and usually you will get them to cave before you even get to filing a case, getting the AG involved usually solves the issue if you are in the right. I will give you two examples from last year for me.
1. Sprint removed the primer program last April 2011, i was unhappy about this because it was the only reason I stayed with sprint and signed a new contract in June 2010 because of the yearly upgrades. I felt this was a change in the contract and that I should be let out, they said no, it was just a perk. They were right, but I found out they were raising their fees which created a loop hole to get out, so I exercised it and notified them within 30 days of them raising the fees for adverse material affects of the contract. They again tried to say no but I filed complaints with the FTC and BBB. This caused them to cave and let me out of the contract with no ETF, but the rep screwed up and I was still charged an ETF. I complained again and was having a hard time resolving it, even calling and emailing the cooperate office. Tired to reopen the case with the BBB but never got a response back so I filed a compliant with my AG. Within a couple of days they resolved it and wiped the ETF and my last bill. And it really sounds like a lot of time but it is not, about 10min for each form.
2. Best Buy sold us a replacement plan for my little brothers Xbox 360. Now, this was the old Xbox that had the Red Ring of death issues so Microsoft was already extend the warranty on all systems to 3 years, we know this and only got the plan because BB said you will just get a replacement instead, no need to wait. Well, a year and a half later we had the issue and took it in, but instead of replacing it they wanted to send it out for repair, to Microsoft i might add, and it would be 3 weeks. We said no, we paid for a replacement plan, so replace it. They kept giving thier corporate run around saying they changed it and they now send them out, blah, blah, blah. I asked then why did we pay you extra if you are just sending it to Microsoft, a service they provide for free and the same speed as BB, and they had no answer. I further asked why would we by an extended warranty when it is already 3 years? They still had no answer. They offered to refund the price of the plan it at a prorated rate, which came out to $2, we said no. I found the emails of the board and sent them what happened, and that I would be filing a compliant with our AG for their bait and switch of selling a replacement plan and not doing what they said they would, the next day I got an email from the Regional director, they gave a full refund for the xbox and replacement plan, store credit of course. The old ones were more expensive so my little brother was able to buy an xbox slim, hard drive and a game with the money we got back. Again, maybe an hour or two out of my life, not a lot of time, most of it at the store arguing with the employees.
I just don't like people letting companies getting away with lying to people, and dish seems to do this more than most. You always see threads pop up here of people getting charged for boxes they sent back because dish claims they don't get them. Its such a big problem in fact that the 3 times I have sent a box back the Ups manager comes running from the back to make sure I get a receipt and to keep it because dish will try to say they did not get it and charge me. And if you just let it slide they will keep trying to pull this bs.