Dish Network Billing Department.

[nickyct]

I had just upgraded my HD package to HD Dish Silver package with them.
Per online page I only have to pay 49 dollars and that's include Dish and installation.
Well, the tech came and did what he was supposed to do. He tried to activate the receiver and he told me that it would take awhile for me to get the signal, So I said OK and he left.
Half and hour later I still get the message that I need to activate my receiver. So, I called and have it activated 15 minutes later.

When I went online and check my account and my jaw dropped when I see the bill close to $300.00
I called and told the operator that it would only cost me $49.00 that's it not close to $300.00 and he told me that I was right that I should get free dish and free installation but the $300.00 was correct. I was so pissed I couldn't understand what his explanation was with all the charges. I just hung up the phone.

I did some more investigation and print out recent activity.
They charge me for the dish, the installation and handling fee.

I called the second time and the lady told me that I was right I was not supposed to for all of those and she was taken it out of my bill.

This morning I check and the $99.95 dish still on my bill.
I called them up again for the third time and she couldn't take it out. But I can deduct the amount when my bill come. But I told her that I have automatic payment it will just deduct from my card and now I'm gonna have to call to have them to credit me that amount again.

I'm really fed up with the whole thing already.
If I were to cancel the whole thing will I still have to pay for the early cancellation ?
Since they didn't honor me what they promise would that void the contract that I have with them.

At this point I would either go with either Cable or Direct TV

Are they really this bad all the time ?

 

[TNGTony]

If they were, they wouldn't have 13 million subscribers. You got a bad deal. This is not normal.

See ya
Tony

 

[hdtvdeprived]

This is not normal.

Yes, it's normal.

 

[yellowcanary73]

With only 3 different way toget you digital tv not much of a choice nothing will ever change unless we stand up and let them we demand change.

 

[nickyct]

With only 3 different way toget you digital tv not much of a choice nothing will ever change unless we stand up and let them we demand change.

Still better than none right ?
If it wasn't for the contract I'd drop them like a hot potato already. With Comcast I even get $25 off my bill for 16 months if I were Satellite owner.
Or I can go with Direc TV and let's hope the service is better.
If they don't shape up that 13 millions subscribers will shrink down fast.
I read somewhere that Verizon is planning on selling cable television on their FIOS. If that became a success, we have another choice to go by.
Remember when we use to have just land line phone. They charge you for everything. Caller ID for 7 dollars if you want caller ID with name it's 8 dollars.
Now with Cell phone and VOIP all those features that they charge are part of the package.

 

[Mike0616]

I had just upgraded my HD package to HD Dish Silver package with them.
Per online page I only have to pay 49 dollars and that's include Dish and installation.
Well, the tech came and did what he was supposed to do. He tried to activate the receiver and he told me that it would take awhile for me to get the signal, So I said OK and he left.
Half and hour later I still get the message that I need to activate my receiver. So, I called and have it activated 15 minutes later.

When I went online and check my account and my jaw dropped when I see the bill close to $300.00
I called and told the operator that it would only cost me $49.00 that's it not close to $300.00 and he told me that I was right that I should get free dish and free installation but the $300.00 was correct. I was so pissed I couldn't understand what his explanation was with all the charges. I just hung up the phone.

I did some more investigation and print out recent activity.
They charge me for the dish, the installation and handling fee.

I called the second time and the lady told me that I was right I was not supposed to for all of those and she was taken it out of my bill.

This morning I check and the $99.95 dish still on my bill.
I called them up again for the third time and she couldn't take it out. But I can deduct the amount when my bill come. But I told her that I have automatic payment it will just deduct from my card and now I'm gonna have to call to have them to credit me that amount again.

I'm really fed up with the whole thing already.
If I were to cancel the whole thing will I still have to pay for the early cancellation ?
Since they didn't honor me what they promise would that void the contract that I have with them.

At this point I would either go with either Cable or Direct TV

Are they really this bad all the time ?

Sounds like you have met the outstanding folks at customer service. Shame that most can not speak English, but then that is not their native language and they are only trained for "canned responses" from my experience with them.

Yes, they are this bad all the time, the only time they are not is when they are worse.

Your rights really depend on what state you live in (read that as: how fervently consumer rights are enforced there.) You can call or email the state attorney general's office to see what their take on it is.

NEVER put anything on automatic payment. I had BellSouth teach me that years ago. They ACCIDENTALLY over-billed me and getting a refund thru VISA was an absolute nightmare. Complaining to VISA was useless, so cancelled the card, left the monthly bill on that account (or so they thought) until credit was used and then, I was back on send em a check when balance is due. Just make sure you know when to start paying from the statement, if you decide to go that route.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Mike0616]

If they were, they wouldn't have 13 million subscribers. You got a bad deal. This is not normal.

See ya
Tony

To quote someone in another discussion on Dish, you have really been into the kool-aid.

 

[TNGTony]

For what? To think that all 13 million subscribers got treated like nickyct? What happened to him was a travesty, but if everyone had that experience, dish would not have the customer base they do.

See ya
Tony

 

[KenSoren]

If you go through Tech Support you will find semi-competent english speaking help.

Phone 888-284-7116, listen to the message, press 2 for "All other messages", enter your phone number, press 3 for Tech Support, press 4 for "Other", press 1 for "HD Receivers". This will get you to someone that knows what they are talking about.

But I found that even if you are impressed with the Tech that helps you make your order, follow up the next day to verify that all the details are in order. It took me three calls to get everything squared away.

First call - I ordered the 622 and asked if the Dish 1000 was included in the deal. Also set the March 29th as the install date and was told that the Dish 1000 was included. The 622 would be delivered in 7 to 10 days but I needed to call back later to get a firm date.

Second call - I asked if a delivery date was available for the 622 and was told Monday, March 13th, but a tracking number was not available. This tech noticed that the Dish 1000 was not on the installation order, and she made the change.

Third call - Got the UPS tracking number for the 622 and found that I am scheduled to get my 622 tomorrow - not today as I was told by the second tech. Verified that second tech did add the Dish 1000 to my installation order.

Once I get the 622 tomorrow I will be phoning again and asking for an earlier install date. If I get a change, then the process starts all over again - at least two follow up calls to verify the change in date and that the Dish 1000 is still on the order, then a final two days before installation.

Sounds like a pain, but the process usually catches the mistakes early and gets them fixed in time to keep the project on schedule.

Hope this helps!

 

[fchall]

" Now with Cell phone and VOIP all those features that they charge are part of the package."
And the cost of the package is what? And how long do you think it will stay that way.
BTW; Just what color is the sky in your world.

 

[pajer]

kensoren, what was the date of your 1st, 2nd and 3rd calls?

 

[KenSoren]

I placed the order last Tuesday, 1st follow up was on Thursday, and the 2nd on Saturday.

 

[bobj2004]

Check your State law, some state have laws that say you can get out of a contract with NO pentatly after X number of days. For my state it is 14 days.

You would still have to pay the install fee as that is labor that cant be un done.

 

[kcribb1]

Autopay should only take out the amount of the current bill. If you have a credit, autobill will only remove the amount you normally pay minus your credit.

 

[nickyct]

Well, after the third phone call. They finally got it right. May be it's because I ask for her name. She could give out her last name due to company's policy but she gave me her Operator ID instead.

But boy, I didn't have to go through all those problems.
$49 for installation and dish which has already been paid for up front.
And that should be it. Plain and simple. No other charges should appear on my bill period.
I might take the advise of not using the auto payment. I'm glad that I called before the due date otherwise I would have to be on the phone with them again.

 

[yessirrom]

Dish charged my debit card 499.00 on a day that I had no interaction with them. I pay online each month using my debit card. My wife noticed the charge and called the bank to see what was up. They said Dish had been the recepient. I checked my account and no 499.00 anywhere. I called and the CSR said they had no record of the debit. I rechecked with the bank to confirm and called back. They still did not see the transaction. I asked them to search for my card #.
Hey we found it! It was a credit on someone else's account!!
CSR "Well you must have authorized someone else to use your card..." I blew a gasket.
CSR "you will just have to dispute it with your bank."

Long story short, 3 more calls and a threat to invite the local media to talk with me about my filing a small claims court case against Charlie Ergan, they agreed to put the money back in my checking account.

They had to be reminded twice to send it to my bank and not my Dish account.

I love the product, but the service has a lot to be desired to say the least.

By the way, may card has not been used for any other fraudulant purposes. It was not stolen are compromised.

 

[Peter Iowa]

Hate to state the obvious, but it looks like Now that DISH has caused your card
to be used for fraudulent purposes by THEM.

 

[cwbuckley]

I had the same trouble with overcharges, I couldn't get anybody to see the problem. After a while I told the person that I was talking to, that if he couldn't fix the problem that I was going to cancel my account. He said ok and passed me through to the cancellation dept. There I had a very nice lady that knew what she was doing. She saw where I had been over charged and issued me a credit. Maybe you should try talking to somebody in the cancellation dept. Chuck

 

[yessirrom]

I have switched cards to be safe, but it's amazing that they could just steal $500 out of my account and act so blase' about it.

I was able to glean from one CSR that the account it was credited to was an established account in my same town. Credit cards and zip codes are associated for verification purposes. I'm fairly certain it was a computer glitch, but I am now very nervous about trusting them with any of my information.

What could possibly cost $499.00 on an account anyway? Late fees? Equipment?

I know they had to delete the amount from the other account, makes me wonder if that person now has a billing issue?

I did get my money back and I talked them into crediting my account for a free months worth of HD Platinum programming.

 

[polksda]

Stories like these are why while I do pay virtually all of my bills electronically, NONE of them are on an autopay basis. I manually pay each and every one of them. Sure it takes a little extra time, but the last thing I need is Punjab deciding he wants some more hashish tonight so he's going to shift a decimal point or two... no thanks.