--- Forwarded Message from James Hogg <[log in to unmask]> ---
>Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 13:40:50 -0500
>From: James Hogg <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #7414 Dish Network
>In-reply-to: <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
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Hi Tom,
I set up programming with Dish Network this summer and have I learned a
lot things, not all positive. This is a long summary of my experience,
so far.
I think the first thing you need to check on is whether you can get the
programs you want. We get Dish Latino from EchoStar at 110 degrees
and/or 119 degrees (One dish gets both satellites). From New York, that
satellite is west of us. Other international programs come from a
satellite at 61.5 degrees, which looks straight south. I'm sure this
satellite is not available from Hawaii. There is a satellite at 148
degrees which may broadcast international programs, which you can
probably pick-up. Contact Dish Network to find out what you can get.
Now the bad.
One thing to consider is how many receivers you will use. You can have
several receivers connected to the same dish(es) connected with little
switch boxes. Dish Network has a limit of 6 receivers on a single
billing account, not to be confused with the number of receivers that
can physically be connected to dishes. We have 10 receivers in one room
and found out rather late that we were being billed for two accounts,
that is double what we agreed to pay, and understood the charges to be.
After calls and faxes to Dish Network, and its headquarters, and to the
commercial installer who we dealt with, (who thought we should be
charged the lesser amount), we got the two accounts to be merged into
what they call a "modulated account" which keeps us with 2 accounts,
but charges us for one. We also pay $4.99 per receiver per month over
the first receiver. This info is not on the website, nor was it ever
mentioned to me. I found out when we got our first bill. The double
subscription charge was really a big hassle, and if we didn't get the
charges reduced, it would have been cause for us to cancel the service.
(I should say they didn't have my zip code correct and we didn't
receive any bills after the first one, which did arrive somehow. It
wasn't until a recorded message threatening they would turn off our
service because we didn't pay that I began to unravel the mysteries.)
From Dish Network's web site you can find links for educational prices.
As an educational institution you would be setting up a commercial
account, which is different than a residential account. You can see
what the cost is for different language broadcasts on their website. To
be able to select from the "ala cart" international channels, you need
to subscribe to a package. The package could be Dish Latino, as in our
case, or an "American" package. Dish Latino is $200/year. Two other
channels we get are 100 each and a third is 200. So total we have $600
per year for program subscriptions plus the extra charges for extra
receivers. I just found prices for educational programming, but the
commercial pages are confusing, and designed so I can't copy the link
here. Find a link from Dish's home page /Programming/Business
Services/Commercial Services. Click and scroll around pages that pop
up and you may find the educational packages. I think navigating their
site was easier and clearer last summer.
My 61.5 degree dish is down now. I think the problem is a bad LNBF,
which is on the arm of the dish that picks up the signal. The
commercial warranty seems to cover parts, not labor. The owner's manual
says parts and labor for a year, but I have heard that is for
residential installations. Today I am waiting for my "commercially
indexed" installer, SonuSatellite, to call me. They have never returned
the calls they promised. Never.
I have had some other problems/issues with my "commercial installer"
SonuSatellite in New Jersey. Nice guys on the phone, but on the billing
issue they said that was between me and Dish Network. It wasn't until I
sent a nasty fax to Dish Network headquarters, Cced to SonuSatellite
that I got them to move. They claimed to have solved the problem, but I
was communicating with Justin at Dish's headquarters in Colorado, who
meets with the vice president who ultimately makes these decisions. I
don't know who gets credit. (Yesterday when I talked with
SonuSatellite the man proudly stated they are the number 1 commercial
installer in the nation for Dish Network. I wouldn't recommend them.)
Get everything in writing from charges to warranty and who to contact
when you have questions or something goes wrong. I have learned a
little about the organization of Dish Network. There is the company
that has the website and 1-800 number, there is the "commercially
indexed" installer, who will take your order and set things up (and get
your address wrong), and you will probably have a subcontracted
installer who will actually show up to do the installation. That is the
only person you will see, and probably have the best relationship with.
But that is not the person you should contact when something happens.
Whether that person is the commercially indexed installer or the main
company is the problem I have found.
With my recently broken dish, I contacted Dish Network and both the
"commercially indexed" installer (SonuSatellite) and the subcontracted
installer. I learned the "commercially indexed" installer
(SonuSatellite) would charge us $140 to send someone while the actual
installer would charge $100. Sonu would send the same guys, only get a
cut of the action. Because I called both, I caused some trouble between
the two. I think I'll call Justin at headquarters to really mess things
up. I don't think we should pay anything for a defective part, under
warranty.
I don't like Dish Network. Just before all of the bad things started, I
found out our local cable company now provides almost all of the things
we are using Dish Network for. I will check into what is involved with
the cable company (for one thing we need a digital box). If the price
is the same, or cheaper, we will switch, even though we will lose a few
channels. This after $3000 for equipment and installation.
Anyway, here is the Dish Network commercial number you can contact:
1-800-454-0843
Feel free to contact me if you have other questions. If anyone needs
Justin Van Wart's number or email address (the guy at headquarters who
talks with the VP) I have that too. ; ) Not an easy number to get
through the regular customer service channels.
Good luck, Jim
On Thursday, February 12, 2004, at 04:47 PM, LLTI-Editor wrote:
> --- Forwarded Message from Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>> Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 13:20:13 -1000
>> From: Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Dish Network
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Importance: Normal
>
> More than 2 years ago the satellite dish on the roof of our building
> was
> blown down during heavy winds. The dish itself was not damaged, but
> the
> cost of remounting the dish was prohibitive. We had been subscribing
> to
> the International Channel, but we cancelled the subscription after we
> learned we couldn't remount the dish. We have been without
> international programming ever since.
>
>
>
> Recently we have been investigating the Dish Network as an alternative
> because of the extensive international programming they offer. I
> noticed several postings regarding Dish Latino so it occurred to me
> that
> several on this list must be using the Dish Network. Can you provide
> me
> with information regarding the arrangement you have with Dish Network
> and what kind of subscription account they have for educational
> institutions? I know they have residential and commercial accounts,
> but
> their website does not provide much info on educational accounts. What
> does it cost?
>
>
>
> Because of our location in the middle of the Pacific, some things
> readily available on the mainland US are not in Hawaii and this might
> be
> case here with international programming on Dish Network.
> Nevertheless,
> several of our instructors would be very happy if we could restore some
> kind of international programming.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Daniel Tom
>
> Language Learning Center
>
> University of Hawaii
>
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> Voice: 808-956-5118
>
> FAX: 808-956-5134
>
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