Greenville, SC DMA HD Locals - Don't hold your breath

[928gt]

Hi Guys,

I sent the following e-mail to Dish (via CEO e-mail and website contact), below that is their reply. Gonna have to start educating myself about those weird Direct Receivers etc. :-(


My E-mail:

Subject: URGENT - Help me to stop you Losing a $15,000 Customer!!

Hi,

Sorry for the dramatic subject line, but it is the truth. I have been a customer of yours for approx 8 years with your Everything Pak, plus everything else you offer. I was one of the first to get your DVRs, one of the very first to get your 921 HD DVR, and currently have 2 leased 622s and one or two other receivers. I have touted your company for many years and have talked many of my friends and family members to become your customers.

Now I guess you are wondering what I want It really is simple, or at least I feel it should be. I have been patiently waiting for my Local HD channels for the Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC DMA. You announced back in 2006 that we would have them before the end of the year, still nothing.

All the while Direct TV has them and has for a while now. This is very frustrating for me and my family. While I do appreciate the National HD channels you have provided as you are well aware Local channels are watched more than any other.

I am well aware of your offer of special deals on OTA antennas but in the rural mountain area I live in not even a 100 foot tower will get me OTA.

For reference my zip code is 28777 and my home phone number to check my record with you is (828) xxx-xxxx.

I cannot stress enough my loyalty to your company and really hate the thought of having to switch to another provider. Heck I can use your remote in my sleep and just the thought of having to learn another company's remote is reason enough not to switch. Much less learning a new user interface after being spoiled with yours. That being said I actually went to Direct's website today and worked my way thru their purchase menu. At the last page I stopped before committing and thought I would try this e-mail (again).

PLEASE HELP ME to stay with you. All I ask for is some sort of honest answer as to when I will have the HD locals for my area.

For the record this is the 3rd time I have sent you an e-mail concerning this subject and have never received a reply. I am trying this one last time and hope it gets thru to the right person there because this will be my last attempt.

Sincerely,

David xxxxxxxx Contact number (828) xxx-xxxx


Dish Networks Reply today :


Dear Mr. David xxxxxxxx,

Thank you for your email and we understand your frustration regarding this matter. We would really hate to lose you as one of our most valued customers.

Specific information regarding the Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC Locals in HD is not currently available. We would like to add those channels, to make viewers like you happy, but we do not know if or when this will happen. We will gladly forward your request to our Programming Department for further consideration.

We thank you for your input as we continually review our options in order to provide a compelling lineup for our viewers. Please stay tuned for consumer Charlie Chats that are broadcast monthly on Channel 101 or logon to our website for future programming announcements.

We thank you for allowing us to be of assistance to you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please refer to DISH Network -- Home or reply to this email.



Sincerely,

XXXXX XXXXXX

TID:OR-Missouri

DISH NETWORK eCare

END====

I highlited the "IF" in red, that part worries me most of all.

 

[Dawgfan]

Change your address to Charlotte. The news will be more relevant.

 

[Pepper]

Really. There are plenty of DishHD Locals available CONUS. If you can't get them OTA then pick one of them and "move"

 

[heels98]

Change your address to Charlotte. The news will be more relevant.

The only problem with this solution is that the Charlotte locals are on 118, and those of us in the GSP market don't have a dish that will pick that up. Closest market that is national I believe is Atlanta with HD locals. Guess we could all "move" there.

 

[928gt]

Change your address to Charlotte. The news will be more relevant.

If I lived 2 houses over I would qualify for the Charlotte HD locals. BUT their news in not relevant to my area, weather and news for my area is only covered by WLOS Asheville, NC.

Charlotte stations have never heard of Spruce Pine or ever mentioned it.

IF I could even get WLOS SD on an antenna I would do that and get my weather news via SD OTA.

Besides, I shouldn't have to do that, Direct has them in HD so there is no excuse for carrier contracts.

 

[928gt]

Oh, 118 is not a problem, I aready bought a 1000+ in anticipation for the Greenville/Asheville HD being on 118. 118 is already locked and coming in 5x5, just nothing on it for me :-(

If they (ever) put it on 129 I am screwed because I can't lock it in here, even with a separate dish in an alternate location..

 

[kennya]

Really. There are plenty of DishHD Locals available CONUS. If you can't get them OTA then pick one of them and "move"

I disagree. I am in the same boat as 928gt, there is no way for me to get the Tulsa HD locals on an OTA. Sure, I could "move" to O.K.C. and get their's, but it wouldnt be relevant and I have never watched there locals for the almost 10 years I have been in this town. He makes a valid point. D* has his locals HD and D* also has Tulsa HD locals, but why doesnt E*? I guess it would just be nice to have a decent explination from E* as to why. Tulsa was on that chart also, scheduled for 2006.

That being said. I wont switch to D*, I will just sit here and b*tch about it.

 

[Dawgfan]

The bad part for me getting out of state locals, is missing state government new and having to listen to out of state political advertisements.
I'm in a similar position as 928gt. I live in GA near the state line. The old DMA map puts me in the same marketing area. I can get NBC HD Greenville, CBS HD Spartanburg, and Fox HD Greenville with my outside OTA. I can get ABC HD Ashville if I move the antenna, but it isn't stable. Weather will affect CBS HD.
Dish should offer these in HD. I will remain moved until they do.

 

[rwjga]

Asheville/Greenville/Spartanburg DMA

I live on Lake Norman, but work and spend the weekdays in Asheville. I have the e* Charlotte locals with HD in my home, but have D* in Asheville only because the have the locals in HD. I would have the Charlotte locals in Asheville if the law allowed as I find the news and sports coverage much better on the Charlotte stations. I understand there is a bill being considered in congress that would allow one to get the adjacent DMA stations. Lacking this law, I think you would be better off "moving" to Charlotte and getting the networks in HD.

 

[ctjr]

I live in Richmond, VA and can't get locals via Dish.

Can I "move"? And if so, exactly what does that entail?

Thanks!

 

[drdroo]

Call up Dish Network and change your service address to a place that's in the market you want.

You should pick a place as close as you can to your market, just because of spotbeams. In my case, that would be Boston, because Boston is closest to me and within my spotbeam. If you're not in the spotbeam, you will get nothing/next to nothing for a signal.

 

[ctjr]

I think I'm going to give it a shot. It just seems to me the CS folks would be wise to this...

 

[drdroo]

Oh I'm sure E* knows that this goes on, but I figure they don't ultimately care. I think the IVR when you call in even has a place to change your service address.

Just make sure your billing address remains the same, but you can change your service address separate from it. "Father pays the bill" any reason you want if they ask.

I've considered it to get the Boston DMA, but I'd be happy if these morons that run the local FOX Affiliate would just move to HD OTA already instead of this subchannel SD nonsense..

 

[Mike500]

I live in Taylors, SC, just south of Wade Hampton Blvd, half way between Greenville and Spartanburg. Since signing with Dish in 1998, I have received fanstastic quality local signals form Asheville, NC and Greenville channels off of Hogback Mountain. And, I don't even need a rotor, as ,osy of the signals are just north of me.

I currently get all of the signals for NBC, CBS and ABC, inculding digital. That incluses 13.1 and 40.2. Most of the time I get PBS on 9.1, 29.1. 29.2. 29.3. 33.1. 33.2. 33.3. 33.4. 33.5, 49.1. 49.2 and 49.3.

I went to satellite, because I never liked the idea of paying for FREE signals, I'll probably NEVER opt for OTA satellite retransmitted signals.

 

[SignGuyDino]

I'm not "moving." Just because Dish Network chooses to be unethical with lies about HD locals for Greenville for almost two years doesn't give me the right to lie also.

 

[psnarula]

^ suit yourself. meanwhile the world goes on (mostly in HD).

 

[jonclayton]

I am happy to find some upstate SC people here, maybe you can help me out. I live in Anderson SC and am happy with my DISH HD package minus the lack of locals. Will calling up and changing my service address to atlanta or Charlotte reall work? Will they not want to come move my equipment for me (dishmover or what ever it is called)?

I am also open to an OTA antenna, however i have called all of the local "dish" offices and no one seems to have heard of one. Can someone recommend me to a place in Greenville/Anderson that will sell/install one of these? Any idea how much it cost?


Thanks!

Jon

 

[GregE]

It will really work. Just tell them you have already gotten the equipment moved and set up and you just need to get your address changed and the new locals.

I cant tell you who to call since I am in KY but what I did was to buy my antenna at Solid Signal and installed it myself in my attic. It was very easy to do.