Question for the DIRT team: my pole is rusted out!

[David Taylor]

Guys,

Dish Network installed my dish on a pole about 10 years ago when I moved into my current house. It was necessary due to the tree cover in my yard. I just noticed that my pole was a little bent. Upon investigation, I saw that it is rusted/rotted through and about to break off. I pay for the service plan and I've been a Dish customer for about 14 years. What is the charge going to be to have Dish come back and install a new pole in my yard? I need to get this done pretty quickly as it looks like it could snap off at any minute. Thanks!

 

[ZachS@DISH]

David PM'ed me, but for anyone else wondering it would be a $50 customer work-order plus the normal tech visit ($95 or $15 with protection plan).

 

[David Taylor]

And not only that, but Zach has someone coming out TOMORROW! That is what's known as exceeding expectations!

 

[Tampa8]

"Question for the DIRT team: my pole is rusted out!"

Never a good thing.......

 

[boba]

"Question for the DIRT team: my pole is rusted out!"

Never a good thing.......

But after 10 years not unexpected.

 

[whitewolf8214]

"Question for the DIRT team: my pole is rusted out!"

Never a good thing.......

But after 10 years not unexpected.

Roflllllllll

 

[dvrexpander]

Yeah $50 custom work is nothing really to come back and plant a new pole in the ground...very cheap compared to other work from other companies and things of that nature. I end up replacing a few poles from this type of thing happening every few months which is just a norm cause the poles are nothing more than fence posts and the acid in the ground/concrete just eats them up. Better off putting the dish on the roof/house or structure than a pole anyday...cut a tree or limbs if needed to do this or else face the same issue down the road or just the fact that its in the way for most people.
Anyway, good to see its going to get fixed - just don't rush something like this or any work order cause a tech may or may not run into issues so best to schedule it out a few days even new connects to give the routes time to settle down (I know this from experience of being a tech).

 

[KAB]

But after 10 years not unexpected.

Explains why I have a hard time peaking.

 

[Bobby]

Explains why I have a hard time peaking.

I hear that!

 

[MikeD-C05]

But after 10 years not unexpected.

Yep, my original pole from my Primestar installation in 95 rusted out and broke off after Hurricane Rita in 2005. The sat dishes were still on it and a little crushed like C's but the pole was just about to brake off at the ground level. I simple twisted it to the left and off it broke. I just thought about my new poles I installed myself back in 05..... they are coming up on 10 years next year. I put mine in two bags of quickrete on each pole. hopefully they will last a while longer.

 

[dwarren2]

Maybe it's me, but are some people missing the innuendos?

 

[raoul5788]

Make sure to cap the pole to prevent rain water from getting in. That's likely what caused the rusting in the first place.

 

[Tampa8]

That's what she said.

 

[dvrexpander]

Make sure to cap the pole to prevent rain water from getting in. That's likely what caused the rusting in the first place.

doesn't matter, its the ground water around it and the acid in the concrete/soil that will corrode it after just a few years depending on acidic levels in soil. Dish,RSP's,subs or whoever just won't spend the extra money to get better made and specific type of poles vs just standard fence poles. I believe if they ever did splurge for better made poles to put the dishes on they would likely have to force charges on putting them in like this rather than eat the costs which is what they are doing now.

 

[foghorn2]

Maybe it's me, but are some people missing the innuendos?

about the polish right?
Isn't Scott polish?

 

[jbrelish]

Yeah $50 custom work is nothing really to come back and plant a new pole in the ground...very cheap compared to other work from other companies and things of that nature. I end up replacing a few poles from this type of thing happening every few months which is just a norm cause the poles are nothing more than fence posts and the acid in the ground/concrete just eats them up. Better off putting the dish on the roof/house or structure than a pole anyday...cut a tree or limbs if needed to do this or else face the same issue down the road or just the fact that its in the way for most people.
Anyway, good to see its going to get fixed - just don't rush something like this or any work order cause a tech may or may not run into issues so best to schedule it out a few days even new connects to give the routes time to settle down (I know this from experience of being a tech).

This explains why I had a $50 custom service charge on my bill. Had the extension between dish assembly and the base snap due to rust and a flaw in the pipe. I called Dish and asked what the charge was for and they instantly removed the charge without my asking, I just wanted it explained.

 

[ClarkGable]

So a "work order" is $50? A $65 total with the protection plan seems a little high if I am reading this correctly. Sure, calls are higher from cable companies, etc. It still seems that after paying the monthly protection plan fee for years, $65 to replace something that Dish installed and later failed is a bit high.

 

[Claude Greiner]

doesn't matter, its the ground water around it and the acid in the concrete/soil that will corrode it after just a few years depending on acidic levels in soil. Dish,RSP's,subs or whoever just won't spend the extra money to get better made and specific type of poles vs just standard fence poles. I believe if they ever did splurge for better made poles to put the dishes on they would likely have to force charges on putting them in like this rather than eat the costs which is what they are doing now.

In all honesty with the way customers flip flop providers, it's not worth spending the extra money because by the time the pole rusts out the customer will be likely disconnected.

I would rather save the $15 it costs extra to install a good pole on every job and just go back and re-do the ones that rust out for free after 10 years.

It makes no sense to spend any type of money or time to future proof anything these days.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

But after 10 years not unexpected.

I've been using mine a whole lot longer than that. Am I living on borrowed time? Any preventive spray or ointment someone can recommend to avoid any rusting or rot?

 

[dvrexpander]

This explains why I had a $50 custom service charge on my bill. Had the extension between dish assembly and the base snap due to rust and a flaw in the pipe. I called Dish and asked what the charge was for and they instantly removed the charge without my asking, I just wanted it explained.

Yeah pretty typical fee and once again Dish is the only company that i know of that bends over backwards and gives so much for free when if they stopped they wouldn't be hurting for money that much. Everything they charge for is still way cheaper than Direct does so its not like they will lose anyone with any common sense but instead call a bluff. If I have to replace a part of a dish due to damage from the customer then its an instant tacked on charge and Dish can deal with it later if they want.