# $7 a month for protection plan x 30 months... and still $15 co-pay for dish repair?



## Guest (Aug 3, 2012)

I've been paying Dish $7 a month for protection plan. After 30 months, the
total $210. During all this time, I never had to call them once for any 
problems.

Yesterday, my dish was knocked over during a thunderstorm. I called Dish
and they scheduled a service call. I was a little surprised to hear about a
$15 co-pay for such services. Since I've never used the protection, I was
not aware of it. (nor can I recall being informed of it when I signed up...
but I guess that's my fault)

Still... I've been a good customer and never missed one payment... It just
doesn't seem right... $15 is not a big deal, but it leaves a bad taste in my
mouth. Not to mention the fact that it will take them 4 days to send 
someone out. FOUR DAYS WITHOUT TV.... No Olympics for me.  <sad>

I assume that if I call DirecTV or the local cable company to set up new
service, it'll cost me less than $15.


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

It would have cost you at least $95 without it. Depending on what needed to be done, it could have been more.


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## Alebob911 (Mar 22, 2007)

Really?..................


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Questions:

1. Why were you paying monthly for the protection plan without knowing the benefits of said plan?

2. What other similar protection plan gives you freebies just because you don't partake for a while?

Protection plans and service contracts are offered because most customers will not need service often... thus companies get something from you every month instead of nothing at all until there is a problem to fix.

The advantage to you is IF you do need service, you get a reduction in the cost of that service... but unless the terms of the contract stipulate that you earn "credits" by not using it for a while, then you shouldn't expect it.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

How come you have been paying $7/mo. for the protection plan? Price only went to $7 recently on top of not knowing what you were paying for you don't even know how much you were paying. Guess you are showing how foolish a consumer you are and by the way I've got some swamp land for sale in Florida.


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## ATARI (May 10, 2007)

quietmouse said:


> I've been paying Dish $7 a month for protection plan. After 30 months, the
> total $210. During all this time, I never had to call them once for any
> problems.
> 
> ...


If you have 5Mbps or faster Internet, you can go to nbcolympics.com and stream to your hearts content.


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## Ray [email protected] Network (Dec 28, 2010)

Our Protection Plan can be compared to car insurance. The $15 technician visit is like the deductable payed for getting your car fixed after an accident. If you have further questions, please let me know. Thanks.



quietmouse said:


> I've been paying Dish $7 a month for protection plan. After 30 months, the
> total $210. During all this time, I never had to call them once for any
> problems.
> 
> ...


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

quietmouse said:


> I've been paying Dish $7 a month for protection plan. After 30 months, the
> total $210. During all this time, I never had to call them once for any
> problems.
> 
> ...


Can't you receive NBC with an over the air antenna?.That's how I'm viewing the Olympics,awesome less compressed HD PQ.


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## fudpucker (Jul 23, 2007)

boba said:


> How come you have been paying $7/mo. for the protection plan? Price only went to $7 recently on top of not knowing what you were paying for you don't even know how much you were paying. Guess you are showing how foolish a consumer you are and by the way I've got some swamp land for sale in Florida.


Well, that was certainly helpful.


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## jsk (Dec 27, 2006)

I would drop the protection plan. If you need service, you can add it back before requesting the service. Then, you have to keep it for a few months to avoid a fee and you can drop it again. That comes out cheaper than the service call and you don't have to pay for the plan when you don't need it.


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2012)

jsk said:


> I would drop the protection plan. If you need service, you can add it back before requesting the service. Then, you have to keep it for a few months to avoid a fee and you can drop it again. That comes out cheaper than the service call and you don't have to pay for the plan when you don't need it.


I'm dropping Dish Network completely.

The technician came to my house. After a few minutes, he said the damage
was not covered by the protection plan because it was a storm/flood damage. (the ground was soaking wet due to a couple days of heavy, but no actually flooding, then the wind from the next day's storm knocked the dish down) Blah, blah, blah... while the tech was still there, I called Dish and spoke to a supervisor(Dawn or Donna?) who confirmed what the tech said. If I wanted my dish replaced, it would cost $95. I flatly refused because it meant I had really paid all that money for protection plan and got no coverage. In addition, I was told over the phone during the original phone call that the charge would be only $15, so the rep lied.

I have already set up an appointment with DirecTV and they're coming on Wednesday to install a new dish and provide me with 3 HD DVRs, all at zero cost to me.

Good bye Dish Network... you lost me for a measly $95 which should have been covered in the first place.


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

It comes under homeowners insurance. If this happens with Direct TV you will be mad at them too. I am VERY familiar with this, went through it in Florida about six years ago with my inlaws. Heavy rain and wind blew the dish over and did a little damage to the roof. Direct TV told them they had to go through their homeowners, not happy but they did. Found out indeed that is the homeowners insurance that covers damage like that to a satellite dish. Otherwise Direct TV or Dish could be responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars whenever strong storms do damage. They do have the discretion to pay the cost themselves, but we were told they only do that when it's not a large scale event. Meaning they might cover it if a tree falls and does damage, but not from a storm, because they are dealing with one customer. Otherwise if they do it for one they don't want to have to do it for everyone who had damage, because again, that is what homeowners insurance is for.

And when they tell you it will cost $15 that is for a covered event, not for just anything they find.

The plan coverage is very clearly spelled out. It is not an insurance policy.
http://www.dish.com/downloads/legal/Protection-Plan.pdf


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## runner861 (Mar 20, 2010)

The plan is spelled out, and it does what it does. The reality is, as with other similar programs like cell phone protection plans or "insurance," or extended warranties on most products, is that the cost-benefit works in favor of the company, not the consumer. Most people would save money by not purchasing these plans, then just paying for the repairs when they come up. Plus, when you are leasing equipment, the owner of the equipment is responsible for paying for repairs. I have never had the plan, but I have had a few leased 622s go out over the years. Dish always replaced them by UPS at no cost to me (although one time they did charge me shipping cost). I never recommend purchasing the DPP, or an extended warranty, or a home warranty when purchasing a house.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

At least this one can be added at any time. Some insurance/warrantees must be purchased at the time of item purchase or (at best) before any initial warrantee expires.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Probably worth reiterating... I wouldn't pay $6 or $7 per month for any plan that I didn't know what it covered and what it didn't. I don't know of too many service plans that would cover damage from a storm. Home Owner's (or Renter's) Insurance is typically what covers this.


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## ATARI (May 10, 2007)

But deductibles are usually $500 or $1000, so he would have to have paid out of packet the $95. Switching to DirecTV was the correct choice for him. Personally, I would have fought a little harder to have the dish replaced for the original $15 agreement.


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## ggotch5445 (Sep 27, 2009)

As mentioned by Stewart before: at face value, protection/warranty plans do tend to favor the seller of such programs as they generally have calculated that offering such a program will generate a good extra revenue.

I am fortunate in that the fabulous local installer, that set us up with Dish, charges only $49 to come out for a service, to their established customers. They set us up 3 years ago, and to date, we have had no need to request their service as of yet.

But even if I did not have my particular situation, I would think that, unless one had repeated frequent issues requiring a tech to come to the home often, it would be far better to pay the standard $95 for a service once in a while, rather than pay $7/month plus a $15 service call. 

I can appreciate, however, where some folks-maybe those in windy areas that need dish tweeks often- could benefit from the protection plan.


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

All I remember is when I had D*,when you signed up with their protection plan you could not use it until 30 days after you signed up for it.If DISH would do that too,you would not have those who signup and then cancel right afterwards.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

ATARI said:


> But deductibles are usually $500 or $1000, so he would have to have paid out of packet the $95. Switching to DirecTV was the correct choice for him. Personally, I would have fought a little harder to have the dish replaced for the original $15 agreement.


Maybe... until the next storm takes out his DirecTV dish in the same manner and then DirecTV similarly wants to charge for the repair... then what will he do?


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## ATARI (May 10, 2007)

Stewart Vernon said:


> Maybe... until the next storm takes out his DirecTV dish in the same manner and then DirecTV similarly wants to charge for the repair... then what will he do?


Cable? {shudder}


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## joyandjerry (Jul 3, 2012)

jsk said:


> I would drop the protection plan. If you need service, you can add it back before requesting the service. Then, you have to keep it for a few months to avoid a fee and you can drop it again. That comes out cheaper than the service call and you don't have to pay for the plan when you don't need it.


Great advice. One can pick it up prn, then jettsion it after 6 mos. to avoid an addt'l fee for cancelling the service too soon.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

The early removal fee went away after the price increase to 7.


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## joyandjerry (Jul 3, 2012)

RasputinAXP said:


> The early removal fee went away after the price increase to 7.


 Thanks for the info!! This is why I enjoy this forum.


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

FYI, the removal fee is back. Keep it 4 months or it's $25 to remove.


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## flatus (Aug 18, 2006)

if it were me, i would have put the dish back up myself. its not rocket science


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

It is? Didn't DIRT just tell us when the fee went to $7 it'd be waived?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

RasputinAXP said:


> It is? Didn't DIRT just tell us when the fee went to $7 it'd be waived?


Terms and Conditions (PDF)

*Cancellation:* You may cancel this Plan at any time by calling DISH Network at 1-800-333-DISH (3474). New Customer: If You cancel this Plan within the first 120 days after your activation as a New Customer, You shall no longer be charged the monthly service and any applicable New Customer credits for the Plan shall be ended. Existing Customer: If You cancel this Plan within 120 days of the receipt of this Plan, You will be charged a cancellation fee of $25.00. If this Plan was inadvertently sold to You (New or Existing Customer) on a Product that was not intended to be covered by this Plan, DISH Network will cancel this Plan and return the full purchase price as applicable of the Plan to You.


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## Inkosaurus (Jul 29, 2011)

"RasputinAXP" said:


> It is? Didn't DIRT just tell us when the fee went to $7 it'd be waived?


I'm assuming the removal fee was discontinued temporarily so as to not upset customers who had just added it prior to the price increase. I think we should all know by now Dish reserves the right to change its mind


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Truth.


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## inazsully (Oct 3, 2006)

What it really boils down to is this. If you have completed your 2 year commitment you have 2 choices. Stay with Dish and pay the $95 or switch to Directv (assuming your not considering cable) for free. There are plenty of people who make that same switch just for the new customer freebies. I doubt this particular situating comes up too often. I've been through many bad storms with no damage to my equipment. If I were Dish I'd just replace it as a goodwill gesture, like the Roku and free movie channels etc. A little good pub goes a long way.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

flatus said:


> if it were me, i would have put the dish back up myself. its not rocket science


Sho'Nuff!


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

flatus said:


> if it were me, i would have put the dish back up myself. its not rocket science


Not to be smart... but actually, it quite literally is rocket science


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