Use iMessage to Chat With a Dish Customer Service Rep

Happen to be a Dish customer? The next time you have an issue with your service, you can contact the company for help via iMessage.

Dish is the first pay-TV provider to adopt Apple Business Chat, a feature Cupertino introduced in March as part of iOS 11.3 that lets you communicate with companies via the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad.

"TV should be simple, so we've made reaching our live customer service representatives as easy as sending a text," Dish COO John Swieringa said in a statement. "Adding messaging with Apple Business Chat is a powerful way to connect with us, giving another choice so you can pick what fits with your life."

You can use this feature to ask questions about your service, make account changes, schedule an appointment, or order a pay-per-view movie or sporting event, Dish said.

To try it out, search for Dish via Maps, Safari, Search, or Siri on your Apple device, and tap the Messages icon next to the search result. In the future, you'll also be able to open a chat from the contact page of the MyDish app.

"We're here on your time, so send us a message as you head out to work and check back later," Swieringa added. "We know you're juggling ten things, so we'll keep the thread open for you."

A number of other companies support Apple Business Chat, including Newegg, Lowe's, The Home Depot, Hilton, Marriott, Discover, Wells Fargo, TD Ameritrade, and 1-800-Flowers.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read the latest from Angela Moscaritolo

Read full bio