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September 26, 2005
I'm very disapointed with the Dish Network...
A Dish Network guy came out to our house yesterday (in the — oh so — gracious window of time between 12pm and 5pm) in order to install a new dish for us (we were trying to take advantage of SBC‘s new “bundle“ plan — phone, internet, and dish all on one bill).
Anyway, to make a long story really short: The guy said that he couldn’t install a dish at our house because we have too many trees and he couldn’t get a good signal from the satellite (there needs to be a clear view to the south-west of the install site).
Personally, I just think he was lazy and didn’t want to take the time to do the install on his last call on a Sunday afternoon. (Afterall, my next door neigbor has Dish Network and it works just fine for him.)
I’ll be talking to someone about this today.
Posted at 08:40 am
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Comments (14):
Tim,
As someone who has come to know a thing or two about wireless communications, I can tell you that unless your trees and your neighbour’s trees are exactly the same height and density and lie in exactly the same distance and path between your rooftop and the satellite you’re connecting with, the comparison is irrelevant. When you get off the phone with them, they’ll share a story around the call centre and ask each other why everybody’s neighbour always has to be an expert on everything. The fact the guy didn’t do the install means he probably didn’t get paid for it either so his Sunday afternoon was more wasted than if he’d actually done it. Go ahead and make the call, but unless you’re willing to cut down the trees in the path or build a tower to gain the height required for a clear line of sight, you’re probably barking up the wrong tree.
Just my 2 cents – and a suggestion not to go off on them if they stick to their story, it could just be the truth.
As someone who has come to know a thing or two about wireless communications, I can tell you that unless your trees and your neighbour’s trees are exactly the same height and density and lie in exactly the same distance and path between your rooftop and the satellite you’re connecting with, the comparison is irrelevant. When you get off the phone with them, they’ll share a story around the call centre and ask each other why everybody’s neighbour always has to be an expert on everything. The fact the guy didn’t do the install means he probably didn’t get paid for it either so his Sunday afternoon was more wasted than if he’d actually done it. Go ahead and make the call, but unless you’re willing to cut down the trees in the path or build a tower to gain the height required for a clear line of sight, you’re probably barking up the wrong tree.
Just my 2 cents – and a suggestion not to go off on them if they stick to their story, it could just be the truth.
Brother Maynard () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 09:39 am
Oh, I understand that it’s probably the truth… I just also think that we found a clear path to the south-westerly skies — aside from one tree that was more to the west than anything… Regardless, I think that SBC should provide an assessment of dish compatibility before selling their plans (i.e., they should not make initial appointment for install, but rather appointments of propert assessment) — after order Dish Network as part of our plan, I had our cable disconnected (which I had to have reconnected again after the Dish Network guy left). Not fun.
timsamoff () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 09:45 am
totally. SCREW SBC! i hate them.. Totally agree about the install/compatibility, too. That makes too much sense though. And of course the convenient time window of 12 and 5PM. ARGH. I’m getting more guns… sending them to Tim.
dennisthemenace () - September 26, 2005 at 09:53 am
timsamoff () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 09:55 am
Ah, yes – they should be clear about install uncertainties when they take the order… a customer service thing. It’s probably a rarity that they can do nothing at all though.
I don’t know what the layout of the yard is etc. and perhaps the installer was not the imaginitive kind, but I’ve seen these dishes installed on a shed roof or even on a 6’ fencepost on the edge of the lawn in order to achive the required line of sight. You’d probably have to install the post and dig a cable trench yourself, but it’s a thought.
Dennis, on the convenient window, believe it or not if you’re running technicians in the field, hitting a 3-hour window is sometimes the best you can do, and sometimes even that’s a stretch due to the amount of unexpected circumstances that come up from one job to the next. As a tip, if you want an appointment that you’re be pretty close to hitting, take the first one of the day. (I’ve noticed even that doesn’t always work with medical appointments, they make you wait anyway.)
btw, I hadn’t commented here before but in doing so I note you’re using Pivot as a blogging engine, which I’d never heard of. Looks quite nice, how do you like it as a back end? I’m using Wordpress and don’t plan to switch, but it’s always nice to have a handle on what else is out there. Pivot looks like a great alternative for people who don’t have an SQL database available in their hosting plan.
I don’t know what the layout of the yard is etc. and perhaps the installer was not the imaginitive kind, but I’ve seen these dishes installed on a shed roof or even on a 6’ fencepost on the edge of the lawn in order to achive the required line of sight. You’d probably have to install the post and dig a cable trench yourself, but it’s a thought.
Dennis, on the convenient window, believe it or not if you’re running technicians in the field, hitting a 3-hour window is sometimes the best you can do, and sometimes even that’s a stretch due to the amount of unexpected circumstances that come up from one job to the next. As a tip, if you want an appointment that you’re be pretty close to hitting, take the first one of the day. (I’ve noticed even that doesn’t always work with medical appointments, they make you wait anyway.)
btw, I hadn’t commented here before but in doing so I note you’re using Pivot as a blogging engine, which I’d never heard of. Looks quite nice, how do you like it as a back end? I’m using Wordpress and don’t plan to switch, but it’s always nice to have a handle on what else is out there. Pivot looks like a great alternative for people who don’t have an SQL database available in their hosting plan.
Brother Maynard () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 09:58 am
(I wrote an e-mail back to Brother Maynard about Pivot.)
timsamoff () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 10:31 am
Being in the service business and running technicians all the time it is SO hard to accurately schedule people to show up on time, as well as expect the tech to communicate any deviation in time and schedule. It’s just so dang hard.
As far as the Dish Network is concerned… yeah, Tim, I know your propery, as well as all those thick trees to the south of your house, and honestly, I’m not surprised. I can say this, however, its probably a cost-saving measure to just have the installer come out. I would imagine, as someone else said, the percentage of folks who you cannot put a dish up is likely relatively low… so the odds are for them they can do the install… in most instances. Perhaps they need to use Google Earth!
Good luck man – that really does stink – and I too HATE SBC!
As far as the Dish Network is concerned… yeah, Tim, I know your propery, as well as all those thick trees to the south of your house, and honestly, I’m not surprised. I can say this, however, its probably a cost-saving measure to just have the installer come out. I would imagine, as someone else said, the percentage of folks who you cannot put a dish up is likely relatively low… so the odds are for them they can do the install… in most instances. Perhaps they need to use Google Earth!
Good luck man – that really does stink – and I too HATE SBC!
jason () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 2:34 pm
Yeah, I see your point there. Maybe Google Earth would be the solution! 
In any case, I called Dish Network and I’m having the Field Manager come out to take a second look — it can’t hurt, you know?
In any case, I called Dish Network and I’m having the Field Manager come out to take a second look — it can’t hurt, you know?
timsamoff () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 2:51 pm
In my very brief life here on earth, I’ve had Dish Network, Direct TV, Comcast Cable, Time Warner Cable, and Everest. I’ve never been very happy with satellite, so I think you’re better off.
I had trees at my old house and when the wind blew, the trees would get in the way and I would lose reception. I also had trouble getting a good install and at one point the dish itself was blowing around on my roof…
And other times rain and snow would cause the reception to go out as would ice building up on the dish.
So when I moved to my new house and they told me they couldn’t install on a wood roof and that I didn’t have a clear view of the southern sky, I was quite alright with switching back to cable.
Perhaps this is a blessing…
I had trees at my old house and when the wind blew, the trees would get in the way and I would lose reception. I also had trouble getting a good install and at one point the dish itself was blowing around on my roof…
And other times rain and snow would cause the reception to go out as would ice building up on the dish.
So when I moved to my new house and they told me they couldn’t install on a wood roof and that I didn’t have a clear view of the southern sky, I was quite alright with switching back to cable.
Perhaps this is a blessing…
Todd M () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 5:35 pm
One more note… I was somewhat amused to see a DirectTV dish on my grandma’s roof when I was at her house recently. A windstorm had recently blown over her TV antenna which was on a pole over 100 feet high just outside of her house. Grandma’s moving into the 21st century.
Todd M () (URL) - September 26, 2005 at 5:37 pm
I am looking for someone/anyone to install my dish for me. I have it mounted on the house and need someone to come point it in the right direction.
I’ll pay too! Please contact me – 816 3337595.
I’ll pay too! Please contact me – 816 3337595.
Andy Michael () (URL) - September 27, 2005 at 10:43 pm
Todd ~ I’ll keep all of that in mind… That’s good advice. I just with Time/Warner would be a little more competitive with their digital cable prices!
Andy ~ I have no idea… If anyone here knows, please give Andy a call.
Andy ~ I have no idea… If anyone here knows, please give Andy a call.
timsamoff () (URL) - September 28, 2005 at 08:33 am
Tim—
Time Warner cable is worth it …. we have the phone/net/cable.. and it is worth it… you are paying for peace of mind
Time Warner cable is worth it …. we have the phone/net/cable.. and it is worth it… you are paying for peace of mind
Jenae () - September 28, 2005 at 5:45 pm
Well, sorry to say that’s not my opinion. Time-Warner would cost us $99.99/month for basic cable, phone, and the lowest speed cable internet… SBC was going to cost us $74/month for phone, Dish with Showtime, Cinemax, & HBO (plus every other thing you get with digital cable), and the highest speed DSL (which is comparable with mid-line cable)... That would have been a $25 difference for better features (aside from unlimited long distance, which we don’t need).
ANYway, to make a long story shorter, cable is just not a high prioroty for us… We were thinking that if we could get all of those channels for cheaper, it would be worth it. In any case, we’re still stuck with Tim-Warner cable (basic cable) for $40/month. Ouch.
Commenting has been permanently disabled. Please use the Contact button above.ANYway, to make a long story shorter, cable is just not a high prioroty for us… We were thinking that if we could get all of those channels for cheaper, it would be worth it. In any case, we’re still stuck with Tim-Warner cable (basic cable) for $40/month. Ouch.
timsamoff () (URL) - September 29, 2005 at 07:44 am
