# Dishnetwork no longer activating VOOM channels



## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

I had a service call scheduled today to have a 61.5 dish installed and the VOOM channels added. Installer showed, hooked up a new receiver I just bought, but I was told the additional dish install could not go forward. I was not even asking for a discounted install - I just waned the 61.5 dish installed. When I talked to dish customer service, I was told they are no longer adding 61.5 dishes or activating VOOM subscribers until next year sometime. It funny that the VOOM pak is still listed on the Dishnetwork site. To make things worse, today was the perfect day for an install in the Northeast, - 40 degrees, sunshine, and no snow on the roof. 

BTW, Dishnetwork telephone customer service is the worse it has ever been. Getting through to an actual person is nearly impossible.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

Did you call the Dish HDTV 800-969-4388 number or the general 800-333-3474 customer support number?

I have never had an issue getting through to CSR. but it is a holiday weekend.


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## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

I used the general service number. I did not realize there was a HD number.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

I'd try the other number and play CSR roulette a few times if necessary.


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## treiher (Oct 24, 2002)

Jason Nipp said:


> I'd try the other number and play CSR roulette a few times if necessary.


Agreed! I know it sounds bad, but sometimes you just have to keep calling until you get someone who knows what they are talking about. If you don't like what they say, simply hang up and try again. Pretend like you never even talked to them. It's amazing the different answers to the same question you will get. Also, the VOOM channels are still on their website. I agree with the earlier post. They would not leave them on there if they weren't still offering them.


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## zexel88 (Dec 25, 2005)

I just had the Voom channels activated today.


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## dwinters (Dec 10, 2005)

I just had the voom channels added, they came out and put a new dish up for sat 129 on 12-24-05.


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## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

Well, I have spoken to no less than 6 CSRs - each one tells me the same thing, I can not get a 61.5 dish installed and VOOM programming until next year - Feb. My online bill shows a $99 charge for the dish install that did not happen. This was in addition to the install of 942 which was listed separately on the online bill. I have spent a good three hours on the phone with various CRSs, supervisors, etc. and get exactly the same answer. I have written executive support and hope I will get a call from them. 

I'm annoyed that I spend well over $1200 a year for programming, I pay outright for all my equipment and even do CC autopay, and here I want to give them more money for programming and I can not get them to install an additional dish or add additional programming. BTW, I have always been happy with the equipment and programming, it is just whenever I need an install or need to change service that I things get so frustrating. 

I noticed that the others having VOOM activated recently are using the 129 sat location (not possible for me here in the Northeast). Any chance that national HDs are leaving the 61.5 sat location? Has anyone out there had a 61.5 sat dish installed and VOOM activated on that these last few days?


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## greatwhitenorth (Jul 18, 2005)

wkomorow said:


> Well, I have spoken to no less than 6 CSRs - each one tells me the same thing, I can not get a 61.5 dish installed and VOOM programming until next year - Feb.


The February date jumped out at me, I believe that's when the MPEG4 recievers will roll out, and I believe, based on gossip, that's when the Boston locals will go HD LIL. It might be that they want to hold off until they can set you up with the 411/211 or the 622. Have you tried a local retailer? The 411 has been to released to them, might be worth a try.


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## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

Unfortunately, I am in the Albany, NY DMA, which is in the fifties in terms of DMA size, so it will be quite a while before we get LIL-HD. However, they had no problem installing the 942 (which I actually purchased outright - I did not lease), which is MPEG-2. It is just the 61.5 dish for VOOM programming that they refuse to install; they won't even schedule an appointment for me - I have to call back in Feb. I tried the local dealer back in September and November, left a message both times, they never bothered calling me back. 

The last time that I had this much trouble was when Dish moved my locals from 105 to 121. I had a screen saying call Dish to continue to receive your locals. I had to go through executive support to get them to understand that they were moving my locals from one satellite to another and needed to convert my 105 Dish into a 121 Dish. It took me over a week of emails and calls then. 

There is no logical reason that I can not get a dish installed at 61.5 that I can think of. My billing and service address are my actual physical address - the installer was just here on Friday , all three receivers are hooked into the phone lines, I have a single superdish pointed at 121, I have distant networks and locals as well as AEP, my account has always been up-to-date for payment. and I pay by cc autopay.


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## ibglowin (Sep 10, 2002)

If you have the parts (eBay is your friend) and a little time on your hands you could probalby install yourself and peak it with out too much difficulty. I can't imagine Dish refusing to activate them if you had a dish and were able to receive them.

You should be able to pick up an lnb and dish shipped for less than $50.

Just an idea.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

What reason are they giving you? YOu say they wont do it, but you dont say WHY they wont do it. Are you asking for a free Dish install?


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## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

I am not asking for a free install; I have paid $99 for the dish and am paying an additional $199 for the DP44 switch. Every CSR had a different excuse. It was not on the install order even through you were charged for it, so we can not install it. We can no longer activate the VOOM Pak because they are becoming part of another package in Jan, and since they can not be activated we can not authorize a Dish install at 61.5. The work order was closed, therefore the 61.5 is already installed. The VOOM channels are moving off the 61.5 location in Feb, we don't want you to pay for something that you will be unable to use. You already have four satellite looks, your superdish lets you see 110, 119, 121, 105, so we can not install a fifth satellite look ( actually I have a 105 superdish that was reconfigured as a 121 superdish when my locals moved from 105 to 121). When your 121 dish was installed, the wrong codes were put in, this makes any future installs impossible unless we close out your account first. If you want the VOOM channels, you need to change your superdish out for a Dish 1000. It should have been installed and you already paid for it, you need to call the jobber directly, it is out of Dishnetwork's hands. I have not heard the same explanation for 2 different CSRs. At one point Dish called the jobber and the jobber called me to tell me I needed to call back Dish. 

Bottom line, I now have an install scheduled for Friday. Let's see if we can get it installed and VOOM activated. The CSR did say there was no guarantee that VOOM channels would be broadcast from 61.5 after the 1st of the year and verified that I still wanted an install. If Dish had plans to use a different satellite for the VOOM channels in Jan they would have announced it by now, no? I will take the chance. 

My last words were make certain that they installer has a 44 switch. I'm taking bets that he comes without one. If I hadn't been on the phone for at least 6 hours this weekend trying to get things straightened out, this would actually be a great comic strip storyboard. It could be a much bigger hit than Dilbert.


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## dwcobb (Oct 13, 2005)

wkomorow said:


> There is no logical reason that I can not get a dish installed at 61.5 that I can think of. My billing and service address are my actual physical address - the installer was just here on Friday , all three receivers are hooked into the phone lines, I have a single superdish pointed at 121, I have distant networks and locals as well as AEP, my account has always been up-to-date for payment. and I pay by cc autopay.


Purely speculative on my part, but I do wonder if this indicates a planned change to the satellites that serve the Voom stations, which may be an indirect or a direct result of MPEG4.

It is possible it is just a holiday rush issue, of course, or really wierdly bad luck for you with CSR's.

But I got my Voom upgrade just last week (last Thursday) and I had to have someone come out and do a Dish1000 upgrade to get them. I had no problems at all with it, and I still have the 921. Granted, I did call for the upgrade about 2 weeks ago, so if they have had a policy change I might have missed it.

So maybe this is something about 61.5 specifically for Voom?

Perhaps they have bigger plans to reshuffle what channels are on what satellites in the new year?

EDIT: Ah, I just saw your comment in your latest email. Sounds like a 61.5 change for Voom is pending. I wonder...might this mean that Dish is thinking about a regional roll out of MPEG4? If they start with the east coast they can do the upgrade more gradually, and I gather that it is more or less 61.5 for Voom for the East, and 129 for the West?


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## WJMorales (Jan 20, 2003)

From what I've read at several sat forums the Voom channels are to be on the 129. Currently, Echo 5 is at that slot. I believe that Echo 5 is a CONUS satellite.


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## nospam (Sep 28, 2005)

I don't think they can retire 61.5 satellite VOOM package in favor of 129. There are big chunks of country, which are not capable of getting 129. Particulary NorthEast and Florida. Plus there will be huge expenses involved in exchanging current dish(s) for 1000 dish for current VOOM subscribes.
I'd assume it has something to do with planning no cost (low cost) exchange of HDTV receivers for current VOOM subscribers. My guess, they don't want too many people to jump into VOOM subscribtion while they're exchanging receivers for MPEG4 capable ones. Again, it is just a wild guess.


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

nospam said:


> I don't think they can retire 61.5 satellite VOOM package in favor of 129. There are big chunks of country, which are not capable of getting 129. Particulary NorthEast and Florida. Plus there will be huge expenses involved in exchanging current dish(s) for 1000 dish for current VOOM subscribes.
> I'd assume it has something to do with planning no cost (low cost) exchange of HDTV receivers for current VOOM subscribers. My guess, they don't want too many people to jump into VOOM subscribtion while they're exchanging receivers for MPEG4 capable ones. Again, it is just a wild guess.


This sounds probable. Dish just finalized the purchase of Rainbow1 at 61.5 and has been testing the new Voom channels on various 61.5 transponders. It is not likely Dish would move them unless they could find room on 110/119.


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## kb7oeb (Jun 16, 2004)

Maybe you could try ordering something else that is on 61.5, they can't move SkyAngel.


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## hshekhar (Dec 28, 2005)

I got my VOOM channels activated last night with no problems. I already had the 61.5 dish installed for international channels.

Though I do believe that they are going to come up with something big in March 06 per the CSR I spoke to. Maybe that is why they are refraining from adding more members to VOOM now!


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## JohnH (Apr 22, 2002)

Well, it looks like ESPN2 HD will be on 61.5 and 129 in a week or so. Of course, until it actually launches it cannot be used as CSR fodder.


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

I seriously doubt that ESPN2 HD will only be on 61.5 and 129. That will require a large number of people getting a new dish for this channel only. Seems cost prohibitive to me.


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## JohnH (Apr 22, 2002)

Well, if you can find space for it elsewhere they might like to hear about it. But consider 119 is full. 110 is full with the launch of EchoStar 10 coming up. Of course, they could downrez or compress everything and make room but who would want to watch?

Of course, there is that rumor about VOOM being added to the HD Pack at a new price. You would also need the additional dish and likely a new receiver to get all of that.


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

Yeah, that is an interesting rumor. I guess I need to call DISH and have them come out and install my must carry 61.5 dish when I get home from vacation. I just don't have a good line of site at the location of my D500 and didn't really want to mess with it. But I guess if I only have the option of a free extra dish or paying for a D1000, I'll go with free.


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## steelhorse (Apr 27, 2004)

I just installed a 942 for my father and when I tried to get the voom turned on, he already has a 61.5 dish, I got the dish 1000 talk.
I was then told that in March they would be adding many more hd channels that would need that dish. They did not mention mpeg 4. I will be real pissed if I just talked my father into getting a 942 that will be obsolete in 3 months!
Does anyone know the truth? I talked to 4 different CSR's in advanced support and none knew for sure.


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## BoisePaul (Apr 26, 2005)

nospam said:


> I don't think they can retire 61.5 satellite VOOM package in favor of 129. There are big chunks of country, which are not capable of getting 129. Particulary NorthEast and Florida.


Being one of those who are outside the E5 footprint, all of these rumors about moving programming off of 61.5 has me a bit jumpy. I do wonder, though, once E10 is in position and operational, whether E6 (or E8, but the spots would be all crazy) might have a larger footprint that could cover all of CONUS from the 129 position. I just don't believe that E* will leave such a large number of customers with no way to receive VOOM and future HD, but stranger things have happened. With CSR's not wanting to activate VOOM because "it's soon moving" leaves me wondering where they'd put these channels such that all of CONUS could receive them.


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## LtMunst (Aug 24, 2005)

There is NO way all Voom would be moved exclusively to 129. I could see E* wanting to eventually get it to 110/119 in order to free up bandwidth on the wingsats for HD lils.


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## rocatman (Nov 28, 2003)

BoisePaul said:


> Being one of those who are outside the E5 footprint, all of these rumors about moving programming off of 61.5 has me a bit jumpy. I do wonder, though, once E10 is in position and operational, whether E6 (or E8, but the spots would be all crazy) might have a larger footprint that could cover all of CONUS from the 129 position. I just don't believe that E* will leave such a large number of customers with no way to receive VOOM and future HD, but stranger things have happened. With CSR's not wanting to activate VOOM because "it's soon moving" leaves me wondering where they'd put these channels such that all of CONUS could receive them.


The coverage area problem with the 129 W slot is not just the satellite there, E-5 but also the elevation angle that a dish would need to be mounted at for folks in the northeast U.S. Elevation angles under 20 - 25 degrees make it very difficult to have a clear line of sight. In addition, the amount of atmosphere that the satellite signal must pass through increases making rain fade more likely. Now a satellite specifically designed for the 129 W location would remove coverage area problems for the rest of the CONUS besides the northeast.

Dish may move another satellite to 129 W after E-10 is launched and operational but it will probably have most of the same coverage area problems as E-5. Ciel, the Canadian company that Dish has the deal with for use of the 129 W slot is suppose to build and launch a satellite by late 2008. I believe Dish is funding part of that satellite and I would have to believe that Dish will want at least part of that satellite to do spotbeams for HD LILs.


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## greatwhitenorth (Jul 18, 2005)

Roca's dead on here, up here in the tundra, we are considered "under the horizon" for the 129, and the 121 as well (southern Maine still uses the 121 for locals, 19 degree elevation). In fact, we are no longer using the 121 for international channels, we're getting those off the 61.5 now. A larger footprint wouldn't help us at all if we can't even see the bird.


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## DHall (Apr 29, 2004)

lakebum431 said:


> Yeah, that is an interesting rumor. I guess I need to call DISH and have them come out and install my must carry 61.5 dish when I get home from vacation. I just don't have a good line of site at the location of my D500 and didn't really want to mess with it. But I guess if I only have the option of a free extra dish or paying for a D1000, I'll go with free.


If you have must carry and they're at 129, then the Dish 1000 is free. At least it was for me. Just tell them you have line of site issues with 61.5.

Dave


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

Dorry for the confusion, the must carry channels I was talking about are on 61.5 not on 129. I wish they were repeated on 129 and I'd be all over the 1000. All well, no big loss. Just gotta get the DISH guy out there without the wife seeing him. Hehe. When she asks where the extra dish came from I'll just tell her we needed it to get Lifetime or something.


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