Our home was a total loss in Tea Fire. Santa Barbara has lost over 300 homes in the Tea Fire and Jesusita Fire. If you were using a converter box provided by Dish Network like we were, you are required to pay $600 per converter back to Dish Network for the non returnable dish boxes which burned in the fire. On 11/13/2008 we lost EVERYTHING in the Tea Fire at our home on Las Alturas. Dish Network is requiring we pay $600 per converter box that we are unable to return. As I evacuated from my home in less than 30 minutes I was not able to take many personal items with me. It was dark and we had no power. Dish Network assumes that your personal property insurance will reimburse you for these converters. But what about the under insured who do not have enough to rebuild or replace what was lost. Every other service provider in Santa Barbara was compassionate and did not require payment of current bills or equipment. Only Dish Network is requiring this payment. Haven't we lost enough? Dish Network is being so insensitive. We paid on time for their service for over 5 years. One would think that Dish Network would forgive this charge but that is not being considered. This is an outrage!
Dish Network requiring payment
by pennykay (Subscribe)
Posted on: May 26, 2009 at 11:36 AM PST
Channel: Local News
Location: Santa Barbara, California

You couldn't afford insurance? It was your choice to live in a fire prone area. If I ran a business and you had something of mine worth $600, you expect me to cover for you? It's not my fault that you didn't have enough insurance.

That's why I am with DirecTV and have been for over 15 years. They carry insurance that I pay for and it covers stuff like this. Let the buyer beware.

Send a concisely worded email stating your case to ceo@echostar.com to request relief. BTW, both Dish and DIRECTV offer protection plans for a monthly fee, each of which exclude fire, so no help there. HTH.

If you didn't renew your contract (3 yrs.) and now are on month to month, the equipment is yours. I was having trouble with my receiver and when I asked for a replacement I was told my contract was up and the equipment belonged to me. I would owe $0.

Jordan says ...
On Tuesday, May 26 at 12:12 PM
Wow, that is awful! Its not enough that you have to suffer with all of the other payments and now a stupid issue like this and Dish Network has a selfish heart to do such a thing; especially something that is out of your control.