Dish Network denies the problem
Complaint
Allan Levy
Country: United States
St. Louis, Mo. -- Several months ago I purchased by first HDTV. I immediately upgraded my Dish service to include a new High Definition Dish and Receiver. The customer service department at Dish Network advised me that I would be receiving approximately 29 High Def stations and all the local St. Louis stations that broadcast in High Definition.
Two months after the installation and having enjoyed good reception by ability to received Channels 2 (Fox) and 5 (NBC) was marred by the fact that they began displaying an error code and I was not able to receive either of these two stations. I called Dish who set up an appointment for a technician to visit my home. Shortly after making the appointment someone from Dish Network (I believe from HQ) called and said that they were doing a survey on my problem and that Dish had been experiencing a high level of calls from St. Louis about the same problem. In fact, there were hundreds of calls. They thought it had to do with the Satellite and not the Dish on my home and the compatibility of the receiver they furnished me with. A week or so later I was visited by their local technician who told me that he could not do anything to fix my problem because it was a Dish Network problem and that they knew about it and it affected hundreds of people in the St. Louis area.
I called Dish Network Customer Service and they denied that such a problem existed and told me that the technician did not know what he was talking about. They set up another appointment for a technician to visit my home and that technician again reiterated what the first tech had said that it was a Dish problem having to do with their Satellite and equipment. He too agreed that there were at least several hundred people that his firm had visited and were not able to fix the problem.
I called Customer Service while he was there and the Rep. kept denying that there was any problem. I asked that Dish then give me an over-the-air antenna at no charge since they were not able to fix the problem. They refused. I asked that they allow me to cancel my contract with Dish without penalty. They refused. I asked to speak to a supervisor who after twenty minutes begrudgingly told me that Dish might have a problem. She would not give me an over-the-air antenna or allow me to cancel my contract because she said that Dish advertised that they would get me High Definition TV but not necessarily "all" stations.
I have contacted both Channels 2 and 5 and told the engineering departments that there were hundreds of listeners unable to get their programs in High Def. which they did not know about. I have contacted the FCC and the local TV Critic of the Post-Dispatch, the major newspaper in St. Louis. Perhaps posting this complaint will get some acknowledgment and resolution of this problem.
Two months after the installation and having enjoyed good reception by ability to received Channels 2 (Fox) and 5 (NBC) was marred by the fact that they began displaying an error code and I was not able to receive either of these two stations. I called Dish who set up an appointment for a technician to visit my home. Shortly after making the appointment someone from Dish Network (I believe from HQ) called and said that they were doing a survey on my problem and that Dish had been experiencing a high level of calls from St. Louis about the same problem. In fact, there were hundreds of calls. They thought it had to do with the Satellite and not the Dish on my home and the compatibility of the receiver they furnished me with. A week or so later I was visited by their local technician who told me that he could not do anything to fix my problem because it was a Dish Network problem and that they knew about it and it affected hundreds of people in the St. Louis area.
I called Dish Network Customer Service and they denied that such a problem existed and told me that the technician did not know what he was talking about. They set up another appointment for a technician to visit my home and that technician again reiterated what the first tech had said that it was a Dish problem having to do with their Satellite and equipment. He too agreed that there were at least several hundred people that his firm had visited and were not able to fix the problem.
I called Customer Service while he was there and the Rep. kept denying that there was any problem. I asked that Dish then give me an over-the-air antenna at no charge since they were not able to fix the problem. They refused. I asked that they allow me to cancel my contract with Dish without penalty. They refused. I asked to speak to a supervisor who after twenty minutes begrudgingly told me that Dish might have a problem. She would not give me an over-the-air antenna or allow me to cancel my contract because she said that Dish advertised that they would get me High Definition TV but not necessarily "all" stations.
I have contacted both Channels 2 and 5 and told the engineering departments that there were hundreds of listeners unable to get their programs in High Def. which they did not know about. I have contacted the FCC and the local TV Critic of the Post-Dispatch, the major newspaper in St. Louis. Perhaps posting this complaint will get some acknowledgment and resolution of this problem.
Comments
Send your complaints to EJDComlaint@aol.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WVzILbM__Q
DO NOT GET DISH THEY WILL SCREW YOU AT EVERY TURN! My personal choice has always been Comcast. They have great service and are flexible with everything.
Not to say I am blaming customers, well not all of them. But as a tech rep I had my phone calls of people complaining they have no signal, I ask has anything changed? Nope. All three receivers have no signal, ok issues with the dish. Then I ask has anything changed outside were the dish is? Nope. Ok sir were us your dish? It's laying in the front yard because the roofers too it off the house. Really? And that's dish networks fault? I didn't say that but really?
Installs are the toughest to deal with as a rep. But if you have issues with installs or charges that should not have happened, escalate the issue, but nice and ask for supervisor. If they don't help talk to a manager, if still no help, ask to be escalated higher, it might take a day or two for someone to get back You but they will.
If you expect the world because you are a customer that won't happen.
I wonder how many customers are being shorted service so they do not have to upgrade this equipment? Check your reciever to insure you are getting your HD channels completely
I have a niece who fought with Dish for over a year because she cancelled her service and sent back the equipment, but Dish kept saying they never received the equipment and they wanted her to pay some outrageous amount for it.
I'd rather never watch TV again than to sign up with Dish.