Dish service call experience

[NYDutch]

At least half of the dishes I installed had to go on the roof. I was in hilly Western Pennsylvania, the elevation on 119 was only 29 degrees and 24 for 129! It didn't take much tree to cause LOS issues.

I have a similar tree/elevation problem at our upstate NY cottage. The EA is an easy shot, but the only place I can get a look at the WA is in the middle of the road. Fortunately it's a very lightly traveled private road, and I have blocked it a couple of times to test spare WA LNB's.

 

[TheForce]

I expect IPTV to get more expensive, as content owners try to cash in. Today, IMHO, they are offering loss leaders.

I recall the latest subscriber base at Dish is down another 121,000 subs for the most recent quarter totaling 13.24Million. In addition the monthly average billing is droping as well. Somewhere around $45/ month IIRC.

The largest, oldest IPTV business is, of course Netflix. The company has 118 million subscribers now and grew 8.3 million in the last quarter alone. Plus they continue to increase their monthly sub rate and the subscribers do not leave. It is considered by many to be a bargain. The increase in rates is going to fund original programming that is competing with Hollywood for quality and popularity.

The other satellite company, DirecTV, did a very smart thing to secure their future as the growth numbers dwindle. They were bought out by AT&T. This will allow DirecTV to become a loss leader for the communications mega business. Dish Network has to figure out a way to become competitive with the IPTV business or they will eventually hit a profitability that is negative. Sling will not do it.

Disclosure- I have large positions in AT&T and Netflix, nothing in Dish Network.

 

[pattykay]

Inserter was bad, they're back up and running. Tech sold them a surge protector for $30. Guess I'll replace the dish with a 1000.2 next time I'm out there so they can get rid of that stupid switch and inserter. I never liked those 1000+ dishes, they were like an erector set that was rushed to market in typical Dish style.

I have had an original model 1000+ dish since 2008. I like mine very much. I have only had to replace the DPP44 switch once. I am still using the original power inserter from the old switch.

 

[dishdude]

I have had an original model 1000+ dish since 2008. I like mine very much. I have only had to replace the DPP44 switch once. I am still using the original power inserter from the old switch.

I hated installing them, I thought they were too big and heavy. I wasn't a fan of the way the LNBs for 110 and 129 mounted, and I am not a fan of external switches - especially ones not powered by the receiver. Tech 2 left without checking the other TVs and one fed off the TV 2 output wasn't working. Tech 3 was there this morning for 2.5 hours fixed one and took another out.

I ordered a 1000.2 from Solid Signal and will replace it in a couple weeks and fix the second TV2.

 

[navychop]

I suspect down the road, when the True Cost OTT/IPTV pigeons come home to roost, the satcos and cablecos may see some return to growth. Maybe.

 

[ewindowman]

It’s pretty much a free ride now . Remember when satellite was cheaper than cable. It was us against them now we are them . All of the streaming services will become them also.

 

[navychop]

Satellite is still cheaper than cable around here.

 

[dishdude]

Satellite is still cheaper than cable around here.

Yep, during this debacle my parents called Comcast and even with the new customer offer they would be paying more than they are now for Dish, DSL and phone. I can't imagine what they would have been paying after the new customer discounts ran out!

 

[lparsons21]

Yep, during this debacle my parents called Comcast and even with the new customer offer they would be paying more than they are now for Dish, DSL and phone. I can't imagine what they would have been paying after the new customer discounts ran out!

Wow! That is really strange. Here I'm getting all the channels, including all Premiums, that Mediacom offers for about 1/2 of what Dish would charge me for a close match-up in channels during a new/returning customer deal. In fact, I'm getting all that and 100/10 internet for almost exactly what Dish would charge me for the channels alone.

That said, I wish it wasn't that way as while the Tivos I have are pretty darned good, I still thing the Hopper 3 setup is better.

 

[dishdude]

Wow! That is really strange. Here I'm getting all the channels, including all Premiums, that Mediacom offers for about 1/2 of what Dish would charge me for a close match-up in channels during a new/returning customer deal. In fact, I'm getting all that and 100/10 internet for almost exactly what Dish would charge me for the channels alone.

That said, I wish it wasn't that way as while the Tivos I have are pretty darned good, I still thing the Hopper 3 setup is better.

Just for my own curiosity, I went to Comcast's site and built what I thought was a comparable package, and I got $130/mo before taxes and fees under the new customer promo. At this point, I'm not sure what to believe! I am starting to question everything they've told me to this point.