Frustrated, and yet.....
Written: Dec 19 '03
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Pros: Great shows, educational channels, lots of variety. FOX NEWS!
Cons: Bad reception during inclement weather, reception hiccups during good weather, deplorable customer service
The Bottom Line: If you want satellite - get it. But be ready for the worst customer service you can possibly imagine.
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| Jev04again's Full Review: Dish Network DishPlayer 500 Channel Satellite Syst... |
... I can't seem to fathom not being without satellite TV. Yes, that's right. I am a satellite TV junkie! Before satellite, I had to suffer through fuzzy reception and channels that had tantrums and wouldn't come in when I wanted them to. Living in the country has its pro's and con's so after years of saying maybe, I finally said...................
May, 2001.... YES! I finally have satellite! This is great! I'm going to stay up 24 hours a day just to watch TV and play with the remote and order movies and marvel at the clear picture and the the abundance of channels! (gasp!) I'm so happy!!!
Fast forward. June, 2003.... What the heck?! Why aren't these channels coming in? What does it mean "can't find transponder"? HELLO, customer service?!
September, 2003... I'm paying $40 a month for THIS? Troubles galore. Customer service is threatening asking me to put them on their "do not call list" because nothing they do seems to help. They can send someone out for $99 just to look at the receiver; then it'll be $$$ up to $$$ me to $$$ do the rest. No thanks! All I want to do is to be able to watch my FOX NEWS, people! Come on!
October, 2003... Final straw! I am QUITTING! I'm tired of being put on a "suspended billing" procedure while waiting for the system to be fixed. This is it. I'm calling customer service!
So I called them, complained for the thousandth time - they know me by my first name now, perhaps even by my tone of voice. The gentleman I talked with was very helpful and he said that since I've been such a "good customer", if I would give them just "one more chance", they would send a repairman out at their cost and see what they could do. If things went okay, it'd be a good idea to join the "Premium Warranty" club - no problem. I can do that. I said fine, go ahead, have the guy come out here. Doesn't mean I'll keep it! So if he wants to come on out, more power to him!
The man was here for 3 minutes and he got the thing working again. He did tell me that the original installer didn't even ground the system because it wasn't a requirement "back then." "Back then"??? Hmmph. He did a few adjustments here and there to the satellite dish itself and voila! My beloved FOX NEWS! Yes! Finally. All I had to do was sign the work order and, oh yeah, put my initials by this little box saying that I'll commit to yet another full year of service, since that's what I agreed to when I called for him to come out and fix the system that I've been having trouble with for months and months. HMM. I never once agreed to that; in fact, the "agreement" conversation never happened. So I refused to initial that part and the repair guy had to call headquarters to okay it. He said he'd never had an experience where someone refused to sign the agreement. First time for everything, right?
November, 2003....... Oh, goodie. My Dish Network bill. Let me see what it says. What the heck?! They charged me for a warranty fee when my satellite wasn't even working?? And what's this.... a "Warranty Activation Fee" for $20??? Back to the phone I went, and after haggling with customer service - again - I got no satisfaction. The biggest gripe I had was that not once did someone tell me that I would be charged for just signing up for the warranty and the customer service person said, "Well, I can't be sure if you were told or not, so... you HAVE to pay it."
Hmmm. Oh yeah?
Writing a strongly worded e-mail to the EchoStar Corporation works wonders. I told them that the only way I'd stay a customer; the only way I'd recommend them to anyone; the only way I'd not tell everyone about their awful pracices.... Take off the $20 Warranty Activation Fee and take off that initial $4.99 Premium Warranty and make sure their customer service people learn manners. Two days later my phone rang. Who was it, but the EchoStar headquarters. The gentleman was very nice, helpful, and he apologized for his company and he credited my account for $24.99.
Have I had trouble with my satellite again? Minor trouble yes, but it's been weather related. Most recently it was due to a layer of ice that had accumulated on the dish. No biggie. It happens. Secretly though, I think it has a lot to do with someone at Dish Network being sure that I don't ever, ever call them again!
:-)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Free Install
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Jev04again
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Member: Sunni
Location: Perso in un sogno.
Reviews written: 113
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