They have now missed their third appointment and I have been without any Dish service for 18 days.

New question; has anyone had any experience with terminating a Dish contract?

I like DISH. I dislike their service. I had a problem 6 years ago when their "professional" installer user 3/4" lag bolts to secure it to my roof. So the top two pulled out of the shingles that they were bolted to (imagine) and the dish would tip in the wind. Dish on, Dish off, Dish on, Dish off. Result: Me on roof with 3" lag bolts. No problem since.

I required their service again this spring when I ripped the second floor off and put an addition on. Demo crew removed the DISH and set it aside for later re-installation. After addition was completed and weather tight, I wanted DISH to come out and remount on the new roof and aim the dish. They said $100, I said great. They came a few days later and the guy was a jerk. I explained I just wanted it mounted and aimed. He told me he had to drill holes in walls to run the cable, etc. I said I would do it so that it would be done neatly under the new siding. He refused. He wanted to run cable to a bunch of different rooms, etc. I smell an up-charge. I threw him off my property.

I picked up the yellow pages and looked under satellite. I started down the list calling and explaining what I wanted done. Fourth call was to an independent installer. He said it would be no problem, and,...get this... he would have someone out within the hour! Sure enough, a little pick-up with a cap pulls up about an hour later. Nice guy, Neat work, knowledglable, did what I asked.... all for $100. Took him about 10 or 15 minutes. I was happy to pay him.

If you live in central NJ, I can get you their number. For what it's worth, I much prefer DISH's actual service (the picture, not the guy in the truck) over our local cable provider. This whole arrangement may soon change once Verizon FIOS is available here. They've been installing fiber underground all over around here the last month or so.....

Thanks, dopeonplastic, our closest independent installer in the yellow pages is about 90 miles away but perhaps I can find one via some other route, CC or Google or something.

I didn't even know there were independent satellite people so your information may be quite useful.

Thanks again, the chap who owns the local Radio Shack had a local "commercial installer" come by and fix it, for free.

Dish's initial installation was flawed, they had used Charters "ground box".

When I started this thread I could get no Dish support.

Now - I get this message to the affect "We will be there on Saturday" - I have had NO need for dish support since July '07.