$822.24 for my fist *E bill?

[GordonF]

Why is E* charging me $822.24 for hardware and two months of service?

Let me start by saying as a former V* customer with no access to cable, that I felt that D* or E* were my only two options for programming service. After many hours of research on this forum, I choose E* due to the lower upfront cost, my new customer status and the 10 V* channels.

On 5/13/05 with my newly acquired knowledge, I called E* to place my order. With the exception of being put on hold five different times, everything went exactly as I expected. The following is a list of what I ordered and what I was told the cost would be:

942 receiver $250.00 upgrade cost
811 receiver no charge
2nd Dish $100.00
Activation fee waived with a Club Dish referral
Credit on first bill -$49.99
American Everything Pack with Locals $63.99 for the first 3 months and $86.99 after 3 months
High Definition Package free for the first 6 months and $9.99 after the first 6 months
Voom Package $5.00 per month
Additional receiver fee $5.00 per month
DVR fee waived with the American Everything Pack
DHPP fee free for the first 12 Months (with a 1 year commitment) and $5.99 after 12 months.

The installation took place on 5/27/05 as per my request and everything went well.

Now comes the part I do not understand. I checked my statement online and was very suprised. After many minutes on the phone with someone from E*, I am still very confused.
The lady at E* told me that the two charges for switches were actually credits, but they do not appear as credits.
Perhaps someone can please explain this bill to me.
Why is E* charging me $822.24 for the hardware and two months service.
I would also like to point out that at a different location on there web site, the account balance was reported as $124.02?

It is my belief that my 1st bill should be as follows:
FYI, $250.00 for the 942 receiver and $100.00 for the 2nd dish has already been charged to my credit card.
AEP $63.99 + V* $5.00 + additional receiver $5.00 = $ 73.99.
$73.99 X 2 months service = $147.98.
$147.98 minus the $49.99 credit = $97.99.
$97.99 + tax at 9.75% = $107.54

Here is the information I downloaded from E*s website.

Service date(s) Detailed charges
Previous Balance $0.00
May 13 Credit Card Payment - 350.00
$-350.00
From To Current charges
May 27 - Jul 26 Additional Receiver 10.00
Digital Home Advantage -America's Everything 173.98
Pak/local
A180 To A60 Discount - 42.00
DISH Home Protection 11.98
DISH Network HD Package 19.98
Voom Original 10.00
May 27
Superdish Upgrade Kit 0.00
2ND DISH Installation 100.00
DISH Hardware 0.00
Lease Equipment Upgrade 250.00
DISHPro Quad 0.00
DISHPro 34 Switch 119.00
Installation 0.00
DISH PRO Switch 199.00
State/Local Tax (Sales/Gross Receipts) 76.25
$928.19
Adjustments
May 26 HD Promotion - Adjustment - 19.98
DHA Credit – Adjustment - 49.99
Dhpp Credit 2 Months - Adjustment - 11.98
Program Credits 1&2 of 3 - Adjustment - 24.00
$-105.95
Total due by Jun 16, 2005 $472.24

 

[GaryPen]

First, are any of your local stations located at 61.5 satellite location? If so, the 2nd dish should be FREE. (You can check on the Dish Locals web page. Enter your address, and it'll give a list of local stations. If any of them have an asterisk saying you need a 2nd Dish...BINGO.)
Second, all necessary HW should be FREE. (Main dish, switches, etc.)
Your first bill should be for 2 months service (AEP, HD, Voom) minus promo credits; Activation minus promo credit; model 942 upgrade fee; MAYBE a 2nd dish fee; and that's about it.
That $124 balance sounds more like it.

 

[GordonF]

Thanks for your reply.

My local channels are not on the 61.5 sat. I fully expected to pay the $100.00 price for the 2nd dish. What I do not understand is the $119.00 charge for a "Dishpro 34 switch" and the $199.00 charge for the "DISH PRO Switch". As far as I know there was only one switch installed in my setup and that was the Dpp44 switch. According to what I read in the Retailer chat, Charlie said that this switch was free only to former voom customers as part of the Voom promo. I am a former Voom customer. In any event there was never any mention of additional charges for the 2nd dish, other than the before mentined $100.00. I have been lurking on this forum for some time and have never heard of anyone being asked to pay such an outrages charge. It is my hope that this is all some type of mistake and that I will be charged the price I was quoted on the day of purchase.

 

[GaryPen]

You can call CS a few more times, and see what they say. One thing you will learn about Dish Network, is that every time you call with the same question, you will get a different answer. It's what long time subscribers refer to as CSR roulette.

 

[nsafreak]

That just doesn't look right in terms of equipment costs. Did they install both a DPP44 and a DP34? I can see charging for one switch or the other but I can't even think of a reason that they'd need to have both switches on your install. Might also be a good idea to email ceo@dishnetwork.com for some clarification on your bill because it just doesn't look right to me.

EDIT: Come to think of it I always thought the $100 cost for the second dish for new customers included all necessary switches. I might be wrong so you want to confirm that but if correct that would knock about $320 off your bill.

 

[joshschuler]

From what I've seen, they charge you everything up front, BUT you get credit's on your bill. Your cost may have been $822.24, but you may receive credits of $698.22, giving you a first bill of $124.02 (that you saw somewhere else on the sight). What's the credit's are, and what the cost is, I don't have a clue.

 

[GordonF]

There was indeed only one switch used in my installation and cost was supposed to be included with the price of the 2nd dish install.

If the $124.02 charge is the amount placed on my credit card, then I guess I can live with that. The scary part is that on the same page which reports the account balance as $124.02 there is a link for more detail. When I go to that link I am told that the "Total due by Jun 16, 2005" is $472.24. When you consider that I have already paid $350.00 for the 2nd dish and the 942 upgrade, then this becomes a very expensive proposition. I was hoping that others could shine some light as to why the two switch charges show as additional charges and not as uncharged credits.

For now my options appear to be either make another call to a different CSR and hope that he/she can actually help or to wait and see which amount of moneys is charged to my credit card.

 

[chaddux]

There was indeed only one switch used in my installation and cost was supposed to be included with the price of the 2nd dish install.

If the $124.02 charge is the amount placed on my credit card, then I guess I can live with that. The scary part is that on the same page which reports the account balance as $124.02 there is a link for more detail. When I go to that link I am told that the "Total due by Jun 16, 2005" is $472.24. When you consider that I have already paid $350.00 for the 2nd dish and the 942 upgrade, then this becomes a very expensive proposition. I was hoping that others could shine some light as to why the two switch charges show as additional charges and not as uncharged credits.

For now my options appear to be either make another call to a different CSR and hope that he/she can actually help or to wait and see which amount of moneys is charged to my credit card.

Your account balance is what is due. It may be that your bill was generated prior to any credits posting your account. Your bill will show the higher amount. The Account Balance (what you actually owe at this moment to pay your bill in full) reflects the credits that were, most likely, posted after your bill was created. Credits posting after your bill was generated will not be reflected ON A BILL until your next bill. Besides credits, it could also reflect payments already made and posted to your account.

 

[wobbie]

$472.24 minus the $350.00 is $122.24. Sounds and looks to me once they get all the credits and amounts already paid straghtened out and adjust the taxes, you'll be in the $120.00 something range. As mentioned above, try calling again, but ask for a supervisor.

 

[GordonF]

Your account balance is what is due. It may be that your bill was generated prior to any credits posting your account. Your bill will show the higher amount. The Account Balance (what you actually owe at this moment to pay your bill in full) reflects the credits that were, most likely, posted after your bill was created. Credits posting after your bill was generated will not be reflected ON A BILL until your next bill. Besides credits, it could also reflect payments already made and posted to your account

Chad,

Thanks for the Info. This certenly helps put my mind at ease.

 

[GordonF]

$472.24 minus the $350.00 is $122.24. Sounds and looks to me once they get all the credits and amounts already paid straghtened out and adjust the taxes, you'll be in the $120.00 something range.

Wobbie,

This is something that I had not concidered,but does make since. Thanks to you and to everyone else for your help. As a new dish customer I am obviously not yet familiar with there procedures. I hope I catch on soon.

 

[chaddux]

Chad,

Thanks for the Info. This certenly helps put my mind at ease.

Not a problem. I'm quickly learning the nuances of how DISH's billing system works, thanks to the ClubDISH crediting.

 

[Juan]

Not a problem. I'm quickly learning the nuances of how DISH's billing system works.

I think you are the first person ever to post a comment like this!!!!

 

[chaddux]

I think you are the first person ever to post a comment like this!!!!

I don't even know what that is supposed to mean but, judging from your past posts, it's probably something stupid and useless so I'll just ignore it.

 

[Cascade]

I don't even know what that is supposed to mean but, judging from your past posts, it's probably something stupid and useless so I'll just ignore it.

Pot, meet kettle.

 

[chaddux]

Pot, meet kettle.

Clever.

 

[GordonF]

I would like to apologize to Dish Network and to all others that may have found the title of my post to be excessively negative. I will admit that is exactly how I felt at the time. I now realize that I could have investigated this matter further before jumping to unfounded conclusions. As I have mentioned earlier, I am new to E*. I am also very unfamiliar with the methods used on the “MY ACCOUNT” web pages. I have only just now discovered the “RECENT ACTIVITY” page. This page clearly shows $348.22 credits for the two switches (plus taxes) that I was most concerned about. With these credits applied to the $472.24 amount reported due on an earlier statement, my account balance is indeed $124.02 as it should be.
I view this experience as a lesson leaned and will attempt to be more patient in the future.

Gordon

 

[JH1949]

My first E* bill was intimidating also until I looked at the bottom line: charges=459.53 minus adjustments=369.97 equals 39.57