Yelling at my phone
As I am typing today’s edition of “The Satellite Dish” I have my phone to my ear and I am listening to Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen talking about his last quarter earnings. As I am listening I can’t imagine that I am the only one person who follows the industry closely yelling "WHAT" in the phone as Charlie Ergen was speaking.
As I expected today’s earnings report came out and it wasn’t all good news for Dish Network. For the first time ever Dish Network lost subscribers. I couldn’t believe that Charlie actually got on the line on the earnings confrence call and blamed the loss on the economy and people hacking the Dish Network service.
I don’t know about you but that just makes my head spin.
Looking at all the other provider’s numbers no one has a loss of subscribers except for Dish Network. Charlie’s logic here does not make sense to me. Why is Charlie now blaming hacking on the subscriber loss when Dish Network’s signal has been compromised for at past 7 years. If the economy is so bad I don’t see people just running out spending the money on special equipment and hacking Dish Network. Sorry Charlie I just don’t buy it.
Lets face it, Dish had a horrible quarter in the press, they had the loss of AMC14 which was played by many in the press as a major loss for Dish Network. Then Dish was in the news with more negative news over the Tivo patient case. And finally the other bad press for Dish was the overnight loss of 15 VOOM HD channels this news not only kept people from subscribing to Dish, but also cost Dish a number of it’s loyal customers.
Charlie talked about Tivo and was optimistic that the courts would rule in his favor against Tivo on September 4th. He admitted so far Tivo has been winning the game, but he also admitted he was stubborn and wanted to prove that his new software was not infringing on any of Tivo patents. For me it was refreshing to hear Charlie say that he is looking to work with Tivo, I have been saying for a long time that it made sense for them to work together. Perhaps Charlie does indeed read “The Satellite Dish.”
For other parts of the call Charlie was repeating what he has said on many conference calls in the past, that customer service could be improved and that that he wasn’t doing as good of a job as CEO as he should be. Charlie could just make a recording and play those comments on each call as he always seems to say the same thing.
But no matter how bad things were in the second quarter, things may not be look that bad for the future of Dish Network, on the call Charlie mentioned that the new satellite was up (Echostar 11) and that there would be further HD expansion then and plus another satellite is still slated to launch in Q4 which will also help Dish offer more HD to its customers.
And while some of what Charlie said on todays earnings call had me yelling into my phone, I must admit I have been impressed so far with Dish Networks marketing of it’s new “TurboHD” all HD programming service.
These new ads are hitting just when people are thinking about watching TV again as summer quickly comes to a close. There wasn’t a newspaper or TV show I watched this weekend that did not have an advertisement for their new TurboHD service. From where I sit there is no better value for the money for HD fans then with the new TurboHD offerings.
Here is to looking up for the 3rd quarter.
Cell phone jammer commented:
Cool post as for me. It would be great to read more concerning that theme. The only thing I would like to see on that blog is a photo of any gizmo.
Rick in TX commented:
So, it’s not surprising the Dish is losing customers if they treat everyone the way they treated me. Fundamentally, I think they are shady, corrupt company and need to look inward first for problems they are having.
Rick in TX (part 6) commented:
Now, in Aug 2008, I tried to get TurboHD and was told I wasn't eligible since I was not a good customer before (which, I guess, is one that enjoys being ripped off)
Rick in TX (part 5) commented:
Well, the next statement did not have a credit, and I was irate. I called Dish again to cancel my service. I had had enough of being told to wait for another statement before my bill was reduced by $20 a month, when I could get other comparable service for much cheaper without any rebate runaround. They then started telling me I didn't get the $20 off b/c I never bothered to submit the rebate form.
Rick in TX (part 4) commented:
I offered to resend copies of my rebate form and the first statement, but she said it wasnt necessary and the rebate just takes a while to show up. When I called Dish again in October 2007 after still not getting the rebate applied, the CSR apologized and said a credit would show up on the next statement.
Rick in TX (part 3) commented:
the next billing cycle. They also gave me a toll-free number to call to check on the rebate status. The first time I called, it notified me that the form was received and being processed. Later when I called, the toll-free number had a message to call another toll free number and that one did not recognize my account number for the current promotion. I called Dish and asked what was going on with the rebate, and the CSR told me that there shouldn't be a problem.
Rick in TX (part 2) commented:
Well, Dish was auto-charging the credit card I used for the activation fee and never applied the $20 rebate. I was calling CS every month and was told the rebate should show up "
Rick in TX (part 1) commented:
I signed up for dish in late June 2007 based on a $200 rebate promotion ($10 for HD and $10 for America's top package - each month for 10 months). I had to dig around on their website for the rebate form and had to call about getting a billing statement to send in with the form (they put me on paperless statements and auto billing even though I requested paper statements and refused auto-pay - I also didn't do the 18 month commit).
Tim Grimm commented:
I left Dish for DIRECTV because they axed VOOM without even bothering to ask their customers for their thoughts on the matter. And it was their only differentiator in the market. They’ll likely never get MLB Extra Innings or NFL Sunday Ticket so once the HD leapfrogging settles down their programming will always be like DIRECTV’s, only less than. Better DVR? Somewhat, but at the end of the day it’s about content.
BobMurdoch commented:
upgrade that breaks the FF/REW functions and degrades HD LIL recordings with macroblocking and other playback issues. 3. VOD - Where's the free content that Comcast and DirecTv offer? Use my fast Ethernet connection and get me the content that my $150 a month should already get me without hitting me up for $5 more a download...
BobMurdoch commented:
E* is losing because of the following,
1. every piece of moderately good news is immediately followed by bad news. They add new channels in the spring, then they kill Voom within hours. They successfully launch a new satellite, which is immediately linked with their having an older one go dead. They add 15 new HD channels, and then kill GolTV and a handful of LIL stations. It all may add up to a better bottom line, but it is annoying the bejeezus out of even the hardcore faithful.
2. They've got the best DVR, but then they screw it up by downloading a software "
MLBurks commented:
I left Dish Network because they refused to carry the MLB Extra Innings package which also locks them out of carrying the MLB Network.
John commented:
Dish Network's problem isn't with its offerings, it's with its customer service! Out sourced calls to unintelligible CSRs, looooooooooooooooong wait times on any type of service calls, incompetant installers and "technicians" who will eventually show up after the second or third missed appointment, and promotions so complicated even the executive teams that came up with them have trouble explaining them!
Dish needs to go back to the KISS method.
TurboHD commented:
I just wish Turbo HD was available to existing customers. Maybe existing subs would like these All HD packages.
nomoredishfan commented:
gee, I wonder why dish is losing people. could it be that they're making people whose service has gone dead SIX DAYS before someone could take a look at the problem? my service went out yesterday. they said the earliest someone could come out is friday. I told them if I don't have my service restored by tuesday evening I'm jumping ship. after 10 years it seems I'm no longer important to them....
