Unbundle Dish / ATT concerns?

[midfiry]

Today I asked ATT/Dish to be unbundled without researching this first. I was told a form would be sent to Dish and it would take a billing cycle or two. Sounded pretty painless until I read some horror stories about people having to send recievers back and starting new accounts with Dish hence having to sign a new 2 year agreement. Some folks werent able to log into their accounts on the dish website and others went as far as having unpaid bills with dish/att.


I then called Dish I was told that there are different types of accounts and I wouldnt have to send back equipment etc I was assured by the CSR that the only thing I wouldnt be able to rebundle it since ATT/DIsh are not related anymore.

Do you think I should be concerned this is going to happen to me? I hate to have to sign another agreement or send back my equipment.

I did not cancel the other att services that were bundled. I have always called Dish directly when I had technical issues, even got a reciever replaced thru them directly. WHen i have added programing I always did it directly with dish thru the phone or their website.

Anyone have a painless debundling? Damnit I should have researched before requesting this.

 

[CK SatGuy]

I unbundled Dish from ATT over a year ago and while I didn't have to recommit to another 2-year, the weird thing that happened to me was that on the 1st dish bill after the unbundle, they billed me for 2 months instead of just one month. I think that was because Dish bills one month ahead while ATT bills one month behind so because of that, I had to pay for 2 months. Other than that, no horror stories.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The best thing you can do is unbundel from AT&T, as you will get better customer support from Dish.

I know they have to build a new account for you, but It can be done. I have never had to do it.

 

[midfiry]

If they have to create a new account hopefully I dont have to send back equipment, sign a contract or lose any of the discounts/programing I currenty have.

 

[ferl]

If they have to create a new account hopefully I dont have to send back equipment, sign a contract or lose any of the discounts/programing I currenty have.

If you have an external hard drive that is tied to your account, will you lose the stuff on that hard drive?

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

Debundling an account is a very easy process here at DISH Network. The computer moves the account, equipment and all into a new account and everything pretty much stays the same except that DISH Network will indeed now be billing you for our service in lieu of the Telco company.

EHD and all equpiment will remain the same. There is one small group of AT&T account that have AT&T owned equipment, these accounts are the only ones that would have to replace equipment when debundling.

 

[ferl]

Debundling an account is a very easy process here at DISH Network. The computer moves the account, equipment and all into a new account and everything pretty much stays the same except that DISH Network will indeed now be billing you for our service in lieu of the Telco company.

EHD and all equpiment will remain the same. There is one small group of AT&T account that have AT&T owned equipment, these accounts are the only ones that would have to replace equipment when debundling.

If the equipment is leased, does that indicate that AT&T owns the equipment? If the equipment needs to be replaced, will there be an interruption in service during the exchange process? If I have a leased 622 and a leased 722 can I still lease these if I unbundle or must they be purchased? When I checked on this years ago I was told that I must close the account with the telco and then there would be a waiting period before I could establish a new account with Dish.

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

Without actually looking at the account it is most speculation. AT&T equipment is listed very uniquely in our systems as Home Zone. In the rare cases that the equipment needs to be returned there are workarounds that can allow us to create a new account and have the old account disconnected at the same time to minimize the inconvenience to our customers whenever possible. If you have a bundled account with leased equipment, you can be unbundled with the same equipment and it does not require purchased equipment. No change except in account # and who bills for services. A few years ago there was a waiting period for disconnected telco account, restarting as a direct connect but this is no longer the case. If you want specific answer to your account, please feel free to PM me your account # or phone # and I will be happy to help!

 

[CK SatGuy]

For those who don't remember ATT homezone...
http://hd.engadget.com/2006/05/23/atandts-new-hi-def-homezone-box/

 

[midfiry]

I was told by a CSR there would be no issue.... I will see.

However, if I had a defective 722 receiver replaced directly thru dish network with no input from ATT... is it safe to assume my equipment is not owned by ATT and hence, have to be returned?

 

[RichManitoba]

For those who don't remember ATT homezone...
AT&T's new Hi-Def Homezone box -- Engadget

Are those receivers "usable" anymore? (I think) my elderly Dad has one in his basement from those days. By the way, I "unbundled" more than a year ago without problems from Dish. I had NOTHING but problems with AT&T during the bundle.

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

Are those receivers "usable" anymore? (I think) my elderly Dad has one in his basement from those days. By the way, I "unbundled" more than a year ago without problems from Dish. I had NOTHING but problems with AT&T during the bundle.

There are still some accounts with active HomeZone equipment but they are few and far between. DISH Network has been replacing them with our receivers for a few years now. If he has one that is not active on an account, it cannot be activated again.

 

[w6pea]

I don't know anything about the Dish/AT&T bundle. I dumped AT&T U-Verse several months ago because every time I turned around they came up with a new fee for this and a new fee for that,etc. etc. I then dumped their VoIP telephone service and went back hard wired telephone service. Now every other day or so I get a letter from them offering all kinds of BS :rant:asking me to come back to their cable TV service or to bundle my Direc-TV with AT&T from what I have heard from my cousin who was bundled with AT&T/Dish I am glad that I have refused to do it. When he moved from his house he was renting back in with my Aunt (she's 95 and she needed some one to look after her and she refused to go into a assisted living facility) AT&T and Dish would not move his service to her house unless he wanted to bundle with Direc-TV, So he called Dish and they moved his service and he dumped AT&T U-Verse Telephone also.