While I believe that a majority of complaints are the consumer being completely wrong (US consumers have some sort of entitlement problem), there are certainly many legit complaints. The satellite companies could likely do everything possible to make someone aware that they are getting a contract extension, and they would still complain that they were never told...just sayin. I suppose they'll start doing what the cell companies do and have a recorded message that you must take action (saying yes, or pushing 1, etc) to agree to, but even so, do you think that people still wouldn't try to claim that they weren't told?
It amazes me that even today, consumers don't read what they are signing. They could include that they claim rights to your first born child but if you don't read it, there's nobody to blame but yourself.
Again, I'm not saying that there aren't a fair share of legit complaints, but do you seriously think that they would give a receiver that costs them a huge amount of money for a discounted price and a lease fee without a contract? They do need to recoup the cost of all of the equipment that they provide to us, and like it or not, they are in business to make money. I still believe that Dish is the lesser of the evils available to me at my location.
Just my $.02