Sky Angel customers - beware

If you take Sky Angel programming, and dont take Top50 or Dish Latino, but take some other sort of programming from Dish like Bloomberg, or PBS and drop or downgrade the Dish programming, expect to be hassled by the Dish CSRs that you'll be charged not only the downgrade fee, but the $5 Access Fee.

Everytime I call Dish and somebody reviews my account, they are always on alert to put the $5 monthly access fee, even though Sky Angel customers arent supposed to have a $5 Access Fee on their account.

I subscribe to Dominion FamilyLand. I have to keep on telling the Dish CSR until I get one that understands that accounts with Dominion shouldnt have the $5 fee on it. I usually get one after 3-4 calls.

I recently downgraded programming from $54 a month down to $30 or so worth of programming & additional receivers, and not only that but the CSR I speak with wont give me my new balance for the next month. She says you have to pay the $54 even though its for next month and my programming is less than that. She says they'll credit the amount. Its always good to find another CSR.

If a CSR will not work with you, immediately call back and get a different one. I had to do this last week in regards to a cell phone account. Its a long story and the details don't matter, but suffice it to say that the first CSR I spoke to was not helpful. The second CSR I spoke with understood my problem and immediately suggested we solve the problem by doing exactly what I had just requested from the first CSR, who said it was not possible. I have my own suspicion that the first CSR did not know how to do what I had requested. Two other possibilities: I tried harder to keep my cool the second time, although the second CSR did not antagonize me as the first one did. The second possibility is that the first CSR had noted on my account that I had hung up a very unhappy customer. I have had this happen often enough that I suspect this can be part of why things can often work more smoothly the second time around. BTW, my secretary spent a number of years as a CSR, and she gave me a few hints before I called the second time, including the fact that many companies will note on your account that you were unhappy.

Well it was interesting for sure. I called to drop Starz! and Superstations. I already have cable here and have it to 4 TV sets, so dont need Top50 or Top100.

But when I dropped Starz! and Superstations, she said there'll be a $5 downgrade fee. I said Ok.

Then she said there'd be a $5 Access Fee for not taking basic programming. I argued that I had Sky Angel programming and the last 4 and more months I havent been charged a $5 Fee even though I take alacarte programming without basic programming. She said it was a computer error, and wasnt unwilling with talk with me about the $5 fee anymore. then I asked, whats my current balance for next month. She said $54. I said thats before I downgraded services. She said you have to pay $54. The computer will credit the new amount.

I said OK Bye. Very dissapointed. Then I checked my EPG, starz and supers gone...ok, and FAMILYLAND was dropped from my account!!!! :mad:

But surprisingly I got some PI channels turned on. I got EE, Free Speach TV, and 2 other ones, I forget.

I used to have these PI channels before and I know some people that get these PI channels without Top50.
It seems there are 2 authorization codes for the $5 Access Fee, and one authorization code turns on a few PI channels, the other nothing.

I called again, got another CSR and he gave me my new balance, only $34. I subscribe to international programming from Dish at 61.5 BTW.

But he also was unwilling to drop the $5 Access fee saying I didnt have basic programming, even though I argued again with him telling that Sky Angel rep specificaly told me there was no $5 Access Fee when ordering additional Dish programming. I told him I prepaid a year for Sky Angel on this intent, and was it was deceptive of Dish for telling me there is no $5 fee with Sky Angel but now there is.

Regarding FamilyLand After 10 minutes screaming with this guy that FamilyLand was taken off, I got FamilyLand back on. He said the previous CSR never took off Familyand from my account, and to call Sky Angel. I told him, "what you think its mere coincidence that familyLand gets turned off same time as the lady took off Supers?" This guy was only marginally better from the first CSR I had.


I happen to like FamilyLand and I get mail from them lately including mail from SkyAngel like their last newsletter they just sent. FamilyLand is urging us to call our cable providers and ask them to carry FamilyLand.

How about being at no additional charge in Dish and DirecTV's basic packages one day?

Right now I have FamilyLand turned on with Free SpeechTV without Top50. But I do have to pay the $5 Access Fee.

My year of Family Land expires sometime next year in Spring. By then, I have no choice and have to take basic programming (Top50), pay the $5 Fee, or pay for the full Sky Angel package since its no longer sold alacarte.

But I still have until March or so, and shouldnt have to pay the $5 fee if Sky Angel customers arent supposed to be charged this fee. Atleast I am getting a few PI channels turned back on.

They said no $5 fee with Sky Angel, but said since I'm taking additional programming from Dish Network I'm subject to their rules.

If I was only taking FL, I wouldnt be charged a $5 fee or otherwise SA* could look into my account but she said since I have additional Dish programming, I am stuck with it. Oh well....