why the drama?

[Laddyboy]

Almost all the complaints boil down to:

1. lack of fulltime HD RSNs
2. extremely high additional receiver charges for DVRs
3. uninformed CSRs and customers
4. lack of addition of HD locals, especially after being announced
5. contract wars/lawsuits with content providers

The forums are a natural place to let off steam and find help/commiseration, not to make friends with people you are likely to never meet. There are only a few really big complainers and they are leaving for greener pastures which should quiet things down a bit. The large hardware fee increases put a lot of the larger users on edge and now that the ease-in credits have expired, the grumbling and migration from E* to other providers logically follows.

 

[sparc]

most of the big cable/satellite company discussions on the internet are like this. Usually a result of poor customer service, poor policies, poor pricing, etc.

Personally i thought Dish was better when I first signed up and they've steadily gone downhill over the last year with their changes.

as Laddyboy mentioned... recent Dish receiver policies/pricing have even made a lot of so called "fanboys" cut back on what they have... http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/219966-courtesy-equipments-credits-over-now-what.html

There's also probably some level of anxiety about when the other shoe is going to drop... what other new Dish schemes are coming down the pipeline... I myself am pretty darn skeptical at this point and looking at more options to cut my bill going forward.

 

[whatchel1]

ha ha

Almost all the complaints boil down to:

1. lack of fulltime HD RSNs
2. extremely high additional receiver charges for DVRs
3. uninformed CSRs and customers
4. lack of addition of HD locals, especially after being announced
5. contract wars/lawsuits with content providers

The forums are a natural place to let off steam and find help/commiseration, not to make friends with people you are likely to never meet. There are only a few really big complainers and they are leaving for greener pastures which should quiet things down a bit. The large hardware fee increases put a lot of the larger users on edge and now that the ease-in credits have expired, the grumbling and migration from E* to other providers logically follows.

Yes the 2 biggest complainers are about to leave. You know who we are talking about.

 

[3HaloODST]

Almost all the complaints boil down to:

1. lack of fulltime HD RSNs
2. extremely high additional receiver charges for DVRs
3. uninformed CSRs and customers
4. lack of addition of HD locals, especially after being announced
5. contract wars/lawsuits with content providers

1. Don't care.
2. This is what makes-or-breaks it with me. If I had more than 2 HDTVs and 2 SDTVs, I would probably have to consider D*, as much as I wouldn't want to, as the receiver fees would be ridiculous.
3. Agreed, but I switched to DISH from Charter back in the day and it was a HUGE HUGE HUGE GINORMOUS step up from their customer (dis)service. Not that that's saying a whole lot.
4. All the major networks are in HD for me here, and the other ones are just the low-budget channels that play mostly 480p "hd" crap anyway. PBS isn't in HD, but 90% of what PBS shows isn't even HD anyway. Hell on PBS I'm doing good to get a picture that doesn't pixelate every 30 minutes. Something's wrong with that station around here (APT) because OTA PBS has the same issue. I find it hilarious that our idiot congress wants to force PBS HD on satellite yet as I said around here 90% of PBS programs are 480p "HD" plus they can't even keep the SD picture clear.
5. Stuff like that I couldn't care less about, but if it starts affecting the channels I like/need, I'll start caring.

IMHO.

 

[whatchel1]

Not here

1. Don't care.
2. This is what makes-or-breaks it with me. If I had more than 2 HDTVs and 2 SDTVs, I would probably have to consider D*, as much as I wouldn't want to, as the receiver fees would be ridiculous.
3. Agreed, but I switched to DISH from Charter back in the day and it was a HUGE HUGE HUGE GINORMOUS step up from their customer (dis)service. Not that that's saying a whole lot.
4. All the major networks are in HD for me here, and the other ones are just the low-budget channels that play mostly 480p "hd" crap anyway. PBS isn't in HD, but 90% of what PBS shows isn't even HD anyway. Hell on PBS I'm doing good to get a picture that doesn't pixelate every 30 minutes. Something's wrong with that station around here (APT) because OTA PBS has the same issue. I find it hilarious that our idiot congress wants to force PBS HD on satellite yet as I said around here 90% of PBS programs are 480p "HD" plus they can't even keep the SD picture clear.
5. Stuff like that I couldn't care less about, but if it starts affecting the channels I like/need, I'll start caring.

IMHO.

The PBS station isn't that way. Now during kids daytime TV it is SD but at night it is almost all HD 1080i.

 

[3HaloODST]

The PBS station isn't that way. Now during kids daytime TV it is SD but at night it is almost all HD 1080i.

Well, I never watch PBS much, but the few programs I do watch are all in SD, and 90% of the time when I'd turn on PBS HD, it was 480p/i stretched "HD" crap. Either way, I still don't care about PBS HD. Not really interested in HD begging that they replace the shows I like with half of the time. Or when they just flat-out replace the shows I like with other crap for at least 2 weeks, which usually has lots of begging in-between.

Dunno, PBS just isn't a channel I care about.

Again, all IMHO.

 

[papalittle]

I have been a Dish customer for 10 years and have been never been happier with a TV provider. Of course I am an installer too, but I have never had a problem with my boxes or with Dish. I have decided to stay with SD TV as long as I can as I have figured out the people who have HD programming are one of the most unhappy customers and I want to remain happy.

 

[hemity]

I am not a “FanBoy” but...

Let me start with, I am not a “FanBoy” or an English Major and I have had more issues with dish then positive experiences. Heck my 4yo is ticked about the Disney fiasco, but that being said my latest experience has been a 100% departure from their norm. I moved my oldest from her down stairs bedroom to a bedroom upstairs so both young girls can be together, upon doing so the receiver would not recognize or locate any satellite so I called dish. Sarah (that was her name) provided the best customer service I have EVER had with any company heck, she had someone to my house to fix that within one hour. Not only that but she realized I was able to get my locals in HD and didn’t have em’ because of the LNB set up I had. So she also had the E* installer correct the satellites I was pointed to (required a new dish) all for the low price of $15.00 but she said it didn’t even look like I was being billed….. I know I am gushing but I was dumbfounded, after years of crappy CS I get hold of one person who can change your view of a company…

 

[long_time_DNC]

To save some money, I dropped the "Superstations" package and the Regional Sports Package last year (still get WGN-HD and my regional FSN channel and watch most Mariners games in HD), and that, initially, saved me $10-$12 per month. DVR fee increases and general programming price increases ate what was I saving and now I'm about $2-$3 above what I was paying before I dropped those two aforementioned packages. I'm not terribly happy about it, but I'm not going to act like it's the end of the world either. If I got a Netflix box (or a newer Blu-ray player), I could save a lot of money on the premiums, but from what I've read, the streaming PQ isn't all that great, so I haven't gone that route yet, but it's still an option I'm pondering, which would save me some significant funds...still, I'd really miss the premium movie channels...so I continue on, not as a "fanboy", but as a Dish sub who really doesn't have that much to gripe about...

 

[mike123abc]

Dish obviously does a good job with most of its customers or it would have a lot fewer subscribers. There are just too many other choices out there for people to put up with bad service for too long.

Dish prices their packages and equipment for what they think will get them the most customers. When they change around stuff they tend to tick off the group that sees the price increase. Dish still has me because even at the outragious rates they charge me, they beat my current choices. Cable only has 5 HD channels, but are almost done upgrading their system and promise far more. DIRECTV does not have my locals yet (although rumored in a few months), or quite as much HD, but rumored to be adding more. I will then compare which is the best value for me.

With every person it is a different story. The ones that are upset tend to complain.

 

[Ghpr13]

Well I been with Dish for 13 months. So far so good. No major problems. CSRs like most companies, some are really good, some haven't a clue.
Now yesterday Dish called me and offer to let me upgrade to the 250 package. The deal was for the first month it would be a prorated charge, I didn't have to extend my contract, and if ever I wanted to go back to my original 200 package, I wouldn't be charge the $5.00 fee. I said yes to the deal.
After having it for a day, I'm really not impressed that much by the added channels I get with the 250. A lot of the added channels are in SD.Even with the Encore channels, only 1 out of the 6 is in HD. Also, there's a lot of repeated programing on these added channels.
I'm going to give it about 2 weeks to see how the programing pans out on these added channels, but at this point I think I'm better off keeping the 200 package and saving $10.00 extra a month. I think with the 200 package and Netflix via a Ruko box, I would be sitting good.
For the 13 months I've had the 200 package, I been pleased. It has just about everything I want when combined with the Platinum package.
Ghpr13

 

[waltah]

looking at my bill, i pay $10 for 2 HD DVRs per month (one is a solo the other is dual). why are people making a big deal about receiver chargers, does it go up after a certain amount of receivers is reached?

 

[RandallA]

looking at my bill, i pay $10 for 2 HD DVRs per month (one is a solo the other is dual). why are people making a big deal about receiver chargers, does it go up after a certain amount of receivers is reached?

The dual is the first receiver so it's free and the solo is $10.00.

 

[Jhon69]

I have been a Dish customer for 10 years and have been never been happier with a TV provider. Of course I am an installer too, but I have never had a problem with my boxes or with Dish. I have decided to stay with SD TV as long as I can as I have figured out the people who have HD programming are one of the most unhappy customers and I want to remain happy.

Right On Brother!.:up