Help! Service turned off because of lack of phone connection!

[faster68]

Isn't this called a "site license"? I think this is fairly common in the s/w business (at least with the situations I'm aware of).

A "site license" generally doesn't mean 'site' as in the client’s physical location but 'site' as it encompasses the clients offices.

 

[BluEBoaR]

Kinda makes you wonder who's side they're on.

 

[nitstalker]

This is one of those things that make you go hmmmmmmm????

I have two recievers (510 and 301) of which one has never been hooked up to a phone like and the other was only plugged in now and then to 'phone home' to update the smartcard/ppv events... Now the installer knew that the bedroom reciever would never be hooked up to the phone line and stated that it would be fine. The reason the other reciever was rarely hooked up is that whenever it was hooked up it would knock my DSL connection off line. Now I have Cable and Vonage so the 510 is always hooked up (love the caller ID) but the 301 is not...

Here's what makes me go hmmm???:

I have had issue several times with the 301 'losing its programming' When everything goes red on it.. I have had to call the CSR line and they would go 'I dont know why it isnt working' and send a hit to the reciever to reactivate it after I gave them the ID's...

I wonder if that is another way the phone line gestapo is getting to people without a 'full audit'

Also as far as another issue goes: if the installer or Dish CSR or whoever it is states to you that it is OK for you to have your receiver in an RV or without a phone line or in the garage or whatever, that is an oral modification to the contract which is legally enforcable. Now in my case I had the foresight to have the installer write on the work order that there was no phone line for the 301 and it was ok... Now that is a WRITTEN modification to the contract, which is even more legally enforceable... so let them screw with me...

And I pass this wisdom to EVERYONE out there... If a CSR or installer says that it is OK to do something that varies from the standard... GET IT IN WRITING and/or have a pocket recorder or whatever and record it if you have to... If they authorize something... they cannot go back on it without legal recourse...

 

[chevyN8]

When I signed up about a year ago (I think) for the second time (I was a long time previous customer)...I asked if I needed a phone line. I was told NO. Just for pay per view. I said good, because I don't have a landline.

 

[NightRyder]

I really don't see what the problem is in making a phone call and reading the ID number they send to your receiver.

See below.

Claude's story is only the tip of the iceberg. Horror stories about the audit group abound. It doesn't take a genius to know that you don't treat customers like this!

Well I also went through this crap for a customer of mine just to see what it was all about. I'll tell you the audit department is about the rudest group of people at Dish.

To make a long story short, they audited this account several weeks ago. We passed the location ID test with flying colors, so right before they where susposed to turn it back on they put me on hold and said I needed phone lines connected up.

There where no phone lines in the whole house, so we hooked up all the phone lines, let the receivers call in overnight and called the audit department the next morning.

So I call them back the next day and ask again to re-activate the account because now we had phone lines connected. Then the CSR proceeds to say to me "How do we know you really hooked the phone lines" I responded and said "Gee, why don't check and see if they called in last night"

So from there, we did the location ID test again and passed it with flying colors again. Then this idiot makes me go back to the first receiver saying it didn't have the proper software. So I decide to get smart with the guy and read him the software version which was something like L187. Then he comes back to me and asks for the location ID again. I then said, what the hell does the software version have to do with location ID? The current software for the 721 is L187, this is what it says on the website and this is what is on the receiver. Then he proceeds to tell me that the phone line is needed to update the software. I then told him since when did receivers update software Via the phone line, and why don't you stop lying to me and re-activate my receivers before I get pist off and call someone I know at corporate which they are going to re-activate my account anyways without the games.

Needless to say the guy re-activated my stuff and backed off!

NightRyder

 

[bigmutt]

It's too bad that only very, very few prospective customers read forums like this BEFORE signing up.
I was ready to do DishNetwork, even bought the $30 registration package at Sams and had appointment for last week, but kept getting more & more of your posts, so I cancelled appointment and took the package back to Sams. No problem there: got my refund; but Dish had already charged my credit card for the programming I ordered, so now I guess I'll have to fight with them to get THAT refunded.

I am SO glad I read this forum before going through with my installation, though;

and the "hits" keep coming, too.

thanks everyone.

 

[CPanther95]

D* has a phone line connection clause which used to be tied only to specific PPV and subscription services - but has since added the last sentence which applies to any receiver that is mirrored.

1(g) Phone Connections. Your receiver units must always be directly connected to a land-based telephone line to receive certain Service, such as sports subscriptions and your local regional sports network, and to be authorized to order pay per view Services with your remote control. If it is not so connected, or if it is connected to a line other than the one you tell us, or if the line is not performing according to our requirements, we may deactivate the applicable Service. If we do, you will still be responsible for all Services purchased through the date of deactivation. Your receiver units must also be connected to the same land-based telephone line in order to be eligible to pay the additional TV fee (see 1(f)) rather than purchase a separate subscription for each additional TV.

1(f) Additional TVs. If you add separate Service on additional TVs, you may purchase a separate subscription for each TV. Or, if all your receivers are continuously connected to the same land-based phone line, we can "mirror" the programming to your additional TVs and charge you only the fee amount described in Section 2. Pay per view programming cannot be mirrored and can be viewed only on the TV for which it is purchased. You agree to provide true and accurate information about the location of your receivers.

FWIW - they never deactivated any of my mirrored receivers (that did not have a phone connection) except during the NFL season. Each got deactivated 2 or 3 times a season. I've since added phone lines to each so I wouldn't have to screw with the reactivation process.

 

[NightRyder]

My experience:

I finally received a call from the infamous audit team, I got instant attitude from the auditor at which point I let them know I was recording the call, they didn't like that, tried to tell me I had to stop. Not wanting to argue the point (Dish has the standard "this call may be recorded" announcement when calling their audit number, according to the law, that's passive consent and it goes both ways, they can't deny me the right to record after that announcement.) I told the auditor I had stopped, of course I didn't I don't think the auditor believed me because the tone of the conversation immediately became much less threatening and more professional. Went through reading various numbers off my 4 receivers and everything matched as it should.

While my experience was much less traumatic than many I've read, I still maintain that this is a piss poor way to treat a customer.


NightRyder

 

[RandallA]

Maybe we should all do the same if we receive the call from the infamous audit team, tell them "I'm recording the call". That might stop the "Gestapo" from being rude.

Good thinking NightRyder.

 

[NightRyder]

Of note: I haven't read anything negative about the female auditors yet. My original call was from "Paula" who sounded very pleasant, unfortunately the guy (Chad?) I was transferred to on my return call, wasn't.

NightRyder

 

[glennh73]

hmmm i have an 811 and 301 and neither are hooked up to phones cause well the Installer said nothing to me about needing it hooked up. Plus if it was an inny an outy on the receivers for the phone lines then maybe i wouldn't mind it.


So am i suppose to have them connected?

Also how can you take you receiver out on a boat or to some other location? Don't you need the satellite? Or am i missing something here. Sorry really new to Dish.


Also why would anyone leave there receiver turned on all the time? I turn my off with my tv.
And since im here, my dam remote button on my 301 keeps sticking and flys threw the stations. Are we allowed to crack open the remotes to fix them or attempt to or does dish replaces those?

 

[mdonnelly]

hmmm i have an 811 and 301 and neither are hooked up to phones cause well the Installer said nothing to me about needing it hooked up. Plus if it was an inny an outy on the receivers for the phone lines then maybe i wouldn't mind it.


So am i suppose to have them connected?

Also how can you take you receiver out on a boat or to some other location? Don't you need the satellite? Or am i missing something here. Sorry really new to Dish.

And since im here, my dam remote button on my 301 keeps sticking and flys threw the stations. Are we allowed to crack open the remotes to fix them or attempt to or does dish replaces those?

1) The receivers don't need the phone lines to work (except maybe to order PPV). Leaving them unconnected leaves you open to the dreaded "audit call".
2) E* might replace defective equipment up to a time, but if you've got a 301, then you're probably past the time. If you can fix it yourself, do it. Otherwise, blue button remotes are about $20 through dishstore.net

 

[glennh73]

well i just got this remote and install like 24 days ago.

Its almost unusable.

Also why do people leave there receivers on all the time? i turn my off with my tv. Just found it odd people do that.

 

[CT Direct TV]

is it better to keep them off? Direct TV guy here.

 

[CPanther95]

I've always kept mine on full time. The HD-Tivo doesn't even have a Power button for the STB on the remote.

 

[Stargazer]

The system is not truely wireless if you have to hookup a phoneline to it (unless you have just one receiver of course).

 

[kb7oeb]

Also why do people leave there receivers on all the time? i turn my off with my tv. Just found it odd people do that.

It doesn't save any power to turn it off so some don't bother. Turning it off does allow the guide and software to update.

 

[osu1991]

Got audited today. Thought everything was fine, said she was updating my account , five minutes later she says the county assessor shows my residence as only 1500 sq. ft. Wants to know why I need 5 receivers( 2 508's, 2 301's and a 522) in a residence that size. Finally after 10 minutes of heated discussion and explaining how I use every receiver, she said ok, but I would probably be audited again if I did not run phone lines to all receivers. I only have a phone line connected to the 522.

 

[mdonnelly]

Got audited today. Thought everything was fine, said she was updating my account , five minutes later she says the county assessor shows my residence as only 1500 sq. ft. Wants to know why I need 5 receivers( 2 508's, 2 301's and a 522) in a residence that size. Finally after 10 minutes of heated discussion and explaining how I use every receiver, she said ok, but I would probably be audited again if I did not run phone lines to all receivers. I only have a phone line connected to the 522.

Should have told her it was none of her business how you use the receivers. You proved that your receivers were on the premises.

 

[ProSat2]

Today I received another threatening pone recording from dish. The recording stated that they received some returned mail from me and that if I did not return the phone call that my service would be deactivated. I returned the call and they read me my correct address. And the CSR rep asked if I had talked to the phone line audit team yet. I stated yes last week. I also asked why was I getting threatened 3 times this month with deactivation and that they had turned off two of my receivers already this month. The CSR responded that they are trying to work on the audit problems and that he was sorry.

1. Why does dish call with a recording if they are wanting to talk to me and having ME call them back.

2. How many times is someone supposed to get threatned in a month?

Could some of these people getting the phone calls post the phone number they need to call here? I would like to give them a call and do a little "probing"


LM