I finally dropped Dish and they even have to aggravate me on the way out.

[waltinvt]

Without going into my whole 10+ year history with Dish that led me to this point (many of you vets have endured my complaints too many times), I just wanted to announce that I have finally left Dish Network after having been an AEP + all HD customer most of my tenure. Through all my complaining I did maintain that as bad as Dish was, they still were a better value than the competition. For me at least, that is no longer true.

For years I had Dish for everything and just basic cable for locals and internet service. Then this past year cable added a lot of the HD channels that Dish didn't have and as Dish finally began to add a few of them, they increased prices way too much to compensate. Some increases were clearly announced but others were hidden in an arguably deliberately confusing new pricing structure. While I could afford it the combination of both Dish and Cable provided all the programming we liked but this past year Dish just steadly lost ground to the point where it didn't make any since to keep them any longer - especially since the economic turndown which has affected my family considerably.

Now a question and comment about the specifics of leaving Dish. As expected they want me to return my leased receivers (two 622s) and so far they have sent me a prepaid box for one of them. HOWEVER, they're also saying they want me to return the LNB (s). Now originally I purchased all my Dish equipment right up through the 811 HD receivers and always paid for LNBs and switches. Then starting with the 942s they became leased units and at some point along the way they probably upgraded my original purchased LNBs with whatever's up there now.

In any case, they never left me any of my old equipment but always took it with them, so I'm not sure that the LNBs should even be considered theirs but I really don't care about keeping them and they're more than welcome to them. My issue is that I have no intention of going up on my roof to retrieve them. I didn't install them and at 62 and a history of vertigo related problems, I don't feel they should expect me to go up there and remove them. Am I being unreasonable and what are my options here?

 

[KAB]

Just tell them it is not safe for you to retrieve them. If they want them bad enough, they will send someone. Chances are, they won't.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Somoetimes this company has me shaking my head.

 

[chainblu]

This certainly isn't the first post about this subject (LNB retrieval). I'm sure if you tell Dish what you just told us: That you are 62 years of age and have no way of getting on your roof, They will certainly relieve you of that obligation. That is generally what has happened for the previous posters.

 

[mcaruso95]

I feel for you. I just recently cancelled my service and was asked to return the LNBs and switch with the receivers. I was able to do it though because I am a few years younger, but I didn't enjoy it. They actually didn't tell me about the LNBs and switch when I called, I found out from the instructions that came with the return boxes. But then they also forgot to tell me about the cancellation fee (I was only 6 mos into the latest contract), when I brought up the cancellation fee, because he forgot to tell me, it was waived.

Anyway, I would definitely call and explain the situation.

To tell the truth I would expect a lot of people would not be able to easily just get the LNBs off their dishes in the event they cancel their service. What do they want with them anyway and what about the actual Dish?

 

[Scherrman]

I'm still trying to figure out what kind of hidden price increases you experienced. I only know of 2 price increases in the last few years.

 

[DishSubLA]

I believe it is time for Congress (or state legislatures) to specifically address this issue. It is outrageous for Dish to expect people to climb up on the roof to get anything. The law should be that no satellite company can require the return of any LNBF's. They are cheap enough for Dish to manufacture, and that is just going to be the cost of business. Or Dish can come and get them, but that would cost them money. Hey, any cable laid down by your cable company or satellite company under your house is YOUR cable, by law. LNBF's, because of the potential risk and unreasonable burden to the homeowner, et al. should not be required to be returned to the sat company. An added incentive to keep the customer, Charlie.

 

[Pen15head]

just becuase someone gets a free install doesnt entitle them to a free de-install. dish does not require the customer to go on the roof. they do allow the customer to pay 99.00 for a deinstall, plus what is stopping the cust from hiring their own handy man?

question for the op, when he got his two 622's, did you get upgraded to a new dish to get the additional hd channels? if so, that is not the lnb you purchased

and anyways, it is well known in this forum, you call, say you cant reach safely, and it seems that the csr always says no big deal, just get us back the receivers.

im still curious about the new hidden fees you received. what were they exactly? the last two fees i can think of that dish ever added was the hd enabling fee, which has now been removed all together. and the second is the phoneline fee, which they are now waiving for one rec when you have dda. seems like they have removed more fees in the past couple years then they have added. now i am saying fees, not programming cost raises.

 

[chainblu]

Dish knows that they are not going to get every single LNB back. Besides, there are enough pole and wall mounted dishes where people can (and do) remove the LNB.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

thinking about it, when last upgraded a receiver, they took a long time to send me a box to return the old one, and I remember the box including a sheet saying return the receiver and the lnb. I laughed, as I was still using the LNB. Such morons at times.

I'd just send back the receiver and don't even worry about the lnb. I suspect they wil never follow up on it at all.

 

[waltinvt]

In fairness to Dish, I did call them back and the CSR told me not to worry about returning the LNB. Also, when I asked her about the 2nd receiver since they only sent one box, she asked me to read her the numbers on the back of the one I had packed in it and then said that was the only one I had to return and that the other one was mine. I asked if she was sure but didn't argue with her because I honestly don't know. I signed on over 10 years ago with a purchased 3000 receiver and later upgraded to a 4000. Later I bought a 7200 which Dish upgraded to a 501 and I upgraded my 4000 to a 508. Then when HD came out I bought into their HD-In-A-Box deal with an 811 (which I still have). At some point I ended up with two 942s that eventually were replaced (separately) with 622s. Then at some point they started charging me a lease on one system. It's very confusing because some receivers were replaced by Dish because they were faulty but some were upgrades for which I paid them. In any event at this point I have no complaints.

To the few Dish disciples that jumped in to defend the company's pricing policies over the years, it appears from their post counts they may not have been part of this forum for long, so my first suggestion would be that they review the many threads over the years that can chronicle Dish's questionable marketing strategies much better than I could do in this already lengthy reply.

Dish has a history of "implying" things and either not following through at all or taking far longer than their original hype had insinuated. They've also a history of renaming / restructuring their programing packages and "fee" costs in ways that often leave customers scratching their heads as to what's included with what and how much the total monthly bill will end up being.

A good recent example is the confusion surrounding the "Classic" packages versus the "Turbo" packages and what went with what - especially when they added FNC-HD & FBN-HD. Another was what the HD-Absolute was going to include and cost. Then there's the confusion surrounding the MPEG4 transition and how it would affect existing customers. I've already written pages about what I feel are Dish Network's questionable tactics over the years and I'm not going to recap it all here. I'll just stop by repeating what I've said all along, the frustration is that Dish has always had the potential of being a great company if they'd just improve their marketing skills and get rid of the "used-car selling" mentality. Just say only what you're going to do and follow through by at least doing what you said and don't treat your customers like they're idiots.

 

[Pen15head]

ok, so programming packages of changed. no one will argue that. but what are these fees that they have tacked on to you?

 

[bruin95]

To tell the truth I would expect a lot of people would not be able to easily just get the LNBs off their dishes in the event they cancel their service. What do they want with them anyway and what about the actual Dish?

Dish thinks that everyone who cancels their service is going to pirate their signal afterward. They're paranoid.

 

[Hawk88]

Wait a month or two, and if you they don't ask for it back, I would say it yours. Then call dish and tell them you are thinking of buying a dvr off of ebay and ask them to check the numbers to see it is clear and you it can be activated. If so, then I would sell it if you no longer need it.

 

[KAB]

Dish thinks that everyone who cancels their service is going to pirate their signal afterward. They're paranoid.

Talk about stupid and clueless.

 

[MikeD-C05]

DISH should let subs keep their lnbs so if they change their mind and want to come back , they would only have to call and get the receiver turned on again. I own and a few years back ,well back in 2000, I wanted to try the Time Warner cable and it only took 2 weeks to decide I wanted DISH back. Luckily since I own it was no problem to reconnect my receivers and call DISH back to turn them back on. Couldn't of done this if I didn't have my lnb.

 

[DetFan]

I believe it is time for Congress (or state legislatures) to specifically address this issue. It is outrageous for Dish to expect people to climb up on the roof to get anything. The law should be that no satellite company can require the return of any LNBF's. They are cheap enough for Dish to manufacture, and that is just going to be the cost of business. Or Dish can come and get them, but that would cost them money. Hey, any cable laid down by your cable company or satellite company under your house is YOUR cable, by law. LNBF's, because of the potential risk and unreasonable burden to the homeowner, et al. should not be required to be returned to the sat company. An added incentive to keep the customer, Charlie.

Yea because congress is not in enough of our business already??? Just tell them that if they want it, come get it..That simple.

 

[kluken]

It is finny how nickel and dime Dish is getting, maybe the threat of Verizon FIOS and and ATT Uverse are making them nervous, but nickel and diming customer and bad service is nto the way to go. The SAT companies had the advanateg for years with the theoritical unlimited bandwidth, but Verison and ATT seem bent on competing now with the number of channels. And honestly with the years of bad Dish customer service while ATT or Verizon may not be any better I see how many woudl be willing to give them a shot with all their packages are offering.

 

[Zombie069]

I believe it is time for Congress (or state legislatures) to specifically address this issue. It is outrageous for Dish to expect people to climb up on the roof to get anything. The law should be that no satellite company can require the return of any LNBF's. They are cheap enough for Dish to manufacture, and that is just going to be the cost of business. Or Dish can come and get them, but that would cost them money. Hey, any cable laid down by your cable company or satellite company under your house is YOUR cable, by law. LNBF's, because of the potential risk and unreasonable burden to the homeowner, et al. should not be required to be returned to the sat company. An added incentive to keep the customer, Charlie.

I don't think you have all the facts... The cable "under your house" may be yours, but the cable from the interface out, is all thiers. It doesn't matter if the have to bury 300 feet in your 1/4 acre lot, none of it belongs to you.

This company doesn't operate under the notion that adding incentives makes you want to stay, the offer you consequences for cancellation.

And the last thing we need is Congress anymore involved in anything.