Social Feed

Concerns about Dish from a Dish Customer with 4 receivers and the AEP + Locals (two DVR's 501/510).

I posted the info above to help readers to understand my perspective on Dish Network's current state. What I see occuring here is just furthering my feeling that Dish Network has no real interest in serving their customers. At least no different interest than DirecTV does. I find that to be a change from how they have worked in the past. (I.E. 3 years ago) Their Chats have turned into shows that imply they connect with their customers, but in fact simply don't provide any type of information or decisions that show they care or that anything is getting done.

What started as an initial issue in quality that they could blame on someone else (7100), it seems that Dish Network now excels at foisting equipment that is 90% there (at best) and balks at providing the remaining 10% they have implied they will* provide. This implication comes from some prior Chats, but also from their advertising regarding their "upgradeable" receivers. The value of their "Upgradeable" receivers has come into serious question most recently as they continue to orphan receivers they create and sell into consumer hands. Of the most serious issues have been the fairly expensive pieces of equipment they sell (721/921) then take many months/years to deliver the full feature set after which they effectively pull the plug.

This shows me both a Lack of proper planning within the Dish Network/Echostar organization, not to mention an ongoing issue with their software development process that has allowed continually faulty software to be delivered to receivers. As a software developer I can understand some of the issues they have to deal with. Yet I find it difficult to excuse considering that they are developing software for a "fixed" platform. They don't have to support PC compatibles, of which each one can be different from the next. They are targeting a platform that they have full control over, yet they seem to be unable to deliver a stable, feature complete product 6-12 months late, let alone on time.

With all of that said, it certainly leaves me in a position questioning the viability of Dish Network/Echostar as a long term provider of my satellite services. For me, the debacle of the 921 is just a final nail in the coffin. This December I had been considering the upgrade to the 921 and HD service from Dish Network. I now am further certain that such a move would be a mistake on my part.

Thus now my focus will be on value and service, where before I almost automatically gave Dish the thumbs up due to my feeling that in general they could be a better company and work with their customers in a more positive way. I don't feel that way anymore. If the Home Media option shows up on DirecTiVo, depending on how it's implemented, that may be the additional value I need to switch.


Examples:

Tech Forum - February 9th, 2004
Time into program: 51 min
Internet Questions from Paul about the DVR510
2nd question: (@ 52 min)
"Are there plans to be able to record all shows with a selected name instead of a specific time?"
Answer from Dan Minnick VP, Software Engineering:
"Yes. We're working on that technology right now, we will start rolling it out mid-year. And that will start rolling out to all of our DVR products including the 510 series."

Click to expand...

When did December become Mid-Year?

Tech Forum - May 10th, 2004
Time into program: 21 min
Internet Question from David A...
Mark Jackson paraphrases:
"Basically he wants to know when we will have Name Based Recording. [description using Friends snipped] What's the story on that? When are we getting that?"
Dan Minnick answers:
"Well Mark, in the summer we will start rolling that out to various set top boxes. The first one will be the 522. And after that it will roll out to the 510, 5x series. So like Mark said, Name Based Recording will let you type in Survivor and you'll catch all the episodes of Survivor."

Click to expand...

When did December become Summer?

August Tech Chat audio clip transcript:
"Name Based Recordings will start rolling out this year, the first models will be some new models, some new HT models that will be coming out in the fall. That will be followed by the 522, which will then be followed by the 510 and 721. So the 510 50x model series is scheduled for late in the year, first of next year."
"OK, so we got to hussle on that. So it is coming. We'll get that to you."
"Thats another good feature. It will let you do season pass type features, searches based on the name instead of actual events you select from the guide."

Click to expand...

Now it's sometime this year. I suppose that is because Summer has already past.

And as we've seen most recently, it's basically become never for many of the receivers mentioned in those chats. Perhaps foolishly I've put more stock in Dish Network than in DirecTV due to their appearance of action on the part of customers. But their actions over the last couple years have really caused me to rethink that position and cause me to consider other options available to me.