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Dish Network The Dish Network Beware they are unethical and will cheat you out of your hard earned cash Englewood, Colorado
If I see that TV commercial with the Dish Network's Founder showing a 30 yr old picture of him delivering his first satelite dish on a motorcycle, I will lose my mind. During the ad he says the photo is embarrassing, but what he should be embarrassed by is his companies business ethics and terrible customer service. If you have ever signed an agreement with this cable TV provider, you probably know what I am talking about. After 6 months they slip in a little noticed monthly charge (Labeled innocently and discretely as "service charge"). Sounds official enough, but it is an optional equipment insurance plan that costs $6.00 per month. Has anyone ever needed a cable box insurance plan (better yet, the plan has a $15 deductable). They are very cunning to wait 6 months before beginning this fee, because most subscribers check their first couple of bills for accuracy and then never look again (they know this). Even if you catch them, they only offer to remove it from future bills, pro-rated from the day you catch it. I caught it after 3 months and asked for the whole $18 back, the customer service rep refused and told me I should have read the fine print of my contract (just what great companies say?). I only caught this bogus charge because I called to see why my rate plan (200 channel "Silver") went up in price $2 per month mid-contract. Again the extremely wise and all-knowing customer care expert reminded me that it was my responsibility to read the fine print of the contract before signing it. I am looking at a copy of the service agreement now and the multi page document is printed so small (they call it fine), it is giving me a headache. I do not remember the sales rep asking me to step over to a reading section of the store to review this contract. They would not get many new customers, because it just took me 30 minutes to skim this thing at home. I didn't see a single word about Dish Network having the right to raise my package rate during my contracted 24 months. If a cell phone company raised your per minute rate without notifying you, wouldn't you be pissed? I guess companies like Dish Network, who are morally bankrup, know that they can steel a little at a time and we will just take it. Lets look at what steeling a little at a time meens to Dish Network. I caught a $6 fake service charge and a $2 channel package increase per month. Yahoo Business says Dish has 14.3 million customers (8/9/10). That equals $114.4 million dollars in monthly revenue based on deceptive and unethical practices (steeling from their own customers). That is a lot of money. I bet the founder got rid of his 30 year old 3 wheeled motorcycle and got a car! One last note, I am 42 years old and have had cable TV for 36 of those years. I do not remember my Time Warner Cable ever going out in the rain. Our Dish Network service goes out nearly ever time it rains. Please learn from my mistakes and refuse to do business with companies like Dish Network.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
DanB@Dish Network
Englewood,Colorado,
USA
Hello! My name is Dan Busa with DISH Network' s customer service
#5UPDATE Employee
Sat, January 08, 2011
Hello! My name is Dan Busa with DISH Network' s customer service. There are a few items I would like to offer clarification on. Your service plan is an extended warranty offerred free for the first six months, this is just an additional sign up bonus you can opt out of uponsign up. With this plan if you need an installer out, the price is discounted to $15. If you need a new receiver or remote shipped out we do not charge. In February of last year, we did increase the package price on a few packages by $2, however, last yearwe also restructured our previous fees and charges; some customers saw their rate decrease. The contract or residential service agreement has no real fine print you can view this under this link: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/legal/DHA_Agreement.pdf As far as the signal goes if it goes out in a lightstorm you probably need to get a realignment on your satellite, to raise your signal strength.
Hello! My name is Dan Busa with DISH Network customer service. There are a few items I would like to offer clarification on. Your service plan is an extended warranty offerred free for the first six months, this is just an additional sign up bonus you can opt out of uponsign up. With this plan if you need an installer out, the price is discounted to $15. If you need a new receiver or remote shipped out we do not charge. In February of last year, we did increase the package price on a few packages by $2, however, last yearwe also restructured our previous fees and charges; some customers saw their rate decrease. The contract or residential service agreement has no real fine print you can view this under this link: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/legal/DHA_Agreement.pdf As far as the signal goes if it goes out in a lightstorm you probably need to get a realignment on your satellite, to raise your signal strength.
Been there
Greensboro,North Carolina,
United States of America
Next fully understand what you sign Beofre you sign it
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, August 13, 2010
All the info is on the website for the company, and on the brochures they give out..
Next time read.. Its not the companies fault that you do not understand fully what you are signing up for BEFORE you sign..
Inspector
Tobyhanna,Pennsylvania,
USA
30 years ago there was no DISH network
#5Consumer Comment
Wed, August 11, 2010
I saw that commercial also and laugh everytime. Back then the satellite systems were C-Band and the collector (dish) was large. The channels were free except for premimum services such as HBO or Showtime.
So you are forced into buying insurance for 6 months? Like I said in other posts, these satellite companies like DISH and the other guy have become monsters. They rely on captive audiencies such as the last poster.
If you live in a secluded area full of wildlife, why then do you need TV?
Leann
Springfield,Illinois,
U.S.A.
That's unfortunate
#5Consumer Suggestion
Wed, August 11, 2010
I just had Dish Network install a dish at my vacation/second home last month. We were told upon his completion of the installation that there would be a $6.00 per month charge for insurance. If we didn't want it after 6 months, we could call and cancel. Granted we are only a month into our service but I feel bad for you that you didn't have a tech that took the time to explain the contract for you. I will admit (after getting out my service agreement and re-reading it) that mine does not talk about the $6.00 charge either. I don't know about your situation but our second home is in a very wooded, secluded area with lots of wildlife. It would be silly for us not to purchase the insurance since any number of animals could do whatever damamge at any given time. I would call Dish and cancel the insurance ASAP if you have not already done so. I hope you can get it worked out.