Adding HD Locals

In January, I signed up for the HD Ultimate package and I got a 722 DVR and a new dish for an 18 month commitment. My HD locals were not available at the time so I got an OTA. I already had the AT200 w/ locals.

In April, my locals (Green Bay) became available. I just called Dish and they told me I need a second dish and that will cost $59.99 with a 24 month commitment.:mad: WTF, there are only 4 HD channels available in Green Bay.

Normally I wouldn't care and I would just use my OTA, but I was thinking about switching to the all HD package and I like having the dish locals because I can only record one program at a time on my antenna.

Anyway, does anyone know a way I can switch to the all HD package and get the HD locals for free and without signing a new commitment?:helpme

In January, I signed up for the HD Ultimate package and I got a 722 DVR and a new dish for an 18 month commitment. My HD locals were not available at the time so I got an OTA. I already had the AT200 w/ locals.

In April, my locals (Green Bay) became available. I just called Dish and they told me I need a second dish and that will cost $59.99 with a 24 month commitment.:mad: WTF, there are only 4 HD channels available in Green Bay.

Normally I wouldn't care and I would just use my OTA, but I was thinking about switching to the all HD package and I like having the dish locals because I can only record one program at a time on my antenna.

Anyway, does anyone know a way I can switch to the all HD package and get the HD locals for free and without signing a new commitment?:helpme
Call Dish back. They usually offer a free dish upgrade in the case of local channels.

In general, does HD locals require an additional dish?

In general, does HD locals require an additional dish?

It depends what you have as far as what type dish and where Dish Network adds the channels. In the case of the OP, has some type of Dish 1000 with sat location 129 and the HD locals were added on 61.5 making it necessary to have a separate dish to see those few channels.

you need a different dish for the HD channels. i talked them into giving me a HD dish and HD receiver for free, took about two weeks of calling and complaining but i got it. also make sure you get the dvr so you can record in HD. im going with direct in a couple months. dish added some HD channels but also dropped a lot of them. must be nice to decide which channels to drop without asking the customer.

I'm in the same boat. Local HDs are now available in my area, Greenville SC but currently using OTA to get them. I also subscribe to Dish locals because the signal from OTA is not that great. I'm assuming I need another dish because I still can't view them. I'm able to view all current HD channels, new and old, but I still need another dish?

I already subscribe to Dish locals, why would I need to pay for another dish or extend my contract?

That doesn't sound right. I'm in Kenosha, when they added HD locals last month, I simply made a phone call, they showed up 4 days later with a new dish and I was good to go; no charge no contract. I'm not sure what has changed since then.

If you are in Kenosa then most likely you are receiving Chicago HD on 129. The Chicago HD has moved to 61.5 on a spot beam and eventually will be shut off 129. You will eventually need another dish.

I did get another dish installed but I did not get charged for the dish or installation and did not have to sign a contract.
I do not recieve any of the Chicago channles through dish, but I do receive them via my OTA which just fell over my roof thanks to a poor installation.

I went through this same situation when they added HD local's in mid-Michigan

The way I beat the run-around is; the 1st person you talk to is a puppet who goes by what her/his computer screen tells them

After they give you there yadda yadda yadda speach which ends up with you paying out $59 for the upgrade, state that your not happy and that you want to be transferred to an account specialist to cancel your account (don't worry it won't happen)

Once that specialist is on the phone, say; "I am very upset!!! I have been waiting for HD locals to arrive in my area for months and when they finally do, I am being told by the 1st lady that I will be charged $59 to upgrade to a service that I have already been paying for, just not getting and I feel this is unfair...I want to find out about my cancelation options so I can switch to direct tv (don't worry they won't go there)"

The specialist will immidiately say something like; "Lets look up your account etc etc" and then will tell you that they will waive the $59 fee and new commitment and schedule an appointment

This is what I did as well as others in this forum and it worked perfectly

If you are in Kenosa then most likely you are receiving Chicago HD on 129.

Residents of the Kenosha area receive Milwaukee channels on Dish (located just 35 miles from Milwaukee). These local channels come from the 61.5 satellite.

Call & ask for an Account specialist. Tell them you will not pay & you will not sign a 24 month commitment. I just went through this. When i spoke with the account specialist they realized i was a good cust & took care of me no questions asked. They also sent me another 722 to go with the 622 i currently have. Before i spoke with an account specialist i was stonewalled many times. Good luck.

true story.. i got the 722 and a new dish for hd free, but i did get roped into a new commitment. if only i new that would have been dodgeable as well. gerrr.