Dish=Horrible Customer Service and Equipment

[brandonsound]

I have been a fan of Dish since becoming a member in February. However, as shown in this letter I just sent to ceo@echostar.com, I am no longer a fan.

My name is ********, and I am a customer through Embarq. Phone number ****.

I have been a customer since February, and recently decided to upgrade to HD and purchase the NHL Center Ice package. Since my new equipment was installed I have had nothing but problems. The first issue is that it was never noted that the install of my 622 receiver was to replace my existing 625. The install technician, named Kirk, took the 625 with him when the install occurred on 10/4. However, I am still being billed for the 625. I have spoken with 2 agents who told me the 625 was removed. I have spoken with another agent this evening, and was told that it is still active, and that she was unable to remove it.

The second issue is some reception problems that I have been having since the upgrade to the Dish 1000. I paid $150 for the Center Ice package, but cannot get reliable reception when the games are shown on the 110 satellite. A service technician is scheduled to come to my home this Thursday to address this issue.

The third, and most irritating issue is with the 622 receiver. My receiver runs very hot! It hurts to touch the receiver. Also when I record an event I will get about 1/3 of the way through watching it and the program will skip back to the beginning. However, the time remaining on the event still shows 2 or however may hours have gone by. Fast forwarding takes me to the same point and then again it jumps back to the beginning. I am unable to view even half of an event. So for the past week I have been able to view 0 complete hockey games in my Center Ice package, due to either the 2nd (reception) or 3rd (DVR) issue I have stated. This is unacceptable!

This evening I spoke with Margie (JQ3) who told me I possibly have a hard drive failure with my receiver. She stated that I will have to wait for a new one to be shipped and send my current one back. I asked her why it could not be replaced at the same service call which will occur on Thursday. She said it was not possible. However, I was told differently by another operator just yesterday when I first called about these receiver problems. All that the CSR could tell me was I’m sorry. Well sorry doesn’t cut it. How about a credit for my inconvenience, or at least removing the charges for a receiver I do not even have any more! I know that I will have to make even more phone calls regarding removing the charges for my old SD 625 receiver. I can’t even imagine how much more I am going to have to go through with the replacement of this current HD 622.

Dish Network has poor customer service. I have been given conflicting information by CSR’s on many instances. Dish Network will not even offer to compensate me for my time and troubles regarding these matters. I bet if I was a DirectTV customer something would be done about this. Do I need to remind you that I paid $200 to upgrade to a receiver that does not work properly, or that I paid $150 for a PPV package that for the past week I have been unable to use?

Sincerely,

************

P.S. This message has also been posted to the user forums at www.satelliteguys.us

 

[stone phillips420]

oh too familiar

 

[Hall]

P.S. This message has also been posted to the user forums at www.satelliteguys.us

Oooh, that threat will get your problems solved right away !

 

[Dish-Direc]

My Take On Dish

Dish is Pathetic...............Customer Service Pathetic.....Audit department Pathetic........Security Pathetic....have to deal with it.

 

[boba]

Welcome to the real DISH Notwerk!

 

[rcdallas]

As far as the 625 reciever goes, the technician may not have deactivated the unit when he called corp to activate the 622, that or the CSR didn't deactivate the unit.

I can tell you as a technican for DNSC whenever I go to a reciever upgrade as in your case I am NOT allowed to take ANY reciever with me UNLESS I am on a trouble call to remedy any service interuption.

Typical practice is the 625 would be deactivated and Dish Network will send you a box with a prepaid label within a week to have you ship back the reciever to their recieving location in El Paso, Texas.

In your case this practice was not followed.

Secondly, I don't know the physical location of your 622 but this is what I see in the field...

All DVR's or even all IRD's (recievers) need plenty of room to ventilate, especially the DVR's, I cringe everytime a customer requests me to install a unit in a tight place that offers poor room to ventilate or even stacking other devices such as VCR's or DVD players on top of the unit itself.

The only time I have seen a 622 or a 625 go bad in the field is because of poor ventilation/equipment stacking - doing so will cause the unit to picture freeze and hot to the touch.

As far as the signal issues go on the Dish 1000 is if you ask me the Dish 1000 is a rather poorly designed dish as far as reliability goes with signal strengths, it's too small of a reflector to accomadate 3 satellites, if you want reliability request a seperate dish 500 pointed exclusively to the 129 or even the 61.5 bird. I think Echostar designed that dish to meet the needs of the consumers themselves, after all alot of people have the dreaded thought of a big dish, they don't want to see it, let alone put it on a pole, so thats probably why they designed it that way.

Like I said I don't know your setup and I didn't do the upgrade but this is what I commonly see in the field.

Best of luck.

 

[rich88]

As far as the 625 reciever goes, the technician may not have deactivated the unit when he called corp to activate the 622, that or the CSR didn't deactivate the unit.

I can tell you as a technican for DNSC whenever I go to a reciever upgrade as in your case I am NOT allowed to take ANY reciever with me UNLESS I am on a trouble call to remedy any service interuption.

Typical practice is the 625 would be deactivated and Dish Network will send you a box with a prepaid label within a week to have you ship back the reciever to their recieving location in El Paso, Texas.

In your case this practice was not followed.

Secondly, I don't know the physical location of your 622 but this is what I see in the field...

All DVR's or even all IRD's (recievers) need plenty of room to ventilate, especially the DVR's, I cringe everytime a customer requests me to install a unit in a tight place that offers poor room to ventilate or even stacking other devices such as VCR's or DVD players on top of the unit itself.

The only time I have seen a 622 or a 625 go bad in the field is because of poor ventilation/equipment stacking - doing so will cause the unit to picture freeze and hot to the touch.

As far as the signal issues go on the Dish 1000 is if you ask me the Dish 1000 is a rather poorly designed dish as far as reliability goes with signal strengths, it's too small of a reflector to accomadate 3 satellites, if you want reliability request a seperate dish 500 pointed exclusively to the 129 or even the 61.5 bird. I think Echostar designed that dish to meet the needs of the consumers themselves, after all alot of people have the dreaded thought of a big dish, they don't want to see it, let alone put it on a pole, so thats probably why they designed it that way.

Like I said I don't know your setup and I didn't do the upgrade but this is what I commonly see in the field.

Best of luck.

That's the truth. Whenever I put in a Dish 1000, I find myself standing in front of the receiver during the check-swith wondering if the 129 signal will break 70.

 

[brandonsound]

Secondly, I don't know the physical location of your 622 but this is what I see in the field...

All DVR's or even all IRD's (recievers) need plenty of room to ventilate, especially the DVR's, I cringe everytime a customer requests me to install a unit in a tight place that offers poor room to ventilate or even stacking other devices such as VCR's or DVD players on top of the unit itself.

The only time I have seen a 622 or a 625 go bad in the field is because of poor ventilation/equipment stacking - doing so will cause the unit to picture freeze and hot to the touch.

I do know what you mean. However, mine has 1.5-2" clearance around the unit and a fan for ventilation. I work in the pro audio industry and know about equipment cooling and rack ventialtion.

Dish shouldn't build a product meant for consumers that has to float in space in a 60 degree room in order to keep it cool enough to run properly.

Thanks for your comments RCDallas

 

[rcdallas]

I do know what you mean. However, mine has 1.5-2" clearance around the unit and a fan for ventilation. I work in the pro audio industry and know about equipment cooling and rack ventialtion.

Dish shouldn't build a product meant for consumers that has to float in space in a 60 degree room in order to keep it cool enough to run properly.

Thanks for your comments RCDallas

Your welcome.

I do wonder myself why these units are being installed in consumers homes with the heating problem. The factory cooling system obviously isn't doing its job well enough.

 

[rcdallas]

That's the truth. Whenever I put in a Dish 1000, I find myself standing in front of the receiver during the check-swith wondering if the 129 signal will break 70.

That's why I pretty much quit doing the 1000 installs, I just flat out ask the customer "Do you want reliable HD service or do you just want HD service?"

I mean I could pretty much careless, but I certainly don't want a trouble call on me either.

 

[Poke]

Well if your having those kind of issues they should be able to so swap out the 622 for you. Also on the recepection issue that all depends on who is doing the install some folks do a better job than others! Either way use the E-mail address and see what they say they should be able to get you taken care of..

 

[brandonsound]

Wow!

So I just received a call from Joe at Dish (I believe he said he was a customer account and satisfaction manager).

His call was in a direct response to my email to ceo@echostar.com

He informed me he will be sending out a field service manager to address my reception issues. He also gave me a $60 credit on my bill, which is equal to one month silver HD service.

I also discovered on this phone call that Dish messed up and billed me a lump sum instead of 3 payments for the Center Ice package. Joe took care of this issue for me as well.

My new 622 is on the way and should be here tomorrow or the following day.

So apparently Dish does care, you just have to get really frustrated and finally talk to the right person.

 

[Hall]

I do wonder myself why these units are being installed in consumers homes with the heating problem. The factory cooling system obviously isn't doing its job well enough.

I don't Dish is alone with heat-related issues in DVRs. They could all solve the problem, of course, but how loud will people accept their DVRs to be ?? Face it, DVRs today are full-blown PCs, minus a keyboard and mouse. The typical desktop PC is louder than most, if not all, DVRs. I mean, I've gotten used to the quiet hum my PCs make. They're not loud, mind you, but you can hear them. When they're off, there's an eerie silence. I do NOT want my DVR anywhere near as loud.

 

[rcdallas]

I don't Dish is alone with heat-related issues in DVRs. They could all solve the problem, of course, but how loud will people accept their DVRs to be ?? Face it, DVRs today are full-blown PCs, minus a keyboard and mouse. The typical desktop PC is louder than most, if not all, DVRs. I mean, I've gotten used to the quiet hum my PCs make. They're not loud, mind you, but you can hear them. When they're off, there's an eerie silence. I do NOT want my DVR anywhere near as loud.

Yes Sir... understood.

PCs can be loud and when you add another PC it'll get louder... and it will add up.

Perhaps they should come out with one that has a remote head??

 

[Poke]

Sometimes you might half to send it twice but they will take care of you. Glad you got things taken care of!