DISH network looking into authentication or login issues affecting users (2023)

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on December 7, 2021) follows:

There are many pay-TV providers available on the market. One of the most important is DISH Network, the first largest provider in the United States.

The company has more than 8 million clients. Therefore, a failure in their platform can be massive.

Having said the above, many DISH network customers are reporting authentication or login issues that do not allow them to fully enjoy the service for which they have paid (1, 2, 3).

According to multiple reports, many users of DISH network services are facing issues during the authentication or login process to the company’s platform.

When users affected by the problem try to access the DISH network system, all they get is a ‘System is currently unavailable’ error message.

@dish
why is your network always down? Trying to watch MNF on ESPN but in classic fashion all I’m getting is “system is currently unavailable”. Same on your website Cara sin expresión. I should be expecting a day credit on the bill then, yeah?
Source

Notably, this issue has been affecting DISH network users for much longer than expected. For example, there are users who report not being able to access the DISH network services for 10 days.

@dish_answers
who is your auth provider? This is the third time in roughly 10 days where I can’t access services due to auth issues. Need to get this worked out and more reliable else I’ll have to look for another service provider. And yes, I’ll try logging in again later.
Source

Meanwhile, in other more serious cases, reports indicate that there are users who have suffered from the aforementioned problem for weeks. Therefore, the situation is even more frustrating for them.

DISH network support team responded to some of the reports confirming that the company is already aware of the problem that many of its users are suffering.

Hello, we understand your frustration. Our engineers are aware of these reports and working to get the login issues resolves as soon as possible.
Source

Although it is confirmed that the DISH network engineers are already working to try to resolve the login issues, there is no mention of how long this may take to complete.

Finally, for the moment, users of the service can only wait for new related developments to emerge. When that happens, we will update this article, so stay tuned.

09:57 am (IST): Some users are facing an issue where they are unable to login to ESPN using DISH credentials (1, 2).

11:30 am (IST): DISH users are still unable to access ESPN using their usual credentials (1, 2, 3). DISH team claims that they are working on solving it, but there is no ETA for a fix yet.

11:25 pm (IST): Some users are reporting (1, 2) that they are facing issues when trying to pay their pending bills. Moreover, Downdetector also suggest that there is some issue with the service.

Fortunately, the support team has acknowledged the ongoing issues and said that they are working to resolve it.

Hello Jim, we are currently experiencing issues with processing payments and making account updates for some customers. If you are affected, you will not lose your service while we’re resolving this issue. Thanks for being a valued DISH customer. – Vivi U. (Source)

06:00 pm (IST): DISH network platform issues are also affecting related services, like Boost Mobile, the company acquired by DISH some time ago.

Boost Mobile carrier users report that they have been days with no Cellular connectivity and also unable to activate new SIMs. More on that here.

09:17 am (IST): DISH Network has now confirmed that the recent outage was due to a cybersecurity breach that affected both internal systems and customers. More on that here.

09:09 am (IST): While DISH Network is working to fix this issue, they’ve suggested a workaround that can help you in the meantime.

We’re working to restore this as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can always use your in-home equipment (Hopper, VIP etc.). If you are not in the home, there is some content available on DISH Anywhere without logging in. -Frank G (Source)

09:25 am (IST): DISH Network support says they still don’t have an ETA for a fix. So affected users may have to wait indefinitely for the issue to be resolved.

Unfortunately, we do not have an estimate, but our teams are working around the clock to restore affected systems as quickly as possible. We are making steady progress. (Source)

01:05 pm (IST): It hasn’t been long that DISH network and Boost Mobile merged, so they currently work under the same platform. This is why the outage is also affecting the carrier.

That said, in our Boost Mobile-related coverage you can see how some users are complaining that the carrier support team has tried to hide the recent data-breach (check ‘Update 3’ in this story).

Now, a DISH network customer asked the company support team on Twitter about the data-breach, and the response was an invitation to talk via MD.

Hello Heriberto. I understand your concerns. Can you please send us a DM? -Priscilla D.
Source

So, it seems that the DISH support team is also not allowed to publicly mention the data breach.

11:37 am (IST): Due to DISH network outage in progress, there are some users who are unable to log into their HBO Max accounts (1, 2, 3).

05:40 pm (IST): To know the DISH network outage status and fill a form to make payments for the DISH TV service, users can access this link.

05:05 pm (IST): The company is yet to provide any follow-up on its statement on this matter. They last updated their page on February 27.

05:37 pm (IST): DISH has updated its Frequently Asked Questions section related to the outage with additional information. You can check it out here.

10:14 am (IST): DISH support recently said they are striving to strengthen their customer support to respond to users’ inquiries due to the significant systems outage.

Hi! We continue to increase our call center capacity and social media response capabilities – we have more agents helping customers every day. We are working to restore all of our customer experiences, but it will take a little time before things are fully restored. -Kevin J.
Source

05:23 pm (IST): The reason behind the data breach at the DISH network could have been Black Basta ransomware. It is linked to the Russian cybercrime group ‘FIN7’.

And since it is ransomware, it’s taking too long for the service to recover as these kinds of attacks not only steal the data but also block it from the affected servers until the affected party and attacker reach an economic agreement.

11:33 am (IST): Some angry users want to report Dish Network directly with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) (1, 2, 3), and even start a lawsuit.

05:05 pm (IST): Recent reports indicate that the company is charging a ‘late fee’ to users who were unable to pay their pending bills on time due to outage (1, 2).

02:12 pm (IST): DISH support now say that subscribers will receive a bill on paper in March. It will show details including a 16-digit account number, amount, and due date.

Moreover, they can pay their bills using the 16-digit number by heading here.

DISH customers will be sent a paper bill in March. This bill will show your 16-digit account number, amount due and payment due date. This information can be used to pay your bill using a secure link. (Source)

Featured Image: DISH on Twitter

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