Is there no after hours Dish tech help?

[JimA]

Okay, it's 9:00 p.m. CST and I finally get to sit down and watch the tube. Turn on one of the 522 tuners and most of the channels I subscribe to (top 120) are red in the guide (meaning I don't subscribe to them - but I do!). I go to call customer service and they are closed? Does that mean I better not have trouble on the weekends either. Does anyone know an after hours help line for the Dish like Directv? I used to be able to call them pretty much anytime night and day and get a warm body at least. Am I missing something here besides the subscription I'm paying for but being told by my guide that I can't see 'em?

Jim

 

[SimpleSimon]

Sounds like a phone system glitch - E* is open 24/7 at 1-800-333-3474.

If you are calling a different number (like if you're an SBC cutomer) well, then, who knows.

 

[chaddux]

Yeah, 24/7. Did you sign-up with a retailer and call their tech support line by mistake?

 

[JimA]

Nope - calling 800-333-dish

Nope - I called 800-333-3474 probably 10 times and each time it prompted me through the standard prompt (1) if existing customer, then enter phone number, then states "tranferring you" to a CSR, then states customer service closed. I just couldn't believe they didn't have 24/7 support. HOWEVER, when I just called this morning I did get in (8:00 a CST) and the CSR said that someone had cancelled my account! Don't know why - I'm paid up. The CSR couldn't explain it either. Perhaps because when I called last night I really was NOT a customer (at least technically because I was mistakenly cancelled) in their system so I couldn't get through to the 24/7 support. Now that I've been reinstated I'll call tonight about the same time and see what happens.

Thanks folks!

 

[SimpleSimon]

Sounds plausible - the computer might've been trying to transfer you to billing or some such. Let us know what you find out!

 

[chaddux]

Strange. I've never had to enter my phone number before. It always asks me if if my phone number ends in XXXX. 1 if Yes. 2 if No.

 

[Mr Tony]

Some areas of the country their phone central office is old and doens't allow it to recognize the number.

The only time I have to put in my number is if I call from work

 

[Hall]

If you call from the number they have on your account, they recognize you and skip the "is your number is...." prompt. If I call from my cellphone or from work, I have to enter my number. If I call from home, I don't. It just asks you to confirm it's you.

 

[SimpleSimon]

The last 3 pots maybe should have "almost all the tiem" or "mostly" or such - unless their phone system AND E*'s is wrking perfectly 100% of the time.

Not a hit on any of the guys, just - do-do occurs.

I get the confirm XXXX about 50% of the time. No changes in my phone system.

 

[JimA]

Just FYI...after I finally got hold of a CSR yesterday during the day they told me I was mistakenly cancelled (couldn't explain why). Last night, sure enough, I was receiving my subscription again. For the heck of it I called the 333-dish number again and this time I was able to get a prompt to talk to a technician!

Sooooo, if they think you ain't a customer (like they mistakenly thought in my case), you don't get through to the tech. Makes sense, but don't get mistakenly cancelled on a weekend, you'll never get through till Monday morning!