Dish Network

[Stinchcomb]

Has anyone here ever had a run in with Dish network? I cancelled my service with them This past Monday, due to poor service, and they say I owe them a $250 cancellation fee because I was under an 18 month contract. I never signed anything and I looked through the service agreement they have online, and there is no mention of any kind of contract. I figure it’s a scare tactic to get me to stay. I did some research online and I’m not the only one this has or is happening to.
Have any of you ever heard of anything like this?

 

[Girl Friday]

Ouch! that's horrible. I've had DishNetwork for about 3 years now, I've been relatively happy with service, I've moved three times since and still pretty happy. Recently the DVR has been "losing" stuff that would be my only complaint, it probably just needs to be replaced.

Keep looking, someone is bound to have had a similar situation. And good luck.

 

[Elaina]

I was with them too, and cancelled for the same reason. It is stated somewhere that the length of contract is 12 months, not 18 and the fees and etc. are available on request via a written letter.

Unfortunately, it is legal.

 

[Twitch]

I believe contracts are 12 months also. I've had it for more than 2 years and it has been flawless in all respects. It is far better than cable- at least the one in this area.

Just curious, what did your "poor service" consist of? Mines never gone out other than for a few seconds when the satellite loses signal but comes right back. I had an issue when I was a new customer getting a lock on signal and the tech person walked me through it as if she was here. Never had a billing error either.[huh]

 

[photobyalan]

I'd say you must have signed something, at some time, possibly without realizing what you had signed, or that you had even signed at all. I believe they consider your activating the programming service on your receiver "signing", as by doing it you agree to the terms and conditions of their service.

I've had Dish for about six years now. I like the quality and reliability of the satellite service. I have not had any serious run-ins with them, although I have had to strong-arm them a couple times to get equipment upgrades, etc. I actually switched to DirecTV about two years ago - for one day - but I hated the DirecTV interface and the Tivo (as opposed to the Dish DVR). DirecTV tried the same fee crap with me when I cancelled, but I screamed bloody murder at them because I had been promised a 30-day trial period and they backed right down. Companies pull this kind of crap because there is a certain percentage of customers who will just pay the charge without questioning it, and it's a nice little revenue stream.

 

[Hondo]

I believe contracts are 12 months also. I've had it for more than 2 years and it has been flawless in all respects. It is far better than cable- at least the one in this area.

Just curious, what did your "poor service" consist of? Mines never gone out other than for a few seconds when the satellite loses signal but comes right back. I had an issue when I was a new customer getting a lock on signal and the tech person walked me through it as if she was here. Never had a billing error either.[huh]

Yeah Ouch!!! I'm real sorry to hear this and like Twitch, I never had a problem with them, I had them for over 5 years, I switched to DirecTV because of more channels, plus DVR but quit and went to cable cause it got to expensive, I get better rate for internet connections plus cable TV (DVR) at a cheaper price (at least for now) I'll say something is rotten in denmark, sounds strange, look at all your paper work, fine print.
I wish you the best deal, hang in there.

 

[Twitch]

One other thing I like about Dish compared to Direct TV is the fact that they time shift eastern time shows like the networks do so they are on at like 7PM instead of 10PM.

 

[Elaina]

Well, let's see...poor quality of signal, constantly going out for hours on end, them not getting my programming right (we paid for some moie channels, and usually had to call once a week to get the right ones on), the tivo function going on and off at their whim, erasing programs or not recording because we weren't on the subscription (we were, and overcharged for it regulalry), harassing phone calls in which my husband was called several obscene names bacause he got tired of them trying to sell us more service, poor customer service, bills not being credited on time and late charges incurring, constant miscalculations, my neighbor working for them splicing into my line and not paying for it (which is a whole 'nother soapox. Why should I pay for him to pget it for free?)...want me to go on?

I have cable now, and frankly, I get for half the price, what I had on satellite, AND I get the extra stuff I was paying $10 more for for free. Much happier on the whole with that. My bill is just under $100 a month, I have phone and internet. Satellite was supposed to be $120...and I had my own phone and net service elsewhere. I'I'm just MUCH happier with my cable, least of all the price is much better.

 

[Stinchcomb]

I was with them for 15 months with no problems. This Christmas I got a HDTV for Christmas. We had to upgrade to HDTV and that is where the trouble began. The installers had a hard time getting our programming. The signal was fine. The installers spent nearly 2 hours on the phone trying to get it to work. To make a long story short. I’ve had to call them every week for the past 5 weeks to get my programming back, and each call usually takes about an hour. This last time broke the camels back. I figured there are a lot of services in my area. I’ll use another.

No….I have never signed anything. All of this has been done over the internet. Contract installers are the only people I have seen in person, and I still didn’t sign anything for them.

I’m a very easy to get along with person and very forgiving. I’m not one to get upset, but they brought out the best/worst in me. If you have Dish Network, please beware. I’ve had Direct TV in the past and they where great.

 

[Chanfan]

I'd say review your contracts, and raise a stink - the squeaky wheel, and all that.

I've been interested in Dish/Direct TV before, but every time I've looked, it always came out as too expensive for our household - as there are 4 or 5 TV's to hook up. Mostly I just like the concept of competition for cable.

Personally, I've not used other DVRs, but I love Tivo and like it's interface just fine. My wife is not a big fan of it (as it's often wanting to switch channels on her).

 

[Stinchcomb]

I'd say review your contracts, and raise a stink - the squeaky wheel, and all that.

I've been interested in Dish/Direct TV before, but every time I've looked, it always came out as too expensive for our household - as there are 4 or 5 TV's to hook up. Mostly I just like the concept of competition for cable.

Personally, I've not used other DVRs, but I love Tivo and like it's interface just fine. My wife is not a big fan of it (as it's often wanting to switch channels on her).

Dish actually had the best price, and a unit that would provide 2 tv's with separate signals. Direct doesn't offer anything like that (a box per tv). I chose Comcast this go around with a bundle package, a box for the main set and the other tv's can get standard cable with no box and no additional fees.

 

[Chanfan]

Dish actually had the best price, and a unit that would provide 2 tv's with separate signals. Direct doesn't offer anything like that (a box per tv). I chose Comcast this go around with a bundle package, a box for the main set and the other tv's can get standard cable with no box and no additional fees.

Aye, that's what we did as well - main room has digital, and standard cable for the other TV's.

 

[Phil]

In urban areas I'd say that cable would dominate in quality and utility. However, a dish is good in more rural areas where the cable lines may not reach.

"Who uses a dish in the city of wind?"
- Comcast Commercial Buddhist

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Ask them to provide you with the signed copy of your contract. The "online signing" bit doesn't hold up. ATT tried that with a cellphone I had - saying I'd "signed" for another 2 years service after the initial contract expired and I was on month to month basis.

 

[The_Edge]

I've been with DishNetwork for over six years now and have never had any major problems. I've moved twice with them and they get me hooked up right quick with no hassles. Only had one fairly major glitch with my DVR a few years back when I first got it but since then it has been flawless. A few complaints here and there but for the most part I've been very happy with their service. I'm sorry to hear that you have had an entirely different experience.

 

[Slicksuit]

Sorrry to hear about your experience!

Sorry to hear about your experience, Stinchcomb. It seems as though DISH network is still working out the kinks for their HDTV services. I've heard of 12 month contracts before, but sheesh...18 month ones seem obscene, and relatively new. Much like making any change to a cellular phone service, maybe any change to a satellite TV service is considered a 're-upping' of your contract? Isn't it nice how the service providers regard you as property?

The variety of user experiences with the satellite services is interesting.

Personally, I have analog Comcast cable, with their internet. They keep trying to push digital service on us, but I'm unhappy with how slow their receiver box is in switching channels - plus, I'd hate to jury-rig it to my Series 1 analog TIVO.

fftopic: A little off topic....but for those of you interested, many people do not know that they have a legal right to have a 'cablecard' provided to them from the cable company. A cablecard is a small credit-card sized chip that you plug into newer HDTVs and TIVOs, and provides the necessary info to decipher the signal without the cable box.