Dish lied to new customer -- can I get out of contract? (NBA pass)

[morningbell]

I have had Dish for 1 week. When I was signing up, I was asking a lot of questions, and I inquired about NBA league pass and was told that the NBA is negotiating with comcast, dish, direct, etc, and so I would need to call back the next day and order it.

Well, after multiple phone calls and some google searching, I can see that there is a good chance Dish will not be carrying it.

What are the odds they let me out of the contract without getting nailed on those fees?

Thanks

 

[stuckingoo]

I would say it depends what they told you. And if you have the name of the rep you spoke to. Did they say they would be carrying it? Maybe? If they said they would be and it was just a matter of days before the contract is settled then you have a case. Did they advertise it on their website? Looks like they are.

When I switched to Dish a couple of years ago I did so with the understanding that they would be carrying Extra Innings. Because they advertised Extra Innings on their website. As it turnout out they didn't carry it. When next season rolled around, I negotiated myself out of my contract....they paid half of the termination fee.

Take that approach and be nice. BTW, you're a customer for just a week, don't they have a 30 day $$$$ back guarantee.

 

[Juan]

0

 

[apollog]

Last time I checked, I have the NBA package. I 've been watching it for a few weeks now. GO Lakers !!!!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They have had the free preview which ends this week, however you can not order the package at this time.

 

[ScoBuck]

Gosh - what are they thinking?

 

[roachxp]

I was wondering why they hadn't charged me yet for auto renewal.

 

[damjr]

Unfortunately when it comes to programming it is pretty hard to get out of a contract when a channel goes away. All service providers put it in their terms and agreements that "programming is subject to change".

If buying the NBA was the ONLY reason for your decision to go with Dish, and you were made aware of the fact that they were in negotiations with the NBA (as you stated in your post), you should have waited to see if Dish signed a contract first.

Just my $.02

 

[Sammy033]

if its within 30 days you can get out of it.... I think.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Unfortunately when it comes to programming it is pretty hard to get out of a contract when a channel goes away. All service providers put it in their terms and agreements that "programming is subject to change".

If buying the NBA was the ONLY reason for your decision to go with Dish, and you were made aware of the fact that they were in negotiations with the NBA (as you stated in your post), you should have waited to see if Dish signed a contract first.

Just my $.02

But it's also rather s****y of E* to then go in the meantime and carry the free preview of NBA:LP. I mean you don't offer a free preview of something that you're not going to carry. Also, how are they going to explain to all their customers, "Hey, you know how cool that NBA: League Pass service looked that we had for free? Well, we hope you didn't like it, because we have no idea when you may be able to see it again on our service." I realize that it's a catch-22, and that if you DON'T have the free preview and you still get the deal made then you miss out on that free offering, but if you don't have a deal ironed out at the start of the season, you can't push and present it like you still can. Or at the very least, if you're going to go E*'s path and act like you're going to have it and then end up without it, you should not force brand new customers to go through a long contract with a service different than the one they signed up for.

 

[U235]

I had issues with Dish when I signed up too. I was under the assumption I would get CBS HD from the East Coast based on what the person on the phone said as well as the web site. It turns out I could not; I felt really misled, and called the day after they installed it and demanded they give me CBS HD East. THis was before HD locals were available and most of what I watched at the time was on CBS so I really needed the HD feed so I could use an extra tuner for locals. Anyways, they said it would be illegal to give it to me, etc. I said, ok well then I want to cancel. They couldn't believe it, they said, You just got satellite, and I said, well I thought I was getting CBS HD East and I'm not so I'm going back to cable. Please send an installer out to remove your crap from my roof.

I got transferred three times, ultimately to someone really high-up, "Director of CS" or something. She explained to me it'd be illegal, and I continued to explain well you web site says I get it when I type in my zip code and the person when I ordered said I'd be fine. She said the web site had a bug in it. I said, "Not my problem, please come take the crap off my roof." She then said, "Ok, we can give you access to it if you sign some form, and you pay $129 for them to come out and install an additional dish since CBS HD East is on some special satellite." I said, "Nope, not going to pay for anything extra, I was told I'd be ok with all of this and I'm already paying $199 for the damn receiver. Please come take it all back." She argued for a while and I demanded her refund my money and get the crap off my roof. Finally she said ok we'll pay for the installer and satellite. 1 day later I had CBS HD East, although they sent me a letter 2 years later saying they couldn't legally give it to me anymore.

I now have HD locals, but I have no freaking league pass. I'm month to month now and am awaiting my DTV referral so I can cancel my Dish account. If they still offer the 14 day money back guarantee like I had, you're definitely in the driver's seat. Maybe they'll give you free premiums or make it worth your while to keep. If they give me all premiums and a discount on my bill I'll stay and order broadband, but anything short of that I'm going to DTV. I know it's asking a lot, but I don't care at this point and when I first asked about LP they made me believe it was coming so I wasn't concerned. They've wasted my time and I'm going to go some time without it as I wait for DTV to get installed.

Good luck, keep us posted.

I do recommend using the words, "Get your crap off my roof." That seemed to work well for me and showed a level of seriousness.

 

[morningbell]

Unfortunately when it comes to programming it is pretty hard to get out of a contract when a channel goes away. All service providers put it in their terms and agreements that "programming is subject to change".

If buying the NBA was the ONLY reason for your decision to go with Dish, and you were made aware of the fact that they were in negotiations with the NBA (as you stated in your post), you should have waited to see if Dish signed a contract first.

Just my $.02

No. I was told the NBA had no deal with any provider (lie #1) and then told that it would be available and to call back the next day (lie #2).

 

[U235]

No. I was told the NBA had no deal with any provider (lie #1) and then told that it would be available and to call back the next day (lie #2).

If it's not in writing you're screwed. Maybe if you had that conversation recorded (which may not even be legal in your state). I don't understand what your complaining about though, you should have a money back guarantee; you should be able to cancel without any penalty.

 

[morningbell]

Thanks for the advice everyone. And no, I am pretty sure they don't offer the 30-day money back policy.

 

[morningbell]

If it's not in writing you're screwed. Maybe if you had that conversation recorded (which may not even be legal in your state). I don't understand what your complaining about though, you should have a money back guarantee; you should be able to cancel without any penalty.

There is no mention of that on the papers I signed. And searching around, it sounds like Dish stopped that policy about a year ago.

 

[U235]

Oh that does suck. I had one other run in with Dish where they totally screwed some stuff up on a bill. I wrote numerous letters to Echostar (well written with full documentation) asking that I felt they weren't living up to their terms of service (quoting terms in their contracts). I never heard back after three letters.

It's a long story, but I ended up not doing anything because I was too lazy and pissed off. The long of it is, they never got back to me after calls and letters, so I'd say you're basically screwed. I did the attorney general/BBB threat, the bad mouthing on forums, etc. and no dice.

Good luck, I'm really upset with this LP thing as well, fortunately I'm out of contract.

 

[blazer fan]

Fact 1:

The NBA does not have a contract with any provider. Both Directv and the major digital cable providers are working under an interim contract that they signed to allow their customers to sign up. Will those other providers get a permanent contract.....YES. However, they technically do not have one now.

Fact 2:

I called the NBA offices and asked about the negotiations. The rep told me that they were ongoing, but at this point there was no guarantee that Dish would carry the games this year. And it was guaranteed that the others would.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Well I think E* should at least offer a refund and/or a goodwill offering like free service of something else.

 

[Slamminc11]

if its within 30 days you can get out of it.... I think.

Wrong. Dish does not have a 30 day money back guarantee

 

[kstuart]

Wrong. Dish does not have a 30 day money back guarantee

In the state where I live, all contracts for monthly service ( health clubs, etc. ) must allow the customer to change his mind within 30 days.

Your state may have the same.