Why is Dish repeatedly spamming me about opt-out locals?

[polksda]

I've now received four (4) canned messages in my voice mail from Dish, all exactly the same: My local channels are now free through the end of the year, and unless I call back and cancel before then, I will automatically be charged $5.99 per month.

Why do I have to opt out of this crap instead of Dish having to ask me first before adding it, and why do they have to call multiple times to nag me about it???

 

[ThomasRz]

If you sign up for locals you will get them free until January and then be charged the regular price. If you do not want locals, you need do nothing. They won't be added. Of all the underhanded things E* does, I have never heard of them adding services without authorization. Probably for the simple reason is that they would be giving away service because there would be no obligation to pay. So either you misheard or somewhere along the line authorized the service. This is no difference from any other service you have. You get billed until you cancel. You are just getting a couple months as a "free sample." As to why they call multiple times - it often works. While they are not subject to DNCL, I think a polite call from you would remove you from such solicitations

I've now received four (4) canned messages in my voice mail from Dish, all exactly the same: My local channels are now free through the end of the year, and unless I call back and cancel before then, I will automatically be charged $5.99 per month.

Why do I have to opt out of this crap instead of Dish having to ask me first before adding it, and why do they have to call multiple times to nag me about it???

 

[Sparkman]

If you sign up for locals you will get them free until January and then be charged the regular price. If you do not want locals, you need do nothing. They won't be added. Of all the underhanded things E* does, I have never heard of them adding services without authorization. Probably for the simple reason is that they would be giving away service because there would be no obligation to pay. So either you misheard or somewhere along the line authorized the service. This is no difference from any other service you have. You get billed until you cancel. You are just getting a couple months as a "free sample." As to why they call multiple times - it often works. While they are not subject to DNCL, I think a polite call from you would remove you from such solicitations

Thomas, in this case you are incorrect. They have added the locals for everyone who didn't have them & they WILL NOT remove them unless you call them & tell them to remove them. As of 1/1/07 they start billing for them, it is a free preview until then. Tey have set up the free preview channel on 240 to explain this. I only have 4 distant networks & superstations at the present time & they added them for me.

 

[SatinKzo]

Laff, I am so tired of some of dish's fees that when I learned about the free locals I figured why not try to get them for free for a bit (offset some of the extra $ I pay for not having platinum sub). I called, cancelled my locals and got a partial credit. The locals were off for 1 day, then turned back on for free preview and I'll just keep them on after the 1st of the year.

yeah, I know it's cheap, but sometimes it's nice to work the loopholes and offset the DVR and HD receiver fees I pay.

 

[ThomasRz]

That's really bizarre. I don't know how they think they can get away this. If I were somebody in that position I would refuse to pay for the locals. Is there any fine print in the contract that might support this? If not this is a consumer fraud issue and should be reported to the FTC as well as the FCC. By the way how did you end up with 4 DNS if you were LIL covered?

Thomas, in this case you are incorrect. They have added the locals for everyone who didn't have them & they WILL NOT remove them unless you call them & tell them to remove them. As of 1/1/07 they start billing for them, it is a free preview until then. Tey have set up the free preview channel on 240 to explain this. I only have 4 distant networks & superstations at the present time & they added them for me.

 

[Greg Bimson]

Keep in mind that a large chunk of people receiving the free preview also have distant networks.

The distant networks are going away on 1 December, thus leaving you no other access to network programming other than getting local channels.

 

[Slamminc11]

That's really bizarre. I don't know how they think they can get away this. If I were somebody in that position I would refuse to pay for the locals. Is there any fine print in the contract that might support this? If not this is a consumer fraud issue and should be reported to the FTC as well as the FCC. By the way how did you end up with 4 DNS if you were LIL covered?

How is Dish committing fraud? They are offering free locals (which they are allowed to do) to people who don't have it. They have said that if you don't want them after the beginning of the year you need to cancel the locals. If they had turned them on and not said anything about not cancelling, then yeah there might be something there. But they have a channel explaining it, they have most likely posted it on the bill that comes to the house, and they have made phone calls (apparently a few) to inform the customer.
Sounds like they have covered the bases. If you don't want them I would suggest calling. It's an 800 number, you're not out any money either way. They haven't stole money from you.
I have HBO, when a free weekend is offered, is Dish commiting fraud because I am paying for a channel (or bank of channels) that some are getting for free?

 

[navychop]

Sparkman:

I think you may have spoken too broadly with "...They have added the locals for everyone who didn't have them..."

They haven't provided a free preview of locals to me. I am in the DC DMA, and locals are available, I just don't subscribe to them. And they did not give me a free preview. So I went to channel 240 in the "all channels" guide and discovered- there is no channel 240. For me, anyway. 239 is followed by 260.

So some, but not all, are given the free preview.

 

[ThomasRz]

Apparently there is some disagreement about exactly what is going on but if you have a case where a merchant "M" of product X sends you X without your authorization simply because you buy product Y from him and then places the onus on you to cancel receipt of X after some period of free X - this is consumer fraud. The burden is on the merchant to obtain clear and positive authorization from the consumer. Now, if there is a provision in the E* contract or a reasonable argument can be made that the LIL is a replacement for existing DNS service - then that may be different matter. As stated originally, E* was starting LIL service to everyone who was able to receive it without regard to DNS status. Although if this were the case then why would Dish be calling about it?

How is Dish committing fraud? They are offering free locals (which they are allowed to do) to people who don't have it. They have said that if you don't want them after the beginning of the year you need to cancel the locals. If they had turned them on and not said anything about not cancelling, then yeah there might be something there. But they have a channel explaining it, they have most likely posted it on the bill that comes to the house, and they have made phone calls (apparently a few) to inform the customer.
Sounds like they have covered the bases. If you don't want them I would suggest calling. It's an 800 number, you're not out any money either way. They haven't stole money from you.
I have HBO, when a free weekend is offered, is Dish commiting fraud because I am paying for a channel (or bank of channels) that some are getting for free?

 

[ArtWIS]

How is Dish committing fraud? They are offering free locals (which they are allowed to do) to people who don't have it. They have said that if you don't want them after the beginning of the year you need to cancel the locals. If they had turned them on and not said anything about not cancelling, then yeah there might be something there. But they have a channel explaining it, they have most likely posted it on the bill that comes to the house, and they have made phone calls (apparently a few) to inform the customer.
Sounds like they have covered the bases. If you don't want them I would suggest calling. It's an 800 number, you're not out any money either way. They haven't stole money from you.
I have HBO, when a free weekend is offered, is Dish commiting fraud because I am paying for a channel (or bank of channels) that some are getting for free?

About twenty years ago the cable company that served Madison Wisconsin did this with I believe Encore when it started up. It took the State Attorney General's office only a few days to put a stop to it. Since then it works like the HBO etc. free previews which you don't have to cancel a "free" preview or addition like Encore was at the time. By the way it was on the bill that the customer had to cancel but that wasn't allowed by the state and is illegal at least here in Wisconsin. If anyone doesn't like the way it's now setup by E*for the locals preview and required customer cancellation then I suggest they call their State Attorney General's office or Consumers Affairs office to see if it's legal in your state. If customers let this slip by then what's next for E* to try to "hook" their customers.

 

[jerryez]

I did NOT get free locals added automatically. I do not have distant nets, so maybe those with distant nets got thge free locals. I did not. I have looked and they are not in my guide.

 

[SRW1000]

Since Charlie was talking about the local preview on the Tech Chat tonight, I tried to ask about some people getting the preview, and some not; and also about automatically billing starting on 1/1/07.

I was told that everyone that doesn't currently subscribe to them should be getting the preview. If not, there must be a technical reason for it, like the wrong dish or an aiming issue.

Contrary to the recorded message, they will not automatically add locals to your programming. You have to call and ask for it to be added, or the will disappear on 1/1/07.

Take that for what it's worth, since the phone message says the opposite.

Scott

 

[cobra2225]

I've now received four (4) canned messages in my voice mail from Dish, all exactly the same: My local channels are now free through the end of the year, and unless I call back and cancel before then, I will automatically be charged $5.99 per month.

Why do I have to opt out of this crap instead of Dish having to ask me first before adding it, and why do they have to call multiple times to nag me about it???

they are hoping that you forget to cancel
means $ $ $ $ $ in there bank

 

[robertlc]

I don't think I have local channels preview. What channels are they supposed to be on?

From what I can find out, Dish doesn't offer local channels in DMA #158 yet. I'm about to lose DNS channels which I legally qualified for with waivers since we can't receive CBS or NBC from either New Orleans or Mobile, which we're exactly between.

In fact, the Dish guy I talked to last night said it doesn't appear that we're in a DMA. I'm 10 miles from Biloxi, 3 miles from Gulfport. How can I not be in that DMA?

 

[visiter555]

The correct term is "Negative Optioning" and it is not legal in many states.

My asumption is that Dish figures for the few that complain they 'fix the problem' and otherwise they continue to bring in the same $$$ or more than they did with Distant Locals.

 

[visiter555]

Since Charlie was talking about the local preview on the Tech Chat tonight, I tried to ask about some people getting the preview, and some not; and also about automatically billing starting on 1/1/07.

I was told that everyone that doesn't currently subscribe to them should be getting the preview. If not, there must be a technical reason for it, like the wrong dish or an aiming issue.

Contrary to the recorded message, they will not automatically add locals to your programming. You have to call and ask for it to be added, or the will disappear on 1/1/07.

Take that for what it's worth, since the phone message says the opposite.

Scott

The locals have been added to all just as Charlie stated in the Chat. Most people do not look for channels below 104, so they don't see them sitting in the single & double digit channel numbers.

The three voicemails I have received state very clearly that if you do nothing, you will continue to receive your locals and be billed for them effective 1/1/2007.

Gotta remember to have them turned off in Dec as I get clear clean OTA signals where I live!!!

Vis

 

[navychop]

NO- the Chat clearly stated free locals was provided to those with DNS. NOT everybody. Certainly not me.