Saying Goodby Dish Network 1995-2018

[hdrick103]

I had been what I thought was a valued dish customer for over 20 years but last week my relationship with Dish ended abruptly. In Dec 2016 I signed a new contract and upgraded my receivers for HDTV. It was back in June or July of this year I called Dish Network service center and ask how much it would cost to get me out of my contract which was set to expire in December. The Service Rep said I should take some time to re-think disconnecting my service because I had been a long time customer and just "pause" my service until December when the contract expires and return the equipment at that time. Last week I called the Service center and wanted to know when I would need to send the receivers back to dish. The Rep readily informed my that my contract had been extended for another six months and to disconnect it would cost an additional $170. I did't see that one coming, but I should have read the fine print on the contract I suppose. To make a long story short I disconnect the service last week, let the Rep and his supervisor know exactly how I felt and that I had been mislead to believe my contract was to expire in December, neither the Supervisor nor the Rep showed the least bit of concern about what had happened or what I had been told in June. The Receiver has been in the closet since June, with not service attached. I hung up the phone. Dish sent me a box to return the equipment I have packaged up the Receiver and the LNB but the "Node" I have not idea where it is, it is not viable on the outside of the house. Guess I will get charged for that as well. A Dish was in the house when I moved here in 1995. A sad chain of events this past week sad to think a longtime customer is just a "credit card on file" that can be milked for a service that has gotten way over priced in the past couple of years. I have an outside antenna, no MORE contract for TV service for me ever!

 

[dare2be]

ceo@dishnetwork.com

Tell them about the elusive Node and the fact that you were not told that Pause would extend the contract. You might get a better response from them.

 

[lucky86]

I would talk to another DISH agent and confirm that information. If you aren't in a contract and your bill is current, I don't know how you would owe $170. If they put you on DISH Pause, there is no contract extension on that and it suspends your service and it is $5 plus tax per month while on DISH Pause.

 

[dare2be]

Pause also "pauses" the contract, so that the months don't accrue during pause time. If you had a contract end date in December, and paused for 4 months before that, then your new contract end date would be April.

 

[lucky86]

That sounds like what may have happened. Good thinking

 

[hdrick103]

Pause also "pauses" the contract, so that the months don't accrue during pause time. If you had a contract end date in December, and paused for 4 months before that, then your new contract end date would be April.

Why did the representative lie?

 

[lucky86]

When they put you on Pause, they read a few disclosures to you. Those disclosures tell you that if your account is currently in a contract, the time spent on Dish Pause does not count towards your contract. Unless they didn't read the disclosure to you, they would have covered it. I know they get QA'd on their calls, so I'm guessing they probably did mention it but those disclosures they cover are so long, maybe you didn't catch everything that was said?

 

[rvvaquero]

The Preferred Customer Agreement which I entered into in 2016 for two years is less than one page long and is readily available in the My Dish webpage. It says that the Early Termination Fee would be $10 for each month remaining on the contract. So, if I terminated six months early, I would owe $60 and not $170. Maybe your contract is different because you got new equipment. You might look in your My Dish account.

 

[lucky86]

Normally a regular 2 year contract is $20 per month remaining in the account.

 

[JSheridan]

Why did the representative lie?

IMHO the more likely case is that maybe you misunderstood.

 

[bobvick]

The OP couldn’t have been a customer since 1995, they didn’t start until 1996. Maybe just off one year?

 

[JeffN9]

Or the Dish rep. simply didn't know that pause time extended the contract. I've been told all sorts of things by the rep's that I knew were incorrect. It's unfortunate reality. You'll get far more reliable information regarding Dish from this forum than anywhere else.

I think it would be worthwhile to pursue it. The earlier suggestion of sending a message to the CEO address should get a response. If that doesn't work call back and ask to speak to someone in the Loyalty Dept. I believe that they keep transcripts(voice or text) of every customer interaction in the event of a situation like this.

 

[navychop]

Why did the representative lie?

Never ascribe to malice that which is easily explained by incompetence.

Various forms of that have been attributed to Napoleon and many others


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[hdrick103]

IMHO the more likely case is that maybe you misunderstood.

Why would I extend if I were going to disconnect anyway? I like paying another $5. a month to extend the inevitable?

 

[hdrick103]

The OP couldn’t have been a customer since 1995, they didn’t start until 1996. Maybe just off one year?

Thats when I moved here and Dish service is all I have ever had........

 

[JSheridan]

Why would I extend if I were going to disconnect anyway? I like paying another $5. a month to extend the inevitable?

Because maybe you misunderstood what you were told is why.

 

[Hall]

The OP couldn’t have been a customer since 1995, they didn’t start until 1996. Maybe just off one year?

Not really relevant, is it ?

 

[Cheddar_Head]

Because maybe you misunderstood what you were told is why.

Very likely, I use Dish Pause regularly and the CSR NEVER fails to read the disclaimer that months spent on Dish Pause do not count toward fulfilling a contract even though I point out that my contract expired several years ago. Another thing they always read is the statement that any discounts or special deals will be voided by using Dish Pause. I just call in after taking Dish Pause off and get the deals again. ;-)

 

[Claude Greiner]

Did they charge you a fee each month while your account was paused?

If so I think they owe you the pause fee back if they are charging a divorce fee.

If your paying a pause fee, might as well had done the welcome pack which counts towards the end of contract.

Sorry to see you go.

 

[mwdxer1]

Sometimes it is good to do CSR roulette and see what others have to say. Sometimes you can get two different answers. If you like the answer, then go with that. I own my equipment but to get a lower bill I renew a contract to save money. Losing HBO wasn't a big deal as I just got it from streaming.