Report: #46187

Complaint Review: Dish Network - Nationwide

1 Updates & Rebuttals

Reported By:

- Central, South Carolina,

Submitted:

Updated:

Author Not Confirmed

Why?

Dish Network

Dept 0063, Palatine, IL Nationwide, U.S.A.

Phone:

800-333-3474

Web:

N/A

Categories:

Satellite Companies

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Dish Network ripoff Palatime IL

*UPDATE Employee: Dealer Response

To whom it may concern:

Please help me to resolve an issue with dish network.

(PHONE: 1-800-333-3474(DISH))

I subscribed the satellite Di$h.

The promotional contract is that I have to subscribe it for one year. Somehow I have to move to a new place. This new apt does not allow me to install Dish.

I already knew this before moving into a new place.

One easy way is just pay for one year even though I am not

using DI$H anymore. My contract ends on July 3rd.

I moved to a new place in early January, 2003.

So, if I pay until that time, then it will cost all-told (130.00 dollars).

I phoned DI$H for this issue.

I called dishnetwork.com

I think it was on Jan. 5 mid nigtht (possible Jan 6).

The service operator (id#: 8N4) suggested three options

(1) Pay until the end of my contract --> roughly

130dollars

(2) Purchase buy-out option --> 120 dollars.

(3) Pay penalty --> 240 dollars.

I selected option (2).

The difference between (1) and (2) is only $10.

Anyway I can save some money. I decided to take option(2).

Options (1) has merit. I can move my dish to any place.

So if I move this to one of my friends', then he can watch it. And I am still keeping my contract.

That is what I thought. But after he suggested option (2), I changed my mind because I can save $10.

The operator said, this special offer is only today.

So I decided this in a hurry.

He also said this buy-out option should be pruchased by

credit card since this offer is only today right now.

So I gave my visa credit card number.

At that time, I confirmed this option is not

de-activation. nor cancellation. Because if it is deactivation, I might pay some penalty to the cable box distributor (mydishnow.com phone:914-428-8191, Jodie, e-management)

I remember I also asked "is there no additional penalty if I purchase buy-out option?" He clearly said no more penalty.

I thought I am completely free from this contract.

In Feb, I got a bill from Discover card.

The mydishnow.com charged me 330 dollars on Jan 17, 2003.

I called Jodie at 914-428-8191. She said I broke the contract. I explaind my situation. I purchased buy-out.

I do not break any contract. She was harping on the terms and contracts.

I asked how you did know my account was deactivated.

She said, she got to know from Di$h network.

What is my account status? She said my account is being deactivated.

I said it can not be because I purchased "buy-out".

buy-out and deactivation are different.And she also added "Dish network charged my company,

so we have to charge you 330 dollars."

She referred me to Di$h network.

I called again. Di$h network referred me to that company.

back and forth.....

Please help me resolve this issue.

Chanseok

Central, South Carolina
U.S.A.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Dish Network

1 Updates & Rebuttals

Jeff

Columbus,
Ohio,
U.S.A.

Dealer Response

#2UPDATE Employee

Sun, March 09, 2003

I am a Dish Network dealer in Ohio and Kentucky. While I'm not the dealer that the customer dealt with, I may be able to provide some insight into this situation. It seems to me that Chanseok's problems started when he wasnt able to take the Dish with him to his new apartment. Thats his first mistake right there. Per FCC laws, no property owner can refuse to allow you Dish Network (or any other mini satellite) service on their property. They can, however, refuse to let you attach the dish to their building, in which case you can do a non-permanent installation (in some cases as simple as a bucket filled with concrete and a pole). When you tell the property owner about your plans to do this, and assure them that if allowed, your dish will be professionally installed, they give in 99% of the time and let you attach it to their building. But in all reality, thats neither here nor there. The customer signed a 1 year contract for service, and Dish Networks contracts are pretty ironclad. The same way if you were to get DSL service through your local phone company, you sign a 1 year, if you decide you dont want it, or for some reason, you can no longer use it (i.e. your computer breaks) you are obligated to pay for it, as you recieved a promo value to sign the contract. Another comparison is cellular service. You sign up for a 1 year, and move somewhere out of that carriers service area, you are still obligated to that 1 year, otherwise these contracts would be pointless, as unscrupulous (cellular or dish) customers could just say they are moving if they decide they want out of their contract. The last point that was brought up is that he got charged for the equipment on his credit card by the dealer. Plain and simple, he didnt return his equipment, which unless he paid for it up front, is stated very openly to be "loaned" equipment (similar to a cable box), or it becomes the customer's after completion of the initial contract. The way this works is that even though the end user gets the system for free in most cases, the dealer pays for the equipment from Dish Network. Once the system is sold and activated, Dish cuts a check to the dealer for his commission, plus the price of the equipment. If within a certain period of time (day 3 to day 230) the customer deactivates for any reason, Dish charges that amount (equipment + commissions) back to the retailer, and if the end user still has the equipment, the dealer is left holding the bag for around 2-3 hundred dollars, not to mention whatever he paid the installer, so most dealers have it plain as day in their contracts that if the customer deactivates in the first year, that regardless of what Dish Network charges them, they will also be assessed a charge for the price of the equipment if not promptly returned. I, personally, think that this customer was treated very fairly seeing as he didnt live up to the terms of the contract he signed, was not charged the entire cancellation fee, and didn't return the equipment. Sorry I got a little long-winded here, but I hope I covered all bases.

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