Dish Customer Service Strikes Again

[GaryPen]

So...

The 148 bird is back up on my 811 due to the update. I figure, "What the heck, I think I'll request CBS-HD, as my local OTA DTV CBS is occasionally down due to tower maintenance". I give Dish a call.

The rep is totally confused by my request, puts me on hold numerous times, and hangs up on me. (out of stupidity, not malice, I would guess.)

I call again. The next rep seems to understand what I am asking, but, after putting me on hold a couple of times, comes back and tells me I need a waiver because KCBS is out of my market. He didn't seem to know anything about the whole CBS-HD agreement for O&O markets, of which mine belongs. He said he spoke to a supervisor who told him I needed the waiver!

Sigh.

tick...tick...tick

 

[n0qcu]

When you call the DISH 800 number select the option for tech support. That was the easiest way to get CBS-HD when they first started providing it. (May still be best)

 

[jds44]

You may needed a waiver from another CBS in a nearby Market. I live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and need a waiver from Palm Beach CBS, even though I can't receive a signal from them.

 

[GaryPen]

You may needed a waiver from another CBS in a nearby Market. I live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and need a waiver from Palm Beach CBS, even though I can't receive a signal from them.

My market is OK, according to Dish's own website.

Dish CS seems as fragmented and non-communicative internally as the rest of the company. It's as if they have no internal communication or unified systems. I wonder if they used government as a corporate model?

 

[NightRyder]

My market is OK, according to Dish's own website.

I wonder if they used government as a corporate model?

I've worked for both and found them to be equally screwed up. They are just screwed up in different ways

NightRyder

 

[David_Levin]

My market is OK, according to Dish's own website.

Doesn't matter... How about telling us where you live?

My market (Denver) is ok too. It's an O&O market. But, what if having CBSHD from Dish keeps me from installing a 30 ft mast and getting CBS Wyoming?

You probably need a waver from an ADJACENT market (in my case it was no problem getting the waver).

Edit:
ok, your in San Jose, CA. I'm sure someone else will chime in. Is San Francisco a separate market?

 

[GaryPen]

When you call the DISH 800 number select the option for tech support. That was the easiest way to get CBS-HD when they first started providing it. (May still be best)

Thanks Kev. I'l try it.

 

[Shichonni]

Hey David,

Who is the contact for the Denver CBS affiliate? I would like to get waiver myself and get Dish's CBS-HD. It would be a nice addition.

--shich

 

[Bobby]

Doesn't matter... How about telling us where you live?

My market (Denver) is ok too. It's an O&O market. But, what if having CBSHD from Dish keeps me from installing a 30 ft mast and getting CBS Wyoming?

You probably need a waver from an ADJACENT market (in my case it was no problem getting the waver).

Edit:
ok, your in San Jose, CA. I'm sure someone else will chime in. Is San Francisco a separate market?

San Francisco and San Jose are in the same DMA. I'm as far north of SF as Gary is south and I qualified for CBS-HD. I'm just wondering if San Jose has any coverage out of Salinas-Monterey that could be a problem.

 

[GaryPen]

Doesn't matter... How about telling us where you live?

My market (Denver) is ok too. It's an O&O market. But, what if having CBSHD from Dish keeps me from installing a 30 ft mast and getting CBS Wyoming?

You probably need a waver from an ADJACENT market (in my case it was no problem getting the waver).

Edit:
ok, your in San Jose, CA. I'm sure someone else will chime in. Is San Francisco a separate market?

-I'm not sure what your point is about the 30ft tower..
-There is no adjacent market.
-Nobody needs to chime in, as I know for a fact that my market is ok. That was not up for debate. (And, no, SF is not a separate market. SF/SJ/Oak is the same market.)
-My point was that the two CSR's I spoke to were idiots. (probably very nice to animals and children, but idiots, nevertheless.)
-Thanks to Kevin's excellent suggestion, contacting Tech Support, I spoke with a bright, helpful, and articulate woman that immediately knew I was OK to receive CBS-HD West.

 

[n0qcu]

Glad to hear it worked out. It does seem that the tech support CSR's are a bit better informed.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

I undestand the pain here too. I am in San Jose and when I signed up for CBS-HD I had to tell the CSR to go to the Dish web site and read to me what it said as to who qualifies. After reading it with th CSR and their supervisior they finally said OK...

 

[gpflepsen]

The Tech CSRs need to think a bit more than the idiot normal CSR.

 

[GaryPen]

Technical person are better think in generally. I knows. I are one.

 

[Mike_H]

I've never called them and not chosen "tech" on the prompts. None of the others seem to apply to any need I might have as an existing customer.

 

[David_Levin]

Hey David,

Who is the contact for the Denver CBS affiliate? I would like to get waiver myself and get Dish's CBS-HD. It would be a nice addition.

--shich

Assuming your in Denver, it's not the Denver CBS station you need to call. Effectively you already have a waver from CBS National.

The probem is Wyomng where KGWN is locally owned. They can be reached at (307) 634-7755. Make sure they understand you're only looking for a waver for CBSHD. Make sure you have your Dish Network account number handy when you call.

(Also, remember you need a 2nd dish to get CBSHD from Dish).

 

[SignGuyDino]

Somebody help me out here...ok, I'm a newbie, flame away...

I called the tech when I got the HDTV in a Box...asked about CBS-HD...told to get the waiver and fax it over...I'm getting the waiver from WSPA in Spartanburg SC today...I had to call yesterday because I lost the number...while on hold for 20 minutes I found the number anyway...in passing, I asked how long will it take for them to turn on CBS-HD after receiving the fax and the tech said "30-45 days."

Please tell me it's not so.

(And I agree, they should have some better information on the DN CBS page.)

applechess@aol.com

 

[GaryPen]

It sounds like the CSR was correct in your case.
These are the rules:
You must live in one of the 17 market areas served by stations owned and operated by the CBS corporation. The 17 markets served by CBS O&O stations are: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Marquette, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Green Bay.
AND
You must not be in range to receive the signals of a CBS affiliate from a nearby city. For instance many people in Baltimore (an O&O station market) are in range of the Washington DC CBS affiliate. These Baltimore residents cannot receive the HD feed without a waiver from the Washington DC CBS affiliate. The logic behind this is that the owners of the affiliate station do not wish to lose viewers to the New York or LA CBS station, generally a loss of viewers leads to a loss of ad revenue for the station.
BUT
Importantly, it is possible to get a waiver from the affiliate station allowing you receive a distant CBS feed. Today, CBS is attempting to get blanket waivers for the HD feed for all customers affected by these neighboring affiliate stations. If this effort is not successful, we will seek to get individual CBS waivers for individual customers upon request.