# letter to [email protected] re: help requested with dvr-921 2 day epg problem.



## Geoff Goodfellow (Sep 9, 2004)

dear ceo:

i am sorry to have to bother by writing you today. i have a dvr-921,
that for the last two weeks or so, has only been seeing 2 days of
programming on its electronic programming guide (EPG) instead of the
usual 9 days.

as a clubdish "vip" member, i called the 1.888.888.3474 number and
spoke to "brandy" about the problem as well as a supervisor. while
the 2 day epg on the 921 is a "known software issue":

1) what is not known is when this problem will be fixed,
2) when i asked for some kind of "adjustment" on my bill because of
this admitted echostar software problem, i was not afforded any type
of consideration.

dear ceo, i have been living with the quirks and finickiness of the
921 (your highest end, most expensive piece of equipment at the time i
bought it) with its occasional freeze ups, sound drop outs and
pixelation, etc with the hope that the next software fix would rectify
things, but to this date, no avail.

now the EPG shrinks from 9 days to 2 days and it's not known when this
will be fixed nor am i offered any compensation for this "new induced
deficiency". i hope you can understand that my frustration level is a
little higher when i think it is only appropriate for you (especially
being the 2005 top ranked in customer satisfaction) to apply some type
of credit to a customers bill because they are clearly not getting
what they have been, are expecting and have been paying for.

thank you for your time and consideration,
sincerely,

geoff goodfellow
Account No: xxx
phone: xxx


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## Geoff Goodfellow (Sep 9, 2004)

Mr. Goodfellow,
Thank you for your email. The software update is expected to be
released in the start of the 2nd Quarter, the month of June. I am
willing to cover the DVR Fee of $5.98 till that time. Please reply if
you accept my offer and I will apply the credits to your account?
Sincerely,
xxx xxx
Executive Office of DISH Network
CEO Escalations

---

dear xxx:

many thanks for your prompt reply!

i accept your kind offer to cover the DVR Fee of $5.98 credit to my
account until the software update is released that fixes the problem.

sincerely,

geoff goodfellow


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## rdopso (Jan 26, 2004)

Six bucks a month is nothing. What a rotten joke for us to be forced to put up with the serious 921 EPG bug until June. That really stinks. 

What they should do is immediately authorize and implement the 921 trade-in offer on the 622 rather than waiting until April first. This is beginning to look more and more like a plot to beat up and force 921 owners into trading in their broken 921s for the 622 on April first. What a better way to quickly get all the bad equipment and related bad publicity out of the public domain. I am beginning to feel very manipulated.


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## Jim Parker (Aug 12, 2003)

There's an old saying that goes roughly:
"Never attribute to malice what can be better explained by incompetence."

I think that incompetence is more likely here. If they were trying to force us to upgrade, they probably would have waited until after April to kill the guide. I don't think that Dish is deliberately trying to antagonize their high end customers. I am not going to put up the the 2 day guide until June, probably longer given who's programming the 921. They have clearly and repeatedly demonstrated their incompetence.

I'm looking at other options besides Dish.


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

I've written 3 letters to ceo since this problem started and not gotten one response.

Since I have AEP I didn't ask for a PVR fee rebate. I basically said that if they can't fix the box we sould be offered the 622 upgrade NOW.

June to fix this bug is a disgrace. 4 Months? How can it possible take that long?

Do we still have support here? Mark and Allen are off having fun with thier 622's and I'm not sure Eldon is still reading (or even if they are still working on the 921).


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

rdopso said:


> Six bucks a month is nothing. What a rotten joke for us to be forced to put up with the serious 921 EPG bug until June. That really stinks.
> 
> What they should do is immediately authorize and implement the 921 trade-in offer on the 622 rather than waiting until April first. This is beginning to look more and more like a plot to beat up and force 921 owners into trading in their broken 921s for the 622 on April first. What a better way to quickly get all the bad equipment and related bad publicity out of the public domain. I am beginning to feel very manipulated.


I sent them an e-mail suggesting a DVR refund too but I like your idea much better, let me go ahead and sign up for the $99 622 upgrade now as even if we do sign up today it will probably be a month before we actually get the unit anyway! I'm going to send them another note and suggest it!


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

I asked for compensation for the lost guide over a call to Tech Support (see my thread about the 921 tech support phone number). I had to call the regular 800 number. They said the fix was on it's way (i.e. no comp until we try our fix). Guess what the fix came and went in one evening! I got a 9-day guide and a stuck aspect ratio bug. Rebooted to fix the aspect ratio and BAM! back to the 2-day guide.


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

David_Levin said:


> I've written 3 letters to ceo since this problem started and not gotten one response.
> 
> Since I have AEP I didn't ask for a PVR fee rebate. I basically said that if they can't fix the box we sould be offered the 622 upgrade NOW.
> 
> ...


I recently got a phone call from Dish. A representative told me that he was responding personally to my emails that I have sent regarding the EPG. I was told that L273 has a bug which is more like a timed released virus that and that Dish is aggressively working of correcting the EPG problem. According to the spokesperson it should only be a matter of days for the software fix. Others have reported that a fix isn't coming until June. Whatever the case, the broken EPG is unacceptable and has occurred suspiciously, before the 622 - 921/942 swap promotion. I think that if this fix isn't coming until June, the 921 should be swapped with a ViP622 with an apology from Dish and most importantly with no cost for the exchange. This is a good business decision that Dish can make and it will foster better relations with their customers. About Eldon, this isn't a bash but it is my opinion. I hope that all future software is from other than Eldon as I have little if any confidence in their ability to provide software that will make the 921 operate properly. My gut feeling from the phone conversation was that the 921 software has been sabotaged.


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## russ9 (Jan 28, 2004)

I wrote a letter this morning, and got a very quick response saying they would credit the DVR fee until the problem is solved.


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## bpauld (May 8, 2004)

I did the same thing last week. Got a email offering the credit which I accepted.


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## TonyB (Jul 5, 2004)

I just checked. Have the same problem - about a 30 hour program guide, not 9 days. I just sent the ceo an email asking for credit - will see how it goes.


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

According to Tech Portal the 921 is supposed to receive L274 tomorrow. Hopefully it will have a fix for the EPG.


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## debpasc (Oct 20, 2005)

E-mailed Customer Service via Dish Site last week asking for all my DVR fees back (I bought the 921 in Sept 2005) and a free upgrade to 622 since my 921 hasn't worked right since the beginning (software not hardware). No response. E-mail to Dish CEO as suggested here. Requested same thing -- all DVR fees back and something more palatable than an opportunity to give owned equipment up in order to lease and pay $99 besides. I got my answer today -- a form e-mail response that said the guide problem was known, is being worked on and should be fixed in a couple weeks. No mention of any rebate or other help for me as one of those customers that is doing all the things they hoped a customer would do -- movie packages, HD programming, subscribe to the monthly paper Guide, on Auto Pay.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

None of my e-mails to [email protected] Dishnetwork.com were answered.

I feel like I'm on their blacklist


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## kmcnamara (Jan 30, 2004)

They do seem to be selective on what they answer. I sent an email which was answered within 24 hours. I then sent a reply which has gone unanswered for well over a week now.


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## debpasc (Oct 20, 2005)

Finally got an answer to my customer service e-mail, they agreed to refund 2 months of DVR fees but no better deal on the 622 upgrade.


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## motrac (Jan 5, 2003)

boylehome said:


> According to Tech Portal the 921 is supposed to receive L274 tomorrow. Hopefully it will have a fix for the EPG.


Now that people are asking for credits you better believe 274 will fix the epg!


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