D* had a huge learning curve as well and they all paid the same price.
Theres a large learning curve with D* to this day and we all pay the same money .... look at all the good and bad installers, the good ones know whats going on and the others, may or may not have a clue..... but we pay the same price for the one that doesn't know whats going on as the veteran high qualified one.
Yeah, but I never had satellite during its learning curve.
Never would have either as cable used to be a better more reliable product.
Also used to feel the same about DSL but DSL has stepped up in the years and in my area is much better then cable.
As far as good vs bad installers goes, it is getting better.
most the bad ones have jumped on the same boat as the goods one or got out all together.
Reason being is they are doing a lot more QC's and the bad installers are getting tired of having to go back and fix the work or get back charged for the job.
Also, every the equipment is getting more fickle where they job better be done right or it might not work.
All that being said what we are now left with is guys who do the job neatly and then the new guys who take forever to get t done right but eventually get it.
Now, if the industry paid what it should, the turnover rate would drop, and the new guys would be less and less resulting in better techs and better customer service for the customers.
Used to be a guy like me could make almost double, gas was 1/3 the price, and materials were paid for.
Most techs are barely above the poverty line and trying to feed their families.
Remember that next time you have some guy bolting stuff to your roof and drilling holes in your home.
Of course, this has a lot to with customers expecting everything for free too and bucking custom labor.