The Dish Network User's Resource
The Dish Network User's Resource
(Mostly) unedited partial alt.dbs.echostar post by BCDowell. Stop back later for the final page.
Lastly, a reminder to everyone that considers dealing with folks they've barely met (especially through the internet):
Always make payments via traceable methods. Pay by check if possible so you can tell when the payment clears. If not by check, then use Money Order, or use PayPal (a great service!, at http://www.paypal.com). PayPal is nice since it's traceable, you get free money for signing up, and it works with credit cards or checking accounts.
Next, if you send payments, or merchandise, then ship via traceable methods. Use Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation, or use Certified Mail, or ship via UPS or FedEx. Something that you can check on the web or via other methods. It eliminates problems later when someone says they didn't get something.
A reminder for folks thinking about buying used receivers:
Be very careful, whether buying from me, Seth, JBuff, Elecconnect, Roger, Tom, Dick, Harry, Bill, Hillary, Dubya, or Al. Just being a frequent newsgroup contributor doesn't make anyone a paragon of virtue.
Used receivers should be obtained from very reliable sources. If you buy a receiver that has purchases on the smart card, or from an account that had an open and/or unpaid balance, you may not be able to activate the receiver without paying the past due amounts. If you have doubts about a particular unit you're considering for purchase, get the receiver ID and smartcard ID. Contact Dish to see if the receiver is encumbered by unpaid bills. If there is no smartcard, be advised that Dish will charge about $50 for a replacement in addition to any charges on record for that receiver. Be suspicious of any Dish Network product offered without a smartcard. Unlike DirecTV, Dish does not require purchasers of used equipment to purchase a new smartcard.
In order to activate a used receiver, the previous customer must have contacted Dish and told them to “release” the receiver for resale. If you don't know who the previous owner of the receiver is, you may find it impossible to activate. Dish Network can also tell you if the receiver is “unreleased”. Contact them at 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
Most of the list of names above (Seth, JBuff, Elecconnect, etc.), are very reliable, and will never rip you off, but you never know. We've all seen horror stories (one again very recently) about people that thought they had gotten a good deal from a garage/yard sale and then found out later that there was some obscene amount owed on the receiver/account that makes the item an expensive paper weight. In retrospect, this person thought he'd made a killing for a mere $20, but in fact could have purchased a new system for less than it would have taken to activate his bargain receiver.
Just be careful, and do research before buying used Dish equipment at yard sales, flea markets, and especially over the internet.
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