Another Rant on Dish....!!!!

[cheezwiz]

OK.

I called last month on this. They said they would fix the web site and adjust my bill for the difference. They have not on both counts.

When I subbed with a single 522, it said, AND STILL DOES, this:

"
Distant Network Package
Congratulations, this address is eligible for up to 2 of the following Distant Network Package(s). One Distant Network Package will be included in your Digital Home Advantage package price.
To add this programming to your purchase, select below.
"
This clearly states that I get one distant network package for free in the DHA package price.

When I get my first bill, I am being charged for the West Coast Feeds, so I call. I tell them what the web site says, they tell me I am wrong. I tell them I have a print out in front of me and I went back and did the steps again and that I am not wrong. They tell me I am wrong and that I will pay the $5.99 per month. I say that I will cancel before I get stuck in a BAIT and SWITCH scenario. They say fine. I say, well I want all my money back since the contract I agreed to was misrepresented. They say that is not possible.

I get really mad and hang up.

I cool off and call back. Ask to speak to a supervisor. I am told the exact same thing. I say, "You would really have me cancel before giving me what was represented on the site?" ... She then asks me to walk her through the sign-up and I show her what it says. She says it is a mistake, but there is nothing I can do but pay or cancel.
Again I hang up furious. I cool down, Call back, ask to speak to the same CSR manager, I tell her I want to speak to her supervisor. After 10 minutes a man comes on the phone and says that he has seen this issue and is going to transfer me to Corp. Offices in Co. Fine...

Another guy answers and asks me to walk him through the web site. Again I am told that it is a mistake, he asks what I want. I say that I want what was advertised to me. So he says that they will credit my bill for the west coast feeds..... I say that is fair. I ask him if they will get the web site taken care of, he assures me that they will do it ASAP!

Well, I get my bill this month.. I am credited 79 cents on the $5.99 charge. I go back to the web site, go through the sign-up, and there it is again. So I guess I will be calling again tomorrow and going through two and a half hours of phone hell again!

If it was a mistake, why has it not been fixed??
Could the Bait-and-switch be on purpose??

Heck, how many people will remember or print out the pages like I did??

 

[cheezwiz]

Here is a screen capture.....

 

[csschrot]

That is the default for everyone that eligible for distant locals. The thing is that you are unique and qualify for both local and distant locals. The locals are include in the price in the DHA and since the Nashville locals are include you will be hard pressed to get the distant locals included for free.

I wish that I could say that I can't believe that they didn't explain this to you the first time around. However I have found that most of the CSR don't really look at the whole picture to understand what you are saying. I also don't think you will ever see the website changed. I don't know if the can write the code to check to see if you qualify for your local then give a different message about the distant locals.

I hope this helps and sorry if I repeated what they have already told you.

Good luck.

 

[SimpleSimon]

... I also don't think you will ever see the website changed. I don't know if they can write the code to check to see if you qualify for your local then give a different message about the distant locals.

All of course the code can be written. No big deal for any competent programmer.

Oh - I forgot - the 'they' you were talking about is E*.

 

[cheezwiz]

That is the default for everyone that eligible for distant locals. The thing is that you are unique and qualify for both local and distant locals. The locals are include in the price in the DHA and since the Nashville locals are include you will be hard pressed to get the distant locals included for free.

I wish that I could say that I can't believe that they didn't explain this to you the first time around. However I have found that most of the CSR don't really look at the whole picture to understand what you are saying. I also don't think you will ever see the website changed. I don't know if the can write the code to check to see if you qualify for your local then give a different message about the distant locals.

I hope this helps and sorry if I repeated what they have already told you.

Good luck.

Ther is NO WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS AWAY!
Look at the screenshot. There is a very specific difference between "Local Channels" and "Distant Network Package".. A very simple rewording of the page would make it clear.. That is a blatent mis-representation of what is being sold. This is an easy class-action case for anyone who wishes to go after it. This is no different than class action suits against brick and mortar retailers supposedly "Price Switching"....

 

[cheezwiz]

I also don't think you will ever see the website changed.

Oh,

I think it will when I am finished. Perhaps if they did not outsource their programming to India and/or grade schools, it might work right (Same goes for 522!)...

If I do not get satisfaction, I will be placing complaints with the FTC, State Attorney's office, FCC, and every class-action lawyer I can find until one takes it. I do not like getting screwed and will fight whenever I see such blatant disregard for proper trade practices. I think I will send all my stuff to Jeffery Wilens first, he already has DirecTV on his plate, this would give him a double header!

 

[RBBrittain]

That is the default for everyone that eligible for distant locals. The thing is that you are unique and qualify for both local and distant locals. The locals are include in the price in the DHA and since the Nashville locals are include you will be hard pressed to get the distant locals included for free.

I wish that I could say that I can't believe that they didn't explain this to you the first time around. However I have found that most of the CSR don't really look at the whole picture to understand what you are saying. I also don't think you will ever see the website changed. I don't know if the can write the code to check to see if you qualify for your local then give a different message about the distant locals.

I hope this helps and sorry if I repeated what they have already told you.

Good luck.

Cheezwiz's screen shot appears to bear this out somewhat. Note that the word "Included" is shown by the Nashville LIL package; but in the distant-locals section (by the network logos), you see $5.99/mo., so I suspect the intent is that just the LIL package is free with DHA. (Other fine print I've seen appears to confirm this; I have DHA thru SBC Dish.)

Unfortunately, the language he's complaining about is there too; even though I do suspect it's a typo as applied to his case, it may well get him what he wants. (I suggest the Attorney General's office in his state; the FTC probably won't help him, and the FCC almost certainly won't.) It may even light a fire under E*'s lazy programmers to fix their website.

 

[bcshields]

You mean to tell me If locals launch in my area, which include two stations... they would charge me $5.99 for those locals, then turn around and charge me $1.99 for each Distant channel I'd be getting because it wasn't offered locally?

 

[csschrot]

I saw what the website says. It needs to be changed but IF they do it will take a while. However you will not get your locals and a distant local all for the price of 29.99 or 39.99 or 49.99. Fight it all you want. Waste the time on the phone to try and get it your way. Personally I wish I had that much time to waste on the phone.

I guess to me it makes sense that you would either get your locals or a distant broadcast for that price and not both. Maybe that is because I have been selling and installing for 4 years and know how it would work. This is another reason to deal with a local retailer that has been around for a while. They would have explained this to you without relying on a website. Since we all kinow every website is 100% correct 100% of the time.

Again I say good luck and happy lawyer shopping.

I not here to piss anyone off just trying to point out that I don't think you will get any satifaction out of the deal. But again if you have the time to spend on the phone go for it.

bcsheilds, if you only have 2 of the 4 major networks you would then get a $1 credit for each major network that isn't up. Also the four major networks are ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.

 

[Mr Tony]

You mean to tell me If locals launch in my area, which include two stations... they would charge me $5.99 for those locals, then turn around and charge me $1.99 for each Distant channel I'd be getting because it wasn't offered locally?

There are various examples of what you are asking

-Dish launces a city without one of the "Big 4" (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) due to a retrans agreement...$1 discount until its added
-Dish launces a city and there is one of the "Big 4" missing in the market. (lets say a market has ABC, CBS, FOX, but no NBC) $1 discount. If you qualify, you can get NBC distant for $1 (Cheyenne, WY is a perfect example of this)

The way I've understood it is if a market doesn't have the "Big 4", Dish will allow you to add a distant for $1. If its available and you qualify for distants, then its $1.50 extra.

no discounts on DHA customers where locals are available.

 

[bcshields]

Hmm... ok.. makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.