Own your own receiver & dish?

[gittist]

We've been DishTV subscribers for over 5 years and paying for 'Protection' and a receiver fee. One button on the remote doesn't work well (yes the batteries are new and in the correct way). When I contacted customer service I got the speel about reprogramming the remote, and when asked if anything had changed, including the weather, I replied that the remote was 5 years old. When I finally got through that ONLY one button didn't work well , I was told that they can send a new remote for $20.00!!!!????? It's like having a life insurance policy that won't pay upon death.

When I asked for clarification that even though the equipment was lea$ed and we paid the PROTECTION fee, we still had to BUY a new remote, the answer was yes.

So here I am. Has anyone purchased their satellite receiver equipment (for Dish or DirecTv) to get away from the lease and protection fees?

I understand that I still need to pay to subscribe but I'd like to do what I did with my cable mode. I bought my own and gave theirs back and the break even was 10 months later. I can buy a new modem every year (but I'm not) and still be ahead of the game.

I understand that if a tree falls on the dish, the receiver fries or one of my grandkids dumps OJ in the receiver, it's my problem. However, in the 10 years we've had satellite TV, NOTHING has ever happened so we're on the wrong side of a break even analysis.

250 channels and hardly anything to watch. The DishTV solution is to throw good money after bad. If it weren't for my wife, I wouldn't have either DirecTV or Dish, it'd be the lowest tier cable, DVDs, FTA (need to get it aligned) and Roku; maybe even books! Thanks to the Digital over the air signal mandate, we can't even get one channel off the air.

Thanks for any good advice. : -)

 

[Bobby]

You are going to pay the same fees, leased or owned. You will never break even....

 

[harshness]

The protection plan is not required. It may be helpful in the event that you own your equipment but the benefits taper off if you lease.

Either way, the remotes aren't covered and you can often find replacements through third parties for a lot less than $20 delivered.

Just make sure you ask for any "chips" that you need to configure the remote for what it is replacing.

 

[bellevuecoug]

What is this "book" thingee you speak of???

 

[harshness]

What is this "book" thingee you speak of???

The exhibit next to tube TVs in the communications museum.

 

[JasonSu]

We've been DishTV subscribers for over 5 years and paying for 'Protection' and a receiver fee. One button on the remote doesn't work well (yes the batteries are new and in the correct way). When I contacted customer service I got the speel about reprogramming the remote, and when asked if anything had changed, including the weather, I replied that the remote was 5 years old. When I finally got through that ONLY one button didn't work well , I was told that they can send a new remote for $20.00!!!!????? It's like having a life insurance policy that won't pay upon death.

When I asked for clarification that even though the equipment was lea$ed and we paid the PROTECTION fee, we still had to BUY a new remote, the answer was yes.

So here I am. Has anyone purchased their satellite receiver equipment (for Dish or DirecTv) to get away from the lease and protection fees?

I understand that I still need to pay to subscribe but I'd like to do what I did with my cable mode. I bought my own and gave theirs back and the break even was 10 months later. I can buy a new modem every year (but I'm not) and still be ahead of the game.

I understand that if a tree falls on the dish, the receiver fries or one of my grandkids dumps OJ in the receiver, it's my problem. However, in the 10 years we've had satellite TV, NOTHING has ever happened so we're on the wrong side of a break even analysis.

250 channels and hardly anything to watch. The DishTV solution is to throw good money after bad. If it weren't for my wife, I wouldn't have either DirecTV or Dish, it'd be the lowest tier cable, DVDs, FTA (need to get it aligned) and Roku; maybe even books! Thanks to the Digital over the air signal mandate, we can't even get one channel off the air.

Thanks for any good advice. : -)

If you would like to start a private conversation with me I will be happy to review the account and assist you with this remote issue. I will need the phone number and 4 digit security to access the account and further assist.

 

[dwarren2]

You can always start the protection plan if you need a tech visit, keep it for several months and then cancel.

 

[Tony S]

My remote control has gone bad at least 3 times over the last 17-18 years. I have the protection plan, and everytime I called Dish, they sent me a new one free of charge (and no shipping fees). I did not have to return the broken controller. Either you got a crappy customer service rep, or Dish has changed their policy regarding broken remotes. If you have the protection plan, the new remote should be free!

 

[hazmat626]

My remote control has gone bad at least 3 times over the last 17-18 years. I have the protection plan, and everytime I called Dish, they sent me a new one free of charge (and no shipping fees). I did not have to return the broken controller. Either you got a crappy customer service rep, or Dish has changed their policy regarding broken remotes. If you have the protection plan, the new remote should be free!

I also have gotten free replacements.

 

[Bobby]

Do get together with Jason, a few posts above, and you probably will be happy with the outcome...

 

[ChadT41]

Unless they have changed the policy, the PP will cover the remote due to normal wear and tear(you don't have to tell them the dog ate it), and there should be no charge for remote or S&H. If you tell them you lost it, the dog are it, your kid poured Apple juice all over it, then it is not under warranty as that is customer fault, and is not covered. That will require the purchase of a new remote($20). I'm not telling people to lie to the reps,but, in this case lie if you have too.

 

[gittist]

If you would like to start a private conversation with me I will be happy to review the account and assist you with this remote issue. I will need the phone number and 4 digit security to access the account and further assist.

I'll pass for the time being hoping that my email (via my account) will get to someone that can do something. The equipment went into service May of 2010 and I've been paying $8.00/month for protection ($520 at this point) and can't even get a replacement remote. I can buy at least 4 identical receivers online for the cost of my protection and keep two of them on the shelf in case the first two fail.

 

[gittist]

Unless they have changed the policy, the PP will cover the remote due to normal wear and tear(you don't have to tell them the dog ate it), and there should be no charge for remote or S&H. If you tell them you lost it, the dog are it, your kid poured Apple juice all over it, then it is not under warranty as that is customer fault, and is not covered. That will require the purchase of a new remote($20). I'm not telling people to lie to the reps,but, in this case lie if you have too.

I agree with you but that's not what I'm being told. I have no dog, my kid is 30 years old and lives 3 hours away, and if they send a shipping label I'll send the remote to them.

 

[ChadT41]

Jason is good, highly recommend sending him a PM and with info given, should be enough to get you a free one out. If you have the PP should be a short convo. No need to ship back.

 

[Bobby]

Remember that Jason is a Dish rep....

 

[SomeDishGuy]

Jason works for Dish. Chad used to. I still do. To reinforce, there is a step in our flow that has the agent check with the customer. If some buttons work, and some do not, the agent is to skip directly to the flow for replacing the remote (via Return Authorization, not you buying a remote). You got an agent who is not properly following their flow to resolve the issue.

Dish does not replace an old remote because it doesn't look nice, or buttons are worn. There has to be a loss of function on some buttons to trigger a replacement.

 

[boba]

I'll pass for the time being hoping that my email (via my account) will get to someone that can do something. The equipment went into service May of 2010 and I've been paying $8.00/month for protection ($520 at this point) and can't even get a replacement remote. I can buy at least 4 identical receivers online for the cost of my protection and keep two of them on the shelf in case the first two fail.

When are you going to smarten up and drop that PROTECTION PLAN that you don't need to carry? It's your own fault that you have spent $520 and got nothing in return.

 

[chiodo]

Extended warranty scam. Never buy into that especially these days lifespan of electronics is so slim nowadays before it becomes obsolete. Cancel that protection plan.

 

[Bobby]

By my math it is 55 months from May, 2010 through December, 2014. 55 times 8 is $440, not $520.... That said, get rid of the protection plan and save yourself $8 a month. You can turn it on when you need it, sometimes on a trouble call to Dish...

 

[ChadT41]

Not to mention up until sometime in 2012(Febuary I beleive) the PP was $6, and then not until just a couple months ago, it was $7. It's only been $8 for a couple months.