Scott, are you really surprised that some at Dish are perturbed at you?
Yes and no. Yes because I was the first to talk about it and also reported on it from the retailer chat.
But if I didn't do it someone else would have. Anyone can watch a retailer chat, just go down to your local retailer or Sears store and tune to channel 999 and enjoy. Before the Slingbox was out I use to go down to my local Sams Club and watch the chats there. Now with Sling technology, a number of retailers from around the country have given me access to watch using Echostar's own Sling technology.
Many years ago (when I was at DBSTalk) I started covering the retailer chats and Dish was fine with it as long as I didn't report dealer sensitive items such as costs and profits. I have honored that request and have been reporting on the retailer chats ever sense.
Now with that out of the way, it wasn't me who made their website and advertised that the Platinum HD package was available with ANY HD package. I am not the one who didn't put in anything about new subscribers only. The way they advertised it made it appear that it was for EVERYONE.
I am not the bad guy here, its Dish Networks marketing and web team that should take the knife here. They did it not me.
The only thing I did was tell you guys about it because the deal was a good one and was as Dish advertised it on their own site.
Do you think this might hurt you with regard to your connections at Dish? Thanks for looking out for us!
To me it don't really matter, Dish is better off working with me then without us.
I get so much internal documentation leaked to me by many sources that I could have a field day posting stuff all day long.
For example software release notes...
Dish was providing us with customer friendly software release notes for years. Then it just stopped, they blamed employee changes in the reason why it stoped, but what they don't know is (until now) is I get the internal software release notes from engineering.
For example on Wednesday Dish Network is planning on putting out new software for the 722k line of receivers. The new software will be L654 and will contain the following fixes and updates...
"
New drivers, IRD (dynamic) Text III, Persistent SI, EMM Seg. Fixes, 8PSK spot (alternate) check switch,phone line pop-up changes, check switch polarity assumption changes, DRA timer icon removal/updates, DishONLINE updates/fixes, D500+ Integrated, further check switch changes, rapid channel change black screen fix, locks menu updates, VOD in EPG navigation fixes, DQT text message #3 update (PIA), DishONLINE 48 hour expiration fix, VOD in EPG HDCP support, ch. 1 fix, forced standby IRD fix, Misc."
Now I am sure Dish don't want me posting those notes, they are too confusing and will probably generate more tech support calls because some customer reads them here. As you can see the notes are confusing which is why we need to get consumer friendly release notes. And thus thats why I don't post these notes.
We serve more satellite customers then any other satellite site in the United States. We are over 140,000 members strong serving almost 400,000 unique IP addresses a month.
My goal is not to piss off Dish Network but to work with them to provide our members the most accurate and easy to understand information as possible. I want to work with Dish, but they must want to work with me.
Another issue is that they have such high turnover at Dish that we are always working with someone new. Doing this is like reinventing the wheel over and over again. Over the years I have made some good official contacts at Dish and we made amazing progress and a great relationship and then one day that person is no longer there anymore, so you need to work with someone new, someone whos never heard of SatelliteGuys (and in a lot of cases people who barely know anything about the company they are working for!) So then we work to get them up to speed on things (takes a lot of time) and things get good in our relationship with Dish and then boom... that person is gone and we start again.
Currently this is what we are going through, starting with someone new and there is resistance there because I know too much.
We can be an amazing FREE assit to Dish Network (and DirecTV) some folks in the company know this and others do not.
If a company does not want to work close to us then thats fine, but I don't want them getting upset at me when I post stuff that I get unofficially since nothing is being sent to me officially.
Dish is better off working with me and us here at SatelliteGuys. I want to work with Dish, but in turn they need to want to work with me. I can't force them to do that, so until then I will have to work with what I have and thank all of my contacts and insiders for their help.
I am proud that we are North America's Largest and most respected satellite forums. I am also proud that we put you the consumers interests in line first.
I would rather speak good things about both satellite companies, but as you have seen we can't do that if we are going to be fair to you our members. Since 2002 we have been calling it like we see it, and thats not going to change.
Thanks for being SatelliteGuys and Gals.
