We would require it be installed since it would be an additional receiver on the account.
I do not believe that is true, Matt. I purchased all of my HD receivers off eBay, along with a 1000.1 dish, and self installed the dish using the old receivers.
When that was completed, and verified to be working, it was time to upgrade to the new receivers. I simply called the DN CSR number, told them I had purchased and self-installed, and they activated the new receiver replacements. No questions asked. I did, however, have to explain I had replaced the Dish 500 with the Dish 1000.1, and now saw 110, 119, 129, and 118.5. [My Satellite Buddy meter made the installation a breeze and I didn't have to deal with the sub-contractors who are so pervasive in the Chicago area.]
When I added the 3rd receiver, I simply called and added the receiver. Again, purchased via eBay. Brand new, in the original box.
Due to damage done on a 110 year old house, when a an AT&T installer drilled through restored, irreplaceable, antique brick; along with the fact that I have completely pre-wired with double home runs of RG6 and RG11 to every room in the house; double home runs of cat 6 from every room in the house to the basement; and double home runs of cat3, for telecom, to every room throughout the building; I will NEVER allow another installer to do anything more than run an underground utility TO the building, terminate and test. I do all of my own connections inside.
In the case of our Comcast internet / phone service installation, when we threw out AT&T DSL because they could not keep the signal flowing through the 100 year old, rubber and paper jacketed cable that runs from our CO, I PRE-DRILLED the hole and told them they had to follow a specific route to the house and could not use any other entrance to the building except the hole which was pre-drilled. They balked at first, but when I called Comcast Corporate Resolutions and told them they could either cancel the order or follow the installation instructions I gave the installers, the job got done - the way I wanted it done - not the way a new installer wanted to do it.
When the Comcast installers wanted to tie the phone lines into the phone switch, and tie the router into the network, I told them to test to their equipment and leave. They tested the phone lines and the data circuit, I signed the ticket, and they left.
Because of both significant damage and theft we have experienced in the past, I no longer allow ANY installer into our home beyond the basement - and that is only via the outside entrance - constantly supervised.
