Posted on Tue, Mar. 23, 2004
Out of sync with satellite service
ANGELA CURRY
AT YOUR SERVICE: Back on May 4, a tornado went through Gladstone, and I lost my satellite service. I thought perhaps it would be restored after service throughout the city was taken care of. However, it was never restored.
After waiting several weeks, I contacted Dish Network Service. They requested a $49 service fee to send someone to check it out. My son paid the fee with his credit card.
Two service people were sent out separately. Both said that the service could not be restored because my neighbor's trees were in the way. That's strange because I had service until the tornado came through.
I even asked that the dish be moved to a different location on the house and they said they couldn't move it. I certainly couldn't go cut down my neighbor's tree, so I told Dish Network to disconnect the service.
Capitol One was handling the monthly charges for my satellite. I had paid the monthly payment of $73.22 for June and again in July even though I didn't have service.
I have talked with both Capital One and Dish Network a number of times during all this but can't seem to get it resolved. Capitol One continues to charge me a monthly fee and says I owe $269.69. Dish Network should not have received any payment from May on. It appears that they did according to the statement that Capitol One has been sending.
When I talked to Capitol One, they requested that Dish Network write a letter stating that I have been without service since May 4 and had canceled. The person I spoke to at Dish Network refused to send a letter, saying his legal department wouldn't allow it.
This person also said that Dish Network shouldn't have taken the $49 fee because they couldn't restore the service. He said that he was sending a credit to reimburse that amount. He also stated that on Dec. 1, $45.66 was sent to Capitol One and Capitol One is claiming it never received the payment. Dish Network said it had an adjustment of $36.59 and $9.07 was given back to the company.
I would like to get this resolved. I think that I do not owe any money to Capitol One for service that was discontinued on May 4. – C.R., Gladstone
DEAR C.R.: Charles Jones, a Dish Network spokesman, told us he learned that Dish Network had refunded your credit card account $45.66 for service you did not receive and $49 for the service call.
Jones said the company was unable to refund you for any further services. He also did not explain why you had been charged for services you weren't getting and had canceled. If you have further concerns, please let us know.
