New D* subscriber - CSR/Retentions "scammed" my installation!! Now what does one do?

[Neyko]

DirecTV's definition of standard install: 1st floor where basement ceiling is exposed rafter. Custom, billable is routing cable within the enclosed cavity of a wall. I install custom jobs daily, and have been the Devil's Advocate many times because CSR's don't explain the install practice, because they have never been in the field with a tech to understand what is involved in the install..........Cross training would be a great thought.............

 

[dishrich]

BTW, most cable co. charge for wall fishes as well. (I KNOW Insight does here, as this list this in their list of billable charges they just sent out last month)

If you want an electrician to come out & install an electrical outlet, I'll GUARANTEE you he's gonna charge you extra for a wall fish.

So why in the world people think satellite wall fishes should be FREE is beyond me...

 

[jmhunter83]

I think if an installer does a good job, its always good to at least tip them. I have had 6 dtv installs, and 1 voom install at 4 different homes. When I first moved here the DTV installer fudged the install and I had to call his supervisors. The fix it install was excellent, but some stucco was ruined from the first install.

Voom, just did an excelelnt install for me.

DTV at my old house had to do a short fish from the garage which is under the living room, into the living room. He charged me $60 which wasn't out of line.

If i needed stuff fished, when the installer shows up, I'd personally say, hey two of these lines need to be fished, I'll give you $125 in addition to whatever DTV is giving to fish these.

 

[jmhunter83]

5 years ago AT&T (comcast now) said it was $100 to fish. Charter ran through my attic free 3 years ago.

BTW, most cable co. charge for wall fishes as well. (I KNOW Insight does here, as this list this in their list of billable charges they just sent out last month)

If you want an electrician to come out & install an electrical outlet, I'll GUARANTEE you he's gonna charge you extra for a wall fish.

So why in the world people think satellite wall fishes should be FREE is beyond me...

 

[Tom Cahill]

I guess I need to get in the biz...$150 for an hours worth of work is ok money.



Sure it is.NOW go buy a truck,load it with tools,get general liability insurance,auto insurance,buy your coax,connectors,ground blocks,flex clips,wire ties,wall plates,wall boxes,lag bolts,wall plugs,diplexers,ground wire,caulk,bishop tape,phone splitters,flat cables,phone wire and wall plates.

Go through training and get your SBCA certification.Get a contract with a company that isn't going to try to screw you out of your money.

Now if you have anything left put gas in your truck and drive out to your first job.

 

[Dishpro66]

Wow..... I guess those who use the i-net to bitch should also use it to gain knowledge and make an informed purchase. This is found on the Direct TV website.

What will I get with standard professional installation?
You'll receive a service call from a highly trained installer, installation of a dish on your roof, balcony or other location, running up to 125 ft. of cable, 25 feet of phone line, drilling through one wall, connecting your receiver to your TV and VCR or DVD player, a mini-lesson about your system and activation of your service.

What you see is what you get...... anything other than this..... is a custom install. Not listed in the standard installation description..... a wall fish, a masonry mount, going into an attic, going into a crawl space, fishing thru a drop ceiling, a pole mount, trenching cable, mirroring an additional tv set, moving knick knack paddy whacks.................. etc............

 

[ProSat2]

Hi all. I'm sorry to inform you that ANY fishing of any kind is NOT FREE! If an installer does it without charging you consider yourself lucky. Fishing can also be considered one of the following: (1) running cable inside wall (2) Having to crawl through a crawl space (includes attic) (3) Drilling holes/running cable through floor joists. (4) Messing around underneath mobile homes and similar. I have been a Dish Network Installer for 2.5 years now and the real problem with this is that the people who sell the systems do not have a clue. I can understand some guy at Radioshack not knowing the deal as far as "Free Basic Installation", but people at DN should know go over all of this ahead of time. I am always running into this type of trouble. I have fished for people for free before if it will be a quick job. Otherwise I just don't do it it. I don't care what Dish or DTV says: I DO NOT TRENCH CABLE FOR FREE!. If anyone is considering switching from one provider to another I would call the company and ask just what is included. If you want to be sure you have heard the right thing then call back and ask someone else. People should be able to order these systems without having to hold the hands of these big corps. I wish the customer could schedule and talk with the installer. Things would be so much smoother.

LM

 

[bonscott87]

When Charter came out to hook up my cable modem 5 years ago there was a free install (was part of the deal to get people into broadband at the time). Free meant a line ran to my office through the floor. I asked about an outlet and it was $80. I said no thanks, drill that hole in the floor (I have an open basement).

 

[Neyko]

bonscott87,

HSD installs are almost always free per the following, the hsd modem is in the basement connected to an existing network, or on the first floor where the basement ceiling is open and exposed. If your technician told you it was $80 to place a wall outlet on the first floor for your HSD, he was tryin to scam you. He put it in the floor simply because it was easier and faster. If you are unhappy with your install, call your provider, explain that the installer drilled through your floor and didn't place it in the wall, and that you require a mgr to come out and assess the damage to your floor and you want it corrected ASAP.

When I worked for TimeWarner doing both residential and commercial HSD, we gave the customer the options of wall outlet, floor pops, or outside wraps. Never did we tell them $$$$ for a install that was standard, however, if the install was on the first floor and the basement ceiling was finished, ie; tight panels or sheetrock, then they were charged 60 hr custom. When we had customers call TWC because of damage claims, they were almost always repaired at TWC's cost.

 

[bonscott87]

Actually I was mearly pointing out that adding a wall plate was an expense (at least it was back then and of course Charter is different then TWC). I personally have no problem with that install (especially since it was 5 years ago!). I personally would have done the exact same thing myself but since they offered to do it free and I needed cable hooked up to the house in general since I didn't have it (they had to connect it at the pole) more power to them. When I ran a cable run to my 2nd story bedroom for my DirecTV I drilled a hole out and ran the wire up the siding and drilled a hole back into the house up on the second floor and patched the holes with foam. No problem here!

 

[peallen]

Just would like to add, when I called in and setup my service the guy with DTV told me what the free installation was and that I would be charged for extra things, long cable runs, wall fishes, etc.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Not good news here, a wallfish is "custom" work according to Direct and it will get even worse here in the Midwest when they get the new HSP, these guys are paying less and the installers will charge for everything. In my oppinion, go with Dish, free instal including wallfishes. The installer may be pissed, but if he is working fore an RSP he HAS to do it. Try contacting a local retailer first, I would guess they would appreciate your business and you should get ALOT better service. Where are you located???

I work for a HSP that covers 6 states has 17 offices (5 in my state alone and 60+ techs just in my branch office). Yes, a wallfish is custom work and we charge extra for that (a whopping $30 per, a lot cheaper than some indies who charge upwards of $100 per).
You think HSP's charge more than indies? Certainly not in my companies' case. You think HSP's charge for a wider variety of things than indies? Well unlike alot of our local indies, my company doesn't charge extra for pole mounts, wire burial, going up in the attic/under the house or running phone lines. Some of the things we do charge extra for are slave lines (splitting the output from one receive to multiple rooms), chiminy mounts (special order item) and as mentioned wallfishes.
My HSP company doesn't make it's techs pay for the small parts they use. All wire, poles, cable connectors, multi-switches and other misc. parts are provided to the techs. Many indies make their techs pay for this stuff. I can understand why they sometimes cut corners on an install.

 

[uboatcmdr]

I hate to tell you but Fishes are almost always custom work... even with dish... the guy wanted to charge a friend of mine 100 per turn of the tape... he called dish and spoke to like 4 CSR's who all said the fish was custom. they will drill through the floor for free . On the upside is if you do the fish yourself and are at least adequate with it your install will be 100% better than the D* installers because its your house and you want to protect your investment so you will be extra careful.

Not only are they custom work with Dish, most cable companies charge for them as well.

 

[uboatcmdr]

deezonezo...

I don't think anyone here is upset with the installer! I am sorry if in my initial post it sounded as if I blamed the installer. I was upset with D* not the installer. As far as "ASSuming" what an install entails....if D* tells me in the install is free it damn well better be. Retention Manager went thru all the steps, setup up etc. I know what he told me and what I was supposed to get. Free install!! Bottom line is if D* is selling or offering to install DVR's they need to at least cover the second line. DVR needs 2 lines to work properly!! D* rep had the nerve to tell me to drill a hole in exterior and run the second line. How retarded. Also D* rep needs to make aware that it could be extra charges for install. You can say what you want. "you were just hearing what you want" "blah blah blah"...the rep I talked to didn't tell me any of this!!

Regardless....me being the handy man that I am. I went ahead today and dropped my lines myself. It took me all of about 45 min. to drop 2 lines. 1 for DVR and 1 in another room setup. I guess I need to get in the biz...$150 for an hours worth of work is ok money. This whole think still stinks. I feel sorry for the others out there who get the same treatment I did (yes, they do...I have rec. around 10 PM about the same thing that happened to others) ...D* should be ashamed of themselves!!!

Out

Just cuz he was charging $75 per wallfish doesn't mean "he" was getting the full amount. Like I said in another post, my comapny charges $30 per wallfish and of that $30 I get $25 which is fair because wallfishes involve more labor than materials. But just because my comapny is good and gives me the lion's share, doesn't mean your installer's comapny is as kind.
Also, 45 minutes crawling around in an attic (especially a tight one) is not an easy job. In the winter time it's not too terrible, if you don't mind breathing all that dust & dirt and itching from the insulation. But combine all those things with the heat of midsummer and you'd find it difficult to stay up there longer than 5 or 10 minutes.

 

[Rick P]

Well, for what it's worth...

Over a year ago, when I switched from Dish to Direct, (3 LNB dish). I had the free installation. I KNEW at that time I would be getting an HD receiver in the
future (and did six months later). So I figured I would plan ahead.

While the guy was there, BEFORE HE STARTED. I asked him to run a THIRD CABLE.
To the same room.
To the same SPOT.
Run it right down the wall to the same hole (so to speak).
Just 8 ft of coax. Two connectors. Attach to dish.
No fishing.
No futzing.

He wanted $150.
For ONE wire.

Needless to say, 6 months later, someone had to drag themselves out to run an 8 foot piece of coax and leave. As a 'free installation' for the HD Receiver.

 

[xrf1]

FYI: a definition of basic install (free)
http://www.basicinstall.com/
and non-basic install (not free)
http://www.basicinstall.com/charges.htm