second one. I'm hoping that this changes by April so that I can take advantage of the 921/622 rebate. I wish it would have been clearer as I would have purchased a 622 from Dish Depot now and waited until April for the rebate. Since I already have two dishes to cover 61.5/110/119 the installation (upgrade to DPP switches and DP LNBs) could have waited until April.

Oh well, maybe I don't get the $200 back in April (but I will ask come April 1st in case they allow it by then). But I will keep the 921 (warts and all  ) and decommision the 501. That will give me all HD access (921/942/622/622) albeit only two of the four boxes with the new station capability (more than enough!) and the ability to simultaneously record 8 events!

Don't get me wrong. I'm not flaming E* in any way, just trying to sort out all the details. Although I disagree with their stance on the YES network (give me it as an ala carte item - I'm willing to pay, as shown by me paying D* $39/month for one lousy hookup for that) I'm very happy with Dish's commitment to HD and new offerings. They suffer a bit from the "right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing" mentality but I feel at least they are trying. Don't think we are going to be seeing any "Murdoch Chats" or "Dolan Chats" anytime soon!

:lol: :lol:


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## rfowkes (Nov 8, 2004)

James Long said:


> BTW: Don't borrow problems from the future. Questioning whether or not 622s will be available six weeks from now is premature.


No problem, James. The only way to deal with these things is to wait and see what happens. I never claimed to have any knowledge, real or imagined, about how things might play out down the road. I was just questioning the rumors that are circulating, not trying to reinforce them. Whatever happens, I'm ready to deal with it. As a Chemistry teacher in a former life  I'm a firm believer in Le Chatelier's Principle of "rolling with the punch." It never hurts to try to control which way you roll a bit, though.



Thanks for answering my questions.


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## Rogueone (Jan 29, 2004)

um, was it not stated that the 622 automatically becomes the main receiver when determining lease fees etc? And didn't the tech chat clarify that a leased 622 as the primary would NOT have a lease fee since that is in the package price? 

So doesn't that mean rwf would have a 622 with no lease fee, then additional rcvr fees for all the other rcvrs, and any lease fees if any are leased? and no DVR fees since he has Plat?


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## rfowkes (Nov 8, 2004)

Rogueone said:


> um, was it not stated that the 622 automatically becomes the main receiver when determining lease fees etc? And didn't the tech chat clarify that a leased 622 as the primary would NOT have a lease fee since that is in the package price?
> 
> So doesn't that mean rwf would have a 622 with no lease fee, then additional rcvr fees for all the other rcvrs, and any lease fees if any are leased? and no DVR fees since he has Plat?


I guess this will all be sorted out once I get my first bill with DishHDPlatinum and my new equipment on it. I'll deal with this at that time. In my case, if my two "additional receiver" fees are $4.99/month each then Dish is counting my 622 as my primary receiver under the lease. If one of them shows up as $5.99/month then that's clearly the 622.

As James would say, conjecture might be premature, especially with so many conflicting reports out there.


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

The Terms and Conditions link on a

new sub agreement
 does say
"(for the purpose of determining the amount of this fee, model 411, ViP211, and ViP622 DVR receivers shall be deemed to be activated prior to all other receivers);" That doesn't say it will become the primary receiver (but people have said that here).

I don't think there was anything on the Tech Chat that would clarify that the primary receiver was included in the base price. That clarification can be read at http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=525162&postcount=1 but that was from Mike via James, not from the Tech Chat. I've read several times that it was from the Tech Chat, but I think they were all your posts.

The "Addl Receiver fees" that USED to be $4.99 will be $5.00 and the 622 OUGHT to considered the Primary, even if it isn't the primary, for lease/mirroring fees. When rfowkes and others get their next bill is when we'll know better than we do today. I'm still not clear if mirroring fees changed for ALL HD receivers to $6 or just ViPs. CSRs tell me all HD receivers, but that again is a time will tell item.


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## Rogueone (Jan 29, 2004)

CABill said:


> I don't think there was anything on the Tech Chat that would clarify that the primary receiver was included in the base price. That clarification can be read at http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=525162&postcount=1 but that was from Mike via James, not from the Tech Chat. I've read several times that it was from the Tech Chat, but I think they were all your posts.


actually it's from down in the tech chat thread. it wasn't from the chat, der, I guess too much input  But 2 people mentioned it, JL being one of them. Definitely need to see how the bills end up, but there does seem to be a lot of information suggesting the lease fee for the 1st rcvr is built in


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## Mike Johnson (Jan 16, 2005)

Rogueone said:


> there does seem to be a lot of information suggesting the lease fee for the 1st rcvr is built in


I specifically e-mailed and asked Dish about this, and the response was that the receiver lease fee is built into the price of the programming package for the first receiver on an account. However, it does appear that if you own your receiver, you will pay the same amount for the programming package as someone who leases. So there really doesn't appear to be much of an advantage to owning your equipment anymore.


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## Rogueone (Jan 29, 2004)

right Mike, i'm with you there. the problem is, many customers reporting a lease fee on their bill. how or when do their bills get straightened out if this is indeed true?  Doh, this is way too much work, Dish needs a better information flow system


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I would see this as a 'looking forward' issue. People agreed to certain terms when they signed up for E*. If E* imposes a new fee they will likely notify the customer and start charging the fee. But reducing or eliminating a fee isn't so automatic and may change other parts of the contract the customer agreed to.

For example - when I contracted with my wireless carrier I got a package with 300 weekday minutes, unlimited night and weekend and unlimited calls to other customers of the same company plus access to the internet via the phone's built in browser as well as via a serial cable connected to the phone. All this for around $40. Today $40 can buy me many more minutes but I would lose the internet and browser access. That is no longer included.

E* customers may have agreed to a contract that didn't include the lease of the first receiver but did include other perks, such as an extended warranty. Note the answer to the warranty question given on the tech forum. It appears that the protection plan is not included. 

If you upgrade to a new plan I suspect that you will be able to get the billing 'corrected' so the 1st receiver isn't charged a lease fee - but make sure that you're not trading in something you don't want to lose - such as the protection plan.


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## GravelChan (Jan 30, 2005)

Mike Johnson said:


> I specifically e-mailed and asked Dish about this, and the response was that the receiver lease fee is built into the price of the programming package for the first receiver on an account. However, it does appear that if you own your receiver, you will pay the same amount for the programming package as someone who leases. So there really doesn't appear to be much of an advantage to owning your equipment anymore.


Mike, did you specifically ask if this applys to existing customers upgrading to a 622 as well as new customers?

Chan


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