I've replaced for free three Direct TV receivers - all made in China.
The US made ones last and last. The tech said he only saw the Chinese
made units fail. The card that is put in with the ID code that IC
melts. I think it was a cooling design or power supply design that did
it. The bad ones were scrapped by myself. An old version that I had
in the shop went back. It could be rebuilt.

Dish was here when we bought the house, the seller thought it was about
to go under. Maybe the local company - which did. I had an offer from
a newspaper add and called that number - they dispatched a person from
120 miles away at the time. Now service people come 20 or so miles
here. Their area is decreasing as more people switch.

Martin

On 10/23/2010 9:03 AM, RogerN wrote:
When I started my Dish Network service a couple years ago, I paid the extra
fee for the equipment ($49.95) instead of being obligated to continue
service for a year.

A few months ago my Dish Network receiver broke, push the button and the
power light wouldn't come on. Didn't see a fuse on the back and didn't want
to take it apart.

Before the next bill was due I called Dish Network and they offered that I
could pay for equipment protection plans, etc and get the receiver replaced,
on an on, any option they offered had a significant cost. I wasn't
interested in increasing my monthly bill or paying much for a receiver
because I could switch to DirecTV and get free installation.

After that I told them that I wanted to cancel my Dish Network service, they
said something about they would leave it activated for a few days in case I
changed my mind. I figure it was so they wouldn't have to refund my partial
month. Then recently I get a bill from them for last months service and the
next months service. I couldn't tell that they didn't shut off my service
because my receiver doesn't work.

Anyway, after I contacted them for online chat, they offered to send me a
replacement receiver for free. I asked them why they didn't make that offer
when I called them, they didn't have an answer. Anyway but this time they
had me aggravated enough with them that I told them I wasn't interested, I
already was being charged for 2 months service I didn't get.

Now they are sending me a box to send the broken receiver back to them, I
have to pay $15 to ship it plus for the last month of service because they
didn't shut off my service the last time I asked them. When I went from
DirecTV to Dish Network I never had to send my equipment back to them, is it
true that my equipment, that I paid $49 for, is leased and I have to return
it? I don't feel I should pay for the last month of service because I
called when my balance due was $0.00 and told them I wanted to cancel the
service, now they want me to pay because they didn't cancel my service when
I asked.

RogerN