# HD For Life No More?



## jedi5 (Mar 25, 2010)

Noticed that HD For Life is no longer being offered to new customers.
Was told by Dish rep that HD is free for 24 months but then a $10 monthly fee.
I asked if paperless/autopay would give you free HD after promotion and was told no.
Rep said that was customers do is call back after promotion ends and ask for a lower rate.

Is this true, no more HD for life?
I'm a current Dish customer shopping around.
Don't want to leave Dish, come back and have to pay for HD.

thanks


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

That does sound right, unfortunately. I believe it changed last year.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Yeah it did for new customers. Existing ones at the time they changed that got to keep it though.


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## jedi5 (Mar 25, 2010)

thanks!

glad i asked 1st before i left to another provider.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I believe last year they took away the $99 buy in option (one time fee no auto pay required) and this February they took away "for life" from the new customer offers.

Existing customers with a "for life" deal (either with or without auto pay) will continue to get their deal.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

jedi5 said:


> Noticed that HD For Life is no longer being offered to new customers.
> Was told by Dish rep that HD is free for 24 months but then a $10 monthly fee.
> I asked if paperless/autopay would give you free HD after promotion and was told no.
> Rep said that was customers do is call back after promotion ends and ask for a lower rate.
> ...


It's always been that way.


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## thomasjk (Jan 10, 2006)

Paul Secic said:


> It's always been that way.


No. This was a recent change by Dish. New customers get HD for Life for 24 months. Existing customers with HD for Life are grandfathered.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

IIRC, the 24 months free then $10 began in February 2014 or thereabouts.


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## RG6-Q (Apr 21, 2013)

What happens if I have hd for life with AEP. If I downgrade to AT120, will I continue to keep it. I sure don't want SD


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

You will get the HD version of the sd channels included in the package you have. You will lose the HD feed for all sd channels removed.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

You should be OK keeping the "for life" deal as long as you remain a customer subscribing to some HD programming. AT120 has HD programming.

If your service is cancelled for any reason you will lose the "for life" offering.


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## camo (Apr 15, 2010)

If they only offer HD equipment hookups now for new customers how do they justify charging an additional 10 dollars for the service? If I was a new customer, I wouldn't hesitate changing services if the charge wasn't dropped, especially knowing they are giving it away free for so many others. 
Best thing to do is just include HD in the programing. As the country ages and millions of baby boomers go on retirement 10 dollars does count, and do they really want baby boomers to do like the milleniums and not subscribe to any pay TV.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

camo said:


> If they only offer HD equipment hookups now for new customers how do they justify charging an additional 10 dollars for the service?


DISH is not "HD only installs". They push HD ... for example, if you order through the website you must order Hoppers and Joeys ... if you want anything different DISH makes you call in to talk to a salesperson. The "Smart Pack" (55 channels for $19.99 per month for 12 months $32.99 per month after) does not have HD or the Hopper.

HD is free for 24 months ... the same as that other satellite company ... however existing customers who got grandfathered can keep their "HD Free for Life" (life of the account). It is easy to justify $10 for HD when the other company is doing it.



camo said:


> Best thing to do is just include HD in the programing.


That would be nice ... but DISH went the other direction by changing their HD Free offer to "for two years". So I doubt that they will backtrack and make HD "included" any time soon.

One thing to be clear ... HD equipment is not HD service. DISH can deploy all the HD equipment they want and not activate the HD channels. DISH has kept the HD service fees separate from the equipment fees ... so there is no problem installing advanced receivers capable of HD without including HD channels.

DISH does not release numbers on how many customers have HD equipment and how many have SD only ... but they certainly have been pushing to sell HD - and anyone in an Eastern Arc only market gets the appropriate equipment to deliver HD locals.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Cool - I just changed over from an SD receiver to a VIP222K - and just got off the phone with Dish - I am getting the HD free for 24 months


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