Dish Network? WHATEVER!

Imagine we are sitting in our favorite restaurant, perhaps Denny’s. We’ve ordered the Big Ben Burger with extra cheese and mondo fries. After a reasonable wait, we receive a small whithered burger, a dollop of cheese, and a handful of fries. Well, that is the type of service Dish Network offers Alaskans. They guarantee a large package of great channels for a reasonable price, yet they gradually flake out on their promises by switching satellites and ripping us off out of our package. After being perfectly happy with the AM120 package, I am currently stuck with only 60 channels and still paying the 120 price. You see, Dish Network had decided to switch a number of channels to the satellite 110. This slight switch had robbed us from some of our desired channels. Dish Network’s suggested solution, pay $800.00 for a new 4 foot dish including installation (this, of course, had been tacked on from the previous $500.00 paid upon the original installation) in order to receive the promised 120 channels. My husband and I purchased a 4 foot dish package from Radio Shack for $450.00 and we attempted to install it ourselves. Our effort to locate the proper signal had been attempted repeatedly to no avail. After listening for 2 days to a headache-inducing beep from the signal screen to our television set, we finally gave up. I took it upon myself to speak to Dish Network’s customer service representatives and hopefully receive some support for this atrocious expense. I had requested for Dish Network to send an Installation Tech to our home and simply locate the signal for us at no extra charge. I received a flat NO from the customer service rep, a NO from the office manager, and a final NO from the office executive. The repeated, “We do not have a central office in Alaska, therefore the equipment and installation is your responsibility” prodded my brain into simple insanity. When I asked them why they had service in Alaska if they are unable to support it, I received no logical response. During further research, I contacted Direct TV to find out their policies and specials in Alaska. Direct TV had no limitations, they offered slightly higher prices to their packages, yet they did not charge for their equipment or installation. If I were to hop aboard a time machine and chose over again between Dish Network and Direct TV, it would be Direct TV for certain. Their customer service was excellent and their willingness to cover our equipment and installation was highly acceptable. Customer service is a must regarding good business, like the famous saying entails, “The customer is ALWAYS right.”