# DVR lease & service fees: too much? DirecTV comparison?



## crodgers79 (Jul 18, 2004)

Hi!

I traded in two 921s for the new 622 DVRs. I now have two new 622s and one older 721. Even though I owned my old 921s and traded them for $200 credit each for the 622s, I still get hit with 622 "lease fees." My bill looks something like this:

LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEE 10.0
DISHHD SILVER W/ LOCALS 64.99
HD PROMOTION - ADJUSTMENT -5.0
Account Charges $ 93.95

So, basically, I am paying Dish $29.00/month just in fees alone.. I can't afford this bill so I am going to have to go back to a much less expensive package than HD Silver, but I was wondering if DirecTV has this same fee structure.. DirecTV has contacted me about moving to them but I haven't taken the time to go through all of this with one of their sales reps so I was hoping to get the answer here.. 

Any and all comments are welcome! Basically I don't mind paying dish $65 for programming, but their lousy fees are killing me, driving a $65 cost up to almost $100 - ridiculous!

Thanks,

Chris R.


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## Rotryrkt (Dec 11, 2004)

crodgers79 said:


> LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
> DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
> DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE 5.98
> LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
> ...


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## crodgers79 (Jul 18, 2004)

My understanding is that the "Program Access Fee" is for the right to have more than one receiver on the account; as I said, I have two 622s and a 721, so they include one receiver in the account/subscription charge and then charge me $5 each for each additional receiver (in my case two additional receivers) so I believe the $10 "Program Access Fee" is correct - feel free to correct me if I am wrong because I am no expert on their various packages.

The leased receiver fee is somewhat baffling to me since I turned-in two perfectly good 921s to get a total of $400 credit on my account toward the 622s which I paid $299 each for (the idea was turn in your 921s and get the 622 for only $99 each after a $200 rebate)..OK so I turned in my 921s got the $200 rebate for each of them and shelled out $299 a piece for the 622s and NOW I have to lease the 622s? How does that logic work??

DirecTV can give me two HD DVRs and one HD receiver (total of three receivers) for around $525 in up-front costs, but I am not quite sure how their fee structure compares. Right now, I'm going to bounce all the way back to the $19.95 Family Pack with locals until I figure out what to do.. Originally, I had the Top 120 with locals and the HD Promo Pack for $9.95/month but they no longer offer that package, you have to get one of the new metal packs which start at $39.95 and like I said, that figure is very deceiving because that only covers the programming, I'm getting socked with about $30/month in fees alone which is ludicrious IMHO.

I'm looking for another option now..

Thanks for any and all replies!



Rotryrkt said:


> crodgers79 said:
> 
> 
> > LEASED RECEIVER FEE 6.0
> ...


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## tnsprin (Mar 16, 2003)

crodgers79 said:


> My understanding is that the "Program Access Fee" is for the right to have more than one receiver on the account; as I said, I have two 622s and a 721, so they include one receiver in the account/subscription charge and then charge me $5 each for each additional receiver (in my case two additional receivers) so I believe the $10 "Program Access Fee" is correct - feel free to correct me if I am wrong because I am no expert on their various packages.
> 
> Negative on your programing access fee. Its a charge that is waved if you have a your phones connected to a land line. Do you have such a phone line.
> 
> The addition receiver fee is $6 on the newer machines such as the 622 if you own the 622 ($5 on older ones). Otherwise its a $6 lease fee. This is one of the reasons it currently makes less sense to own than to lease additional receivers.


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## tm22721 (Nov 8, 2002)

You are better off waiting to trade in your 721 / 921 receivers.

Dish will be forced to give you a free 622 eventually (no lease or commitment) because MPEG2 transponder space is expensive and they want to move everybody over to MPEG4 transponders.


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## rogerpl (Aug 16, 2006)

New to the board and am close to going to HDTV, I am, my wife not so close. To clarify a point on the billing for DVR fees. Currently I'm Dish customer with a dual 522 dvr with the $5.98 dvr fee, if I upgrade to the 622 the dvr fee will remain the same? 
Thanks, Roger


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## Rotryrkt (Dec 11, 2004)

rogerpl said:


> New to the board and am close to going to HDTV, I am, my wife not so close. To clarify a point on the billing for DVR fees. Currently I'm Dish customer with a dual 522 dvr with the $5.98 dvr fee, if I upgrade to the 622 the dvr fee will remain the same?
> Thanks, Roger


If you take their upgrade "deal" you get socked with a $6 lease fee plus an 18 month commitment on top of the same $5.98 DVR fee. Unless you go for the HD Platinum package, then they waive the DVR fees. Purchasing is the only way to avoid the lease fee and commitment.


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## rogerpl (Aug 16, 2006)

Rotryrkt said:


> If you take their upgrade "deal" you get socked with a $6 lease fee plus an 18 month commitment on top of the same $5.98 DVR fee. Unless you go for the HD Platinum package, then they waive the DVR fees. Purchasing is the only way to avoid the lease fee and commitment.


If I read my bill correctly the lease for one receiver is included in package price , additional receivers are 5.00 or 6.00 dollars depending on HD or not.

from bill
"The equipment fee for the first receiver is included in the package price."


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## Rotryrkt (Dec 11, 2004)

rogerpl said:


> If I read my bill correctly the lease for one receiver is included in package price , additional receivers are 5.00 or 6.00 dollars depending on HD or not.
> 
> from bill
> "The equipment fee for the first receiver is included in the package price."


You probably have the DHA (Dish Home Advantage)plan now which included equipment fees in the package price. If you take the DIU (Dishin it up)upgrade the lease fee is separate. Check out the various plans on the dish network website and be sure you read all the "Terms and Conditions", that's where they explain all the charges. Remember, these are lease plans, you are paying a lease fee somewhere if you sign up for a lease plan.

By the way, since the moderators haven't done it yet Welcome to DBSTalk, Roger!!!:welcome_s


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