phone/eathernet line connection

[Frank7004]

Can someone please explain to me why dish wants receivers connected to a phone line, and why they go through such lengths to get them connected?

 

[Bobby]

So they can phone home PPV data and to prove that the receivers are where they are supposed to be.

 

[Frank7004]

So how do you "sell" the customers that as a tech?

pay per view- lots of customers dont do payperview, or dont mind calling
Most people's internet comes through the phone line (DSL) and fear connecting a phone line will hinder the internet service
the STBH thing doesnt work...most peoples quick response is..."if you installed it right, it should be right"
and the updates to the receiver speech...people will quickly say "my (insert relative here) has had dish for 10 years and have never connected a phone line"

9 out of 10 times, I spend at least 10min trying to tell a customer why I have to hook up a phone line. I understand that people are bouncing the receivers around.
I somewhat agree with dish's thoughts on this...at the same time, if I'm leasing a receiver, its mine no matter where I take it.

So do any other techs have problems dealing with customers and connecting a phone line?

 

[dvrexpander]

So do any other techs have problems dealing with customers and connecting a phone line?

I hate having to try to hook up phone lines to receivers... and most techs like myself are now getting grief from our RSP's or whatever about hooking them up or at least have 40% hooked up. I don't work for a phone company and its taking money out of their pockets. I advise customers to call their phone company to have someone come out and run a line for them to the receiver.

 

[R0ss]

I hate having to try to hook up phone lines to receivers... and most techs like myself are now getting grief from our RSP's or whatever about hooking them up or at least have 40% hooked up. I don't work for a phone company and its taking money out of their pockets. I advise customers to call their phone company to have someone come out and run a line for them to the receiver.

People will be people and there are always those you can't convince of anything. I have had dish for several years. Always had the receivers hooked up to the phone, now have the 722 on line too (Ethernet). I also have DSL but I installed a splitter outside the house that allows me to run the phone line with DSL to the room where the dsl modem is. The other lines do not have DSL on them. Eliminates the need for the DSL filter etc.
I seem to recall that if you don't have the phone line hooked up Dish will charge you $5.00 a month per receiver???? That is not hooked up. also a couple of time the phone line came loose and a pop up message come up on the screen. It's probably in the TOS too so I sday just tell folks what is required suggest they read the TOS and if they have a problem suggest they call Dish. Not worth getting into a long discusion about it

Ross

 

[Frank7004]

I don't believe it is in the terms of service. -at least its not on any of the paperwork that I have customers sign. It is on the service agreement, but nothing about a $5 charge.

Very rarely (I'd say 5% of my customers) the customer mentions "make sure you plug in the phone line".

I wish Dish would tell the customer at the initial talk on the phone, regardless of a service/trouble/new connect that the receiver needs to be connected.

Not to mention...between the phone line, and the protection plan...your now adding an additional $10 to a bill...for 1 receiver. Of course, more receivers more money charged for not being connected.

Im not against connecting them to a phone line. I do wish that dish would inform the customer that it will be getting connected and why. -and put it on the work order to be connected.

 

[K'bick]

I had Dish installed a few days ago and one of the last things the installer told me was "if you make sure your receiver is connected to the phone line you will save $5 on your bill".

By the way, one feature I really like is the on-screen caller ID.