Cancelling DishNetwork SUCKS!

[syphix]

Wednesday of last week (Oct. 20th), DirecTV came to install their dish and the TiVo boxes. That evening I called E* to cancel. I'm not bothered by their lame attempt to keep me ("You CAN get a TiVo to work with the DishNetwork box.."), but rather by their strict return policy of the 522 DVR and LNB's. They told me I had 15 DAYS to return the equipment and that they would be sending me out a postage paid box for it. Okay, not bad. Not bad at all. Each day, though, for the last week, I've been rushing home to get the return box, pack it up, and send it back. It's been a week. I call E* to see where the boxes are, and they report that they were just sent out YESTERDAY. I ask, "So, I get 15 days from your shipping date, or 15 days from cancellation?!"

"15 days from cancellation, sir."

Wait. So, I don't really get 15 days...I get (quick math...) 9 DAYS (not including weekends). That knocks it down to 6 days! And wait: I don't even have the boxes yet. So, if I get the box tomorrow, I send it out Friday...it sits in a warehouse Saturday & Sunday...and they get it back next Tuesday-Thursday (BEST case scenario). **WHEW!!**

Now, UPS is quick...I have no doubt. I pray they return the box promptly to E* so I don't get charged for the equipment (I still doubt I'd be beyond the original 15 day return period). But why say "15 days", and then sit on it for a week?? Unacceptable. I'd rather buy the equipment than have to deal with this.

 

[nippjas]

Yes, I have had discussions with individuals who have been charged for the receivers because of the 15 day window. If this occurs PM me and I can put you in touch with some people that can help you out.

Jason

 

[thiggin2]

What happens if you miss the 15 day window? They charge you for the equipment but do they send the stuff back to you or do they keep it also?

 

[Hall]

You were told incorrectly. Dish uses a reverse-tracking on the empty boxes they send you. The 15-day clock starts ticking on the day you receive them.

If it's such an issue, why not send them back on your own ?? Yeah, it will cost you out-of-pocket, but it might be worth it given the hassle of them hitting your credit card for a few hundred dollars and then them taking weeks to refund it once they do receive your equipment.

 

[larrystotler]

If you find out that E* has charged you for the equipment, dispute the charge with you credit card company and fax them the UPS pickup receipt. I always take my boxes to the UPS store or terminal and get a receipt showing that they have it. Also, failure to return the receivers is considered damages if I am not mistaken. They still will technically own the equipment, so you cannot sell them. This is why the 522s that people have gotten from ebay have had so much trouble getting activated since they are technically in possesion of stolen property.

 

[thiggin2]

This is why the 522s that people have gotten from ebay have had so much trouble getting activated since they are technically in possesion of stolen property.

Well I cant say I agree with this statement. It is not hard to get them activated. The problem people have is they try to through the CSR which is not suppose to activate them, not because they are stolen but because they are for lease customers only. If you was to contact the CEO address they will activate them with no problem(not sure if they still do). So if they were stolen dont you think they wouldn't activate them and sent the Feds to your address instead.

 

[syphix]

If it's such an issue, why not send them back on your own ?? Yeah, it will cost you out-of-pocket, but it might be worth it given the hassle of them hitting your credit card for a few hundred dollars and then them taking weeks to refund it once they do receive your equipment.

I've considered that, and may still do so come Friday. But my point is: why tell me 15 days, and then wait a week?? If it really is 15 days from my receiving the box, then fine. But they obviously don't have their act together...their CSR's aren't even on the same page.

 

[J3ff]

dude, i called last month to return a 311, still havent gotten any boxes, haven't seen any weird charges either YET..

Your post just reminded me theres a 311 in my basement just sitting there...totally forgotr about it

 

[Claude Greiner]

The reason why they tell you 15 days is because they have alot of people who don't return the equipment upon cancelling. They stress the 15 days because they want their equipment back before the customer forgets about it, or worse yet moves and then doesn't give their new address to DISH Networkso they have no way of contacting the customer.

Generally speaking they give you 30 days upon the receipt of the boxes, and the way they check to see if the stuff was returned is that they track the pre-paid label they provided with the box they sent you. As long as they see activity on the box, then your fine. You could even attatch the Pre-paid label to a Cynder block and as long as it shows deliverd you will not be charged! The Returns department at Dish is like a big black hole!

 

[Bruno]

I was told by one of my DHA customers that they charged his credit card when he cancelled but credited back his account when Dish got everything back.

 

[ocaddict]

Wednesday of last week (Oct. 20th), DirecTV came to install their dish and the TiVo boxes. That evening I called E* to cancel. I'm not bothered by their lame attempt to keep me ("You CAN get a TiVo to work with the DishNetwork box.."), but rather by their strict return policy of the 522 DVR and LNB's. They told me I had 15 DAYS to return the equipment and that they would be sending me out a postage paid box for it. Okay, not bad. Not bad at all. Each day, though, for the last week, I've been rushing home to get the return box, pack it up, and send it back. It's been a week. I call E* to see where the boxes are, and they report that they were just sent out YESTERDAY. I ask, "So, I get 15 days from your shipping date, or 15 days from cancellation?!"

"15 days from cancellation, sir."

Wait. So, I don't really get 15 days...I get (quick math...) 9 DAYS (not including weekends). That knocks it down to 6 days! And wait: I don't even have the boxes yet. So, if I get the box tomorrow, I send it out Friday...it sits in a warehouse Saturday & Sunday...and they get it back next Tuesday-Thursday (BEST case scenario). **WHEW!!**

Now, UPS is quick...I have no doubt. I pray they return the box promptly to E* so I don't get charged for the equipment (I still doubt I'd be beyond the original 15 day return period). But why say "15 days", and then sit on it for a week?? Unacceptable. I'd rather buy the equipment than have to deal with this.

Serves you right for cancelling dish.

 

[syphix]

Serves you right for cancelling dish.

Huh?? I don't have a right to go to the service I deem the best??

 

[BFG]

Nope. heheh, I think he was just kidding

 

[larrystotler]

Well I cant say I agree with this statement. It is not hard to get them activated. The problem people have is they try to through the CSR which is not suppose to activate them, not because they are stolen but because they are for lease customers only. If you was to contact the CEO address they will activate them with no problem(not sure if they still do). So if they were stolen dont you think they wouldn't activate them and sent the Feds to your address instead.

I was pointing out that technically E* sees this as the case, and that even if you pay the fee, you still don't technically own the receiver. The problem is that a lot of people canceled the card they used and then canceld E* to sell the receiver. This creates a definate stolen product, but why would E* want to piss off a customer in good standing that did pay $$ for the receiver. They should be nailing all the scumbags anyway.

 

[techspec]

if you keep your tracking number and can prove that the box was returned to dish, they can waive any non returned equipment fee, their shipping department should do this automatically, however, sending a brick back to them won't work, because the shipping department with leave noes on your account saying, cust sent us a brick, charge him. The reason they won't activate a 522 or a 322 on any non DHA/DHP account is because the application they use to active equipment won't allow them to unless they have special privileges, aka DST(DISH Support Team) or EODN(Executive Offices of DISH Network). even supervisors don't have the ability to override the program

 

[thiggin2]

The reason they won't activate a 522 or a 322 on any non DHA/DHP account is because the application they use to active equipment won't allow them to unless they have special privileges, aka DST(DISH Support Team) or EODN(Executive Offices of DISH Network). even supervisors don't have the ability to override the program

Thats not true, CEO office can activate them all day long.

 

[thiggin2]

I was pointing out that technically E* sees this as the case, and that even if you pay the fee, you still don't technically own the receiver. The problem is that a lot of people canceled the card they used and then canceld E* to sell the receiver. This creates a definate stolen product, but why would E* want to piss off a customer in good standing that did pay $$ for the receiver. They should be nailing all the scumbags anyway.

Well alot of the receivers that are selling on ebay have never been activated and are new. And beleave me if it was a "stolen" product I beleave Dish wouldn't give a damn who you are even if your a good customer they would still nail your ass.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Thats not true, CEO office can activate them all day long.

That's what he said.

 

[thiggin2]

That's what he said.

My bad....must had my eyes crossed when I read that

 

[larrystotler]

Well alot of the receivers that are selling on ebay have never been activated and are new. And beleave me if it was a "stolen" product I beleave Dish wouldn't give a damn who you are even if your a good customer they would still nail your ass.

#1 - that is technically the case if the receiver was not returned.
#2 - they are not trying to piss off existing customers in good standing any more than they usually do. These customers have no idea that this product could be techically stolen.
#3 - They need to go after the people who are doing this kind of stuff to begin with, which they do not seem to be doing.
#4 - if they have never been activated, and someone is selling it for less than the retail cost, then I would say it has been stolen.
#5 - It amazes me that someone would pay $300 for a 522 just to save $5 a month when they could get the 510 for free/cheap. IMHO, the 721 is the better product hands down.