Looking for suggestions

[radiator65]

I am installing a new fence around my house and it is a higher than the last, blockin my sat. signals. Looking for some advice. Please read and advise. This is the chat that I had, little long but it somewhat of a good read, even a little funny. Wanted to get the 61.5 to keep all my options open. i thought he would be a little more helpful when he saw I was not in contract, but he did not seem to care. Sorry if I am thinking wrong. Thanks in advance.
Please wait while we find a representative to assist you. In order to ensure we are providing you with the highest level of customer satisfaction, this conversation will be recorded.
You have been connected to (24DrDcb) Tim B.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Thank you for choosing Dish Network the leader in HD and DVR. I will be happy to assist you today. Please give me 2-3 minutes to access your account and review the information you have already provided.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: I'd be happy to assist you with that, so the dish needs to be relocated
J: yes
(24DrDcb) Tim B: for us to relocate the dish it would be $99.00
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Are you still there?
J: Wow. i was not expecting such a price just to move the sat a couple feet. When does my contract expire?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: that is standard price for moving any equipment
(24DrDcb) Tim B: right now it would be about 13 months in the contract
J: ok, but I am not able to pay such a price right now. With the way the eco. is i am lucky to even have sat.
J: so when does my contract expire?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: as of right now there is 13 months on the contract, looking at the account I would be willing to split the cost in half with you
J: So I would pay $50?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: yes sir
J: Well actually my Sat 110 and 119 come in it is just sat 129
(24DrDcb) Tim B: did you want to set that up?
J: Well can I go ahead and get the 61.5 sat setup with that? Because with all the locals and Eastern Arc going to 61.5 I know that I will eventually need it and it will save me from having to pay twice.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: it would just be a repoint
J: Well can we make it with the 61.5 so i don't have to pay $50 or $100 again in a few months
J: I enjoy dishnetwork, but i have to do what is economical for me
(24DrDcb) Tim B: they are not doing any installs on eastern arc yet and it would be different location then 61.5
J: Well I know that Jackson, Ms locals and all the HD locals that are currently being installed are being put on 61.5, I just don't want to have to pay for this then when my locals are put in Hd, to have to pay again for another install
J: Nickels and Dimes can add up
(24DrDcb) Tim B: I understand but the work order would just be a repoint, there would be other charges for another dish install
J: How much?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: I am willing to waive half of the service I would need to set up to get the dish relocated
J: ok but to get the relocate and 61.5, how much total?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: let me double check
J: ok
(24DrDcb) Tim B: for the 2nd dish 24 month commitment would be 0.00 no commitment would be 99.95 that doesn't include the relocation of the dish you have now
J: okay so 2 year commitment, & $50 for the 61.5 and the relocation
(24DrDcb) Tim B: yes
J: ok
(24DrDcb) Tim B: you have the meridian locals so as of right now the 2nd dish would do no good
J: yes but i want to be ready when they are turned on, so i will not have to worry about it later.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: the promotion for the locals will still be the same it wont even give me the option on them yet
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Are you still there?
J: (24DrDcb) Tim B: for the 2nd dish 24 month commitment would be 0.00 no commitment would be 99.95 that doesn't include the relocation of the dish you have now
J: okay so 2 year commitment, & $50 for the 61.5 and the relocation
(24DrDcb) Tim B: yes
J: ok
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Are you still there?
J: yes. I just sent the agreement that I thought that we discussed.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: but you do not have Jackson locals
(24DrDcb) Tim B: you have meridian and they are not in hd so it will not give us the option for that market to do a 61.5 install
J: Not even for sake of the Eastern Arc?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: that wasn't an agreement at all I was telling what the cost would be
(24DrDcb) Tim B: no sir Eastern arc will be a different location then 61.5
J: Sorry to ask again but when does my contract end? I was almost certain that it ended this month. What location will Eastern Arc be?.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: so at this point the 61.5 dish would not be possible would you like to set up the service call to get the dish relocated?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: looking at the account you did an upgrade in January that had an 18 month commitment and as of right now there is 13 months left in it
J: What was the upgrade in Jan? I haven't had an upgrade since Feb of 2006, when I got HD channels.
J: I used Dishmover in July of last year.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: I see you did the paperless billing so it would not be a commitment sorry about that, so it looks like you are not in one
J: ok. So I am not currently in a contract?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: correct from what I see
J: ok. well I guess I am going have to talk to my wife, because I can not see paying $50 for a relocation of a satellite to get the same channels that I am currently getting. When I am not even in a contract. I will have to step back and take a look at my options.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: at this point what would you like to do sir?
(24DrDcb) Tim B: ok
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Is there anything else I can assist you with?
J: no. thanks for your time.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: You're very welcome.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.
(24DrDcb) Tim B: Thank you for using Dish Network Live Chat. Have a great day.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

If it is that hard to pay $50 to move a satellite where you caused the problem either move it yourself or cancel. Why should dish give you a freebie where they did nothing wrong?

 

[radiator65]

Dude: IF I knew how to set it up myself I would. I am not necessarily looking for a freebie IF you look I was willing to pay $50 and a new contract for the move and 61.5. Sorry but I don't think that Dish is going to go under by moving my satellite for free. I just may cancel, but I have not totally decided. If Dish needed the money so bad he would not have went from $99 to $50. If I would not have challenged the price to begin with he would have been happy to take $99. I think that I should be looking out for me not Dish. I pay Dish plenty a month. I am not in a contract so I think that now is the time for me to see what Dish is willing to do. Dish is a business that is about making money and I am a custimer that is about saving money.

 

[diu.steve]

I would consider that to be a pretty fair deal. Assuming a DNSC tech is doing the work, lets say $13/hr in labor, probably about 2 hours after all is said and done. $4 per gallon in gas, lets say about 3 gallons round trip (assuming you live close to office). Concrete to move pole (and maybe new pole, depending on condition) $10.

That is $48 right there. Not including maintenance / insurance on van or other miscellaneous parts used during install. Seems like to me Dish would more than likely lose money on this deal. Now, multiply this scenario by the extremely high number of people that want something for free or next to free. You can see why Dish would try to get the higher amount every time.

As far as the 61.5 and eastern arc goes, anything is possible as far as the final location of any of the channels you speak of. Look at AMC14 for example. Things happen that cause them to move channels or put them on a bird they were not planning on. That is why they aren't cutting deals on eastern arc. If Echostar XI also fails to reach proper orbit, who knows how plans will change and when the eastern arc as planned will go into place.

And always remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Just think of what your monthly bill might be if everyone payed for their initial install and upgrades.

I'm not a fan or an employee (anymore) of Dish. However, this is the third telecommunications company I have worked for and the same complaints you have aired here are across the spectrum of all companies in the TV business.

I don't blame you for trying to get the best price, but me thinks Dish was in the right on this one.

*steps down from soapbox*

 

[Claude Greiner]

Let me get this staright, your complaining to DISH that you do not have any money to pay to have your Dish moved due to the bad economy, yet just paid several hundred dollars for a new fence.

Then Dish quotes you their standard $99 service call charge to move it, and you ask how many months you have left, suggesting to them your going to cancel if they don't give you a discount.

So they decide to split the cost with you and only charge you $50 and now your saying it seems like they don't care?

They care enough to split the costs with you on the re-install, how do you figure this is DISH Networks problem and your entitled to have your Dish moved for FREE?

Its not DISH Networks fault you decided to replace your fence, and I think the $50 is more than reasonable for them to come out considering when everything is said and done its probably going to cost them more than $50 to send out a technician to do it.

As far as getting another Dish for the Eastern Arc, thats just like saying that we should install a DISH1000 for every new customer becuase they "Might" Decide one day to upgrade to High Definition programming.

There is absolutly no programming on 61.5 that you would benift from today. The fact of the matter is that nobody knows where your HD Local channels will be located when they launch

 

[8bitbytes]

Go here, DISH Network -- Installation, and get your azimuth for 61.5, get out a compass, and swing your 129 around to 61.5 and elevate until you find the bird. I've been doing my own dishes for over 10 years now.

 

[Fiveft20in]

For the sake of argument, let's say you got all your fencing material at Lowe's. Next summer, you paint your house a different color and the fence no longer looks good next to it. You go back to Lowe's and tell them that you painted your house and that fence they sold you a year ago no longer matches. Do you think they'll offer to split the cost of new fence paint with you? Something tells me you'd jump at that offer!

 

[harshness]

Sorry but I don't think that Dish is going to go under by moving my satellite for free.

Do you ask movers to come back and move furniture around for free when you're feeling like doing some interior re-decorating? Would you ask the irrigation people to come back and change your sprinkler system gratis if the new fence interfered with its operation?

Don't expect your vendors to pay for your lack of foresight.

 

[Minac]

By no means am I a DISH spokesman, but dude "THEY ARE BEING VERY FLEXIBLE"!

In customer service, if the customer creates the hardship, oh well, it's on you now...

 

[radiator65]

Wow. Okay guess I should have put my guard up before being attacked by some of you. Ok thank you for your very honest opinions. Thanks 8bitbytes for a SUGGESTION. Some of you had some constructive thoughts and some of you just took a free shot. Thanks diu. steve for a good assessment. I just like to keep my options open. I think that it is better for me to be a viewer of this site not a participant. Just wanted to reiterate that the only reason I contacted Dish is because I didn't know how to do it myself. Maybe with 8bitbytes suggestion I can do it myself. Again I was not necessarilylooking for a freebie, just the best deal I could get.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

Maybe a whiner forum should be put up on this site. It seems like thats all we ever hear anymore is whining this, whining that, I want it now, for free, etc. Enough already.

 

[8bitbytes]

Wow. Okay guess I should have put my guard up before being attacked by some of you. Ok thank you for your very honest opinions. Thanks 8bitbytes for a SUGGESTION. Some of you had some constructive thoughts and some of you just took a free shot. Thanks diu. steve for a good assessment. I just like to keep my options open. I think that it is better for me to be a viewer of this site not a participant. Just wanted to reiterate that the only reason I contacted Dish is because I didn't know how to do it myself. Maybe with 8bitbytes suggestion I can do it myself. Again I was not necessarilylooking for a freebie, just the best deal I could get.

Ever heard of swimming with the sharks?

If you want to take a shot at doing your own dish, you should get a sat finder too. You can usually find them for cheap on ebay and a few other locations like Rat Shack: RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Satellite TV accessories: Winegard® Satellite Finder

One of these can really save time and you won't need someone in the house yelling out the signal every two seconds while you adjust your dish.