Dish's LNB is defective and I have to pay?

[mitchflorida]

Dish gave me a "free" upgrade to HD about 6 months ago. In return, I upped my contract for two additional years. So far, so good.

Yesterday, the triple LNB on my satellite dish went bad after only six months. It was defective. So why the heck should I have to pay to have the damn thing fixed? The charge was either $95 one time, or $15 plus $6 a month forever . . or if I drop it another $25 drop charge.

With all due respect, this is a rip-off. Who else charges you fix their defective equipment during the first year??

I am a little bit sore, should I not be? I feel like complaining to someone, maybe via ceo@dishnetwork.com. Do I have a point??

 

[stardust3]

Dish gave me a "free" upgrade to HD about 6 months ago. In return, I upped my contract for two additional years. So far, so good.

Yesterday, the triple LNB on my satellite dish went bad after only six months. It was defective. So why the heck should I have to pay to have the damn thing fixed? The charge was either $95 one time, or $15 plus $6 a month forever . . or if I drop it another $25 drop charge.

With all due respect, this is a rip-off. Who else charges you fix their defective equipment during the first year??

I am a little bit sore, should I not be? I feel like complaining to someone, maybe via ceo@dishnetwork.com.

Do I have a point??

Yes you do & I completely agree with your dilemma.
Although, these new changes have been posted time & time again on this site. If you're sure it is the lnb it would be cheaper to buy 1 from someone and fix it yourself. Try a local retailer & you won't have to wait for shipping.
It's a shame customers have to resort to being their own tech, but it is the cheaper option & this site has plenty of support to help out.

 

[hyperguy]

You should think about it like a deductible for your car insurance if you were in a accident would you expect the car fixed for free. I know most will not agree with me but I dont care. It costs money to send a tech out to replace the LNB. Why should dish have to absorb all the cost of everybody that feels they should not have to pay for a service call.

 

[mitchflorida]

that's not my point. Any new equipment that I have bought has a 1 year warranty on it. It should be covered by that warranty.

The "technician" who fixed the problem was really ridiculous. He was a contractor not an employee, first of all. He apparently doesn't believe in or understand "trouble shooting".

First thing he does is tighten something outside that was loose. He tells me to sign his sheet approving the "repair" without even testing whether he had fixed it. I refused to sign it and sure enough, the same problem was there . . he had fixed nothing.

Then he decides it is the Receiver, which has "old software" so he replaces my old receiver with a new one, but minus my 200 hours of programming. Of course that did nothing as well, except waste about 30 minutes of his time setting the new receiver up. I told him to put back the old receiver in so I wouldn't lose my programming, he balked, but I told him to fix it or I wasn't going to approve the repair. He claimed that the new receiver had better software than the old one, which I knew was completely wrong. How long was this guy on the job?

He finally replaced the LNB and it seems to work for now . . though I hate having to keep double checking this guys' work.

 

[mitchflorida]

You should think about it like a deductible for your car insurance if you were in a accident would you expect the car fixed for free. I know most will not agree with me but I dont care. It costs money to send a tech out to replace the LNB. Why should dish have to absorb all the cost of everybody that feels they should not have to pay for a service call.

Dish's main competition, Cable and FIOS wouldn't think of charging me to repair their outside equipment or even their modem. Bell South has been out to my house about 4 times in last 5 years for DSL repairs and check ups, and they never charged me a nickle. Same thing with Comcast . . they don't charge anything extra for repairing their faulty gear.

 

[volzjr]

When I canceled my Dish Service, they sent me a shipping box and asked me to send back both the DVR AND the LNB. If they consider this "their" equipment, It seems that they should fix it just like they do broken DVR's. They can't have it both ways... It's their equipment when we cancel, but it's our equipment when it's broken? I don't think so.

 

[mitchflorida]

Well, Dish isn't shy about charging you to fix their broken DVR receivers either.

 

[stardust3]

Dish's main competition, Cable and FIOS wouldn't think of charging me to repair their outside equipment or even their modem. Bell South has been out to my house about 4 times in last 5 years for DSL repairs and check ups, and they never charged me a nickle. Same thing with Comcast . . they don't charge anything extra for repairing their faulty gear.

This is the very reason cable & fios control the majority of the market. Satellite companies could model their business from cable/phone co's years of trial & error, but insist on forcing their own brand of greed.

 

[Scherrman]

The $95 is not a charge for the LNB. The LNB should be replaced with a new for no cost, but you still need to pay the service cost. Currently it is $95 if you do not have their service plan. If you want it done cheaper have a retailer do it. They can charge you their own fee. Our service rate is $58.50 and hour and the LNB would be free.

 

[TigerpounceTN]

You should think about it like a deductible for your car insurance if you were in a accident would you expect the car fixed for free.

If it wasn't my fault then hell yes I would. He didn't break his own LNB.

 

[Scherrman]

It sucks when equipment fails but service needs to be paid for. Who here works for free? Now the part is Dish's and is replaced for no charge for the part.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

It sucks when equipment fails but service needs to be paid for. Who here works for free? Now the part is Dish's and is replaced for no charge for the part.

No one works for free...but now that Dish is at least as expensive as cable...you would think they would include the cost of a truck roll to fix THEIR equipment....just like cable does.

 

[Awohar]

Contact a local retailer and ask if you can bring them the LNB if they will give you an exchange. Many retailers are reimbursed and even get add'l compensation for swapping broken parts like LNBs.

 

[legatebroke]

Cable and Fios does not have to drive 50 to 100 miles to service a customers equipment, they just run around "In Town" as far as their service reaches. Never seen the cable guy out the side of Jelco Mountain, or at the end of RR5 in Monticello Ky.

 

[ziggy]

The charge is to pay that contractor to come fix that issue. He doesn't set the cost, or his pay basis. The cost covers that technician and his employer's comp to providing a service in your area. If it wasn't for that contractor you probley would have to fix it yourself.

 

[stardust3]

Cable, fios, & phone use contractors also. They still get paid to fix faulty equipment without charge to the customer. I don't have a problem with insurance, but extra charges on top of that is uncalled for.

 

[ziggy]

The tech may have been a slacker, but the systems setup to insure all cost are carried on to the customer. Even if there was no charge for a service call the customer would still have a higher monthly rate to compensate.

 

[mrschwarz]

It sucks when equipment fails but service needs to be paid for. Who here works for free? Now the part is Dish's and is replaced for no charge for the part.

Free? What about all those monthly fees for programming and equipment. Explain to me the 'free' part. When the cable company comes out do they do it for free or it is part of the service that you pay for? What makes a satellite company different?

 

[chiodo]

There's a new 1000.2 lnb on ebay for $20 shipping included.

 

[mitchflorida]

I am thinking that I could get out of my two year commitment to Dish Network, as they made a big change in their repair charge policy. You used to be able to drop the maintenance plan with no hassle and at no cost. Now there is a $25 dollar drop fee, that was started two days ago.

That is a major change in terms with no prior notice.