After much consideration I thought I'd give Dish another chance. So I signed up for the standalone Gold HD with HBO, Starz, etc.
But I told them to BE SURE that my receiver is marked as PURCHASED (owned) on my account, as I've read too many stories here about them magically getting switched to leased. Yes, she said, I've marked your receiver as purchased. I asked her to make sure that it's marked, and she said she did and also made a Permanent Note in my file that this is a Purchased Receiver. I asked her to also put the R00 number in that note; she said she did.
So about an hour later I called back and checked to make sure this was done properly. Whups, it was marked as Leased (godammit), although she had in fact put the note in my permanent file that it is Purchased. No R00 number though...
Fix this, sez I. Make this receiver as owned by me. "Do you have proof that you own this receiver sir?" I told him I've already proven ownership once and I'm not going to do it again. They said they can't fix this now, and it will have to be fixed when the tech comes out to install. Well I was afraid this would be too late, so cancel this call and log another one showing I OWN this receiver, sez I. They can't, supposedly, but the tech will be sure to fix this when he comes out. Hours on the phone, finally I got emphatic assurances from a supervisor that she had put her own "supervisor's note" in my permanent notes that I own this receiver, along with the R00 number of my owned receiver.
So I waited with trepidation until the install today. Went uneventfully, with them connecting my receiver and an additional leased receiver. When the tech called in he asked them to mark my receiver as Owned, ie Purchased by me beforehand. Ostensibly they did, and he left.
So an hour later I called in and checked to make sure this was done, and sure enough a receiver was marked as Owned, but it was the wrong one! (This matters because I have made modifications to mine) So I asked them to fix this. Well, they can't they say. OK, cancel me and come out and get this sh*t I say.
So they went to ERT, who said it will take them 48 hours to fix it. No, because by that time I will be outside my 3 day Right of Rescission. He said they often waive the cancellation fee, even up to a month after signing up!
Yeah sure, haw haw.
He offered to fax me a letter to that effect... but I don't have a fax, so can they email it? (Another 15 minutes of checking) No, they can't email me because everyone's name is on their email account, and can't use that "for security reasons". From the sound of it, it's actually because nobody wants to be held accountable.
Cancel my account and come out and get this sh*t. OK, sez they, but if I send back the one they think is owned (the actual leased one) they may charge me for the receiver!
Catch 22. They've got me trapped no matter what.
So cancel me, and I'll sue if they screw me like that. They're sending the boxes, and I now have no signal.
But I told them to BE SURE that my receiver is marked as PURCHASED (owned) on my account, as I've read too many stories here about them magically getting switched to leased. Yes, she said, I've marked your receiver as purchased. I asked her to make sure that it's marked, and she said she did and also made a Permanent Note in my file that this is a Purchased Receiver. I asked her to also put the R00 number in that note; she said she did.
So about an hour later I called back and checked to make sure this was done properly. Whups, it was marked as Leased (godammit), although she had in fact put the note in my permanent file that it is Purchased. No R00 number though...
Fix this, sez I. Make this receiver as owned by me. "Do you have proof that you own this receiver sir?" I told him I've already proven ownership once and I'm not going to do it again. They said they can't fix this now, and it will have to be fixed when the tech comes out to install. Well I was afraid this would be too late, so cancel this call and log another one showing I OWN this receiver, sez I. They can't, supposedly, but the tech will be sure to fix this when he comes out. Hours on the phone, finally I got emphatic assurances from a supervisor that she had put her own "supervisor's note" in my permanent notes that I own this receiver, along with the R00 number of my owned receiver.
So I waited with trepidation until the install today. Went uneventfully, with them connecting my receiver and an additional leased receiver. When the tech called in he asked them to mark my receiver as Owned, ie Purchased by me beforehand. Ostensibly they did, and he left.
So an hour later I called in and checked to make sure this was done, and sure enough a receiver was marked as Owned, but it was the wrong one! (This matters because I have made modifications to mine) So I asked them to fix this. Well, they can't they say. OK, cancel me and come out and get this sh*t I say.
So they went to ERT, who said it will take them 48 hours to fix it. No, because by that time I will be outside my 3 day Right of Rescission. He said they often waive the cancellation fee, even up to a month after signing up!
Yeah sure, haw haw.
He offered to fax me a letter to that effect... but I don't have a fax, so can they email it? (Another 15 minutes of checking) No, they can't email me because everyone's name is on their email account, and can't use that "for security reasons". From the sound of it, it's actually because nobody wants to be held accountable.
Cancel my account and come out and get this sh*t. OK, sez they, but if I send back the one they think is owned (the actual leased one) they may charge me for the receiver!
Catch 22. They've got me trapped no matter what.
So cancel me, and I'll sue if they screw me like that. They're sending the boxes, and I now have no signal.
Last edited: