Dish Techs Now to Fix iPhones

When Dish technicians aren't busy installing satellite TV services in people's homes, they'll be making house calls to replace iPhone batteries and broken screens.

The new program represents Dish's latest effort to diversify its business as it faces a decline in TV subscribers - currently at 13.9 million, down 1 percent from a year ago. Technicians are also being trained to set up Wi-Fi networks and smart-home systems.

Dish will charge $75 for a battery replacement and $135 to $185 for a screen repair, depending on the iPhone model. Multiple repairs on the same visit are cheaper because the first one includes a $35 charge for visiting the home or office. Dish plans to extend the service to Android phones later.

Buyers beware: As with many other third-party repairs, Dish's program isn't authorized by Apple and will likely void any warranties.