E-mail I just sent to ceo@echostar.com

[Sparkman]

I will let you all know what I hear back.

Well, Charlie, you really disappointed me tonight. All the work Dish puts into developing new HD receivers, you finally introduce one to the market with a good deal, and then you go on the air and tell people that there is no HD programming out there worth adding! Sorry, but something's not right here. Starz-HD came on in the last couple of days, as did The Movie Channel-HD. Cinemax-HD is now available. Bravo-HD will be out for the Summer Olympics. These are channels that are OK for Dish as SD channels, but not good enough for your HD subscribers? Spice-HD was been announced. What an opportunity for PPV. But, I can't watch any HD-PPV, because it's not on the 61.5 satellite.

As I'm sure you're aware, there is now a competing satellite service that is nothing but HD programming. VOOM is looking more & more enticing. Because, they seem to be aggressive is acquiring new HD programming & Dish doesn't. I've been a loyal Dish customer for 5 1/2 years, spending well over $100/month. I have planned on being lifetime Dish customer. HD is the future & the future is now! Please Charlie, I know you're serious about HD, now show us you're serious about HD programming. I WILL be watching the Summer Olympics in HD. Please let it be on Dish.

I do thank you for taking the time to read this & appreciate that you have an avenue for subscribers to vent to you personally. I, as well as many of my fellow HD lovers, follow this on a daily basis on such websites as www.satelliteguys.us, www.dbstalk.com, & www.dbsforums.com. We all are anxiously waiting your response.

Sincerely,


Mark Graham

 

[joeb2112]

Right on!!!

 

[DRGingras]

Mine is in Charlie's inbox, too. Any response will be added to this thread.

Come on, guys. Time to get Charlie to dust off those reading glasses.

Dave

 

[Neutron]

Did Charlie really think that people would believe that he reads EVERY e-mail sent to ceo@dishnetwork.com?? I know thats a lie.

I did email that address though, with my concerns with HD and the bug filled 811.

 

[Nick]

Sparky, if you think Charlie gives a schitt about our emails, think again. Based on last night's chat, he cares more about poker and bluffing his subs. He raised the HD stakes a few months ago by promising more HD, we called his hand and he folded.

Clearly, E* is not the HD leader. Never was, and probably never will be.

Bottom line: We took a sucker bet and lost.

 

[normang]

I've looked at Voom, and based on what I see when reviewing whats on rave, ultra, rush, monsters and the rest... Charlie is right, there isn't anything to add at the moment most of those channels are boring...

 

[Burt]

Lets be reasonable with our requests, shall we.
If not satisfied with any service from any company, then move on.
Even Echostar can not and will not satisfy every consumer/customer.

 

[gpflepsen]

I'm not asking for much. Is Starz HD too much to ask for to go along with my Starz subscription? I do believe that is compelling content, don't you Charlie? After all, the Starz Pak must contain compelling content to be carried in the first place. Is Monster's Inc. more compelling in HD? Is The Lord of the Rings and Two towers more compelling in HD?

HBO HD and Showtime HD must be compelling enough to be carried.

Is this just a bluff for D* and V*'s sake? I hope so.

 

[wileadams]

Let me say that first, I have been a subscriber since the very beginning (well, actually two months after Dish started broadcasting). I am not normally this negative toward Echostar, Charlie or Dish, but I have to say...

Charlie said several things that really ticked me off. They do know there are other programmers out there and other HD material because they have been in active discussions with the programmers.

I know this chat was a shock to those program providers! I sent in an e-mail to Charlie telling him that he was just plain wrong with the information he provided and just basic users know it.

I work with about 8 or 9 people who know there are other channels out there and who are DISH HD customers. 4 of them called me up and said can you believe what he is saying? They know that there is more programming out there. I am sure I will hear from the others today at work when they come arrive. (I had convinced them to stay with Dish for the next few months.)

The local cable system here is offering the following in HD as of this week: Starz! HD, TMC HD, Cinemax HD, Showtime HD and HBO HD with their respective premium channel packages. That is an additional 3 HD channels just on the premiums!

Then they are offering an HD package for only $7.95 per month: INHD, INHD2, BravoHD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, ESPN HD, Discovery HD. Here they have an additional 3 channels, and $2.04 per month cheaper.

They have the new HD DVR in the area which replaces the standard STB for the same price of $9.95 per month. But there is no up front costs and they are also offering the first 6 months of service for only $9.95 per month for the HD package and digital cable.

That is a total of 6 HD channels that Dish is NOT carrying. Cable is being aggressive in this area with HD roll outs, and there have been local newspaper articles and ads from the cable company about the availability in this area.

Come on Charlie, get a clue!

I do have an 811 on its way and a 921 on reserve and will give Charlie time to respond to my e-mail. He has in the past responded directly to me. Let's just hope he takes the time to read and respond this time because if I get another person writing for him that would be the tipping point in telling me he is not connected with the real world or his subscribers.

 

[rad]

My fingers are tired

Yesterday two e-mails went to the CEO address. The first was concerning the 811 and all the problems/bugs I've run into on that product. The second was concerning his no more HD out there comment on the chat. I'm very interested to see what response I get. Especially since today is the last day of my current programming cycle on the billing system, and I haven't paid the current bill for next month. He may be loosing a customer as of today. I've just checked the Comcast web site and it looks like they've finished the rebuild of my system, it's showing I can now get internet and also shows some HD programming. I really would hate to go back to the dark side but I'm really fed up with how Dish has handled their HD products.

 

[hankh]

Can anyone imagine that only 4 decades ago many
people had only black and white TV and only one
channel to watch? What whining! How pitiful!

 

[Lee L]

Maybe he is still negoitiating and is using the chat (or the last 5 for that matter) as leverage?

I am so glad I did not watch, I know all the lines by heart by now, "hey, CC auto is great and tune in next time for exciting new."

 

[sampatterson]

Sent an email also from a shareholder point of view.

 

[rad]

Has anyone received any type of response from Dish to their e-mails? I sent one last night right after the chat and not a peep has been sent back from them.

Maybe they just don't get it that their ticking off their customers, or in my case soon to be ex-customer. Comcast is coming out on Saturday for cable and broadband internet to replace Dish and SBC DSL. Charlie if you were playing poker with me you just lost because I called your bluff and you had garbage in your hand.

 

[Wally]

Can anyone imagine that only 4 decades ago many
people had only black and white TV and only one
channel to watch? What whining! How pitiful!

Good grief. We all know TV is just TV. Life goes on and has more important things .... BUT we do get to care about our leisure and even about Echostar. I was one of their first subscribers, and I haven't whined. I do wish Echostar well, and wish they'd not screw up. That's okay. So ... apart from the few legitamate continual whiners, I think it's okay to vent a little, and it says something when lately, so MANY have felt VERY frustrated. After all, sometimes significant MONEY is involved, not just a principle.
Just a thought (and you certainly are free to express thoughts as well, I wouldn't take that away).

 

[Sparkman]

No, nothing yet

 

[rad]

Has anyone received any type of response from Dish to their e-mails? I sent one last night right after the chat and not a peep has been sent back from them.

Maybe they just don't get it that their ticking off their customers, or in my case soon to be ex-customer. Comcast is coming out on Saturday for cable and broadband internet to replace Dish and SBC DSL. Charlie if you were playing poker with me you just lost because I called your bluff and you had garbage in your hand.

I just got off the phone with a engineer/designer of the 811. After the 45 minute talk I feel a bit more confident that at lease the 811 problems/issues will be solved soon. It was a good enough call that I'm going to hold off on the Comcast switch and give Dish a bit longer to get their act together. RAD

 

[rad]

Anyone get any responses to their e-mails from Dish today??? Has Dish decide that it's just better to ignore everyone or do you think they've realized that they've ticked off a bunch of folks and are working up another plan for HD?????

 

[Kevin_Texas]

Hey rad

Did the engineer/designer say when they would be sending out software updates

 

[rad]

Hey rad

Did the engineer/designer say when they would be sending out software updates

The fix for the aspect ratio/format was hoped to be released for this weekend unless they uncovered a problem in their continuing testing.