UGH. The analogy about the installer bringing a TV is way off target. The DISH Network is in the business of streaming content to homes. Thinking that they would bring me a tv is ludicrous. Thinking they might have an OTA antenna to mount with the dish they're putting on my house is not. QUOTE]
First off, Dish Network is NOT in the business of streaming content to homes... via OTA. I can't speak for Dish, but if it was my company, I wouldnt install the OTA antenna for free either
There are two different senerios....
Dish installs you an OTA antenna for free, and turns on OTA channel guide data for free..... Dish gets $0 for the antenna they provided and had installed, and they get $0 for programming received by antenna
Second.... Dish doesn't install OTA antenna for free..... they save the money on the antenna, and you pay $5 a month for locals via the satellite(their business)
hmmmm.... again, if it was my business, I wouldnt provide it either.
On the other hand, I can see them installing an OTA antenna if they do not provide the locals in HD in your area, but I think it is perfectly reasonable that they charge you for the locals to provide the guide data....