Dish dilemma.....

Colleen

Senior Member
Location
Pennsylvania
We live, basically, in the boonies even though we're 20 miles from town, it's been challenging getting cell service, internet, and TV. Two years ago, we signed up with Dish for TV. Hubby loves his NASCAR and football (college and NFL) so the only way to get those things was with satellite. We'd had Directv a long time ago but they were not an option this time around for a couple reasons, so we got Dish. We've had good service and our rate was locked in for 2 years, which was up on July 5th. Our bill immediately jumped to over $100. I called them and got the rate changed for another 24 months.

Yesterday, I wanted to look up something on one of our local channels (we pay $12/mo. extra for this) and saw the station had a message that it was taken down because of negotiations with Meredith Corp. I checked a couple more local stations and they had the same thing.

I contacted Dish and the Rep said he could give me a $5 one-time credit on my bill. He suggested using the free OTA antenna that they'd send for free. Well, we live in the middle of nowhere and I've checked the signal that this would get and we would be lucky to get a couple stations. So, that was out. He just kept saying he was sorry and we should get this antenna.

I started doing some research and found that we could get everything we watch, including NASCAR and NFL, with YouTube TV for at least $20 a month cheaper than what we're paying now. Sounded good to me, but I started wondering if we'd have to pay a cancellation fee to Dish. I checked, and, yes, it would be $20 for every month remaining on the "contract", which in our case would be $480.

Then, I read some more and found that if Dish is negligent in providing what you are promised (like our local channels that are currently gone), then the penalty would not apply. Also, if you cancel within 180 days of renewing you are not subject to the penalty.

Has anyone else been experiencing this issue with Dish and have you done anything about it like "cutting the cord"?
 

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We have been Dish subscribers for 16 years and love it. If there has been any problem they are "johnny-on-the-spot with a local tech.
Wouldn't trade it for anything else. We are "flippers: and like to watch a lot of different channels. Have had zero problems with the local channels and are on the most channels you can get with them - whatever that package is with the Netflix interface. Are planning to upgrade with the hopper and joey's for extra whole house coverage soon.

My advice...don't be fooled by cheaper quotes. Only Dish has the top ease of usership from what we've seen. Others have like 5 different subscriptions and then still have to fuss with their remotes or whatever. Of course if that's your thing, then go for it. It just ain't ours...lol.
 

We, too, live in the boondocks, and had Dish for several years. It seemed like every few months they would go into "negotiations" with some of the channels, and suspend service....often for several weeks. Some of the neighbors who had Direct TV also had similar experiences. I guess these satellite TV providers know they have a captive audience, and customer satisfaction is Not high on their list of priorities. Fortunately, our local electric co-op strung fiber optics throughout our area a couple of years ago, and offered TV, internet and phone for about $30/mo. less than we had been paying. We switched, and now have no more issues. It's a sorry fact that cable/satellite providers are among the lowest rated companies, in terms of customer satisfaction.
 
The reality is that AT&T bought Direct TV...you do the math. They went against Dish to get rid of HBO and other show channels.
It had nothing to do with local channels where we were, though. Perhaps things are different where you live. DIsh is the highest rated TV provider for customer satisfaction.

Until there is something clearly better, we'll stay where we are. Everything else was way more effort with way more less channel choices.

Of course, if you don't want the choices, then why pay for it. You can't argue with cheaper. I just got a call from a neighbor who has Direct TV and is paying 40 bucks more a month than we are and wondered what we had.

Folks can always go "streaming"...so we are told.
 
We have been Dish subscribers for 16 years and love it. If there has been any problem they are "johnny-on-the-spot with a local tech.
Wouldn't trade it for anything else. We are "flippers: and like to watch a lot of different channels. Have had zero problems with the local channels and are on the most channels you can get with them - whatever that package is with the Netflix interface. Are planning to upgrade with the hopper and joey's for extra whole house coverage soon.

My advice...don't be fooled by cheaper quotes. Only Dish has the top ease of usership from what we've seen. Others have like 5 different subscriptions and then still have to fuss with their remotes or whatever. Of course if that's your thing, then go for it. It just ain't ours...lol.

Thanks for the "review" of Dish, but you seem to have missed the point of my post.
 
Colleen--I'm not familiar with Dish, but have you called to ask about the waiver of the cancellation fees since they aren't providing the contracted programs? Do you have a good enough internet speed to support the streaming service?
 
Dish doesn't have a great reputation in the area where I live. I've never had Dish, but did have another satellite company's service.

My opinion of all of the satellite and cable companies' packages is that they are not worth it and the prices keep going up.

Having said that-- and in answer to your question, I would first read the contract for your current service (the one you just signed up for in July) and see if it does, indeed, guarantee that you get local channels. My guess is that there is probably some gobbledygook legalese in there that gets around that. However, if it's true that you can cancel within 180 days, then I'd inform them that I was going to do that and that pursuant to their offer, did not intend to pay a cancellation fee. And just see what they say. It can't hurt to try.
 
Colleen--I'm not familiar with Dish, but have you called to ask about the waiver of the cancellation fees since they aren't providing the contracted programs? Do you have a good enough internet speed to support the streaming service?


I'm going to be doing that today. NBC, CBS, and other channels that are "local" are still gone this morning.

We don't actually watch these channels, such as Disney or any network TV programs, but it's the fact that we're paying an extra fee each month to have them. We watch them for our local news, which is Phoenix and the Evening News.

Yes, our internet provider is not Dish and we watch mostly movies every night thru our Roku on Netflix or Prime.

I've been wanting to cut the cord for years but hubby has been reluctant. I hate spending money every month for TV programs that we never watch.
 
I'm going to be doing that today. NBC, CBS, and other channels that are "local" are still gone this morning.

We don't actually watch these channels, such as Disney or any network TV programs, but it's the fact that we're paying an extra fee each month to have them. We watch them for our local news, which is Phoenix and the Evening News.

Yes, our internet provider is not Dish and we watch mostly movies every night thru our Roku on Netflix or Prime.

I've been wanting to cut the cord for years but hubby has been reluctant. I hate spending money every month for TV programs that we never watch.
I hear you on wanting to cut the cord. My husband is the same way; he hates change and Comcast bundled services seems to suit him fine. Luckily we are in a metro area and have access to a lot of options.

We have used Dish pay-as-you-go service when we travel in our RV. That's the extent of my knowledge of satellite.
 
I'm going to be doing that today. NBC, CBS, and other channels that are "local" are still gone this morning.

Colleen, you have confirmed my suspicions. When I first read your post, I thought, "I wonder if it is CBS that is gone". The reason I was thinking this is, I have Direct TV and one of the CBS channels has been removed here also plus many more locations. This started early Saturday morning. Mine was working Friday and it was then that there was a notification that went across the bottom of the screen saying this was going to happen. Each time I turn my TV on now, I wonder what channel will be removed next because like you, there are others that NBC has been removed also from what I have been reading in other people's complaints. If I could get a decent reception from a outside antenna, I would cut the cord in a heartbeat. But, I've tried it and it doesn't work good here. These channel disputes are such a pain.
 
Colleen, you have confirmed my suspicions. When I first read your post, I thought, "I wonder if it is CBS that is gone". The reason I was thinking this is, I have Direct TV and one of the CBS channels has been removed here also plus many more locations. This started early Saturday morning. Mine was working Friday and it was then that there was a notification that went across the bottom of the screen saying this was going to happen. Each time I turn my TV on now, I wonder what channel will be removed next because like you, there are others that NBC has been removed also from what I have been reading in other people's complaints. If I could get a decent reception from a outside antenna, I would cut the cord in a heartbeat. But, I've tried it and it doesn't work good here. These channel disputes are such a pain.


It is a pain but what infuriates me the most is...they won't adjust your bill. Why am I paying full price for local stations (NBC, CBS, and ABC) when I'm not receiving them. A one-time $5 credit??? Give me a break!

I think I've finally, after 5 years, talked my husband into cutting the cable.....if I can get out of my contract with Dish. I'm still working on it.
 
It is a pain but what infuriates me the most is...they won't adjust your bill. Why am I paying full price for local stations (NBC, CBS, and ABC) when I'm not receiving them. A one-time $5 credit??? Give me a break!

I think I've finally, after 5 years, talked my husband into cutting the cable.....if I can get out of my contract with Dish. I'm still working on it.
I don't like it either but I also hate having to call AT&T for anything! Plus, I don't know about Dish but with AT&T, they will tell you one thing and then do another so even if they told me they would give me a discount, that doesn't mean they will do it. They should just get these channels back on but, I'm not going to "hold my breath".
 
I cut my cable cord several months ago. I do selective watching of specific shows on Netflex, Amazon Prime, etc. thru a roku box. Otherwise my TV is off. I do not watch cable news outlets. I get my news via computer from several news outlets. I've not yet missed full service cable TV.
 
I cut my cable cord several months ago. I do selective watching of specific shows on Netflex, Amazon Prime, etc. thru a roku box. Otherwise my TV is off. I do not watch cable news outlets. I get my news via computer from several news outlets. I've not yet missed full service cable TV.

This has been my goal for several years but hubby is afraid to give up his connection to satellite. He's an "old dog" and set in his ways.

I keep thinking about all the money we're throwing away. We don't watch ANY network TV. What we DO watch is available on our Roku and we watch a movie every night either on Netflix or Prime.
 


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