Dish Network Is The Man

I've been a Dish Network subscriber for close to 14 years, dating back to Los Angeles. I've been a happy and loyal customer until they introduced these PVR pieces of shit which allow you to record programs and pause and play.

We've had this happen twice before we upgraded to an HD receiver. Both times I called in to report problems with the PVR functionality and they immediately sent replacement units.

Within the past year we upgraded to HDTV which required a new receiver and now we are having the same problems with pictures freezing up while audio continues, and only while in PVR mode - that being where you hit pause and come back 5 or 10 minutes later to continue watching.

This has been happening to us for months and finally in mid-August I called Dish Network to report the problem. The agent told me to call back the next time it happened, without doing anything to fix it, so they could witness the situation.

Tonight it happened again. I quickly jumped on the phone hoping for a quick resolution (i.e. replacement unit). I was on the phone for nearly 47 minutes being instructed to select this and that, unplug and restart, etc. At the end, I was told that detailed notes had been taken and to call back within 72 hours if the problem persists. That's the problem. It doesn't happen that often. But I'm hellbent on recreating it in that time frame.

After I explained to this Dish Network agent that I'd been a customer for close to 14 years and that I'd had 3 receiver replacements, and that I was grasping at my last straw (Hello DirecTV), she agreed to credit my account for charges since my last complaint. But I still need to report my next problem within the next 72 hours.

I will replicate that problem, you can bet your ass. But what happened to the old Dish Network which valued their customers and replaced shit no questions asked?

What's really funny is that before I started protesting, she was trying to upgrade me to a "better" receiver and she needed a credit card number. Fuck that shit.

That's when I launched into my tirade and got my service credits, but still no new receiver. I'm wondering if there is such a thing as a decent PVR. I'm almost ready to go back to a "use it or lose it" receiver. Fuck.

Do they even offer those?

Whatever. I lost 30 minutes of Countdown with Keith as well as a good portion of Rachel tonight.

Politics had been scheduled as my next rant. Corporate greed supersedes. Again.