Comments (scroll down to add your own):

1. I just love it when you rant!

   Comment by FMF — Jul 17th 2006 @ 8:36 am

2. I bet they make the money when most people don’t bother trying to get their $50.

   Comment by Blaine Moore — Jul 17th 2006 @ 9:46 am

3. I had the same sort of fun experience with Verizon. I had bought a phone online and cancelled service and returned it (via mail) within their meager 15 day grace period, but their warehouse didn’t process my return until after, so they charged me $180 in early cancellation. After dealing much too long with customer service and being blown off as “nothing we can do,” I filed online with the BBB. Within a month the Verizon offered to settle the claim and give me my $180 back!

   Comment by Scott — Jul 17th 2006 @ 11:08 am

4. Great work nickel. As consumers, we need to make a stand against these terrible customer service experiences and billing problems. I too use the threat of contacting BBB, the state attorney general’s office, local newspapers consumer advocate, and sometimes a regulatory commission (SEC, utility commissions, FCC, etc.).

   Comment by George — Jul 17th 2006 @ 1:15 pm

5. I think the problem with the install fee is part Dish Network’s new business model – don’t give customers the rebates they were promised and, in my and my mom’s cases, make the customer pay for repairs when the problem is on Dish Network’s end. I just emailed the FCC because of strange goings on with our Dish Service, I’ve put my complaint on a few websites and I’m contacting the BBB.

   Comment by dePriest — Jul 17th 2006 @ 1:58 pm

6. I just signed on with Dish Nework with their Platinum HD package + all the other channels. It was an ordeal getting setup (install took 9 hours and subsequent 2 hour visit), and the billing has been off but I must say that I am extremely happy with the HD channels – they are awesome as well as the variety of programming.

   I signed on after receiving horrible customer service from Time Warner. They failed to show up twice to repair my non-functioning service.

   Service is really deteriorating in this country!

   Comment by Guest — Jul 17th 2006 @ 6:02 pm

7. I have been a Dish customer for two years now. I have to say, get ready for continued shitty service from them. I had signed up for automatic bill pay but finally stopped it because they would incorrectly charge my account for things and I would be doing exactly what you’re going through for every little issue! I’ve come to accept that with every change in programming or credit it will involve an ordeal. The first thing to do when you’re talking to any Dish person is get their 3 digit “operator ID” and their name – take notes. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I’ve settled something and then later find out they have no record of it happening.! Dish has gone to hell.

   Another thing they do that drives me crazy is they charge you two months ahead of the start of a season when re-newing sports packages. I tell them to cancel and then re-up right before the season (but then, on opening day, have to call back and ask, “Where’s my sports package!?!” AAARG!).

   Comment by daran — Jul 18th 2006 @ 11:58 am

8. DirectTV has been very good to me.

   Only paid about 20 bucks for initial installation (I think, I may have even had that waived.)

   I was able to schedule the installer’s visit via the web, when I put in my order for satellite TV. I was able to get someone to come the very NEXT DAY!!!

   After a year of service, DirectTV gave me a gift of 3 free months of Showtime. Not a scam to stick me with the service after 3 months. It automatically dropped Showtime from my service after the free months. Very nice, they seem to know that customer retention is just as important as getting new customers (unlike my old cable company, Adelphia)

   I reccomend dealing directly with DirectTV and don’t go through any “resellers” with the great service you get by dealing with them direct. Why take a chance with anyone else.

   Comment by Shawn Levasseur — Jul 20th 2006 @ 10:53 am

9. I have to say I am greatful to DISH for making us realize that we don’t really need TV after all.

   About 4 months ago we decided to switch from DirecTV to DISH, because AT&T was running a promotion that would save us approximatley $30.00 per month. AT&T was great about getting things set up for the DISH install. And then the installer arrived. He didn’t know a coax from a hole in the wall. Proceeded to toss our DirecTV dish off of thrid story of our house into the yard, and install the DISH dish without performing a line of site test to their satellites. He finished the install, demonstrated a couple of channels, and left. Shame on me for not checking EVERY channel before he left.

   When we went to get aquainted with our new service that evening, we discovered that we could receive NOTHING from the main DISH satellite. We called DISH, they sent an another installer from the same shop who confirmed that installer #1 was a nitwit, and there was NO WAY we’d ever be able to recieve the majority of DISH services from our house.

   The installation shop, DISH and I agreed that the install shop would re-install our DirecTV gear, and we’d forget this ever occured. However, the DirecTV gear was so badly damaged after been hurled from the roof into the yard, that we were now without a workable Dish. Now the fun begins…

   Four months, thirty phone conversations and hundreds of emails later with both AT&T and DISH, and we still don’t have resolution. I’m pursuing this with the BBB and the AG’s office just to prove a point. We are still w/o TV service, and you know what? We don’t miss it!!!! We talk, we play games, we see friends, AND save $75.00 per month. For that, I thank DISH and AT&T.

   Comment by MD — Jul 24th 2006 @ 9:15 pm

10. I have an idea, actual call to cancel…when they say but you have an 18 month comitment, you can respond aha, so where is my $50 credit.

    Comment by the Prince of Thrift — Jul 26th 2006 @ 9:14 am

11. I actually tried that (sort of). When told they had no record of my 18 month commitment, I asked “So I can just go ahead and cancel my service right now?” Their response? “Sure, I can take care of that right now if you’d like.”

    Comment by wifeofnickel — Jul 26th 2006 @ 9:21 am

12. I was recently contacted by DISH stating I needed to read them some techinical information from each of my receivers or they would limit my service. I didn’t like the threat right off the bat so I told them I wasn’t going to do it. I even told them I have one receiver without a t.v. right now and the lady told me to move a t.v. or borrow a t.v. and hook it up or they would disable that recevier and limit my service. Well, that really ticked me off and I told her I wasn’t going to hook up a t.v. to it until it was convenient for me. She again ‘threatened’ me, so I hung up.
    Well, they called back in a couple of days and I wasn’t here to answer their call or call them back before they closed, and sure enough, THEY BLOCKED MY SERVICE (except of course for ppv) I was forced to call them the next day and go from t.v. to t.v. and read them technical info just to get my service restored. Seems to me if they can block my receivers remotely, they could get the information they needed remotely.
    I wrote emails to their customer service and got absolutely no reply, so I filed a complaint with the Attorny Generals Office.
    Just got off the phone with some jerk named Brian from their executive office. Here’s his response:
    “We have the legal right to interrupt your service or deactivate equipment as we wish per the residential agreement. I can send you a copy if you want”
    I told him LEGAL isn’t the point, its customer service thats in question and it sucks, and here was his response:
    “You can cancel the service if you wish, but we have the legal right to do what we did”.
    Needless to say, I’m canceling my service. Who could ask for better customer service….DISH Network, leading the way. I hope they have someplace to put all of the receivers I send back to them….perhaps theres a big enough place in their LEGAL department they can ‘put’ them.

    Comment by Rocky — Aug 8th 2006 @ 7:50 pm

13. Ya, I have a similar type of deal with dishnetwork……(happily with direct tv now).

    Almost 2 years ago, I had a tree get in my way and was blocking my signal. I called them and asked if someone could come out and put it in a better spot, as I have tons of trees around and have no clue how to do it. They wanted to charge me $100 to do it, ya $100. I told them that I had been a customer for 3 years and I should get it free. Then they offered $50. I said look I can just call Direct TV today (Saturday) and have service tomorrow and I will get Tivo and the whole nine yards. And the dude didn’t even flinch. So I had my Tivo on Sunday around 2pm. Pretty damn quick! When I called them to cancel my service a lady told me they would have done it for free. I told them sorry you have lost out, it was nice doing business with you. Personally I like dishnetwork better, as for the way you can surf around, but I am much happier with Direct TV, Plus I am getting nfl sunday ticket this year (dishnetwork doesn’t offer that). So ya save yourself the hassel and go to Direct TV, also they offer a 5 buck a month protection plan for any lightening and if you need your dish moved.

    Comment by Treven — Aug 12th 2006 @ 2:35 am

14. I too had a very similar problem with DishNetwork and they promotions. If I ordered the TOP 120 promo, I would get free installation and $100 cash rebate (that credits your account @ $ 10 per month for over a 10 month period). Because I opted not to go with the 18 month contract (as I wasn’t sure I would like DISH), they charged me the installation fee (however the sales rep said they wouldn’t)and I’m still getting charged the $ 49.99 per month! Even though I went on their website, printed and filled out the promo form for the $ 10.00 off immediately.
    Talk about customer service…………..
    I believe part of the problem is, we can’t “teach” customer service, it must be instilled in you. Second problem is, with such diversity in our country, everyone’s mannerism’s are not equal.
    Needless to say, I’m still with DishNetwork because I’m going to stay with them until they get it right!
    Please visit my blog sites, too:

    “seasoned people” and “Don’t get me started”(also about customer service)

    Comment by Mary — Aug 20th 2006 @ 4:40 pm

15. I found this site because I am going through Dish Network hell myself. I will not go into all the past problems, but my current one is:

    When we signed up, we signed up for the dish being installed on the main house and the smaller guest house getting a receiver. My guests have since left and I decided I would move into the guest house to rent out the main. When this was installed, I questioned the installer about the putting it on the guest house, but he said it would be easier to put it on the main house and if I wanted it moved later, that would be covered under the original installation.

    So the time has come to move it…I called to find out how to make that happen and was told it would be 100$US. I (out of curiosity) asked how much to cancel my contract and was told 110$US … with all the past problems, it was not a hard decision. Now all I have to do is to figure out how to cancel my autopay so that they have to bill me for the cancelation fee… that way I can add a harsh letter to go with the check.

    Comment by Sib — Aug 21st 2006 @ 7:15 pm

16. Nickel, I have had monster problems with dishnetwork too! Their outsourced call center is retarted! Finally after my last move they tried to connect service here 5 times (I told them they would NOT get line of site when I made the initial appointment) they finally let me out of the contract! I just got off the phone with their stupid customer service again, it took them 40 minutes to decide to refund the 1 month of advance service that we never recieved since we disconnected. I hate their service so much I would never go back, EVER! They suck, suck, suck, suck, suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Chris Weaver — Sep 2nd 2006 @ 1:51 pm

17. Am going through similar Customer Service hell myself and mind you, this is just for getting an installation done. The ones who contacted the BBB or the Atoorney General’s office, would like to know did it help, because I am planning to do that myself.
    Thnx!!

    Comment by summerhiker — Sep 26th 2006 @ 12:13 pm

18. I have not been very impressed with DISH .. lots of problems with the DVR, and messages telling you to pay your bill on the set for a week after its paid in full …

    Sometimes just wish I stuck with cable … Dish keeps promoting how good their service is to which I find laughable …

    Curious to try DirectTV..

    Comment by rurugby — Oct 17th 2006 @ 11:54 am

19. I had a bad experience recently. I signed up for Dish Network and the day they were supposed to install the dish/receivers, they did not turn up. so I called them to find out, according to their records, my apartment does not have Line of Sight (LOS) with the Satellite. You know what’s puzzling? there IS already an existing dish outside my apartment and the previous tenant was a Dish Network Subscriber. She even left me her 3 decoders/receivers.

    So what went on was numerous calls to their Customer Service and Technical support, and repeatedly telling me there’s no LOS when there is already a dish. I’ve asked for their tech support to call me when someone comes out to check LOS so that I can show them the dish. But none did, no one called, no one came out.

    After a week of arguing with their CSR and Tech Support folks, I finally gave up and switched to DirectTV.

    I can’t believe that they’ll just make a claim that there isn’t LOS in my apartment when in fact there IS!.

    I believe their local tech support did not even come out to check my apartment but simply said there isn’t LOS for whatever reason.

    bunch of losers. Now I hope I get my refund.

    Comment by Loke Uei — Oct 31st 2006 @ 12:22 am

20. My problem is that local HD channels have an audio problem. Pay the money or cancel….

    Comment by Dishy — Nov 9th 2006 @ 12:42 am

21. i had the dish for 3yrs i tried to call them to have a remote that stopped working replace. i was told i owed 900$ on my account. the information was based on the fact i had just gotten a new phone #, so i lived w the broken remote for a while. approximately a month later i tried and it sd that i still owed 900$. so i switched to charter cable. i had my service installed and i had to remove the equipment that they installed on the dish outside and the dvr to them. which i did. they are still calling saying that i never sent it back and that i owe them over 600$ even though i provided them with the tracking # provided by ups. “DO NOT DO BUSINESS W DISH NETWORK..INCOMPETENT AND DISHONEST COMPANY”. i am now a happy cable subscriber

    Comment by steve — Nov 10th 2006 @ 7:54 pm

22. I just moved and wanted an additional room. Dish told me they cannot tell if I am eligible for an upgrade until I reactivate service. I said why waste your time installing and transferring if you can’t provide an additional room. Then they proceeded to tell me I could purchase an additional receiver and have it ready when the tech came. Why buy a receiver when I don’t know if I am eligible for a 3rd room. I mean come on why couldn’t I upgrade when all the promos are up to 4 rooms free. Seems easier to close the account and answer to a promo than to pay $299 for a receiver. Is this even lega?

    Comment by Cass — Nov 15th 2006 @ 4:03 pm

23. Hi, I am in the same predicament. I called and cancel my service before it was installed and was told that 49.99 would be credited back to my account in 7-10 days. It has been over 20 days and I have not received the money back. So I decided to call and I was told that the first CSR did not put the credit through but she will immediately. For some reason she did not sound sincere so I called back and I did not mention what the second person told me. Guest what the third, fourth, and fifth persons told me the samething the second person told me. So I asked the fifth person if there is anything on record showing that I spoke to 4 other persons ans she said no. I am starting to think that my 49.99 is doomed. BEWARE of Dish network.

    Comment by Joe — Nov 20th 2006 @ 2:02 pm

24. hi, i have had dish for years i just reciently purchased a hd tv..so i called dish to take full advantage of my new prized possession. i was told because i am an existing customer it would cost me 85.99 a month plus 99.99 install fee..i asked about there deals i’ve seen they told me as an existing customer i dont qualify..WELL EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS WHO GOT DISH TO WHERE THEY ARE..SO SCREW ME..BY THE WAY I OWN MY DISH BOXES. THEY OFFERED ME A ONE TIME FEE OF 10.00 TO GIVE ONE UP..HOW GENEROUS OF THEM…IDIOTS!!!so i am taking my long time committed stupid self along with my money to direct tv……
    annette

    Comment by annette newton — Nov 27th 2006 @ 9:36 pm

25. I just experienced the new AT&T Dish Network for myself. Don’t do it! After speaking with an AT&T rep, I decided to get Dish installed @ my home. The first thing you should realize is that AT&T only CONTRACTS with Dish for your services. After scheduling my installation for a Saturday between 12-5 I waited, waited, and waited.
    I called Dish using the 800# that they provided in the voicemail that they left on my cell # the night before. First they said “We don’t have a record of your scheduled installation”, then “You didn’t provided a working number, so the installer couldn’t get directions”. What? I rescheduled installation (foolish) for a Monday. Another now show. When I called AT&T Dish “customer service” to complain, my call was disconnected. I called back and spoke with a rep, who placed me on hold. He then returned to our call and told me that I had not scheduled installation properly.
    To shorten this story, Dish network ended my call by saying “You will get your installation fee refunded in 3-5 days. Goodbye”.
    Don’t buy into AT&T Dish Network. You will regret it.

    Comment by Cameron in Fayetteville, AR — Nov 28th 2006 @ 9:25 am

26. I signed 18 month contract for Dish TV a year ago on a 31.99 per month online promotion through AOL. I was supposed to get 60 channels but got 50. I called and got assurance from a Dish represenatative that my bill may increase a few dollars per year but no more than that. Dish wasted no time raising my rates. My first bill was $2 higher than I agreed on. I called and Dish claimed to have no record of the promotion form I filled out.The monthly increases were steady. A year later I was being billed $45.83 per month.Dish TV customer service was completely unresponsive and had several different stories for my ever increasing monthly charges. There is a $125 termination fee which I don’t feel I should have to pay.

    Comment by Bill Maguire — Nov 29th 2006 @ 2:17 pm

27. Dishnetwork abruptly discontinued one of its Greek international channels without notification to the customer. In calling customer service, to find out about a refund/credit, I was given 3 different answers by 3 customer services representatives, including the supervisor. It took over an hour of time and I still have no idea if I was given accurate information. I heard that Dish is going under. Can this be verified?

    Comment by E. Balas — Dec 2nd 2006 @ 10:42 am

28. Dish Network is PATHETIC.
    We had one Russian Channel (ORT) and some additional lame channels for $15 because thats the lowest number of channels I have to have in order to get Russian TV.
    Damn bastards. They cut off my ORT channel and when I called they said they are sorry and instead will be giving me some lame Ukrainian channel.
    WTF. It took me an hour to cancel with the bastards. They said I can keep my dish but they need the receiver. I said I don’t care.
    Bastards came to my apartment and took the receiver. Screw them.
    I called DirecTV and got the best deal. Lovely lady offered me 100 channels for $30 and ORT for $15.
    I pay ~50 bucks for 101 channels. And I mean GOOD channels. ESPN, ESPN2.. I love that.
    Service is great, Customer Support is amazing.
    Don’t sign with the bastards, they are fags and will not let you out so simple.
    DirecTV = Simple installation, two receivers and quality programming. Thank you.
    And bastards are gay. Poor devils..

    Comment by Eugene Panov — Dec 2nd 2006 @ 12:20 pm

29. My mother lives in Ga and had trouble with here local cable channels, due to an accident with the cable company. She could not receive her local channels, which she was use to enjoying. Her phone company, Alltel (Windstream), was offering the services of Dish Network. Dish was offering the local channels, so we signed her up.
    Now, with out notice, they have turned off one of her local channels, her favorite one of course. Then she reads in the paper that Dish Network is in a law suit about the local channels.
    Our problem is that sustomer service is not helpful or carring about the situation. They were helpful when we signed up, because they were putting money in the bank. The Alltel (Windtream) customer service is GREAT and have tried to help us with, but Dish customer service and manager have there script and can’t read anything else into it, plain and simple.

    Comment by Byron Clements — Dec 8th 2006 @ 12:14 pm

30. I just cancelled service with Dish Network. I’ve had their service for 7 years and finally had it. I should have done it years ago, but figured every company had customer service issues at some time. The final straw…one of my leased receivers started having problems. After 2 months and numerous calls, every other day it took 5 to 10 minutes to pick up channels. Finally, a technician told me that if the problem came back (like after 2 months it would actually go away) to call and Dish would send out a technician. The catch was (as I found out when I called the next day) it would cost $95 to have a technician come out and no they wouldn’t just send me a new receiver because I didn’t have a warranty (on a leased receiver???).

    No, that wasn’t going to work. I told the rep that I would cancel my service before I paid $95 when their equipment I was paying to lease was faulty. The solution offered was that I start paying an additional $5.99 a month and they could send someone out for $29.99. Uhhhh…no.

    A week later I call to cancel because now I’ve made arrangements to get DirectTV and miracles of miracles, “Since I’ve been a faithful customer for 6 years they can send someone out for free”…not $95, not $29.99 and $5.99. I tell the supreme rep, no thanks I’ll pay DirectTV for awhile and give them a chance to provide reasonable customer service. Besides they’re giving me a free DVR (after the rebate…which is free to me). Would you believe it…now Dish will upgrade me to a DVR too!!!

    Now I’m just disgusted and frankly ANGRY. Last week all I wanted was a receiver that worked and couldn’t get that even with Dish knowing that I’d been an excellent paying customer for 6 years. YUCK!!! I don’t want to do business with this company.

    To add insult to injury, I asked them to come get their dish off my roof and they said, “Sure, that will cost $99.” So, I say okay…if you don’t want it. But no, they want something off the dish and tell me that if I don’t return it with the receiver they’ll charge my credit card on record.

    All I can say…no one could be worse than Dish. I can’t wait to hear that they’re going out of business. If any company deserves to they do.

    Comment by Terri — Dec 14th 2006 @ 9:09 pm

31. OMG! I thought I was the only one experiencing these problems with Dish! Their customer service is so unhelpful and have no knowledge at all. I’ve cancelled my service since June and I jsut got another bill today! And I can’t even get a supervisor to talk to me! I’ve been given several excuses such as, “This is an inbound call center and I can’t transfer you to a supervisor.” Or my favorite is, “I can’t transfer your call to a supervisor because I’m busy…I’m in the middle of something.” Then when I hang up and call back they hang up on me.

    I just called about the new bill and was disconnected after a silent hold of 22 min!
    I had my credit card co reverse the unauthorized charges from them after cancellation and they allowed the credit to go through telling American Express that they apologized for inconvenience they caused us. And of course today they bill I just opened says I owe them because my credit card charge did not go through…yes I know that morons…I reversed it!!!

    Then when I got the address to mail the reciever and remote they gave me a wrong address and the package had to be re-routed! I think they do stuff like this on purpose so they could charge my debit card for the equipment! I still have that refund to get back!

    I would never get service with them again! The only reason I signed up was because VOOM was moving most of the HD channels there after they went out of business!

    I work in customer service and if I did what that company does…I wouldn’t have a job!

    They need to have a class action lawsuit filed against them for things like this! Seems like that’s the only way companies will respond these days!!! Some type of action needs to be taken in order for big companies like this to realize that their loyal customers got them to where they are today!!!

    PS-Just got hung up A-G-A-I-N! Should I send an email and wait for repsonse? Still waiting for email response from August!!!

    Comment by Shenny — Dec 19th 2006 @ 3:04 am

32. Dish Network Customer Service SUCKS. They need SS # and Credit Card number to make any changes to the initial order we placed. Their process sucks they do not train their call center agents and none of their agents know how to talk to the customers and have no idea of their products.

    Comment by Sathya — Dec 25th 2006 @ 11:24 pm

33. Same thing happened to me. On the 5th call I threatened to call the Better Business Bureau, and the $49 credit showed up on my credit card statement about 10 days later. They just count on people not doing anything about it.

    Comment by Blayne — Jan 16th 2007 @ 3:45 pm

34. Nickel–thanks for your “rant”!! It’s helped me SO much!! I called Dish Network the other day to TRY to get service hooked up to my house, and needless to say NOBODY has shown up yet! Anyway, they were SUPPOSED to come out on the 22nd, and they NEVER did! I waited from 12-5 like they said, yet NOBODY even bothered to call and give me a reason! I FINALLY had to call them, and after an HOUR, I got to talk with the guy who was supposed to hook me up. He gave me the bull—t reason that his truck got scratched on his way over a small bridge by my house, and that he’d have to get somebody else (with a smaller truck)to come hook me up!!!!!!!!! This guy is SUPPOSED to come out on the 24th (again sometime between 12 and 5). I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth it! And they’ve already charged my credit card the $49.99 “set up/installation” fee! If they don’t come out tomorrow, I’m just gonna tell ‘em to forget it and credit the $49.99 back to my card!!

    Comment by Caryn — Jan 24th 2007 @ 3:35 am

35. Caryn: Be prepared to do a chargeback on your credit card — you may not be able to get them to issue the credit (at least not in a timely manner) if you change your mind and decide not to go through with the installation.

    Comment by nickel — Jan 24th 2007 @ 7:23 am

36. DISH DEFINATELY SUCKS!!
    I have had problems from the moment they came to install. First the guy was here for like 12 hours, I thought he was going to spend the night!! The next day the signal was lost had to send and recieve 3 seperate recievers, still didn’t work. Didn’t finally get things working till 2 months later. You were supposed to get a free surround sound system w/contract never got it. Free movies channels for the first 3 months, seeing as how we had no service for 2 of the 3 they gave me some lame credit on the bill. Have had to call many times since then for lost signal they usually fix it over the phone, well last night I called and the CSR tried one thing to fix and told me the reciever was bad that I need a service call the receiver is bad,(all the while carrying on a conversation in the backround with another worker about when she was going on break). So I say ok send someone she tells me I need a credit card to pay for the service call before she can schedule it. I told her I pay every month for a warranty why do I have to pay. Informed me if I didnt have the insurance I would be paying 4xs as much, I said yeah ok whatever, gave her my credit card # and scheduled. Said the tech would come between 12-5 three days later. Told her I work 2 minutes from my house can they call me when they are on their way so I can meet them because I cant take a whole day off work waiting for them to come. Her response was not all tech’s carry phones so NO. Anyway, after I hung up I played around with the TV for like 3 minutes changing the transponder and satelitte numbers and guess what it came back on. Called back and asked for supervisor and told him I believe this could of been taken care of over the phone that the CSR was just trying to go on break so she just scheduled a service call rather than dealing with me. His response it is not fixed that all I did was TRICK the receiver I was like WHAT???? He said you may get a few channels but you will not have most. Well its the next day and I am still getting every single channel. So now I have to call them and cancel the service call and probably fight and argue to get my $29 back they charged my card. I have 3 months left on my contract and cant wait to cancel. If you dont have dish DONT GET IT.

    Comment by christine — Feb 3rd 2007 @ 11:48 am

37. I want to start by saying I’m not the type to complain by writing in to companies or at a restaurant about my food. I don’t do that. But I feel compelled at this time because I’m so frustrated.

    I believe my issue is finally taken care of now, but it really is besides the point.

    I was originally a Dish Network customer back in 2002 and 2003. I then switched to Direct TV until I recently switched back to Dish Network in November of 2006.

    I was told I would get a $50 credit on my first bill to reimburse me for the installation fee. When I got my bill, this credit wasn’t there. I immediately called customer service and reached someone who barely spoke English. The only thing he would tell me is the credit wasn’t applicable because I was technically not a “new” customer because I was a customer 4 years ago.

    I ended up getting so frustrated, trying to reason with him, that I told him I want to cancel. He transferred me to an actual American woman who promptly apologized and said she would give me the $50 credit, which would appear on my next bill. She also said she’d make a note of our conversation so that if it for some reason didn’t show up on the bill, there would still be record of it.

    My next bill came, and still no credit. I called back and got another barely-speaking-English man on the phone. He told me the same thing as the first one and said, “sorry sir, there’s nothing we can do”, and supposedly there was no note in the system from the last time I had talked to the other girl. I hung up, furious, and found a different number on the website to call.

    I got through fairly quickly and lo and behold, it was another American woman. I explained the whole story to her and she said I’d need to go through the 3rd party I bought the Dish through. I told her again about the note that SHOULD have been on my account and that this was already supposed to have been done. She said she didn’t have authorization and would need to talk to her “coach”.

    She did that and came back a few minutes later and said they would take care of the issue by crediting my NEXT bill the $50. So we’ll see if it actually happens this time.

    The point of all this? Yes, Dish Network has saved some “hard dollars” on customer service by outsourcing it overseas. But what dollar value can you put on making and keeping your customer happy?!? I would say, as the Mastercard Advertise goes….”priceless”.

    I’ve been telling everyone that I know this story and highly recommending that they DON’T switch to Dish Network because the customer service is TERRIBLE. I dread every time I have to call.

    If it wasn’t such a HUGE inconvenience, I would switch back to Direct TV, who I have had nothing but GOOD customer service from. But eventually, I’m sure that’s what is going to happen.

    Distraught,
    Steven

    Comment by Steve — Feb 9th 2007 @ 5:26 pm

38. DishNetwork has the worst possible customer service of any company I have ever had to deal with. I have 20 clients, who I have all suggested DN to, and who have fulltime subscriptions. That means that by the power of my suggestion I help DN earn over $10,000 a year, not including the installation fees and yet they still treat me like I am a inconvenience to them. DN service is shotty and therefore creates a ton of problems and they never want to be responsible for the solution. I have been transfer over 8 times in one call because no one can answer a simple question. Where to you report such idiocracy but here?

    Comment by L — Feb 19th 2007 @ 7:41 pm

39. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I thought I was all alone in this situation! It’s been like reading my own story here! It’s too bad we can’t get one giant lawsuit going! It’s a crime that Dish Network is getting away with parting people from their money, and no one seems to be able to do anything about it.

    Again, thank you for sharing all of your stories. It’s helped me tremendously to know I’m not the only one!

    Comment by Debbie — Feb 22nd 2007 @ 5:12 pm

40. Got screwed by both direct Tv and Dish and don’t have the option of regular cable. Dish wouldn’t upgrade my old equip after 8 yrs of loyalty and not one late bill yet they can give some bastard w/ no credit history entire 4 rm deal for 49.00. Got pissed and switched didn’t want to but had to make a stand. I live in Western ny and wanted my Sabres games which are played on msg I was assured by dish they would be on the 60 channel offer. I said it doesn’t show it on pamplet I assure you sir you’ll get it Now after paying the extra 15 or something bucks enough for one friggin channel I use out of the extra 40 or so I get. I have my sabres game. The real pisser is now I get mail every other week by direct tv offering me all the upgrades to comeback. I was livid I called and got a supervisor and chewed his ass for 20 min I said i get one more mailer come to my house asking me to comeback after i had to sign an 18 month contract w/ dish fecal material will hit the rotating fan. Stupidity of the whole deal is they would have made money anyway cause I was going to upgrade to dvr etc Bigger the corp the more they try to sqaush who makes them big no such thing as customer loyalty sad state of affairs in America its not just the satellite industry its everywhere don’t even get me going on oil profits after the last year of gouging us americans Hows that for a rant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by matt Niezgoda — Feb 25th 2007 @ 11:55 pm

41. How does one get satisfaction from a Company like Echostar and Dish Network? I cancelled service because it sucked. They made me wait for a UPS box to send back their dish parts, which they make the customer take down off the roof and I UPS’d it back and have the tracking number as proof. I had paid off the last month and thought everything was done. After several weeks they illegally debited almost $100 from my account long after having cancelled service for the dish parts they can’t find. Then I began receiving BILLING for service I didn’t have for months, eventually the billing added up to $500 FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for nonexistant service. This after dozens of calls to their offshore “customer service” probably located in New Delhi INDIA… I was finally able to convince someone in Calcutta to refund my money and saw a $100 refund and another $300 plus refund for my grief they put me through. I though how wonderful, a company that actually gives money to its dissatisfied customers. Instead after several more calls and several more billings demanding the now $500 from me that I didn’t owe I found the number for Echostar in Colorado. They had me on the phone on hold for a while and then came back saying the refunds were incorrect and they had given me back over $500 which of course they hadn’t. After a while longer on hold they demanded I give them back the second refund of the $300 plus. I said stop sending me billing demands for service I don’t have and stop demanding I return refunds they sent me, correct or incorrect. A multibillion dollar company wants me to refund them after all this grief? Don’t think so. So what happens? I get a collections letter from the CBE Group demanding $349.61 that I don’t owe them, Dish Network or Echostar or they will send it to the credit agencies. INCREDIBLE. I tried to sue in small claims here in Los Angeles and was told it has to be a local mailing address for service. They have you over a barrel as to how to sue them without hiring a lawyer or suing in Colorado. Does anyone have a local California mailing address for Dish Network? I am suing regardless, just on principle since they’ve done this to me.
    Howard Luken
    310-621-0663

    Comment by Howard Luken — Feb 26th 2007 @ 4:53 pm

42. FYI have u ever heard of Win back a part of dish customer service that is there just to satisfy the customer.. They will bend over backwards for you if u ever have a problem they are the ones to talk to and no the csr does not like to tell u about them…

    Comment by John Smith — Mar 2nd 2007 @ 1:25 pm

43. I had Dish Network installed in August of 2005. At the time of installation, I had been with Comcast in Spokane, Washington. I got lured by Dish Network thinking that the fees would be less and I would be getting “More”. As soon as I changed providers, Comcast came out with their DVR and In Demand. Well, I was stuck in a contract for 1 year. I spoke to Dish when I ordered about the connections that I wanted and found out later that those connections were not made for the other rooms pending hooking up additional TV’s. I was also told that I could add the DVR later at no extra charge other than the monthly fee for the equipment. I contacted Dish several times about getting a DVR and was informed that it would cost me $99.00 for an installation. I was so used to going to the local Comcast office and returning/picking up equipment that I could remove/install that I asked if they could just mail the DVR and that I could install it myself and save the $99.00.
    That was not an option. In October, 2006, I again was speaking to a rep at Dish regarding an offer for new subscribers which gave you the DVR for free and again was refused. I asked when my 1 year contract ended and was informed that I had completed my 1 yr in August. I told them that I would be going back to Comcast due to their tactics in dealing with customers. I then had Comcast Cable installed on October 7, 2006. While the installer for Comcast was at my home, I called and cancelled my service with DishNetwork. I was informed that they would be sending me a box to return my receiver in. About a week or two later I receive a sugary call from Dish Network regarding my cancellation. They thought that I would be displeased with Comcast Cable and wanted to give me a free installation of the DVR and wire up all rooms with no charge. I informed them that I had been asking for this before when I was on their service and was denied. Well, they said, we are going to keep this offer open to you for a few months just in case you change your mind and want to come back. I told them that they should have offered this to me when I was still on their service and that I was happy with Comcast and would not be coming back and to send me the box to return the receiver in. Got several more calls for the same offer and again asked that they send me the return box. In December I called them and they told me the offer was still available to return to them. I asked about the “Offer” again and paid my account of $54.61 (Bal Due in Oct.) and told them that I use the Comcast feature “On Demand” and that they do not offer this and I would not be returniing to their svc and to please, please send me the return equipt. box. I then get billed for service from October to January and $199.00 for equipment that I returned in December. When I spoke with a representative @ Dish, I was informed that I requested to account to be kept active and agreed to a $10.00 a month fee for this privilege. No way, I am on Soc. Sec. Disability and sure, I am going to opt for $10.00 a month for their convenience to try to get me back. I have spoken with reps and supervisors at Dish and they are unrelenting, arrogant and rude to me re this matter. I am sending this matter to Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Better Business Bureau and see if I can get a local TV Consumer Advocate to look into this matter for me. Be forewarned Dish subscribers, be adamant for cancellation and Comcast informed me that you can give your equipment to them and they will ship it back to Dish for you.
    Good Luck to you (and me).

    PS: If anyone knows of a class action suit, please contact me @ patriciaadair@comcast.net

    Thanks

    Comment by Patricia — Mar 4th 2007 @ 1:34 pm

44. by far the worst cable company i ever had. i have had dish for over a year now, b/c i’m forced to b/c its the only service i’m allowed in my building. consistly have error messages on my screen if i try to flip through five channels and consistly have error screen for the first 2 minutes after i turn tv on. called and they blamed in on my wife and i not turn box off at night, which we do. the one time they agreed to send someone out we had to stay home on a friday b/c he didn’t want to have to travel from new jersey to connecticut to service us. and now i find out they don’t think they are going to have the mlb baseball package this year….THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH!!!!…can’t wait to move into our home later on this year and get DirecTV

    Comment by jim — Mar 8th 2007 @ 3:35 pm

45. I am a contract installer for Dish, first let me say that you are right, customer service at Dish sucks, BUT, perhaps you got a bad retailer, I do not know; I work for a retailer here in the SF bay area; and it is a requirement that we give a copy of all documents, EVERYTHING. ALSO, each installer has a business card and a sticker with his/her own cell phone, the office number, and the work orders all have this information printed on them as well. This paperwork is a legal contract, you have right to it and you should demand a copy, also there is a spot on there for comments, write down or have the installer do it, any concerns or requirements that you have; a good retailer can be your best friend here, first for one year that retailer “owns” that job, if you open a “trouble call” (not service call), they will send the last installer (company) back out and they will not get paid for it (they do not want this ((the installation company)), plus they get dinged for how many trouble calls they have, talk to a manager at that company, if they do not offer their phone number ask them for it, and let them know that you will call them directly, so that the trouble call doesn’t get reported to Dish (most appreciate this)this effectively makes Dish Network a local company.

    I am sorry that you are not in the SF Bay area, your problem is an easy one and could be fixed in 15-min or less. Good Luck

    Comment by Shawn — Mar 9th 2007 @ 7:13 am

46. Ok,
    I’ve been a dish cus. for approx. 10 years.
    never really had too much of a problem with them until I got a new HD Tv. They wanted me to pay
    part of the new rec. update. I told them as a long long dish suscriber I felt they should be able to give me the same deal as a new suscriber. They wouldn’t do it so I switched to Directv. guess what,… they called me back the day directv was hooking up my new system to give me that better deal. guess what,… I told them where the could stick their dish!

    Comment by Gary — Mar 14th 2007 @ 9:10 pm

47. I find it rather ironic that all these bashing of Dish Network is on a page trying to sell Direct Tv.
    For what it is worth I install both systems and both do have flaws but for the most part and as far as customers complaints Direct TV is much worse but I bet this e-mail doesn’t make it on the site………

    Comment by jason — Mar 15th 2007 @ 6:23 pm

48. Actually, I had forgotten that the DirecTV ads were even up there. The only reason I had them here was to try and punish Dish for sucking so much. That being said, I’m not sure these ads have ever converted, so I’m going to go ahead and take them down.

    Comment by nickel — Mar 15th 2007 @ 6:29 pm

49. There… Feel better?

    Comment by nickel — Mar 15th 2007 @ 6:30 pm

50. I sell both Dish Network and DIRECTV. My Dish sales out number my DIRECTV sales by 10-1. Dish is a better run company when you compare management, Dish has a much better HD DVR and more HD channels. Other than than, they are about the same.

    Comment by Dish or DIRECTV — Mar 18th 2007 @ 8:56 am

51. Having many problems getting rid of Direct T. V. They have came up with so many non existent charges. Now I am writing the Better Business Bureau. Is there no honest people left in the world??

    Comment by Gerald Legg — Mar 21st 2007 @ 12:54 pm

52. I’m having problems with my Dish Net. install, no show today, spent over an hour on the phone with them today. But for all of you that have switched to DirecTV, their customer service is just the same as you are describing Dish’s as. And you will get the same crap about having to pay for upgrades since you will be their existing customer. All these companies operate the same way. I’ve had DirecTV for 7 years and their customer service sucks too. I’m switching to Dish because DirecTV wanted to charge me huge upgrade fees. And once I cancel, after my Dish install, I will start getting the come back for this deal crap, it’s just standard operating procedure. You are fooling yourself if you think DirecTV is going to be any better.

    Comment by Teresa — Mar 24th 2007 @ 7:39 pm

53. I’ll say it again, you need to get a good reseller/installation company, usually, if they know when your appt. is they can try and get the work put into their Queue do the work even earlier than your scheduled appt. (assuming you and them can get your timings together) the point is, your are not necessarily stuck with just whatever Dish gives you. Ask around if anyone you know has had a good experience with an installation company or on a service call, find out who it was and see if they will take your work, they will then automatically get any more service calls for your house for the next year. If yo live in the SF Bay area email me @ aaa_shawn@yahoo.com, I will see what I can do for you.

    Comment by Shawn — Mar 27th 2007 @ 3:29 am

54. I have a similar situation to the first writer though my situation was worse!! I am not stopping with book marking the website for the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau, I am sending a letter as well as to the Vice President of the company, which they did not to give me his name:

    Michael Kelly at 303-723-1080, michael.kelly@echostar.com, 9601 South Meridian Blvd, Englewood Co 90112

    Just in case you need it!

    Comment by Marie — Mar 27th 2007 @ 9:58 pm

55. Dish sucks, and I agree with all of you. I called last night, because I got the ICC Cricket package 2007, which CLEARLY states that it will include mobile update, and f**ing guess what, they said they couldnt help me get it setup because they dont OFFER that but when it clearly states that in their commercial and I even have a promo offer in the mail that they sent saying mobile updates would be included. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by a — Apr 2nd 2007 @ 2:14 pm

56. I receieved a call from a man promoting the home sales of dish tv and I told him NO THANK YOU, he protested to the point of harrassment, I finially was frustrated enough I called him a name and said do not call again. He called 3 more times, I had to transfer the phones to my husband to avoid any further disturbance in my home. He called me a bitch among other things. He needs to stop, his offer was 2 websites and every time some one made a purchase from my website I would make 125.00 if this is your company or you are in any way affiliated he needs not to be allowed to have human contact!

    Thank you
    please advise

    Comment by Tracy McKee — Apr 16th 2007 @ 3:56 pm

57. I am having the same problems. The promised rate is not what i am being asked to pay. It is twice as much as the original offer. Customer service is terrible! I am on the verge of taking a $240 loss just so i don’t ever have to deal with these folks – the cost of getting out from under the contract!

    Terrible!
    Bill

    Stay Away!

    Comment by William Danielson — Apr 20th 2007 @ 9:00 pm

58. So last month i talked with a representative and they told me they would give me the rate that i was promised. What they did was pretty tricky. They skipped sending me the first month bill so that I could not send them the first month bill and get the rate i was promised. Now, I got my next month bill and nothing was changed. They promised me the DVD player – well that is a lost cause. Also, the promised movie channels i was supposed to be receiving they almost did not hook up. I have been on the phone for 40 minutes and they refuse to answer the phone. I would suggest to you folks considering getting DishTV to stay away. Unreal!

    Bill

    Comment by William Danielson — Apr 20th 2007 @ 9:09 pm

59. Follow up in California. Sue Dish through their agent of process, Corporation Service Company dba CSC-Lawyers Incorporating Service, P.O. Box 526036, Sacramento, California 95852. Check your State’s Secretary of State website for a search on corporations doing business. After months of bs from Dish/Echostar, I finally sued in small claims and what happens? They call me late Friday, the last business day before the court date next Monday. Typical attorney ploy. They send me an unsigned on their part boilerplate “agreement” in an email that basically signs away my rights while protecting their own. After going back and forth with a paralegal, NOT EVEN A REAL ATTORNEY, they have made it clear they don’t intend to do diddly about their having sent me to the CBE Group, Inc. collection agency. The paralegal, read as low paid clerk, sends me screen captures showing me nothing and claiming she got confirmation from a “supervisor” that everything was taken care of. Sure, just like the months of grief they subjected me to. For this they want a gag order and a complete release from liability in exchange for my dismissing the case for which I get nothing. See you in court Monday Echostar. I was told they would send a “local general manager” who was prepared to defend their interest I suppose. Sure, another low paid shlep who is in fear for his job trying to explain something he had no hand in all these months. I have stacks of records and will perhaps move this to a higher court seeking damages. So if you’re disgusted with this company, SUE THEM. Find their agent of service and SUE THEM. I know that they had settlement on their minds since the “agreement” they sent me was dated OVER A MONTH AGO. They stalled until the last minute thinking their customers are stupid and will sign anything.

    Comment by Howard Luken — Apr 21st 2007 @ 6:06 am

60. Victory in court against Dish Network and Echostar Communications. After Echostar refused to send me confirmation of the removal of my account from collections and my refusal in turn to sign a gag order and liability release for them and not for me I proceeded to small claims court here in Los Angeles. Echostar hides from their customers in Colorado with diversionary phone numbers that connect you with people in India with no clue as to what’s going on here. I found Echostar’s Agent of Service through the Secretary of State’s website. Search them in your home state since this is the only way to get Echostar to respond. I sued them for continued billing long after I cancelled service and they sent me to collections for refunds they claim to have sent me which they wanted back! Their totals went anywhere from $100 to nearly $1000 depending on who I was speaking to on the phone. When the judge heard that he clearly decided in my favor stating incredulously that this corporation wanted their refunds back? It was a priceless moment. The Dish Network local manager they sent had no clue what was going on yet referred to me in insulting terms which didn’t help their case. He then produced a letter from the collection agency The CBE Group, Inc. which Echostar’s paralegal refused to send me unless I signed a gag order. Then he produced a screenshot saved from their computers which still showed me as having been a deadbeat to them, noting a “charge off” of my account for the 155 day “delinquency” which never existed. Billing a customer for services never rendered to hide an extortion attempt at stealing back refunds which I never received apparently didn’t please the court. I asked for treble damages for the approximately $350 they reported to collection and the judge ruled in my favor and awarded me $500 for my months of grief at the hands of this horrible corporation and its employees. I still am apparently reported as a charge off which reflects that I somehow am the bad guy and I didn’t get a copy of their collection agency letter but I have this judgement and will collect soon enough. NEVER GIVE UP AND NEVER ALLOW THESE SOULESS CORPORATIONS TO BULLY YOU. I will write a comprehensive account of all this when I have time, the details of which are unbelievable.

    Comment by Howard Luken — Apr 23rd 2007 @ 8:33 pm

61. Is there any way to get a deal with Dish after you have been there for a couple years? Will they only give you the deals once you cancel your subscription, or is there someway to talk with someone who has a brain beforehand? I’d like to stay with them if possible just to avoid the hassles of switching, but my rates have gone up 40% since I signed up with the new customer deals. Anyone know anything about this?

    Comment by Mike O — Apr 25th 2007 @ 12:15 am

62. Never, ever get DISH Network. If you have them, don’t use DISH Pause. They told me they would notify me when the service was going to be re-started. They didn’t and I my credit card got charged. They will not refund. They just want your money. I have talked to about 5+ reps, they keep on telling me “yes, we will refund”, by they don’t. Stay away from DISH!

    Comment by Manny D — Apr 26th 2007 @ 1:09 pm

63. I’m a “former” loyal dish customer. Been with them for over 3 years now. Pay my bill in a lump sum once a year. I just got off the home site trying to pay my bill in advance for another year and was told I couldn’t pay with my credit card, nor my checking account because my account had a $3.58 credit. Called customer service to complain, and was told that they could not accept payment online as I have for the prior three years because of the credit(?)! But the non-american operator said that she could do it for a charge of $5. Boy what a deal! What kind of a company refuses money in advance for services not yet rendered, and charges you for the ability to do the same? We are constantly losing channels on our service pack, and have made our feelings known in their surveys they send out every so often. I KNOW Charlie, met him years ago in the “big-dish” era, and am not beyond calling him since we are in the area with him and his corporate offices and giving him a piece of my mind. This is a first….a company that actually refused money! Will post more later…

    Comment by Claude — May 2nd 2007 @ 7:07 pm

64. I do understand where you all coming from. I hate to say I just started training with that company thru a business called teletech. Yes, the DishNetwork CSR. I hope to be gone from that soon. I hate it there not enough training, a load of crab. If you don’t check your time you can go without being paid even though they see you. Even thoug I work for Echostar thru telectech. Tele tech does not train you properly just 3 weeks and then you on the phone if you don’t know what you are doing you be gone. Of course, I don’t know you gave me a whole lot of bs within 3 weeks to learn. They are always hiring. Teletech sucks

    They used something called KRONOS for payroll.

    Comment by blue — May 7th 2007 @ 3:43 pm

65. No one is worse than DirecTv. NO ONE!
    We recently upgraded out receiver to HD and ordered it online. We were offered a special promotion: $99 for the receiver, $0 installation fee, $0 delivery and handling, $0 HD dish, $0 relocation fee. Great! Sign us up! The guy comes and replaces our old receiver with the HD one and leaves. For a week and a half we have no HD channels, yet we are paying for HD service. I call them back. This is where it gets bad. The automated system recognizes my telephone number, yet when the CSR comes on the phone I am asked to give my number again along with the name on the account. I explain my situation (that I am not getting HD channels) and I am transferred to the tech people. I have to repeat not only my phone number and name on the account AGAIN, but I also have to explain my problem AGAIN. I am put on hold and eventually disconnected. I call back. They have no record of my previous call and to whom I was speaking with and I have to start all over. Repeat this process three or four times. (not kidding) FINALLY they realize they have to send someone out to the house. It turns out the original installer forgot to attach the HD connector to the receiver. GREAT! We get our bill and we notice that we were CHARGED $49 for relocation of the receiver! With the promotion we were told there would be NO CHARGE for this! Plus, we didn’t relocate our receiver! We sent an e-mail with a copy of the promotion and got a response that we would not be credited with no real reason why. We responded and received no response. We sent another e-mail and received no response to that one either. Finally today I called DirecTv. I get a CSR who needs to transfer me (of course) I get a tech guy and get disconnected (big surprise). Repeat process. I now get a CSR that fights with me about it tells me this offer is for NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY and tells me that there is nothing she can do. Wait a second… If it is for new customers only they would not have a receiver to relocate! What BULL?! For every point I try to make, she has an excuse. I am being COMPLETELY SCREWED WITH! I argue with her for a good half hour. I ask for her supervisor, when I realize that I am getting NOWHERE, and she refuses to transfer me. I ask for her name and she HANGS UP ON ME! That is IT! I call back AGAIN. Go through the motions AGAIN. Have to be transfered AGAIN. Finally get someone who is competent and tells me she has to put me on hold so she can speak to a supervisor about my credit. I tell her that before she does that I need a her number in case I get disconnected again. She assures me that if we get disconnected she will call me back. SURE ENOUGH, I get disconnected. I am not kidding! The woman never calls me back. I had to call YET again. Give my phone number AGAIN. Give the name on the account AGAIN. EXPLAIN MY PROBLEM AGAIN FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME! Finally I get the credit. Total time spent with this hassle- TWO HOURS! There is no customer service department worse than DirecTv. NONE!

    Comment by Emily — May 11th 2007 @ 2:18 pm

66. When a company reaches a certain number of customers or a certain level of business expanse some will fall through the cracks. It’s un-avoidable, and unfortunately sometimes we are the ones that do fall through those cracks. It has to happen to someone.

    Comment by Lou — May 12th 2007 @ 11:53 pm

67. I had a problem with my DISH box and DISH sent me a new one after determining that they could not troubleshoot the old box. New box arrived with no instructions on what to do with the old box. I held onto it for over a month and got a letter from DISH informing me that I owed them $200 because I had not returned the old box (no instructions on how to packedge the box, no box to send it in, no information on how to send it, ect). I sent the box back to DISH (El Paso) in pristine condition (other than the fact that it no longer received the signal) and did not hear anything more about it. Over a month later I received a letter indicating that the box was damaged on reciept and that I owed them $200 for unacceptable dammage. I spoke to 2 CSRs one supervisior and was told basicly “there’s nothing we can do, we will not reverse the charges”. I have been with the company over 3 years and now I will cancel my service and tell everyone I know why they should go with anyone other than DISH for their TV service. As a business matter it would seem to be shortsighted to force me to pay the $200 and loose my business for life while gaining a former customer who will have no problem informing anyone who will listen how bad DISH is. I am in the process of writting a letter to someone with a bit more business acumen than the low level CSRs or CSR supervisiors who will most likely read my letter. Does anyone know of an e-mail address to the VP for customer relations?

    Thanks

    Comment by Tim — May 15th 2007 @ 11:40 am

68. I totally agree, DISH SUCKS, I’ve been trying to get boxes to send equipment back for three months and still haven’t received them. I have called csr nine times and been promised boxes in 7 to ten working days. But they sure can continue to charge my credit card for non returned equipment. I think I will take others advice and contact BBB and other local offices as I’m tired of dealing with people who can’t seem to get anything done.

    Comment by joyce — May 29th 2007 @ 1:00 pm

69. This still an ongoing problem with Dish network.

    Before I start, Dish Network and Customer Service should never be used in the same sentence. They have NO customer service!
    System installed in November 2006.

    Spring 2007 arrives an no reception.

    Called Dish and would be 7-10 working days before some one could come out to repair.

    The day service technician is to arrive (Someone stayed home from work) they call to reschedule for following week.

    The new appointment date arrives and again a new appointment to be made by Dish because no technician available.

    Called as a new customer and they could have someone out the next day. (Imagine that)

    After several demanding (I was not a nice person) they arrange to have a technician there in 3 more days. (Was going to put their equipment at end of street for them to retreive)

    Technician arrives (nice guy, had not attended the customer bull sh-t school yet) after much testing, his service sheet reads that a Dish Network System should have never been installed her because of reception problems.

    Called Customer Service and they tell us they will have to have a second opinion and would send another technician out in 7-10 work days. (Guess they do not trust their own technicians)

    CSR attempted to please us and we only wanted them to remove the equipment so we could get on with our lives. They did agree to charge us only for time used, $19.00 and that they would send us boxes free of charge (had to threaten to put equipment at end of street, wanted us to pay for shipping).

    Called Direct TV, they were here next AM, installed and the only problem I have had is learning new remote control setting locations.

    UPS shows up at 10PM with 2 return boxes and only one label. It took them 4 days to get here and we were told we had only 10 days to return them or they would be billed to us.

    Called Dish again (had them on speed dial) and explained the situation. (They acted as if this was our problem and restated we would be billed if they did not have equipment in 10 days) Said it would take another 4-5 daays for label to reach us and advised we pay the shipping on the second box. (like this was going to happen)

    Dish has since sent us a couple of free service letters and made numerous threatening phone calls to put us in collection for breaking the contract. A contract they broke by not being able to provide us with service.

    This has been an ongoing problem and I will be glad to be able to get on with out lives. I have likened them to a Governmental Agency (You pick one, they are all the same)

    We just got off the phone (again) and this time with a supervisor, and they have promised to send us a statement showing the final bill of $19.00, verifying that the labels had been sent and to have all customer service personnel alerted not to call and threaten us further with collections.

    Will POST the outcome. 6 months and counting>>

    Comment by Ron — Jun 2nd 2007 @ 11:21 am

70. Hi all, thanks for the opportunity to vent!
    First of all, does everyone typically have reception problems or is it just me? If there is even the slightest hint of mist in the air we lose reception. This has been going on since installation ( +/- 10 months ago). I specifically asked about reception difficulties before signing up and was assured that only occasionally during the most severe weather would there be interruptions. Several times I’ve called CS and have been told that my service interruptions are “normal and expected”. ( is this really true? )
    However, last weeek I called to complain again about poor reception , even in clear weather, and after 40 minutes in the phone with someone who didn’t really respond to anything I said outside of reading from the appropriate script, they told me that my signal strength was too low and that a service call needed to be made to fix it. Also, I would be charged $49 for the service visit because it was after the 90 day warrantee. I started complaining about the reception during week 1 as mentioned above, but I figured forget it and move on. Cable cmpanies service their faulty equipment and /or installation for free, so I wasn’t happy about that, but what can I do?
    So, I was told to be home yesterday (sunday) from 12 to 5pm for the service call, and even recieved a reminder call confirming as such. I cancelled my fishing trip with my 6 yo son and spen the day waiting, waiting, waiting, and nobody showed up. At 7:30pm I got a voice mail from “”echostar” asking how the service visit went. I immediately called the number and extension that was given to me in the VM but the automated system said the ext was “invalid” and hung up on me.
    So, after another 30 minutes on hold at customer no-service. I was told ( in a way that sounded as though they were doing me a favor ) that they would “credit” my account for the $49 service visit they already charged me for but did NOT make. There was NO information she could provide me with, only that I would get a call from them in the next 24 hrs…………. I’m waiting………. without TV reception because we have light showers today. All I want is what I’m paying for.
    Are my expectations reasonable?
    Is my reception typical? (dish on roof, with clear line of site to sky, no trees)
    Please respond and let me know . Very frustrated indeed.

    Comment by Steve G — Jun 4th 2007 @ 8:21 am

71. I subscribed to Dish TV after receiving a promo via e-mail for HDTV free for the frist 10 months of an 18 month contract. It’s been 5 months and I have yet to receive my free HDTV. I have called customer billing and was told it was taken care of. Yet the next bill showed I was still paying $20 for HDTV. I have e-mailed them and was offered another promo for $100 rebate, but not the free HDTV. What gives? I will cancel as soon as my contract is up and go back to Direct TV, which I had for 5 years with out one problem. I should have stayed with them.

    Comment by Don — Jun 17th 2007 @ 1:20 am

72. Thank you for all the posts. I have been thinking of switching from Time Warner cable to satellite………I am sticking with the cable!

    Comment by Wayne — Jun 19th 2007 @ 9:38 am

73. Likewise Thanks for all the above posts. I also was planning to switch from Comcast cable to Dish before NFL season…..but NOT NOW!!!!

    Comment by Calvin — Jul 21st 2007 @ 11:35 pm

74. Some more of dish networks tricks.
    For people who still have the dish 300 dish,only has one receiver on it. If you pay for the dish 120 package, it has now been increased to 200, you are not getting all of your channels because many were moved to a different satelite that you cant receive from with this antenna.But they never told anyone they need to upgrade to the dish 500 antenna.I wonder how many there are out there get cheated.

    Comment by Howard — Jul 23rd 2007 @ 4:58 pm

75. I had Dish installed on Thursday and it was broken by Saturday night. One receiver doesn’t get a signal and the DVR overheats. I called CS numerous times asking to cancel it and kept getting told that I had to pay the $240 cancellation fee and that there was no one higher up that I could talk to.

    I explained that since their system broke within 3 days and that based on the fact that the DVR box was in a tv cabinet with glass doors it would most likely always overheat (as I had been told by their tech help). One of their upper CSR’s was extremely rude. I told him my concerns about the overheating DVR and asked if this was a fire issue and was told to put the box on the floor outside of the cabinet! I told him this wasn’t a good option because I really didn’t want it in the middle of the floor and he told me in a smartass fashion that I was more concerned with where the box was placed than my house burning down. Actually I’m equally concerned about my house burning down and my toddler possibly getting burned or stumbling over a box left on the floor. After that conversation I filed a report with the BBB of Colorado.

    When I asked what would happen if I didn’t pay the cancellation fee and bill I was told that they would cut off my phone and internet. Talk about being held hostage!

    Today I called corporate 303-723-1000 and put in to speak to David Rayner Executive Vice President, Installation & Service Network. I got his receptionist Andrea who was wonderful to deal with. I explained the situation to her and said that I didn’t feel I should have to pay the cancellation fee since I only had the system for 3 days before it broke and that based on my dealings with customer service I really didn’t want anything more to do with Dish ever again. She transferred me to Matt with their Executive Resolution Team. I explained the situation to him and my dealing with customer service and he agreed to waive the fee and send out a box so I could return the equipment.

    10 minutes of being on the phone with corporate accomplished more than 10 calls to customer service AND the corporate people were nice unlike the rude jerks at CS.

    I’ll keep everyone posted as to if they end up charging me anyway or saying that they didn’t receive the equipment as some people have stated they have had done to them.

    Thankfully I didn’t cancel Comcast before all this happened and the comcast tech will be out today to switch the wires over.

    The real kick in the pants about all this? I went to Dish so I could bundle my phone, internet and tv and save money but if I had just switched my phone over to comcast I would only be paying $20 more than with the Dish bundle and they are giving me HBO, Showtime and the sports channels in that price. Lemme tell ya, an extra $5 a week is nothing compared to the aggravation I have had the past 4 days! Also, considering that Dish doesn’t offer any free OnDemand type viewing, it’s really not saving you much if you have to pay $1-$5 for everything on their AtHome system.

    Comment by OlympiaM — Jul 24th 2007 @ 2:19 pm

76. To Whom it May Concern:

    Unfortunately, after 2 1/2 years of being a customer, I have just canceled my service with DishTV.

    Let me tell you my story:

    My first call to your company was on July 18, 2007. I reported that all of my channels except the local channels were showing Error 02. I was told that my Dish 500 needed to be changed and an appointment was made for Wednesday July 25th, between 12 and 5 pm. I took 1/2 day off and was at home when your technician arrived at 3:30 pm. He took one look at the system and told me he was not qualified to work on such a system and didn’t have the equipment needed. A new appointment was made for Sunday, July 29th. At least I wouldn’t have to take time away from work. At 8:00 am on said Sunday I receive a call stating that the technician could not come that day since the warehouse was closed and he couldn’t get the necessary parts. A new appointment was scheduled for Monday, July 30th. AGAIN I had to take 1/2 day off. The technician called me around 2:30 pm asking for my exact address. To my amazement the technician was in the Dallas area, over 100 miles from my home and he stated that I was out of his district. He had a completely incorrect address, funny but my statements have always been delivered, and we have never moved. I once again called customer service and spoke with Bob (I now started to write down the names)who assured me he would get on top of the situation. He stated that the first available time would be the following Thursday, August 2nd, but that he would try to move this date up. I did not hear from anyone again and on Wednesday I received a call from someone asking if I had been happy with the service and if my system was now working properly. I had to LAUGH out loud and related to him that I had not seen or heard from a technician and that my service was STILL not working, but that I was hoping that the technician scheduled for the next day would make the necessary repairs. Thursday I took my final 1/2 day off, certain that the technician would be there. Exactly at 5:00 pm I called and spoke with Jason asking WHERE the technician was. To my complete astonishment I was told that there was no technician scheduled! I was put on hold and then kicked out of the system. I called again and spoke with Michael, who once again put me on hold. I was on hold for 27 minutes and finally hung up as I had an appointment at 6:00 pm. When I returned to my home at 8:30 pm, I called once more and spoke with Felicia. I immediately asked to speak with a supervisor. At this point I had related my story so many times to customer service reps, and I felt I wasn’t being taken seriously, maybe a supervisor would be able to do SOMETHING – ANYTHING! Felicia put me on – yep, you guessed it – hold. When she finally returned she informed me that her supervisor told her to tell me that I could leave a voicemail if I so choose. I told her to cancel my account, effective immediately. She told me she would have to transfer my call and I was once again thrown out of the system. Was I angry – you bet! Not only could I not get customer service, now I couldn’t even get this account canceled.
    Did I call back? Yes, I did and I spoke with Dennis. After relating the story for the, I don’t know I’ve lost count I told him to cancel my account – NOW! I was then transferred to Matt, the Account Specialist. Matt, a smoother talker (you guys really need to give him a raise) PROMISED me that I would be called before noon today with a new date for service and that it would have top priority. I arrived home from work at 3:30 pm. Had I been called (by the way I had given everyone my cell phone number) -NO! What did I do? I called one last time. This time I spoke first to John who transferred me to Tim who finally transferred me to Bradley the next Account Specialist. I wanted my account canceled, now, immediately. My next call was not going to be to DishTV, it was going to be to Direct TV. Guess what Bradley the Account Specialist told me??? Direct TV’s service is no better than ours, it’s probably worse. Just what I wanted to hear! One company putting down their competitor. Very professional, indeed.
    My account has now been canceled. Do I expect anyone to care – no, not really. Never in my 49 years have I ever been treated this way by a company. Your reps are trained well in apologizing, but after the 50th apology it begins to sound rather hollow. No one cared whether my system was working. No one cared whether I had to take more time off from work and certainly no one was paying me for my time.
    The calls are monitored, I wish one person on this Executive Team would listen to them, put yourself in my shoes and tell me how you would have handled it differently.

    Comment by e. fisher — Aug 4th 2007 @ 10:43 am

77. For those of you who pay for the Dish Home Protection Plan (DHPP Fee)each month, you may want to reconsider after reading this. The following was mailed to Dish Network and after no response it was emailed without a response. Upon emailing it a second time, I received a ‘boiler plate’ response from someone who had not read my letter. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE:

    On April 24, 2007 a service technician attended our home in order to determine the cause of the inconsistent reception we were experiencing with the television in our family room.

    The technician’s Description of Services stated, “Bad 811 Receiver. Called CSR. Will send a new 811 Receiver. RMA #18981180.” Additionally, he wrote “No Damage ___” and had us initial beside this to demonstrate that we agreed with his “No Damage” assessment. On our May 2, 2007 billing, we were charged $29.00 for this Service Call.

    Upon receiving and installing the replacement receiver, we were still experiencing problems and upon reporting this and performing the tasks directed by your telephone technicians, a service technician was again dispatched and attended our home on April 28, 2007. This technician’s Description of Services stated, “TC – Changed out 34 switch & connectors – Loss of Signal.” Again, we initialed the “No Damage” assessment of the technician.

    While still experiencing problems with the television in our family room despite the April 28, 2007 service call, we received a correspondence from Dish Network dated May 14, 2007. This correspondence stated there was damage to our receiver and that the damage claimed is not covered under warranty, thus a $199 replacement fee was applied to our account. On our June 2, 2007 billing, we were charged $199 itemized as ‘Damaged Receiver Fee.’

    Just as we experienced for several weeks prior to the April 24, 2007 Service Call and experienced after the installation of the new receiver that resulted in the April 28, 2007 Service Call, we continued to experience the very same reception problem – that only one satellite was being detected.

    While it seems that there was another Service Call prior to a June 14, 2007 technician visit (in addition to calls to your 800 number), a copy of the work order cannot be located. Just prior to the June 14, 2007 Service Call, we dug up the cable between the pole mounted dish and our residence (approximately 8 feet) and located what would prove to be the problem. On the cable that provided service to the receiver/television in our family room, just a couple of feet from the pole mount, there were two end connectors covered with electrical tape that had been buried when the service was originally installed in August 2005.

    On the June 14, 2007 Work Order, the technician’s Description of Services states, “Trouble Call – Replaced 2 end connectors due to rust.” Of course, we were left to re-bury the cables, but more importantly we have not experienced any problems with the reception since the underground end connectors were replaced.

    Since late March or early April of this year through the June 14, 2007 Service Call, we generally did not watch television in our family room due to the service issues – which before and after this ordeal is the television most often used in our home.

    Prior to replacing the receiver, we experienced the same reception problem that occurred for two months after installing the replacement receiver. Given this and that the service technician specifically wrote “No Damage” on the Work Order requesting a replacement receiver, we respectfully ask that our account be credited for the $199 Damage Receiver Fee charged our account on our June 2, 2007 billing. Alternatively, we ask for the return of our original receiver as we feel confident that it will now function properly since the actual problem has been located and repaired.

    If Dish Network would also consider crediting our account for the $29 Service Call charge (that was unsuccessful in resolving the difficulties) posted on our May 2, 2007 billing, as well as crediting our account for the nearly three months that we could not view television in our family room (most common viewing area), it would be greatly appreciated.

    NOTE: DISH WILL NOT ISSUE CREDIT FOR A RECEIVER THAT WAS NOT ONLY INSURED BUT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PROVEN TO WORK FINE, PLUS THEY
    WANT $199 BUT REFUSE TO RETURN THE RECEIVER UPON RECEIPT OF THE $199!

    Comment by Darrell Hundley — Aug 9th 2007 @ 12:20 pm

78. I knew it would happen no matter which satellite company we chose.

    Called and ordered DISH service. Offered $10/ month discount & $49.99 rebate for installation. When calling CS to request the rebate form for the $49.99, I was told we don’t get one because we didn’t sign up for an 18 month commitment. I’m holding the contract in my hand where we initialed for the 18 month service agreement.

    Comment by Tom Mash — Aug 17th 2007 @ 11:32 am

79. Well , to start with , I had to have a tech come out after 30 days to replace a small part , it was under warrenty , now after 4 months , I lost signal again , they told me it would be 4 days till they could get sombody out here , I had already bee out 2 days they gave some independants services , they wanted 50 dollars to come out , so now after 6 days of waiting they call and say it’s gonna be anothe 5 days before they can get me help . So I told them if they aint here by tomrrow I;ll have a new company come in like direct tv or the local cable company and when ya’ll do decide to send sombody he can pick up this worthlees equipment you call dish net work , and haul it off , cause I aint waiting 11 days for a tech to come out , and I also want 11 days worth of credit for no service too .

    Comment by Kenny — Aug 19th 2007 @ 4:29 pm

80. We had direct TV for close to 10 years with relatively few problems actually none that I can think of besides the fact that my receiver went bad and I had to purchase a new one which I complained about. I have been a loyal and paying customer for all these years and have to pay to get new equipment when some schmuck off the street can call and get all new free equipment. Well I thought I would teach them and switch to Dish Network they will give me free equipment and Ill still have the same thing I always had. BIG MISTAKE I have had Dish for about 4 month now and HATE HATE HATE it. Constantly losing signal in just these few month they have removed 4-5 channels I watched frequently, You cant talk to anybody without holding for an hour then you may or may not get help. The monthly bill is always approximately $15.00 more than it should be. Had a huge fight getting my rebate back after initial installation and I could go on and on. Take my advice and don’t make the same mistake I did stay with direct TV or start with them I am stuck now for another year and it truly sucks.

    Comment by Merle — Aug 20th 2007 @ 3:16 pm

81. Dishnet is the worst of the worst. After responding to the 19.99 offer,that never was 19.99.They took almost $900 from my credit card.They have completly ignored.They do not care about complaints to beareaus. I called the Federal trade commission, and they said if they have enough complaints, they will investigate.(call the FCC).Also I,m trying to get a class action suit(that will get there attention.My phone #626-938-0381

    Comment by karman Andujar — Sep 2nd 2007 @ 8:18 am

82. I think you just have to know how to handle these people, customer service in general is nothing but a memory anyways and that’s everywhere…check out what I wrote about Dish and how to keep from taking “No” for an answer.

    http://sabrinasmoneymatters.co.....ny-review/

    Comment by Sabrina's Money Matters. — Sep 16th 2007 @ 12:56 pm

83. Dish Network is a scary company. A Dish Network (Echostar) receiver box blew up in my 81 year old mother’s home. Dish Network was useless in finding out what happened, and they denied all responsibility. It’s a terrible company. A licensed electrician, a representative of the power company and a dish network contractor / installer looked at the box, the setup and the wiring inmy mom’s house and found that the box just burned up and took her big console TV and new DVD player out when it did. Their customer service department is all about “damage control” and limiting their liability. This fire in the receiver box scared my mother so badly that she did not sleep for 3 days and 3 nights until we could get an electrician in to inspect her house to assure her she wasn’t going to burn up in her bed while sleeping. There were no storms in the area, no power surges and her home electrical system required no upgrades or repairs. That box just burned up, shot sparks out through the top, snap, crackeled & popped until mom shoved the big tv away from the wall herself and unplugged it. It was a terrible experience for her. BEWARE of these boxes. This cannot be the only instance of a box burning up. And, Dish Network simply dismissed her worries about the box and denied her claim for the lost TV and DVD player — but that was the least of our concerns. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE THAT BOX, not to be treated like we don’t have good sense and that they are the master race. Their customer service department was completely useless. We wasted precious hours of our lives dealing with them. Read books! Forget TV.

    Comment by Carolyn Ward — Sep 20th 2007 @ 10:40 am

84. If anyone out there is getting a class action on dish network I would be happy to join from misrepresentation of discounts to probably the most deplorible customer service I have ever delt with. I spent 2 hours on the phone today just trying to get an answer. If I was not obligated under the contract I would be back with Time Warner they may not be the greatest, but you can get a real person on the line instead of two hours listening to a machine while waiting.

    Comment by Darrell — Sep 29th 2007 @ 6:48 pm

85. I agree with all of this. I am having the exact same trouble with Dish Network. Everytime you call them and they offer you something, they forget to note it. When it never shows up on your account they just say they are very sorry but can’t help you. This must be the only company in the world that can’t give you a simple credit for something. I would never recommend them to anyone just simply due to their customer service.

    Comment by Travis — Oct 3rd 2007 @ 7:19 pm

86. I am a former CSR from Dish Networks EchoStar Call Center. I do have to tell you that the respomsibility for this mistake lies completely with the Retailer that you signed up for the service with. When you set up with a reatiler you are really signing the agreement with them and not Dish Network directly and they charge there own seperate cancellation fees, usually around $300. I know it is and aggrivation I listened to customers compain all the time. If you want to become a dish network customer call them directly at 1-800-333-dish. I have never had any problems out of them and have been a customer for 4 years. And as a former employee if you have any problems with dish threten to cancel and speak to the cancellation department and they will give you anyhting you want, within reasonable terms!

    Comment by Marie Call — Oct 4th 2007 @ 6:46 pm

87. hi marie thx for the comment i am nazar wrkimng for dish in a call centre located in india ….i am happy tht there are people who wants to aware the cust of wats happening …..i am always ready to help my custs though i am not in office ….nazarali_nathoo@yahoo.com

    Comment by nazar — Oct 5th 2007 @ 2:34 am

88. That’s because they only paid $10 and work out of a garage. Seriously

    Comment by Moneymonk — Oct 11th 2007 @ 6:16 pm

89. oh boy I can’t say enough to have you understand how much i disrepect Dish Network’s Customer Service. There is no service there. you pay for their employee’s errors even. They are cold and mechanical. HORRIBLE! I quit dish because I moved. I had them for 7years and loved the service, I NEVER had to deal with customer service though. I moved in December of 06 and they come to the new house to hook me up. tree in the way. so I have to use comcast. Told the guy (nice guy too) to take the boxes and if I cut the tree down I’ll go back to dish. he says great, lthey send me boxes to return the equipment and i said i don’t have to call them right? he said no, the boxes will be here. they don’t come and I forget about the boxes in the closet. in august i start getting recorder messages for me to call a numer and never saying who they were. yea right, i’m calling a recorder? ha.
    finally they say my credit is in danger. still thinking something weird as my credit is 780. then finally they start saying Dish and i think why, i don’t even have it so i call to clear it up and very cold and a horribly rude woman says i owe $800 and if i don’t return it it would go to collections. like i wanted to steal it? I explained and she said to bad you owe and we will get it. I said geesh, send the boxes and why wasn’t i billed? she said they had the wrong address! they knew my address when they were going to service me, how would I know they would convieniently lose it? they said i ow a $100 because my acc’t was on suspend not cancel. now why would i say “please keep billing me and i’ll pay for no service” what idiots. liars too. the day i get the boxes (3 days later) i get a call fromthe collection agency for my $100! i paid to get rid of them. sending boxes back saturday. they are still calling and threatening me! I have never done anything to be treated so horrible. I’m apalled that they still have any customers and the CRS people have a job they don’t deserve the title of. I’m will be calling the Attorney General. The email correspondense was just as bad and rude. I bought the pvr for joining up $50, the guy at my house said it is mine to keep. they say i HAVE to give it back now, it was only borrowed? yea right, JERKS! Boy I’ve been want to vent about this. How do you find out who to really talk to there or go above the idiots head i HAD to talk to . also, yest 3 phone calls and 20 minutes wait minimum on hold each.
    They were great while i was there and then out of the blue they are sicking there dogs on me. they even wanted to climb up on a house i don’t own and get a $7.99 piece of equipment for them…in the rain. i said enough is enough now , i’m older and bad back and a lady with no ladder and i’ll get arrested for tresspassing the could stick it. they said. skip that part then. how kind is that? duh!
    I have already got 3 people to not go on Dish that i over heard talking about switching over. i said you’ll go through hell and be treated like a numbskull criminal when you want out. Comcast…you can leave at anytime and the CRS will work with you, not attack you.

    Comment by Jeanie — Oct 18th 2007 @ 8:00 pm

90. I wish I had known about this site prior to having Dish installed. I actually had DirectTV, but switched when we bought a HD tv. I received a promotional e-mail from Dish that was suppose to save me $20 a month for the first 10 months. I thought Direct, Dish, what’s the difference and went with what was cheaper. Big mistake… after receiving my monthly invoice, it seemed high, but I thought it might be because my billing period had changed. When I got the next invoice, I discovered I was not getting the $20 off as promised. I called the billing department and he agreed to make the change. But the next invoice was no different. I sent numerous e-mails to customer service, but the best I got was $10 off, not the $20 that the promotion promised. I signed up for 18 months and when it’s done, so am I. FHY…when I had DirectTV, I never once had a promblem with the service. We had a fire in our house and had to move out for 3 months. We we moved back in, the remote control didn’t work. I called Direct, they got the tv going and sent me a new remote, free of charge, and it came the next day. Now that’s service.

    Comment by Don — Oct 18th 2007 @ 9:58 pm

91. How Dish network does business
    Please Help me. I have just flown of the handle and swore at one of you customer service Reps. I am sorry for that, but I don’t know what to do. I have contacted you guys every week since we got our service. Your equipment keeps failing, every time I bring it up to you csr reps they tell me that’s impossible our stuff is award winning”. But you service people that come out to my house say off the record all I do is making house calls on this box. If I were you I would tell them you want a different box than the622. Please help me. I feel like I am getting scammed. There was supposed to be a service tech out to my house at noon. He called at 11:00am to say he was on his way. It’s now 2:11pm and nothing. I have had problems with you guys since day one. AS Tech came out to do the install and 5 hours later, nothing was working, He asked if he could come back “off the clock” so he does not get in trouble. The next day a manager showed up and got the disk working in about an hour. I thought everything was OK. / After that the signal went out and someone had to come out and fix it. That was problem two. A week later the DVR box went down. Dish said they would send a new box out and I would have to install it myself. Then I would have to go to a UPS store and mail the old box back, so I did exactly that. Problem number 4 the non-DVR box went out. I had to do the same thing. While I was replacing that box, the NEW DVR box went down. Dish said they would send someone out to look at the box. The tech said the box was bad and if he were I of the record he would tell dish to give him a722 (what ever that is) because he also sees a lot of problems with the 622. That was the last call. Then over the past weeks since he came out to my house I have had to reset the downstairs box at least once a night. The upstairs box is better I have only had to reset that four times in two weeks. I have contacted channel 2 news about this problem, they told me to log every event that takes place and ask you for a previous work order so they can see what kind of paper work Dish has on your end. So to recap here are the problems I have had since dish network.
    #1. The first installation was not right that cost me 5 hours
    #2. The next morning 2 more dish techs got me up and running. That cost me 2 hours.
    #3. The dish on my roof had to be reset and aimed. That cost me one hour.
    #4. The DVR box downstairs was bad. I had to install it myself because Dish said they don’t send out techs for that. That cost me another hour. Plus I had to find a UPS store
    #5 The HDTV box upstairs failed. Again I had to install in myself another hour. . Plus I had to find a UPS store
    #6. The new DVR box went bad and Finally Dish said they would send someone out. That cost me two hours, but since I refused to take the old box to UPS the driver took it.
    #7. The new box has to be reset every day.
    #8 a tech was supposed to be here at 12pm. It is now 3pm and no tech has come.
    #9 I have spent hours of time on the phone twice today your Dish reps disconnected me. I am sending a copy of this email to every one I can. We will also be hanging this on the bulletin board at my work my wife’s work, my son’s college and everywhere else I can. I will not be scammed.
    Please Read

    Comment by Kevin Berres — Oct 26th 2007 @ 4:01 pm

92. Nightmare AT&T/Dish Network story. Can you believe that AT&T cannot provide an HD-DVR!!??
    You can get an HD receiver or a DVR receiver but not a combined unit! Dish Network offers an HD-DVR, but AT&T doesn’t distribute it. What’s more annoying is that DISH won’t support a TIVO – you have to have a cable card for their HD-DVR. The worst part – we’re in PASADENA, CA not Podunkville, New Hampshire!

    Comment by HD fan — Nov 3rd 2007 @ 6:19 am

93. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the following federal rules apply:

    If you find an error on a credit card or charge account bill, you have the right to dispute the problem. Under the law, billing errors are defined as: incorrect credits for payments, charges that you didn’t make, and charges for goods or services that you did not receive or that were not as promised.

    Write to the creditor within 60 days of the postmark of the first bill with the disputed charge. If more than 60 days have passed but you just recently found the problem, you may still be able to dispute the charge:

    1. Send a letter to the address provided on the bill. Do not send the letter with your payment.

    2. Be specific. In your letter, give your name and account number, the date and amount of the charge disputed, and a complete explanation of why you are disputing the charge.

    3. Send your letter by certified mail, with a return receipt requested.

    4. The creditor or card issuer must acknowledge your letter in writing within 30 days of receiving it and conduct an investigation within 90 days.

    5. While the bill is being investigated, you do not have to pay the amount in dispute. The creditor cannot collect this disputed amount, nor can the creditor report the amount as late or close or restrict your account.

    6. If there was an error, the creditor must credit your account and remove any related finance charges or late fees. For any amount still owed, you have the right to an explanation and copies of the documents proving you owe the money.

    7. If the bill is correct, you must be told in writing what you owe and why. You will owe the amount disputed plus any finance charges.

    8. If you still don’t agree, you can file an appeal with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency by calling 18006136743 or by going to http://www.occ.trea.govcustomer.htm.

    (2006 Consumer Action Handbook, pub. USGSA Federal Citizen Infor

    Comment by Deb — Nov 8th 2007 @ 9:54 am

94. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the following federal rules apply:

    If you find an error on a credit card or charge account bill, you have the right to dispute the problem. Under the law, billing errors are defined as: incorrect credits for payments, charges that you didn’t make, and charges for goods or services that you did not receive or that were not as promised.

    Write to the creditor within 60 days of the postmark of the first bill with the disputed charge. If more than 60 days have passed but you just recently found the problem, you may still be able to dispute the charge:

    1. Send a letter to the address provided on the bill. Do not send the letter with your payment.

    2. Be specific. In your letter, give your name and account number, the date and amount of the charge disputed, and a complete explanation of why you are disputing the charge.

    3. Send your letter by certified mail, with a return receipt requested.

    4. The creditor or card issuer must acknowledge your letter in writing within 30 days of receiving it and conduct an investigation within 90 days.

    5. While the bill is being investigated, you do not have to pay the amount in dispute. The creditor cannot collect this disputed amount, nor can the creditor report the amount as late or close or restrict your account.

    6. If there was an error, the creditor must credit your account and remove any related finance charges or late fees. For any amount still owed, you have the right to an explanation and copies of the documents proving you owe the money.

    7. If the bill is correct, you must be told in writing what you owe and why. You will owe the amount disputed plus any finance charges.

    8. If you still don’t agree, you can file an appeal with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency by calling 18006136743 or by going to http://www.occ.trea.govcustomer.htm.

    (2006 Consumer Action Handbook, pub. USGSA Federal Citizen Information Center

    Comment by Deb — Nov 8th 2007 @ 10:03 am

95. I agree with all the posts. If you aren’t already stuck with Dish, don’t switch unless you’re desperate. I had been a customer for about 3 years and they wouldn’t upgrade my receivers unless I paid $99 or something close & then could send in for a rebate of $30 I think it was. I called DirectTV & was able to get the DVR receiver installed for free plus $10 off 10 months bills. I tried to call to cancel Dish but was on hold for about 35 minutes so got tired of waiting & sent an e-mail to customer service. Customer service will not forward such requests to the appropriate department. Too lazy I guess. Anyway, 2 months later, we are getting a bill for $153 that they say we owe even the receivers have not been connected all that time. They are crazy if they think we’re paying it. Their customer service is really lousy, you hardly get anyone that speaks good English and they are rude. Go with DirectTV. Their customer service has been very friendly. The installation techs were kind of scary in that it took them quite a while to connect everything, but they only contract through DirectTV & are not employees.

    Comment by LD — Nov 20th 2007 @ 2:48 pm

96. I signed up for dish in June 07 it I wasn’t even off the phone with them when they already debited my bank 49.99 activation fee!!! I was supposed to have free Dish Home Protection Plan (5.99 per month) it has been on my bill every month since. I was moving in August so I called to have account transferred to my sister who was going to be living in the house. They are still trying to charge me $400.00 early cancellation fee. Went to my bank without my permittion and debited 87.00 causing a snowball effect of NSF charges. Now my bank is asking me to send them proof that I cancelled the contract sent back the equipment and send them a copy of my contract or they will go ahead and give dish my money even though they are also billing my sister for the change over in the account!! I would never recommend them to anyone not even my worst enemie They are the worst company I’ve ever dealt with, especially their overseas outsourced CSR who only two words in english “I’m Sorry”.

    Comment by michelle — Nov 29th 2007 @ 9:35 pm

97. I have had it with Dish network too. They have taken money out of my account without permission twice. $220.00 The first time a week after we started service. The second was in December for $450.00 They did not give notice or anything. They are refunding the money (after lengthy waits on hold and being hung up on) but will not cover the overdraft fees they caused. They are evil people. If they have your account number, change it!!!

    Comment by dave — Dec 1st 2007 @ 2:32 pm

98. New Facebook Group – Dishnetwork Customer Service SUCKS. Join and share your stories there too

    Comment by John — Dec 20th 2007 @ 10:45 am

99. I had a happy resolution with dish. How?

    1. I kept copies of EVERY document, including the UPS delivery confirmation I printed off the internet, when my equipment was returned to El Paso, and including copies of emails and letters.
    2. Once two months had passed without a satisfactory resolution, I sent copies of all my documentation to the Better Business Bureau in my state, which forwarded the information to the Better Business Bureau in Colorado, home state of Echostar Satellite (dish).
    3. Dish telephoned me within two days to apologize and sent a letter within a week letting me know my account had been cleared.

    You have to be calm, and you have to be thorough, and you have to cover your butt BEFORE they treat you badly–like you’d do in any military campaign. Cheers.

    Comment by Deb — Dec 20th 2007 @ 11:02 am

100. Dish Network SUCK! I got a representative that told me that they don’t make payments arrangements. I told her I had just started my job so I needed a few more days to make my payment. She said I was going to get paid on time to make my payment. A physic rep!?!??? How did she know this? She was insisting on this, repeated herself 3 times!

     Comment by Connie — Dec 20th 2007 @ 7:59 pm

101. Around the first of December, one of my TVs was not getting a signal from the dish. I made two phone calls to Dish Network seeking technical help. Both calls were unsuccessful in restoring my service. The second technician said they would have to send someone out to fix the problem, but I would be charged for it. I told them I would cancel before I would pay for their broken equipment. I asked him to transfer me to billing, which he did. I asked, with 7 months remaining on my contract, how much would it cost to cancel. She said $106, I thanked her and hung up. I next called Direct TV and made an appointment for them to come out and install their product. They came out the next week and did the install. When I got home from work that night, I called Dish Network and had the pleasure of cancelling their service. I had to speak to two different account people, and both suddenly put on the customer service charm… all of a sudden they wanted to pay for the technician to come out and fix my problem. They were now willing to negotiate the $100 rebate I never got. I told them both that customer service starts when you are actually a customer, not when you’re calling to cancel. It felt sooooooo good.

     Comment by Don — Dec 20th 2007 @ 10:05 pm

102. I have been a customer of Dish Network since 2002. When we first signed up we had a receiver in two different rooms; 2nd receiver was only $5.00/mo. We decided to have them install a third receiver at a different location and asked how much it would cost. They said if we purchased the equipment for the second residence, they, Disk Network, would send out a technician to install and we would only have to pay $5.00/mo, same as the second receiver at the first home. We really liked and appreciated having a satellite at our summer home. Unfortunately, it didn’t last. Soon we began receiving a FULL bill as a SECOND, SEPARATE residence. DISH Network began calling and threatening us with cutting off service, etc. etc. I have been dealing with Denver Better Business Bureau and they, so far, have been able to resolve the issue. BUT, it never ends. Two weeks ago we received another invoice for the second residence with the $5.00 bill listed as “DISH PAUSE.” If they continue as before, next month we will receive another monthly invoice, only that one will include MONTHLY service. Get it? Then it goes on, and on, and on until BBB gets involved.

     Does anyone out there have a second, or third receiver at a second residence experienced this problem? We can’t be the only users of DISH Network that have a second home with a second receiver in that home. Please respond if you do. It will be interesting to see how many users have this same problem.

     Comment by Mildred — Dec 21st 2007 @ 6:32 pm

103. Thats interesting.. i had similar experience but with direct tv.. they charged me up the behind for leasing their dvr ..199.. and they didnt refund it.. i called them and they hanged up on me.. Sticking to off air antenna.. cable is worse…

     Comment by hector — Dec 25th 2007 @ 3:18 pm

104. Dish still haunts with there collection agency.
     I called the network to cancel service because I was relocating and planned to spend a long time at a motel. I was told to contact the sales person who sold and installed the dish.
     I called him several times and left him messages during the three months before the move.

     He finally answered and told me he would come the next day. He did not show.

     Three days before my move he said he would be at my house at 8:30 am. Two hours before the signing. He did not show.

     I sold the house and the moving truck and I was on my way out of Florida. I called the dish sales person who said he was at the house (sorry he was late)and he claimed no dish equipment was at the house. He told me I had to pay him $500 in fines.

     Later that day I called Dish customer service who called the salesperson on a three way call. The salesperson who answered claimed he did not know me because he was the cousin and he hung up on us. (Sounded just like him.)

     Dish told me to only pay for the 1 month’s service and sorry for the rude treatment. Good luck with the move.

     I did not think too much of the experience but three months later I received a collection letter from an agency working for Dish and the bill was in the amount of $500 plus the agency’s fee.

     My wife called Dish who again apologized and who put her on to a three way call with the same salesperson (he had a of lot trouble remembering me but knew my wife through distant friends.) The salesperson asked to have my wife call him back in 10 minutes. He offered that my wife pay him only $150 for his services and that he would return the the equipment!

     I still do not know how to handle the Dish situation and I still get collection letters eight months later. I do know that I refuse to pay anyone.

     Comment by Kevin — Jan 1st 2008 @ 4:13 pm

105. Great article.

     Your readers might want to try http://www.Measuredup.com a leading customer service review website where people share reviews with other users and with companies. Companies that are involved with and value customer service read Measuredup to keep up on what people are saying and to be able to improve customer service.

     It is free and easy to use.

     Comment by Marc — Jan 2nd 2008 @ 11:42 am

106. Me and my grandparents live in the same apartment building. I am a Dishnetwork subscriber and my grandparents subscribe to Direct TV due to no line of sight from Dish. They pay 50 dollars every month for only one tv set up and 150 channels. I also pay 50 dollars a month for 200 channels(including History International which direct tv does not include in their choice package) and a DVR receiver that works on 2 tvs.

     I dont know about Dishnetwork customer service because fortunately I never had to deal with them but Direct tv is horrible. Every time i call on behalf of my grandparents, I feel like I know more about Direct tv than the people who works for them.

     Comment by Dave — Jan 5th 2008 @ 7:52 pm

107. Incase you missed this letter

     Monday, November 19, 2007
     America need to know about this
     I worked at a Teletech call center that provided tech support for Dish; for many years, we had provided Internet support for a major ISP, and we did that so well that they took that project away from us & moved it to another Teletech call center in the Phillipines (way to show appreciation!).
     The Dish project was the WORST.
     The software we had to use to pull up customer accounts & pretty much do anything for the call was unbelieveably slow & buggy; we were essentially Beta testers for it.
     We were used to solving issues quickly with computer-savy customers, but now we were bogged down by bad software, and dealt with customers who didn’t even know how to use a remote!
     Also, they decided to put us on VOIP (Voice Over IP, doing the phone over an internet connection instead of a regular phone line) that presented many,many problems (and we no longer had a MUTE button option – which in times past was a Godsend for things like asking quick questions, clearing one’s throat, or even the occasional venting, which is so much healthier than holding all that stress in!).
     The VOIP resulted in many dropped calls, oftentimes customers couldn’t hear us, or asked if we were ok because sometimes the microphone could be so over-sensitive that our every breath sounded like heavy pants…
     Dish also had us perform not just tech support, but also Billing functions…NEVER a good idea, and that’s coming from a guy with years of tech support customer service!
     It got to be so that every day seemed even worse than the day before…the stress of all that crap just built up constantly…
     Many people were getting fired, left and right – even award-winning managers who had been with the company for many years and were good people were walked out the door…but the problem was not with the people (whom, a year previous were winning awards for job performance)…the problem was with the project, the Dish project, the software we were given to work with, and just the whole situation.
     I am currently in a much better job where I’m not treated like crap, but I called over to some folks at my local Teletech the other day, & the tell me that Dish is still there…
     Most of the fine people I worked with in the past are no longer there – some left, others (good people) fired…but for those kids who work there now…I hope they replace the Dish project with something better.
     I’m not bashing Echostar per se (many folks love it) – it was just the whole situation there which made the job absolutely unbearable.
     When a bunch of award-winning, outstanding, fine people start to get fired in droves…you know there’s something wrong..and not with the people.

     Comment by ian foster — Jan 7th 2008 @ 11:58 am

108. I added an additional Dish Net receiver and was told that my bill would increase $5.00 monthly. To confirm, I asked what the total amount of my bill would be from the installation date forward and was told an exact amount. It was $5.00 more than I had previously paid.
     When I received my bill, the amount was $5.98 more than I was told that it would be.
     Not knowing why there was a Discrepancy, I called Customer service at 5:37 pm on 01/07/08. I spoke to a CSR named “Mark” and asked why I was being charged more than what I agreed to.
     I explained that I agreed to $5.00 monthly more. He told me that the additional $5.98 monthly was a DVR charge, and that it was not reversible. He was emphatic and wanted to end the conversation.
     After explaining that this was not the agreement made when I added he receiver, and getting nowhere, I asked for a supervisor. He told me that there were no supervisors and repeated that the charge was not reversible.
     He then hung up on me. I found out shortly after that he lied about there being no supervisors in he building.
     I called back finally got through at 5:55pm and spoke to a “Mary” and repeated the previous scenario. She said that I was being charged the correct amount. She did not want to let me speak to a supervisor, She wanted to know why I wanted a supervisor, and I told her it was a personnel issue. She said there were many supervisors on duty and walking around, and put me on hold for 20 minutes looking for one. I then got disconnected.
     I called back and connected with “Rein” at 6:15pm and asked for a supervisor. She said that she could help me with the problem. Knowing that she couldn’t, I insisted on a supervisor. She must have come back on the line 5 or 6 times saying she could help me and that I didn’t need a supervisor. I finally asked her not to tell me that again. I explained that this was a personnel issue, which it was. I finally reached a supervisor named “Kim” at about 6:20 pm and explained the situation again from beginning to end. I explained that there was either a misrepresentation or a mistake on their part when I added another receiver. I tried to get the problem solved, and got disconnected again.
     I called back and got “Rein” again at about 6:30pm. She said that “Kim” left a note in the computer and I should see the reduction on my next bill. We shall see.
     I do not know why the CSRs are so stubborn and will not let a customer speak to a supervisor when they are presented with a problem that they cannot solve to the customers satisfaction, or when they finally realize that the problem is over their level of problem solving, or that they simply can’t meet the customer’s needs. They just stonewall the caller. I am unhappy with the way that Dish Network treats their customers, and want to know why that is the case.

     Comment by J Hilty — Jan 8th 2008 @ 1:15 pm

109. Hi J Hilty,

     I agree wholeheartedly with you. Why can’t the CSR’s just respond “Of course, please hold the phone and I will call a supervisor.” It is that simple.

     My problem was solved in Dec 07 by Denver BBB, now less than a month later it has started again. I think it is time for me to switch to Direct TV. However, I am going to ask that they put in writing everything they tell me over the phone. That is the only way I can protect myself! We should all have done that.

     Comment by Mildred — Jan 15th 2008 @ 8:14 pm

110. If you don’t sign a contract, you don’t get your $49.99. Simple. Why does everyone think they can get it fixed thru the BBB? Read your paperwork. That’s what the BBB will tell you also. And they don’t take money without permission…again read your paperwork & listen to disclosures when they are read to you.
     It’s so much easier to blame the other party than to admit you have no idea what you are talking about.

     Comment by nicole james — Feb 2nd 2008 @ 12:24 pm

111. Nicole: We signed an 18 month contract and got stiffed on the free installation as well as free service plan while we were under contract. It took several months of on again, off again phone calls, the involvement of the BBB, and ultimately multiple phone calls (+ faxes of our contract) to headquarters to get it straightened out. Hardly worth the trouble, but I refuse on principal to let companies pull this kind of crap.

     Comment by nickel — Feb 2nd 2008 @ 4:42 pm

112. Don’t buy from Direct TV…if they haven’t screwed you over yet… you’ve been lucky. As soon as they get something wrong you will never be able to talk to a manager. I have gone through the loops of waiting on the phone for a manager for more that an hour two times now…when they finally are going to connect you to a manager that can actually do something…they hang up on you. This has happened to me twice. I wish there was a number that connected you directly to someone that isn’t lying to you.

     Comment by Ashley — Feb 11th 2008 @ 3:21 pm

113. It’s funny, Well Not At ALL; but I don’t even have Dish Network. Never Did. But for 2 years they keep spamming me. When I call, I spend 10 hours going through, press 2, then 5, then on and on and never speak with anyone. When I finally do, I have no idea what they are saying.
     This is why they can’t remove my email address from their spam list, they don’t speak a word of English.

     Comment by Russ J — Feb 20th 2008 @ 10:00 pm

114. I’ve had worse problems than this. I had to have a reciever replaced. The tech took the old one with him. Dish sent me a box to send it back. I called them and told them I didn’t have it. They charged me $100 for it. I am now on my 9th call over a period of 2 1/2 months and have been told it was taken off ( three times ) but the amount was never deducted and I am AS WE SPEAK on the phone with another CSR that supports what I say and she says they sent out ANOTHER box for the reciever to be returned in and it has NOT been taken off my bill even though it has been APPROVED to be taken off nearly a month ago.

     Clearly I have no PROOF I don’t have the reciever but why on earth would I keep a busted reciever ? What is in it for me ? Nothing. They say they have to track the reciever down before they can refund me and my question is, what has that got to do with me ?
     Nothing, other than they have my $100.

     These people are a FLAT OUT nightmare. Once my contract expires I’m done. I’ll never do business with any providor that does not have an office you can walk into and deal with them directly. At least Time Warner has an office in my city. Never again will I do business with these people. Ever. And I will not recommend them to anyone.

     Comment by Lee — Mar 2nd 2008 @ 2:33 pm

115. I hate them so much man I wanted to get my free ipod and I sent them money and they said they only except money orders and its been 2 years no ipod so we canceled and yelled in their faces.

     Direct TV also sucks…this whole world sucks lol jk. Is there any decent or one that has good service because the 2 big ones are bad at it.

     Comment by James — Mar 4th 2008 @ 6:38 pm

116. DISH network is the new network for poor customer service and unethical business. I had just bought a brand new home where cable is not available at this time. I had DISH come and they got everything installed. Well upon installation, not all rooms were not getting reception. I called into their technical support. We went over things and the tech decided it was the receiver. They sent a new receiver. Keep in mind they sent the receiver with absolutely no return shipping label for the other receiver. We hook the new receiver up and still nothing. Now they finally decide they will send a technician to the house. We find that it was not the reciever at all but the way the wiring was done. I tried to get the technician to take the other receiver back with him but he said I had to ship it back. Still there is no label to ship it back to them. Now they have helped theirselves to my bank account in the amount of $400.00. I still have no label. Last night I contacted their corporate office via e-mail and his response to me is they can’t refund my $400 until I can at least provide him with a tracking number. I just e-mailed him back and told him I could not provide a tracking number to him until he at least provides me with a shipping label. This is the most unethical and crooked company I have ever dealt with. They can’t hold up their end of the deal but they penalize the customer for their lack of ability to perform their job. My advice to anyone, STAY AWAY FROM DISH NETWORK!

     Comment by Lisa — Mar 7th 2008 @ 3:48 pm

117. Comcast just might be worse. I’ve given up on them. When I first started, they broke their appointment FOUR TIMES. I wasted 2 entire saturdays waiting for them to arrive.

     Comment by Kyle — Mar 19th 2008 @ 12:29 pm

118. I live in montana, i have no local sports team to speak of. i signed up for the multisports pack so i could watch games. I was soooo happy now i could watch games and not worry. i was sooooo wrong, everysingle game, except those on major networks (espn) was blacked out. i called and they said that i could watch my local team on my local station…. i have no local team. i told them that this was unaccaptable and asked to cancell the multisports pack… then they had the audacity to ask why.. i told them that i was not paying extra money to see that all the games are blacked out.. they said that only the games that aired in other regions were blacked out, but not my local teams…. i swear this went on for an hour. I finally just said i don’t like sports. t

     Comment by Alexis — Apr 6th 2008 @ 4:24 pm

119. Since I work at Dish, here’s some notes/tips:

     1. Equipment fails. Cell phones fail. Cars fail. At some point, you’ll have problems. This is called… ReAliTy!

     2. If your equipment DOES fail, it is shipped backed, fixed and run through a serious of tests (ie. REFURBISHED), then sent out again.

     3. Warranties. Warranties do not last forever. So even if it’s not your fault, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay to get it fixed if you’re OUT OF WARRANTY. I have yet to see DirecTV/Comcast offer a Lifetime Warranty on their products.

     3. Call centers ANYWHERE generally have a high-turnover (Hm, I wonder why.). This means that companies have to rehire and train NEW employees constantly.

     New CSRs are trained for 2 weeks before they start taking calls, and are not going to have 500+ potential problems, solutions, and causes memorized by that time. They simply follow symptoms, error message #s, then troubleshooting steps, wiring diagrams, etc on a computer.

     If you expect your CSR making $11 to have an engineering degree in satellite systems, you’ve officially lost touch with reality. Have patience, as most CSRs will have patience with YOU.

     4. “Win-back”. It’s not that we don’t LIKE to tell you about win-back, we are not ALLOWED to. Personally, I would love to send angry customers straight to winback, since the majority of CSRs only have the authority to make an adjustment on a bill for up to $5 or one week of ‘time without service’. Anything more and you need a supervisor or win-back. However, unfortunately, we are trained/required to use reasoning to ’save the call’ ourselves first.

     7. Those claiming we LOVE to give customers ‘the run-around’, that’s like saying we don’t like more $$$ on our paycheck. Almost any call center rep is on pay-for-performance metrics, including “call-backs” and quality assurance for ‘one-call resolution’. If you have to call us back in the same week, we make less money.

     6. Adjustments/refunds. Have a bad history of not paying your bill? Everyone can see that on your account. Chances are, you’re not going to get VIP consideration when it comes to giving you credits you don’t deserve. Don’t blame us.

     7. THE GOLDEN RULE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
     Bad attitude = bad service. Assertive yet professional attitude + good history w/ the company = bend-over-backwards-for-you customer service. Cursing and shouting does not scare anyone. Our calls are recorded, so it’s not like you can be an angel with the supervisor and lie and say that we treated you badly. Supervisors also know our limits as well as we do, so being belligerent is only going to make it take that much longer to solve your problem.

     Have a nice day.

     Comment by Tracy — Apr 6th 2008 @ 5:18 pm

120. Tracy, I beg a big difference with you. I had dish for around 8 years and never even a day late on my bill, not even close to late. I have a credit rating of 750. Your comments are an insult but instead I’ll say you are the one not in reality, I’m saying this calmly.
     You haven’t had to deal with CSR on this side for real matters. Dish is not always right and that is basically the impression I didn’t get. The customer is always wrong and CSR, wrongly trained, is always right. If they trained the employees to not treat people badly right off the bat then they probably wouldn’t be so many angry customers and the employees would probably last longer. With low pay and being taught to anger all customers is a good reason for a high turn over. The company I work at for the last 28 years, a very large one, would have went out of business many years ago with the attitude of serving our customers like Dish employees are trained to do. Not listening to each case with an open mind would be reason for the service department employee to be terminated. We don’t have a high turn around in employees either, they are actually very kind people and very respected by our customers. But we don’t threaten our customers and we don’t treat them badly. If they get angry our people are taught how to calm them down and listen to why they are….key work “listen”, respond, not react.
     The people I delt with there were like robots, never hearing a word I said…at all. I’d like to see you get put on hold for 20 minutes + and or hung up on several times and see how long you would be a sweetie. We have jobs also and can’t be on the phone for hours to talk to someone for 5 minutes to be treated like we are the ignorant ones. I understand that you just don’t get it and with your attitude I think it will go over your head and again you can blame us. Life is easier that way.
     Bad Attitude = bad service is so wrong, but I think that is how you justify it. Hire bad help and you get bad help. Train them poorly and they will work poorly. In all my 50 years I have never ever been treated like such a low life as I felt when talking to them and I was a faithful customer for at least 8 years. I quit because I moved into a house that they couldn’t service because of a tree and then they became horrible, insulting and mean. That is just sick and I have let a lot of people know of the disrespectfulness I received for no good reason. I didn’t even want Comcast, but I will tell you my experience with their CSR has been uplifting compared to Dish. And they don’t force you to sign for years if you want their service. You want out of the service for any reasone, especially if you are not satisfied, they don’t threaten you.
     After the way I was treated I will never have respect for Dish employees.
     Sorry you think everyone else is wrong and you are right and have a nice little attitude but I don’t even see that. Your attitude is one of a spoiled little kid, my way or no way. Don’t like it? tough for you…
     You have a nice day too.

     Comment by Jeanie — Apr 7th 2008 @ 10:25 pm

121. How is it that the TV investigation squads are not jumping on these rouges?

     Comment by ian — Apr 7th 2008 @ 10:37 pm

122. Please.. ALL read 119 from the Dish ..dish!

     Call them back on a regular basis and lets get some action going.. comments please

     Comment by ian — Apr 7th 2008 @ 10:43 pm

123. I would have to concur that Dish Network “suks”. I have sent them numerous emails along with several phone calls and to no avail. They don’t return your calls.

     My renewal is up and I asked for a competitive price to Directv, which had more to offer and for less $$. I also complained about their antennae to the third set deal, which never worked. In all of their advertisments they tell you 4 rooms and picture the equipment.

     They are now advertising HD from $19.99 up. I would take that deal except they don’t have it. You have to take another monthly service of non hd programming in order to obtain HD. And it’s not $19.99, it’s a lot more. They add on some 14.99 for hd services and the receiver as well as another monthly non hd programming plan and your well over $60.00. If this isn’t bait and switch advertising, then what is.

     I went with Directv. At least they answered my emails and returned phone calls. I’m a little confused on how to operate the HD SU, and they too make you pay for non HD programming in order to acquire the actual HD stations.

     There should be a simple HD set up where you pay for what you get and thats it.

     Comment by Johnny 1560 — Apr 12th 2008 @ 8:30 pm

124. Dish Network, Hold a Tie For The Worst Companies,Tied for !st place with, ( The NEW ) ATT & T I have ever done busniess with.
     I moved ot a new apartment and ordered Dish Network, As there was no other Way for me to recieve Tv Broadcast , ( at theat time )

     This Service, i”"if that is what you Want to call it , HAs went down more than it has been up!! plus i never recived the $50 rebate that the origianal Advertizing prommised!!!
     So don’t belive a WORD!! of any of there advertizing!!!! i got high speed internet from Cox cable a couple days ago , and had my phone serviced switched from ATT & T, also to the Cox Cable Company,AWNSERS my CALLS, $ CALLS ME BACK! and speaks “”F____n ENGLISH! and SERVICE call’s are not Farmed out to Other Countries ,Where there “”FIRST ” lanuage is not English!!! that fast becomes apparent in the Conversation. with the phone customer service reps for BOTH ATT & T and DISH_ Network, SAVE your self The Worst Retail Experence of your Life, and JUST ORDER all Services from your LOCAL Cable Company.

     I ordered and PAID for ‘S E R V I C E!!!!!

     NOT, APOLIGIES, from the ill Equiped, to do there job, phone reps for BOTH, ATT & T God I hate that company, Dishnetwork.

     Comment by F Kyle — Apr 13th 2008 @ 3:08 am

125. Ever since we made the switch to AT&T/Dish Network we got nothing, but a big headache from rebate to technical issues. Stay away from them and do not fall for their rebate scam.

     Comment by Jon — Apr 27th 2008 @ 6:57 pm

126. Direct TV is no better than Dish Network when it comes to customer service. I was a direct TV customer until they screwed me over.They sent me a bill for $106.00, my normal bill. I promptly sent them payment. Next month they sent me a bill for $225.00 and said I was past due on our ballance, They said they were going to disconnect our service if it wasn’t paid within a week. i called and told them payment had been made. They said they had no record of the payment.They told me to send another check, because it must have gotten lost in the mail. So I did. I called a week later to verify my payment, only to have Direct TV people tell me they didn’t recieve that check either. I called my bank. They gave me my canceled check,from the first payment, stamped by Direct TV, and the bank assured me that the check had cleared. I called Direct TV again,was put on hold for an hour or so, then was told they had no record of my payment. They told me to send another check or my service would be disconnected. I told them I was holding the canceled check from my first payment. They then swicthed me to some other “yahoo” who tried to tell me that both my checks had been returned by my bank.How can they be returned if I am holding the canceled check in my hand? I was told to send them yet another check for payment,for which I promptly told them to go to hell,and to disconnect my service immediately!! So they turned my account over to a collection agency. in the mean time, about 3 weeks later, They cashed the 2nd check I had sent them. When I called them to find out why I was still being billed for service that i wasn’t getting,because I cancelled it, they told me they had not recieved payment for 3 months.I again told them that both my checks had been cashed and had cleared the bank. They said it would be taken care of right away, but to this day almost 2 years later I still am getting letters from the collection agency.I will not ever give one cent more to rotten, theiving, no-good Direct TV. And there service SUCKED TOO!

     Comment by toolmantim — Apr 29th 2008 @ 8:25 pm

127. haha

     i left directv for poor customer service and dish has been really great. it works both ways. directv wouldn’t upgrade my equipment. i asked a few times. i threatened to go to DISH. still no offers. i went DISH and received free equipment and rebates. then the offers from DIRECTV came pouring in. too bad directv. maybe when my 18 months is up with dish i’ll reconsider directv if the HDTV channels are really there like directv claims instead of ‘coming soon’ for months and months and if they offer new and free equipment

     Comment by hank — May 3rd 2008 @ 11:29 am

128. Please check your wiring if you still have DISH. Our system was not grounded and we have lost our TVs. Check your wiring!

     Comment by Jessie — May 7th 2008 @ 9:54 pm

129. Dish Network shut down my service although I have been a customer since May of 2002 – never late, automatic payment through my credit card, never missed a payment.
     They said that they atempted to contact me 3 times to do verification of equipment. First time, they called 05/15/08 and wanted to verify equipment – since we were recording they said they would call back in 2 hours but never did. They also left a message requesting me to call. I was waiting for the next Saturday since their hours do not coincide with mine. They have Central time and I am Pacific Time.
     On May 21st I arrived home at 7:30PM to find I had no service. Contacted them and was told that a specific dept locked the account and they could not do anything to turn it on. I was mad over that fact and informed them.
     I called back on May 22nd at 6:55AM and expressed my disgust over the policy to Justin, the rep, and the rep kept talking and I talked over him and finally he hang up on me.
     I called back again and the rep Larry answered and before I could go any further he threatened me by saying that he would disconnect my service for good if I interrupted him. He then told me that me, and only me could communicate with him and transmit the numbers that I was seeing in the TV. I went from one tv to another reading the information he requested, and, the last tv is located on the bottom floor….. as I got there, my elderly mother asked me if I had finished and he then was very rude to me, telling me that I have been informed that I was to speak with noone, and he got very upset that I replied to my mother in my native language…… I had to at point to explain that my mother did not hear him order me not to speak with anyone…. he then threaten me again to disconnect the service……

     Final point:
     How can they have the right to shut down your service when you are a good standing customer? Shut down without warning!

     According to the rude rep Larry (L55), he at the end informed me that in order to avoid this from happening again I would have to installs wireless jacks so that all tvs are connected through the phone. No one ever told me that this had to be done, 6 years as a customer…. There has never been any written request to require a customer to have wireless jacks installed and connected to the TV.

     I am making arrangements to get out….
     A good tip for everyone, DO NOT USE DISH NETWORK EVER and if you are still a customer, get out….. they are not in the service area….. not concerned with the customers….

     Comment by Sonia, Los Angeles, CA — May 22nd 2008 @ 2:50 pm

130. I went straight to the BBB when I had a problem with them. They responded within a week, gave me all the credits that I had requested, plus an additional $60.

     Comment by Camilla — Jun 13th 2008 @ 3:44 pm

131. Its not dish network’s fault . its the resellers idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     Comment by Vicor — Jun 22nd 2008 @ 1:17 am

132. Dish network is only there to screw people! 29.00 service calls even when you pay 5.99 a month for insurance.
     The tech people are COMPLETE idiots who don’t the difference between letters and numbers…… I finally cancelled after 13 years of declining service. 85% of trouble shooting calls are non english speaking…..I hope they go belly up! The last call they F’d with my air channel antenna ?????????? How do you spell MORON!!!

     Comment by jimmy — Aug 4th 2008 @ 11:49 am

133. Heh heh…my experience was almost identical. It took me MONTHS to get repaid.

     It was a running gag will all of my neighbors. We all bought in a new subdivision, and all had to get dish or direct tv, until the subdivision was built out enough to support cable.

     After I was FINALLY successful getting my money, I started calling on behalf of all of my neighbors, who could not BELIEVE that I actually was successful!

     This worked beautifully. I got a 10% commission.

     Comment by Dennis — Aug 12th 2008 @ 4:56 pm

134. This product rip off and harrassment practice by these people is unexcusable. The actions of President W. Bush has spawned the boldness of many rip off businesses to go full blown, and remain unscathed. As always, all the legislated laws only pertain to or are designed to control the little guys!! The average white American that preaches patriotism, is a stinking coward, and can not be energized by anyone to take a stand for the PRINCIPLES that we were schooled to believe that we were guaranteed (funny), BY LAW. Laws are only there to protect the real crooks of America, and incarcerate the only people with balls enough to do anything about their control. Dish Network Sucks.

     Comment by Walter — Aug 13th 2008 @ 12:17 pm

135. I am a current Dish Network Inbound Call Center Supervisor.

     I am born and raised in the USA. I have never even left the USA, well I took a day trip to Mexico once in HS w/ my family.

     I have been w/ Dish since 11/06 and am trained in direct accts and bundled accts w/ tele-com (ATT, etc).
     I have worked my way up in the company starting as a Tech and working my way up to Tech III and Advanced Tech Rep. Now onto Sup.
     Since I am a Tech agent I am not perfect w/ billing but I know most of it. I understand all the policies and procedures.
     If you have any ?’s for me I will gladly take them at my email address. If you are going to cuss me or Dish I will just delete but I will let help you if its something you need more clarification on.

     Anna
     dishtechsup@yahoo.com

     Comment by Anna — Aug 24th 2008 @ 1:02 am

136. We have dish-network…anytime we have had a problem with dish we end up getting csr that cannot speak good english, if we cannot understand the csr then how can they understand us? In short….our problems hardly ever get fixed. Recently the DVR we have started having problems….after 2 hours of trouble shooting the csr decided that it would be best to sent us out another dvr. We recieved a DVR, we boxed up the old one and shipped it back. On the following month when we recieved the bill we were charged 178.00 for the old DVR. I called to see why we were charged the 178.00, they said it was because there was not a thing wrong with the one we returned. I told them that the csr that helped us trouble shoot the dvr decided that it needed sending back…and I was not paying the 178.00 because when I shipped it to them it did not work. So after arguring with these people they credited the 178.00 back to the bill….only to have my next months bill to be 283.00….we called to see what the additional charges were for and were told by the csr that they were not allowed to do anything else for the account…the 1st csr hung up on my husband….he called back…told the 2nd csr what was going on…the lady appeared to be trying to help, but mysteriously after 15 min or so the call got disconnected….my husband called back a 3rd time and my husband asked to speak to a mngr…only to be put on hold……no one ever pick-up after about an 1 hour of being on hold. The 4th call I made…only to be told that the csr did not have a supervisor …bull5h1t So the next morning I tried calling again and ended up leaving a message on a supposidly managers voice mail…I still have not recieved a call from no one…other than an auto-mated call to tell me I am late with the payment. I told them they would get payment when they take the additional 178.00 on the bill off. The funny thing about this is the 178.00 doesn’t show that it is for the DVR….its hidden charges in the bill. Dish did send me out an empty box to ship back the dvr….we called to see why..the csr told us to ignore it. Ups showed up a couple of days ago to pick up the box…..the ups guy told me it was nothing unusally for dish to send out empty boxes to people…but no one hardly ever is sending back equipment…he said he thinks that company is crazy spending all that money on shipping out empty boxes.

     Comment by Tracey — Aug 27th 2008 @ 10:23 am

137. I do support, All the above statements I had been working for Dish network retail for more than 2 yrs, and I myself fooled many customers giving false promises just to make a promising sale but after that I dont even bother to call up the customer and enquire about the quality of theservice they are receiving. And the customer service really sucks they are dumb ass , knowing nothing other than ” just hold ther line – let me transfer the call to my suprvisor” and then cunny supervisor will always try to take you away from your track by just talkng absolute nonsense and it no ways solve your problem.

     NEVER INSTALL A DISH and even you do never believe any call-center Guys , all of them just lie.

     Comment by Justin MOrris — Sep 1st 2008 @ 8:01 pm

138. We’ve only had Dish for 2 months of our 2 year contract. Problems started from Day 1 when the installer slid our TV stand across the wood floor leaving deep scratches. The two room DVR is a joke! If one unit is recording with somone watching it, it forces the other unit to change channels. We switched to two separate DVRs. Seems like the two room DVR is a bait-and-switch to get you signed-up for a 2nd physical DVR.

     After installing the 2nd physical DVR, it broke within a week and we contacted Dish for a replacement. They said they would mail us a box for the DVR to be returned. The box never arrived and the installer took the broken unit with him. We called Dish several times to verify that they received the broken unit. Dish confirmed receipt and then billed us as if the unit was not returned. It took several calls to get this straightened out.

     Calling Dish about bill corrections always requires a follow-up the next day to make sure what was promised actually shows up on the balance due. More often than not, Dish does follow through with their promise to credit our account. For quality assurance purposes, we have resorted to recording every call made to Dish Network.

     When I called Dish to check the status of our account, I was told that since I was not the account holder they could not talk with me. My wife set-up the account and was identified by Dish as the account holder. I had to ask her to call Dish and add me to account holder list. This was just plain dumb on Dish’s part and obviously used as an excuss to not deal with a problem. I let Dish know that I was the bread winner and that keeping me happy was all they needed to keep our family’s business. They sure screwed-up that point in Business 101.

     Currently, we have vented our frustration to Dish’s customer service (remember, we’ve only been with them for 2 months) and they have agreed to let us out of our contract. We plan to get Directv and hope the experience is somewhat better.

     Comment by Steven of Greenville, SC — Sep 3rd 2008 @ 11:15 pm

139. Well, at least you folks got through to customer service. I had decided to either get cable or a dish and at the state fair I signed up for dish on the condition that the LOS worked (lots of trees). waited two weeks…they finally contacted me and left a message. (they’ve actually called me three times and left messages). But when I try to call back…it gets to the point where I’m the next call in line…then it hangs up on me!
     I’ve been trying every day for two weeks to call them back and it just hangs up….
     today I gave up….I’d already decided if this was an indication of their customer service that I was going with Cable..and now after reading all this…I’m SURE cable is the right choice!!

     too bad, Dish…you just lost a customer!
     thanks,

     Comment by carl — Sep 15th 2008 @ 11:12 pm

140. I am currently a dish customer.
     I REALLY want out of my contract, but they keep threatening me with a fee for disconnecting.
     I understand that there was a penalty for leaving early, but I didn’t think I was doing that, until the CSR I talked to told me that I had aggreed to another two year contract by acceptin an HD reciever that didn’t work to begin with, and is STILL in the process of bieng fixed (by me, of course – the sent some kit for me to deal with).

     It sucks that they were so dishonest about the contract renewal issue. I WANT OUT!

     I was offered a WAY better deal somewhere else, and I have a question:

     I was told my a freind the there is something under the “fair credit reporting act” that states I only have to pay 10$ a month to the Dish people and it won’t affect my credit if I disconnect.

     Even if I pay the penalty (which has changed three times since I called) – I will still save $ over the dish.

     I want OUT! but I don’t wanna screw up my credit!
     So my question is simple:
     Do I only have to pay ten $ a month to avoid problems?
     And:
     How do you get a straight answer about what they want to charge you? Is there a website or something?
     Something in writing?

     PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!

     Every time I call I am put on hold, and told a different story when I get a rep. Any Ideas?

     - Dished-out in Washington.

     Comment by Dish-ed out — Sep 23rd 2008 @ 1:08 pm

141. First I’d like to say this is a copy of a post I submitted to a DirecTV discussion that I found while looking for class action lawsuits against Dish Network (in case you have read this before). So forgive a few somewhat off-topic comments referencing DirecTV, but I think the number of DirecTV complaints goes to show you that there may be NO good solutions to getting quality TV service.

     DirectTV is not the only company of crooks. Many of the experiences written about in these comments is mirrored by the practices of Dish Network. In fact, I found these comments while searching (naively, it appears) for class action lawsuits against Dish Network. Dish Network victimized me, and no doubt many others, by requiring the return of equipment I had legitimately purchased upon termination of service (specifically, LNBFs and switches) that had either come with equipment I had purchased, or as the result of “free” upgrades. This is specifically in reference to a billing dispute that went for almost 2 years with Dish Network when they refused to give me credit for returning a rented receiver. I had even faxed tracking numbers and other corroborative information to their legal department without resolution. They also continued to charge me rental fees on this same receiver for which I faxed purchase receipts to their legal department.

     These companies abuse a de facto oligopoly of TV “service” by having unspeakably bad customer service and outright fraud. The contractual fine print cited by the “lawyers” in some other forums (essentially saying it is the customer’s fault for not reading the fine print) are, to make a brief aside, as ridiculous as the user agreements created by the software companies today (also sadly lacking in consumer protections). The validity of these clauses is somewhat questionable as, in general, there must be a consensus of understanding for a contract to be valid. I doubt most consumers “buy” equipment with the idea that they are not in fact actually owners of the equipment. I hope DirectTV owners get some justice; I have little doubt however that they will not, nor will the victims of Dish Network, Comcast, and the other villains.

     Comment by Anonymous — Oct 15th 2008 @ 11:57 pm

142. I agree that DISH network sucks big time. They cancelled twice for installation and then said they would give me the premium package for three months for my trouble ( they charged me for premium package because nothing was in writing) I told them I only wanted Hi Def on one receiver and not on the other. They gave me Hi Def on both and charged me almost $200.00. I called five times and was put on hold and diconnected five times. I was in tears after spending hours on the phone. Finally a rep spoke to me and said I could dispute the $200 charge and premium prices but this could take months during which time I will be charged a late fee for the fees. I am furious with their customer service and phone service. I am ready to have them take it all away and I will go to Direct TV.

     Comment by Linda Judson — Oct 20th 2008 @ 6:33 pm

143. well – sorry to burst folks’ bublle, but I have nothing but positive experience with Dish. My recent upgrade to the HD version went REALLY well – there was a problem with one of the new remotes and they overnighted me a new set of remote controls.

     sure – I wish I could just turn on the USB connection to the wireless in the house (or add more storage), but for the money – this service can not be beat and their customer service has done well by me!

     Comment by Jim — Oct 29th 2008 @ 1:47 pm

144. Both Dish Network AND Direct TV SUCK.
     Anyone who wants to sucker you into a contract has something up thier sleeve.

     I am SO glad I switched to CABLE!!!

     Comment by comcastica — Oct 30th 2008 @ 3:36 pm

145. They all suck !

     Cable , Dish , DTV. Comcast etc

     These companies do not care about customer service, they hit and run for as long as the can till you drop them.

     I have had DTV and they were horrible, Comcast has horrific customer service, constant bandwidth problems so your HD is not really HD only runs at 780 i which is nuts if you have a HDTV why would you want service that can not truly broadcast in full HD ?

     And I am sure I will be cutting my wrists over Dish network as well.

     This goes for all major companies ever have a problem with Dell ? when you call you get some one in India that can’t speak English, tells me his name is BOB, LOL and I can clearly hear the goats in the back ground .

     You must write a BBB and file a counter claim in small claims court for these companies to know your alive.

     Comment by Mrbigmac — Oct 31st 2008 @ 12:04 pm

146. Ok so I have worked for Dish Cust Service for several years and I have a couple things to say.

     So as far as alot of people saying that they get bad cust service I can see where you guys are coming from. I am not going to deny that out of the thousands of customer service agents working there not all of them take their job seriously. But Dish does care about their Customer Service. It is our number 1 proirity and some huge changes are being made because of situations and problems with installation and customer service. We do listen and trust me the goal for dish is not to have out previous customers upset or very unhappy with the service that they did or did not recieve. If you guys actually want some real suggestions here are a few.

     For a new customer: Make sure unless you live in Alaska Puerto Rico or Hawaii.. to sign up Directly with Dish. Most people will receive fliers and different offers in the mail. Most of these advertisements are from 3rd party retailers. These usually say like free ipod and free gas card, free surround sound/digital camera. Honestly as long as i have worked there alot of people dont qualify for the gift, never receive it or in most cases they do get the gift but dont realize that by doing that it puts them in a 3rd party contract with that retailer.. so say if your moving and its not allowed, and you have to cancel you are going to have a very high cancel fee.. Just something to be aware of…

     When signing up ask for details and price and the promotion that your going to be getting. Dish actually has very good promotions if you know what your getting.. I read that alot of people are not happy with their bill and says it goes up alot. Thats why I would advise to go over the promotion that you will be getting, because were giving you alot of free things. You get a free warrenty, you get free movie channels and other misc promos. If you get the info you can know when to call back and remove these things or make the changes.

     To all the Existing Customers:
     So I hear this everyday.. No one cares about the existing customers. NOT TRUE! The thing I hate most is disconnecting a customer who has been a loyal customer with us for several years and they think that we only care about new custs. We always have great promos going on expecially around the holidays… If your not happy with that ask for the cancellation department and trust me you will get the help or the upgrade/discount/promotion that you are looking for.

     Oh and to say it bluntly… Know what your signing before you sign it!

     Comment by AMANDA — Nov 2nd 2008 @ 11:17 pm

147. I second the motion that dish service sucks, I have had two remotes on one tv for years one broke the other so they sent another now they tell me that there is no way to have two remotes on one tv and basicy I am mistaken nice way of calling me a lier. They also need to use people that speak ENGLISH I would chang to direct but thier just as bad or worse.

     Comment by Mike — Nov 4th 2008 @ 10:49 pm

148. I am having the same problem right now. Getting the same run around. Just found a site on the net that says $50.00 credit on your first months bill and $25.00 free activation. I paid the free activation and they charged me again on the next bill. I sent them what I owed except the $75.00 so now I will wait to see what they do. I will not pay it, as whan I called and asked for the update, they told me it was free.

     Comment by Chuck — Nov 25th 2008 @ 12:38 pm

149. I worked at Dish Network for 6 months and I do agree with most of the comments here. I have straightened out many a customers issues because the previous tech did not. I willing waived the charges for a service call. The reason that I did leave was the very rude customers that would use all kinds of abusive language while on the phone. Dish Network seems to only care about the almighty dollar and not the employees that do have to deal with the angry and frustrated customer.

     Comment by cathy — Nov 25th 2008 @ 2:52 pm

150. “I second the motion that dish service sucks, I have had two remotes on one tv for years one broke the other so they sent another now they tell me that there is no way to have two remotes on one tv and basicy I am mistaken nice way of calling me a lier. They also need to use people that speak ENGLISH I would chang to direct but thier just as bad or worse.
     Comment by Mike — Nov 4th 2008″

     I just wanted to point out how funny I thought this was. Mike is complaining about Dish employees not being to speak english, yet this guy can’t even type correctly.

     Comment by Joxer — Nov 28th 2008 @ 2:50 am

151. i recently signed up with DishNw on 9/08… it’s an understatement to say that the company and their resellers with ad that promoted free equipments and they even offered me $100 gas gift card + $50 visa card. after my signup, i asked them about the gift cards, they (the reseller) said they’ll mail it to me within 6 months and it probably in my junk mailbox and i would have to check there often ‘cuz most often customers don’t see it… on top of that, i was charged for all the equipments instead of it being free and the installer told me to call Dishnw directly and they told me that it’s the ‘reseller’s fault’ to mislead me and i’d have to deal with them… at the end… it costs me more than $100 of equipments and my monthly rate was way more than that and the reseller ad and contracts were just something that Dishnw just don’t honored it but they need those resllers to ‘push and close those deals’ no matter how unethical and dishonest as they are …. at the end, Dishnw knows that you’re stuck already with them with the contracts and the installation…..

     i’d never go thru them again… i felt trapped when the installer was here and i needed tv channels for my tvs so bad after the move and didn’t want to deal with it any longer….

     i just don’t want anybody else to be scammed like my case… i heard better things with DirectTV… i guess coming from Comcast eventhough they charged highter per month… you get what you paid for with no headaches or push to buy extra dvr, hd receiver, etc…..i’d prefer Comcast with straight forward business….:)

     good luck to everyone like me who has to deal with Dishnw….

     Comment by nicole — Dec 4th 2008 @ 3:58 pm

152. I had moved out of of the State in September so I canceled my account with Dish. They mailed me via UPS empty boxes for me to mail back the receivers so that I can get my money back. I called to make sure that they have recieved the receivers and to ask when the $300.00 was going to be put back in my account. Well to make a long story short, I still have not received my money and I’m about to contact my family lawyer to contact them. I don’t think is fare that I or any one else has to go through all of this just to get money back. I have contacted DISH about 5 times and each CSR tell me different things so I’m just tired of waiting. They think that people pull money out of their asses so they charge you anything that they can charge and they try to fight with you so that they wont return your money back. I’m a single parent and the economy is not good right now to let the $300.00 go so I’m going to fight for it.

     Comment by Monica — Dec 9th 2008 @ 3:28 pm

153. My father-in-law died. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer one week later and moved to my house (another state) for chemo and radiation treatments. Took me THREE months with constant calling to get them to cancel the service. Agreed to cancel verbally but continued to debit my in-laws checking acct. TERRIBLE time trying to get money credited. I am a professional purchasing agent with 30 years experience. I have told 200 plus people that they are crazy to go with DISH because of what awaits them. My mother-in-law died not long after her husband. I would have thought that with two deaths, I might get some compassion. Caveat Emptor!

     Comment by Craig — Dec 9th 2008 @ 10:07 pm

154. This is not in direct relation to the posting above, but I’m wondering if anyone had problems receiving ABC on Dish Network last night, Thursday, December 11.
     When I turned on the TV and tuned into ABC, Dish posted a “press notice” to make viewers aware they were in a financial dispute with the ABC networks and therefore were not airing ABC programming.

     To interrupt service without advance notice is not only unprofessional, it’s BAD BUSINESS. We are paying subscribers and supporters. Dish Network’s financial affairs with the ABC network is 1) not our problem and 2) should not affect the service that we pay IN ADVANCE for! Not to mention it is ludicrous to have to PAY for local channel service to begin with.

     There are too many television programming options out there to compete with Dish. If this is indicative of Dish TV’s service in the future, I, for one, will be changing service. After trying to get through to Dish customer service last night (via the telephone number indicated on the “press message” last night), I’m confident most Dish subscribers agree.

     Signed,
     A PUBLICIST, Nashville, Tennessee

     Comment by Nashpubgirl — Dec 12th 2008 @ 12:06 pm

155. Just wait until you really get tired of the crappy CS and cancel…they will try and try to talk you out of it and you will still end up paying another month. I know a lot of people complain about cable companies, and talking to them on the phone sucks, too. However, I’ve found that if I got out to the local office (a bit of a hassle, yes) they are so helpful and have always given me some kind of break. Well worth the trip of a few extra miles. Just saying.

     Comment by Elizabeth, Wisconsin — Dec 12th 2008 @ 2:20 pm

156. Dish network customer service sucks. They call you a liar, even when they are proven wrong. I had to do a 3 way call with them and even the ATT rep was like WTF.. ATT did reimburse me for the full amount, even though Dish network only gave me 1 month. No wonder ATT is dropping DN services and taking U Verse, which is awesome!

     Comment by Mark Stanley — Dec 12th 2008 @ 3:07 pm

157. Dish sucks,when I order the servise they ask for my credit card but said I was only be charged %.00 so they sent a billed for the first two month in the mail so I set up account to bill pay on the computer. time goes by no bill so I called them they tell me it is being taken out of my credit card which I did not want for I was not getting a statment so I check my statment not only they took more then they told my bill would be but also gave my credit card number to blockbuster and to a home club so I and told them to send me a bill and I will pay so I cancel credit card so I get a bill from them I pay the bill but because I cancel the card they try to get another payment so they stop my servces and said I have to go pay western union for two month and I have to pay for not having a phone line hook up I live in a 1942 house with one phone jack I would have to run 30″ over doors windows why did the installer not say anything im going to BB TV used be free now they want to charge for everthing.

     Comment by Steve — Dec 15th 2008 @ 10:37 am

158. Dish Network does not show for scheduled upgrades. The technician supposedly called in sick, and they did not have the courtesy to call and let us know. We sat around all morning waiting for someone who was not going to show up. I think I will switch to Direct TV.

     Comment by John N — Dec 20th 2008 @ 2:15 pm

159. Found out today that I have been charged 9.99 for a HD pak that I was told I had but I don’t even have the right equipment to receive HD called customeer service and asked for my money back was told they could only give me 10.00 a month for 5 months (50.00) the rest was my fault because I didn’t call them and let them know they were over charging me for something I wasn’t getting ,

     Was told they couldn’t prove I wasn’t getting HD even
     though I didn’t have right equip.
     this was for 23 months
     Need help getting my money back

     Thanks
     Lois

     Comment by Lois — Dec 23rd 2008 @ 9:14 pm

160. I had a dish contract until today, after 18 months (I could not wait any longer). I just want to recomend to some one still thinking about choosing dish to really think twice. I started with 2oo channels for $29, channels that are most music that i did not like and channels that are mainly commercials selling all kinds of stuff. You could count with your fingers the channels that are really worth it, the rest is garbage but they still sell these as if the top 200 channels. I was not satisfied then so I chose to upgrade to better programing for $49, and the only ‘upgrade’ I got was the regular local channels 2,5,7,11 etc. and more music and selling channels. So I was even more dissapointed! At this point I really had no choice but to enjoy those few channels until my contract was up. As I look back I realize that for the last few months I have really been paying $88 a month!! I have not been able to understand this exceeded amount or how this happened. (but I will find out, and probably add some more comments). Anyway I ask that you think twice before you do any kind of contract with Dish. Take into consideration my experiance and my time and effort to actually post this feedback.

     Comment by F Ortega — Dec 24th 2008 @ 1:33 am

161. Yes, my husband is an installer for the actual Echostar (Dish Network) company. Yes, I have been a veryhappy Dish customer since years before he decided to work for them. Yes, even he becomes infuriated with the customer service.

     The problem shown here, and in many of the other posts may not lie so much with the actual Dish Network company as it may lie with a contractor or a reseller. My advice to anyone wanting Sattelite is to ALWAYS go directly through the company you decide upon. Avoid resellers, or at least do some homework on them first. They may offer an enticing deal and then shaft you. My husband is always having to fix what a lazy contractor left behind on an install. He also has to fix other co-workers’ lazy mistakes. So, really, an install problem lies in who is doing the install. Some guys just want to get their jobs done as fast as possible to clock out faster.

     That said, I’ve never heard of having to charge $100 to move a dish into line of sight. My husband tells me stories daily about his job, and I know that he moves stuff and rewires whole houses and never charges a dime for it. Recently, he had to do this and the family (who spoke no English and had an interpreter) was really worried that he would charge them for the “extra service” which is really part of a tech’s job. Boy were they relieved and impressed that they didn’t owe my husband or Dish a dime for what he already gets paid to do anyway. Sounds again like contractors to me. They get paid per job as far as I know – Dish techs get paid per hr regardless of what the work entails. No offense to contractors, but to save money as a subscriber, avoid the contractors and go directly through Dish like we did. We’ve never had a problem that hasn’t been our fault and/or solved promptly.

     Comment by becky — Dec 26th 2008 @ 4:58 am

162. We subscribed to DISH about a year ago and had no problems, but we also never changed anything on our package. When a second TV quit getting reception, they came out and fixed it and didn’t charge us (I think the tech guy decided NO CHARGE. DISH wanted to charge $30.)

     All was fine until a few weeks ago. Randomly one morning, the 322 receiver just quit working. It started flickering on and off alternately with no audio or video. I called and they said it was in “recovery mode” and they’d send another one. They promptly did, and it worked fine…FOR THREE DAYS. Then it started doing the same thing. When a receiver goes into recovery mode, nothing can be done except exchange the receiver. I just know it’s going to happen again, and they better be willing to credit my account for the days we’ve gone without television (Now at a combined 15). That’s half a month’s bill!

     Comment by Brandon — Dec 27th 2008 @ 7:19 pm

163. Have had trouble with dish sinch I got it on july 2008
     Want out of all this phone calls. I took it out through Embarq. But dish is the one I have to deal with now??????

     Comment by ruth — Dec 28th 2008 @ 6:07 pm

164. HELP!!!!!
     HAS ANYONE FIGURED OUT HOW TO WATCH THE “ROSE BOWL FOOTBALL GAME” WHICH IS BEING TELEVISED ON ABC (CHANNEL 4) TODAY AT 1:30?

     IF SO PLEASE POST. I CALLED CS AND THE NICE YOUNG LADY KEPT APOLOGIZING FOR THE SITUATION BUT IN THE END HAD NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I TOLD HER THAT IF I AM NOT ABLE TO WATCH THAT FOOTBALL GAME, TOMORROW THE DISHNETWORK EQUIPMENT WOULD BE REMOVED.

     WHAT IS EVERYONE ELSE USING AS AN ALTERNATE?

     Mildred

     Comment by Mildred Berto — Jan 1st 2009 @ 4:21 pm

165. I had a Dish for the longest time, then switched to Comcast which was giving better terms and recently went to DirecTV and am very happy. They credit you when they say they will credit you, the only difference is usually they break in 2-3 bill cycles, ie, $60 credit will become $20 for 3 months which I have no problem with.

     Comment by Bill M — Jan 12th 2009 @ 3:03 pm

166. Direct TV is currently holding hostage 144.35 of mine. They keep sending me statements telling me that they owe me this money, but won’t send the damn check. I keep calling though…Bastards!

     Comment by Katrina — Jan 22nd 2009 @ 11:29 am

167. Several years ago I cancelled my account with Dish Network by calling them. The person on the phone accepted it and immediately discontinued my service. Note this: they were not sending the signal to my home as they had cut it off by remote control.

     The next month, their regular monthly bill arrived. I called – no help there. In due time, I was told that my service would continue until I cancelled it by mail per the ‘agreement’ printed on the back of my statement. I did write to them, noting I received no tv service since being cut off by remote control. Bills came anyway until I finally reached someone who believe me when I said hell would freeze over before I paid it.

     I spent the next several years with DirecTV – who raised their price by at least $3 every March. Switched back to Dish because of some super special inducement offer. I was informed that not only would I not receive the special offer, I would have to pay the $50 from several years previously. I was very tired that day and hell froze over.

     For my area there is Dish, Direct and Cable [maybe Hughes, I don't know]. These huge companies, too big to properly manage their service departments, but not the billing departments, should be broken up. That’s what they did to AT&T when it was a stable, reliable, good service company carefully watched by Congress. Dish and DirecTV couldn’t get any worse than they are now – and maybe they could find a way to serve their programs a la carte. I am not a sports fan, but I must pay close to $6 every month for ESPN.

     Does anyone else remember the early days of radio? There were three commercials per program and all by the same company: one in the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end. Now, how do you like have the program interrupted by commecials that stay in place on the screen, and others that slide into view and out again. I do not have an attention deficit condition now, but if this type of advertising goes on, I might develop one. How do you like ten minutes of program and five minutes of commercials – a lot of them aimed at the care of our nether regions.

     Can you even imagine the amount of money these companies make? They pay a tiny amount to rent OUR airways, then treat us like sh*t!! If we could find enough congressmen/women who don’t have their hands in the satellite owner’s pockets, maybe we could get decent programing at a decent cost. Too much to expect? Well, hell, isn’t the current administration telling us change comes from the bottom up? We are sure on the bottom here.

     Comment by S. Deatherage — Jan 22nd 2009 @ 11:58 am

168. Thanks to the above comment, Yes, we should begin a grass roots effort to bombard the satellite networks into treating customers fairly. I have had to fight for the last two years with Dish Network, even reporting to the BBB who really helped me get results. BUT, why should we have to resort to that?

     Yes, I not only cancelled my contract with a Dish Network employee, but also sent a certified cancellation letter, with signature return request included. Hopefully, this will be the end of DISH. Now I have signed on with DIRECTV. Wish me luck!!!!!

     Mildred

     Comment by Mildred B — Jan 22nd 2009 @ 1:29 pm

169. After reading all the comments about Dish network, I don’t feel very lonely in my plight with Dish network. I feel like I am fighting a war for the last three months. My problem started after Hurricane Ike, our DVR started acting funny. We would tape our international channels for about 6 hours, so my husband and I can watch together. Instead of 6 hours, it will tape for 3 minutes, sometimes 5 or 10 min. and it will stop recording. I had to have a back surgery after the hurricane and we did not see what was going on until after about 3 weeks. I called immediately and they sent a tech, number 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, still no one knows what to do. After 3 months and countless wait for the tech to show up, the problem still exists.First time they send a new receiver, which we have to change ourself. the new box had the same problem, the second tech said you need a new installation of the wires. His boss said no to this and sent another receiver. Finally I had three receivers, which I kept sending it back by UPS. Lo and behold, when the bill came, they charged me for unreturned rec. $ 275.00. I had tracking numbers, which I gave to them, it still did not work, because the CSR said it showed (tracking no.) that the equipment is in Houston. Well, is it my fault what ups did with the box?
     For three months I have spent countless amount of my time and effort waithing for the tech to show up in the time frame they are supposed to be here and on the phone talking to CSR in Phillippines, who does not know what my problem is. My DVR problem still remains, and know one knows how to fix it or remotely cares to fix it. After we sent a letter to the corporate office, one women called and said I will take care of you, after a couple of calls, she dissappeared. She would not give us her phone number or who she is and where she is calling from. I am at my wits end, trying ti fight this war, I am very tempted to talk to a lawyer or do something drastic. Any suggestions?
     Frustrated and feeling sick to my stomach.

     Comment by Saeeda Newaz — Jan 22nd 2009 @ 1:48 pm

170. To the last poster, get in touch with the BBB in Denver; info listed below. They get on it REAL fast, and the CSR’s pay attention when you file a complaint. That is the only thing you can do to get any relief from ECOSTAR (the parent of DISH Network). Now go to it!

     Mildred

     BBB of Denver / Boulder Colorado
     WWW: http://denver.bbb.org
     Email: info@denverbbb.org
     Phone: (303) 758-2100
     Fax: (303) 758-8321
     1020 Cherokee Street
     Denver CO 80204-4039

     Comment by Mildred B — Jan 22nd 2009 @ 5:14 pm

171. Thank you Mildred for that information. Actually we did send a letter to our local BBB and they transferred the complain to Denver’s BBB. We were given a case number and then we did not hear anything. Thanks again.

     Comment by Saeeda Newaz — Jan 23rd 2009 @ 12:29 pm

172. Thank you for your thanks; we need to help each other in these many issues with DISH Network.

     Everyone who is a DISH Network customer should send a complaint to the Denver BBB. They should also request A REFUND FROM DISH for their lack of service; they did not fulfill their contract with customers who had paid for “local network stations” and did not receive ABC programs. If everyone who has issues with DISH did this, MAYBE we could make a difference.

     Following are two names of investigation specialists at the Denver BBB. #1 I worked with on an ongoing basis for several months. Also, the turnover at BBB happens once in a while which necessitates beginning anew, but well worth it. THEY do finally get issues resolved.

     1. Lori Lannholm (llannholm@denver.bbb.org)
     2.”Bernice Alvarez King”
     Volunteer Coordinator & Investigation Specialist

     PLEASE get on board and let’s pull together!!!!

     Mildred

     Comment by Mildred B — Jan 23rd 2009 @ 2:41 pm

173. I just love this original post…I really thought we were the only family these types of things happened to. It totally drives a person crazy and wonder why we even HAVE CUSTOMER service. NO ONE is servicing the customer!!!! This world has gone to shit and outsourcing is the MAIN problem!!!!!!!!!! Rock on America!!! Lets keep living so maybe one day the CUSTOMER SERVICE species will either die off or WAKE UP!!!!!
     P.S. Husband is on the phone (as I type this) with Dish Network trying to get our second box working again…after a MONTH of calling!!!!

     Comment by Carrie — Jan 29th 2009 @ 8:56 am

174. After three months of war with Dish Network and eight technicians later, I think our problem is solved. It seem to work right now. We got the cooperate office attention by writing to BBB, someone called and offered to give us three months of credit on our bill. He also gave his name and phone number to call if the problem still exists. Only thing we notice works everytime is by writing to the local BBB.

     Comment by Saeeda Newaz — Jan 29th 2009 @ 1:28 pm

175. Dish called me about a great deal to come back.
     While being told over the phone of their big deal I checked the same plan on their website. It was cheaper on THEIR website! I told the sale person that and he said the website was not updated !!!!

     They are so screwed !!!! You can guess what I told him!

     Thank goodness for our “free” HDTV stations!

     Comment by Jamie — Jan 29th 2009 @ 2:51 pm

176. If you had to talk to forty to sixty mad people everyday that are mad and treating you like its your fault would you have a good outlook on life?
     I work in tech support everyday and we are required to ask how are you today? and depending on how you answer that question generaly is how you are going to be treated. i e if you say im your worst nightmare then expect to be treated with the same attitude that you are being treated. and fyi 100% of calls for dish and direct are monitered they say that they may be but they all are.

     Comment by chuck — Jan 31st 2009 @ 8:08 pm

177. Dish Sucks,,,,,its really bad to say this but dish suck I am one of their employees but it is unfortunate that they dont even provided the channels they said they offer, I recentely upgraded my system to HIgh Deefinition….. just what the channels they say you are supposed to received with the DISH LATINO MX WITH UNLMITED HD PACKAGE sucks, the channel listing guide that comes with the receiver its totally diferent from wht yoou are to receive, then when you call CSR they dont know what you are talking about those channel that are located on the cusomer chart guide dont exist or dish no longer offers them, because dish is so cheap to pay the cable comnpany for those channels, dish employee whois very pissed off about services, Then when you call to upgrade some one in India ,China, or else where lied to you about your regular bill or monthly statement, I was lied about my monthly payment by some Mexican Dude ITS Ashamed that some 500 fortune company has some ignorant and unprofesional employees working for them, also dish dont offer any good MEXICAN, SOUTH AMERICAN CHANNELS, SWITCH TO DIRECT TV I ‘M. EVEN THOUGH I’M A DISH EMPLOYEE………SUPERVISOR FOR GOD SAICK…. HOW BAD ITS SUPPOSED TO GET…. SWITCH OVER EVEN COMCAST IS BETTER ………………..REPLY BACK TO MY E-MAIL I DONT CARE FU………….———*******************

     Comment by cristian — Feb 1st 2009 @ 11:17 pm

178. Well I switched from Direct to Dish about a month ago because Direct was canceling chanel 5 my favorite in the morning. Anyway this Miles Smith comes to install Dish, I have 4 tvs. He gets done and leaves, the tvs in the back have never worked right and the other two goes off by their self. While all this is going on ive called Miles several times which he says ill be right there to fix your problems. He’s never showed! Well I get my bill and its 10 dallars more, so I call Dish and go through all the bull shit. Finally they say the receiver has to be hooked to a phone jack or its 10 dallars more a month. I have a phone jack in my bed room not 3′ from the tv, but he put the receiver where theres no phone jack. I even asked him to put it in my bed room, but he said it would be easyer this way. All it boils down to is they wanted 10 more a month, if they don’t get it strait im going back to Direct!

     Comment by Silas Shelburne — Feb 3rd 2009 @ 12:27 pm

179. I have one better. Husband called
     dish network on Nov. 14 2008.
     We had Directv for the last 13 years and they did
     not want to give us a good deal on upgrade. So we got Dish. My husband was told that our bill per month would be about $77.00 a month. Fine I said.
     Then we get the credit card bill, $79.99 one time charge. Next credit card bill $125.00 for the first two
     months service. Then a credit card bill for $94.00
     Husband calls talks to 6 different people. Finally a supervisor. bill comes down to $74.18 for the first three months, then $84.79 thereafter this was on February the 4th. Got bill in the mail today for $118.00
     First I call, get so MAD I TELL THE GIRL SHE IS DUMBER THAN A BOX OF ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     I hang up on her and called my husband. Husband comes home call dish to have someone else tell him a bunch of bull@#&*. And another price!!So I am Going to the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, and The BBB, CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THE FCC. Because what they did was False Advertise Their Service, they did not stand by the quote they gave when the service was ordered and they have billed us for over $400.00 in less than Three Months. May husband wrote everything down from day one, everyone he talked with and the prices he was given, I guess they think people are stupid, THESE ARE HARD TIMES AND IF THEY THINK I’M LETTING GO OF MY MONEY BECAUSE THEY ALL SAY SO THEY HAVE ANOTHER THOUGHT COMING AS MY GRANNY USED TO SAY!!!! You See My Husband and I own a Business in S.C. and It is MY JOB TO KNOW THE LAWS GOVERNING ADVERTISING, AND THE PRICES I QUOTE OVER THE PHONE. DISHTV HAS MESSED WITH THE WRONG ONE THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WILL LET YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME. GLAD I HAD A PLACE TO VENT POOR HUSBAND HAS TO BE TIRED OF IT BY NOW. THANKS A BUNCH

     Comment by Donna — Feb 9th 2009 @ 7:59 pm

180. Yes Dish Network does monitor alls calls. I know first hand because I used to work there.

     Comment by cathy — Feb 15th 2009 @ 4:57 pm

181. Heres one,

     We’ve been with Dish Network since early 2004. Our house burned down late august 2007. 2 of the 3 receivers were destroyed. I was released from the hospital 2 days later and contacted dish network about the destroyed receivers and had my service temporarily suspended pending relocation. Early Oct 2007. In a new place and had dishmover install new dish and upgraded to a dvr. I again told them about the two destroyed receivers and asked them to change the name on the account to just my name. It had been a joint account with my sister who owned the house but she moved to a different location. The told me everything would be changed and they would contact the insurance company to cover the cost of the lost receivers. Early 2008 I see the name on the account is still wrong and that I am still carrying the 2 destroyed receivers on my account so I call again and they said they would handle the matter and change the name on the account. A couple of months later same thing, wrong name and still paying for 2 destroyed receivers. Call again given the same song and dance they change the name and contact the insurance co. yada yada yada.

     Late July rolls around and I start having problems with my dvr. They send me a new one. It fails after a 3 days won’t record but can still view the channels. They send me a new one. It doesn’t even work so I keep the first one they sent me even tho it won’t record. They arrange for a tech to come out and check the install for problems. He says everything is fine and he brings a “new” dvr. He plugs this one in and it doesn’t even power up. He goes and gets a second one from his truck and this one works. He leaves me his home number to contact him if I have any problems. The next day I start having the same issues as the first dvr that started this mess. I call him and he comes down and brings me a “new” dvr. He installs it and waits here with me for several hours to make sure it works properly. It fails. Right in front of him it fails. He is pretty disgusted. The next week he hand delivers a dvr that he had tested at his house. I’m still using that one and have had no problems. He doesn’t charge me for the last 2 house calls. But this takes to the first of Sept 08 to fix.

     I look at my bill and the name is still wrong and I’m still paying for the two destroyed receivers. I call, speak to a “supervisor” and they guaranteed that all would be fixed by the next billing period. I get the October bill and the name is fixed but I’m still carrying the two destroyed receivers from August 07. I call and am again “guaranteed” that this will be fixed. November every thing is back to being messed up. The wrong name, two destroyed receivers. I call and am assured it would be fixed by december. Same thing in december. January 09 I call and get into a shouting match with a “supervisor” and am hung up on. I call back and actually get a competent tech who actually makes the changes. So I get my bill for last month. Both destroyed receivers are off it and the name is correct.

     Yesterday morning I wake to the sound of the dish network recorded message “our records indicate you have two deactivated receivers you need to send them back in a box that is being shipped to you” ….. I sigh heavily. I call dish network and they want the account number and name. “That’s not correct name we have on account sir” so I guess its the wrong name again on the account and guess what… I was right!!!!

     Needless to say I was pissed. I have overpaid by $160 bucks for 18 months because they would not remove the destroyed receivers from my account. They say file a claim with the insurance company but the time limit for that has passed. And the Insurance Co. said that Dish Network needed to file the claim as they owned the equipment. The property has been sold, the wreckage hauled away to a toxic waste dump. They seem to have this difficulty in basic comprehension that “DESTROYED IN A FIRE” that gutted a 3 story house and burned so hot it destroyed 2 vehicles parked over 100 away would leave a working device to send back to them.

     So after yesterdays failed attempt to explain the simple facts to them again, and the fact that Fisher Broadcasting will not allow Dish Network to carry ABC anymore, I called DirectTV. They’ll be here on the 28.

     I’m contacting the BBB and I’m gonna contact Fisher Broadcasting to see if they are interested in customer abuse because there are several neighbors here who have had a lot of problems with Dish Network customer service.

     Comment by Gar — Feb 17th 2009 @ 1:41 pm

182. Everyone should get smart like you and drop/change their service. AND, yes, the only recourse is the BBB. That will get their attention, believe me!

     Also, Fisher Broadcasting will not allow Dish Network to carry ABC BECAUSE Dish does NOT want to pay for their service. They want it FREE! How do you think DirecTV can negotiate their contract to avoid problems for their customers, but DISH Network cannot?

     Just wondering, since you say several neighbors have also had problems, where are you located? Seattle?

     Comment by Mildred B — Feb 17th 2009 @ 3:00 pm

183. Dear Customers, PLEASE DO NOT SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY DISH NETWORK SERVICES. THEY ARE THE WORST IN THE WORLD. NO ETHICS AND THEY ARE CHEATERS. In my case a solicitng company offered TV programming for $19.99 and when I got the bill, it was $54.99 and I had to fight to make it to $31.99 and now (Feb 24,2009) they raised it to $36.99.

     Comment by Srini Kannappan — Feb 17th 2009 @ 4:49 pm

184. I understand this man’s frustration; he is a saint for hanging in there this long. However, I must tell everyone that reads this far that my HD Dish Network DVR rocks!!! It is worth ANY amount of cust. service frustration.

     Comment by JM — Feb 18th 2009 @ 2:53 pm

185. I started with direct many years ago and the cust service sucked. In fact one time on direct hold I had time to surf over to the dish web site. I switched right after or even during that call. At first dish was so much better but after a couple of years the newer smaller company started to go down hill too. I really have lost track of how many receivers I have had (7 to maybe 10) and still I get a run around. bottom line is that they both have no concept of customer service. either way sooner or later all will suffer with either company. I’m thinking of just turning the TV off and reading for a few years.

     Comment by jay in Idaho — Feb 19th 2009 @ 5:24 am

186. I’m up here on whidbey island. We finally got cable coverage over most of the island in the mid/late 80’s. But no provider wanted what they considered a marginal market so it seemed that there was a different cable provider every 3-4 months. We’re relatively rural in most places and you could find 3 different service providers in the same small area.

     I would stay with Dish Network but with the loss of ABC and this inability to fix my account have drove me to a competitor. I’m a 100% disabled vet. Mobility issues and medication keeps me home most of the time. So hobbies, TV, computers and other distractions are welcome.

     I got the corporate number and am going to call them today and explain the situation to them. If they want to discuss breach of contract I will claim the same thing since I pulled out my contract today and I was guaranteed all local channels. That not happening without ABC.

     Comment by Gar — Feb 19th 2009 @ 6:00 am

187. Ladies and Gentlemen of this board.

     5 minutes. It took less than 5 freaking minutes for my problems to be resolved. I called the corporate number and talked to a very professional gentleman who took the two destroyed receivers off of my account. I ask him about how much was owed for the receivers and he said that since I had overpaid he would just remove them with nothing further owed. I consider this relatively fair. It is just a shame that this couldn’t have been handled at a lower level. It shows definite lack customer service at the lower level as I never should have had to gone to the corporate offices to handle such a minor matter.

     Anyway, I’m pleased. Had this had happened last time I called I would still be with dish, even with the loss of ABC.

     So I recommend that anyone with customer service problems use the corporate number. Maybe if enough people do they’ll realize that there is a problem with their customer service.

     Comment by Gar — Feb 20th 2009 @ 12:53 pm

188. I am glad Gar finally found the right person that could and did solve his problem. Most times that is usually the problem, however, it is difficult to locate the person who has the knowledge and know how to correct problems. We should ALL save that email for future reference. Whidbey Island is not too far from the Northgate area of Seattle, but does have barriers to access (namely trees). A house near us had burned and I wondered if it was you. Anyone who has difficulty with CSR at DISH has a right to try to correct those problems!

     Comment by Mildred B — Feb 20th 2009 @ 5:45 pm

189. I too experienced the broken promise of my $49.99 refunded on my first dish bill. I do not believe in letting company’s get away with this… they just think we are not paying attention, or not smart enough to follow the paper trail. Well I called my retailer twice daily, called Dish twice daily for 3 months.. I did get my $49.99 credited.. but have not been able to resolve any other issues.. such as I have no idea what they are billing me for becasue it’s all in a big lump on my phone bill, crummy reception, loss of signal .. and many more. Will be leaving Dish.. soon! Maybe we won’t have live TV… we’ll just watch movies!

     Comment by puget_islander — Feb 23rd 2009 @ 8:56 pm

190. As a DISH retailer (and tech) I am sorry for what some of you have gone through. As a general rule I advise all our clients to NOT call the DISH 800 number. Heck, I can’t stand calling it. I have them call me first….always! About 95% of the time I can help them without them having to call DISH, and if DISH needs to be called, we do the calling. We’ll go through the frustration rather than the customer.
     As far as the $50 refund, as far as I’m concerned, if there was a local retailer involved, he should have been more agressive in this. If all else had failed, they should have offered to make good on it somehow.
     Yeah, it isn’t their fault, but good customer service and a good reputation is worth way more than $50.

     Comment by Ralph — Feb 26th 2009 @ 9:48 am

191. I WILL NEVER,NEVER,deal with DISH NETWORK again,as soon as I get from under this 18 month committment
     customer service is the WORST of the WORST,on the phone 20 and 30 mins at a time,I have sooooooooo
     many problems with Dish and get this my service was cut off for a month because my husband got laid off and
     I didn’t have the money,My next bill was higher then all the months before,Yes I call customer service,was told you pay ever when your service is OFF,I’m going to write to BBB and State Attorney General’s office,thinking about paying $200 just to get out of 18 month committment

     Comment by Ann — Feb 26th 2009 @ 2:13 pm

192. Some more advice I would give is…

     buyer beware.

     Do not ever sign anything unless you KNOW what is in the agreement and you agree with it. It IS an AGREEMENT between you and DISH…it outlines not only what DISH will do but what you will do also. DISH is not obligated to do anything that is not in the agreement. Free upgrades and free service calls are not in there, so you have no expectation of it. The so-called “good deals” you get by switching back and forth are current promotions offered to ALL new customers that qualify. Don’t gripe about 18mos or 24mos if you agreed to it and signed.
     If you didn’t know what you were signing, you should not have signed. If you do not like something in the agreement, do not sign. If no one has explained anything to you, do not commit to anything. KNOW what you are getting into. You do not have to abide by anything that is not in the agreement, but neither does DISH.
     The agreement explains the Dish Home Protection Plan and the $29 service calls. The agreement explains that the equipment is leased and that you are responsible for it. Yep. It’s in there, and your signature on the agreement indicates you agreed to it.
     Your agreement also says that you agree to make regular payments. You are not free to just decide to not make a payment. If you miss a payment that you should have made, there is nothing illogical or unreasonable that the following bill would be for two months. The 18mo agreement is a legal binding document, and if DISH has not violated any of the terms stated within it, neither the BBB or the Att Gen can help you. It is unfortunate that people get laid off, but DISH has no control over that.
     Also, understand that DISH is a RE-BROADCASTER of channels…they do not OWN the stations or channels. They do not control what the channels or networks do. They do not own ABC, NBC, etc. Situations change, and the issue is often with the channel or network owners, not DISH itself. ALSO, it is in your agreement that DISH reserves the right to make programming changes with or without notice. Yep, it’s in there!
     The agreements are not easy to understand, and there is alot in there. I have a seperate form called a “Customer Affirmation Sheet.” It explains the serious “fine print” of the agreement in plain, blunt English. The customer has this explained to them twice 1) when they sign up and 2) At the install. After the 2nd time, they sign the sheet indicating they understand and agree to everything. This has eliminated people saying “You never told me that.”
     I am glad that some of you have had good results with using the 800 number, but I still think a local, REPUTABLE, honest retailer is the way to go. As a retailer and a technician, I have contacts that the average person doesn’t have….all retailers do. How much they’re willing to help makes the difference.
     Don’t pass a blanket judgement on all of us just because there are bad ones out there.
     Many comments here are very true. Training is very lacking. I often have to tell the CSR how to do things on their system, such as build and close a work order for an upgrade. I used to get angry, but one of them shared with me that they are not provided with good training in that area. I felt like a jerk. I was just making matters worse, and it isn’t the CSR’s fault. They are not paid well, undertrained, and they have to bear the brunt of people’s anger at a system they didn’t design and cannot change. The reason they may get uncooperative with you is that they are not paid enough to take the crap that some of you spew, and they didn’t personally cause the problem.
     Yes, I know alot of you have valid complaints. The larger a company gets, the more inefficient it gets. I get very frustrated in dealing with them, too. But blasting away at people who do not own or control the system simply reveals immaturity. CSR’s are just that….CSR’s….no more. They are hired employees who can only do what they are allowed to do.
     Some of you are under the impression that DISH owes you more than they do. If DISH has violated their word to you in an agreement, then so be it. If they haven’t, you have no complaint.

     Comment by Ralph — Feb 26th 2009 @ 5:54 pm

193. Sorry about the problems you had with Dish Network. We have had Dish Network since 2000 and only had a need to call their service twice.

     In our case both issues were resolved quickly and without headaches. We love our DISH!

     After a dozen years of grief with Charter cable company, I guess anything would be an improvement. I guess it might just depend on which CSR you get on the phone.

     Comment by Jim — Feb 28th 2009 @ 12:24 pm

194. I got my Direct TV installed this morning. The appointment was set between 8:00am and noon. They show up and 8:03 and in 35 minutes were done and gone. I called Dish Network about an hour ago and they offered me the moon and stars not to drop them. A day late and a dollar short in my book. All their equipment is now sitting on my living room floor waiting for shipment back.

     As I was closing the account they told me that I didn’t have to pay the new bill as I had paid up to March 2nd already. They told me they would send me a box for the dvr and satellite equipment. The new bill was $75 and I said fine and hung up. I got to thinking, $75 is what I was paying with the 2 destroyed receivers on my account and the new bill should reflect that I had had them removed. I got the bill from my inbox, opened it up and sure enough the $75 reflected the 2 boxes that were supposed to be removed from my account.

     *heavy sigh*

     Thank god I dropped them. Anymore BS and they would be hauling me off in a straight jacket.

     Comment by Gar — Mar 1st 2009 @ 1:28 am

195. just put in dish and the price i was quoted and the bill i got are two differant things. was told by Kelvin the salesman that if i didnt like Dish i had 7 days to cancel. when i went to cancel it on the 4th day i was told i only had 3 days to cancel. can hardly wait for march 12 2011 to get rid of Dish.

     Comment by stan — Mar 17th 2009 @ 3:11 pm

196. Stan,

     Get in touch with the Denver BBB IMMEDIATELY! There is also a website where you can file a complaint. Ask the BBB to commuinicate with Dish Network to let them knnow you are NOT going to be held hostage, NEVER! Do NOT stay with them, change immediately and tell them to pick up their equipment. THEN, send them a letter, “certified, return receipt” sign your name, on the cc list add an attorney name, after the name type
     name, Attorney at Large.

     That is what I did, twice. They finally stopped billing me when I would not return their telephone calls. I am so happy to tell all of you I am not with DIRECTV, very satisfied.

     Good Luck.

     Mil B

     Comment by Mildred B — Mar 17th 2009 @ 5:37 pm

197. I am sick and tired of channels breaking up like there is a storm close by when I know for a fact it is the station or dish. Fox network (channel 21 in our area) is very bad. Every time Idol comes on there is problems with the breaking up and sometimes the picture will go pink completely and stay that way for 30 seconds or more. I am fed up with the annoyance. I called my son and he is on Direct TV and their picture was fine. I had no choice once I bundled my phone and internet and Dish network but am fed up with this interruption. I want something done or back to Direct TV I’m going!!!!

     Comment by Gary Green — Mar 17th 2009 @ 10:07 pm

198. Dish is an untrustworthy company that lies over the phone to get a contract and then denies the lies and asks for proof they lied. I was assured that I would not have a contract commitment if I signed with Dish. Also the cost would be $48 and change a month. They lied! They now tell me they have no record of that agreement and that I have a two-year contract. Also, my bill has continued to increase. It is now $69.00/month in less than a year after signing with them. When I called (multiple times) to talk to a representative, I finally received a man in the Philippine Islands that spent most of the conversation apologizing for not speaking English very well. I finally hung up in frustration with my resolution to the problem.

     Comment by Cliff Rogers — Mar 20th 2009 @ 10:37 am

199. First to correct a misspelled word:
     “I am so happy to tell all of you I am NOW with DIRECTV, very satisfied. Mil B on Mar 17th 2009 @ 5:37 pm”

     TO Cliff Rogers above: Contact the Denver BBB immediately! Even when I cancelled my contract with DISH Network, they still continued to bill me and threaten me if I didn’t pay up immediately. That is when I sent the Certified letter with a request for signature and on the cc list added my attorney’s name. I understand they are losing many customers but that is because of their poor CS reputation. If you must deal with them, ask to talk to a “SUPERVISOR”.

     Goodluck.

     Comment by Mil B — Mar 20th 2009 @ 1:10 pm

200. ya dish’s NON-customer service is right i’ve been with them for 6 months now and have called them almost every month. my bill changes all the time, usually goes up, never recieved my $50 visa gift card or my $150 gas vouchers, swapped out my hd recievers for standard ones and was promised they would swap them out again for the dvr for free, well now they tell me i have to pay $100 for the reciever or sign up for another 24 month contract. DISH NETWORK’S SUCKS IN MY OPINION. why would i want another 24 months of bullshit.

     Comment by tom bailey — Mar 20th 2009 @ 9:50 pm

201. Psst…Gar. Would you mind sharing that corporate number?

     Comment by CJ — Apr 10th 2009 @ 2:23 pm

202. Here ya go,

     303-723-1000

     I thought I posted this a several days ago but when I hit submit my post disappeared.

     who do I complain to about the customer service on this site:)

     Comment by Gar — Apr 10th 2009 @ 3:55 pm

203. I have had pretty good service with Dish over the past 8 yrs. This includes a couple of moves during that time period. I had some problems after I upgraded to HD a couple months ago, but I made sure I wrote down verbatim what was said, names and ID numbers of people I spoke to, plus dates and times and rates quoted. When my bill came $20 higher than expected, I CALMLY called back and spoke politely to a supervisor. I am now getting HD Gold 250 for 42.99 a mo. Each time I call I gave dates times ID numbers and exact quotes and hold them to it. No yelling or getting irate… I think that is the key. I have been happy with Dish. My mother has had terrible service with ComCast.

     Comment by Maynard — Apr 22nd 2009 @ 11:16 pm

204. Dish customer service is the worst. I had every thing they offered $100.00 month and some change. I had auto pay and one day out of the blue they left a message for me at home. That I would no longer get a bill because I had auto pay. A person has the right to know what they are being billed for RIGHT? So I called the customer rep assured me she would take care of it.

     I got a bill for a few months then no bill. So I called again. Again the customer rep said they would take care of. Well a few days ago I had another message guess what? Same thing I won’t be getting a bill.

     So I called again. This time I was pissed half a dozen calls and still they can’t get it right. So this time I canceled my premium chanels. I’m getting rid of auto pay. And looking at direct and comcast.. It’s not to much to expect a bill to see what you are paying for.

     VERY UNHAPPY

     Comment by Tim — Apr 24th 2009 @ 2:16 pm

205. I thought our cable service and cost was bad till I read some of ‘these’ comments about Dish. As much as I hate it, I think I’ll stay with cable!

     Comment by Joe — May 1st 2009 @ 1:02 pm

206. I’m starting my third month with Direct TV and I’m quite pleased with it. I had only one question and it was taken care of by a very knowledgeable rep who fixed the problem instantly. I didn’t have to keep calling back to play russian roulette in hope of getting a competent tech to fix the problem. Add in the price, channel selection and features and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t switch earlier. But I’m a believer in customer loyalty. Do right by me and you have a customer for life.

     I’ll never go back to Dish. I’ll go back to cable or (shudder) broadcast before I do business with DishNetwork again.

     Comment by Gar — May 2nd 2009 @ 4:56 pm

207. Called Dish yesterday… took 45 minutes out of my very busy day… to find out that I could not change my program options … wanted to drop some programing and switch to HDTurbo Gold. Was told they do not have it in my area… now I’m between Portland, and Seattle.. so it’s not like I live in no where land. Why do they offer it if they can’t supply it. Was told to call back every month to see if they added it to my area!!! Like I have 45 minutes to spend every month talking to someone that has to put me on hold every 2 or 3 minutes…. and not get the programing, or options they offer. Have not been happy with Dish since we got it 1 year ago.. will switch back to Direct once our contract is over. Channels go mosiac very often, can’t get abc .. cause it comes out of portland and they can’t get the contract renewed… at a reasonable rate. Our DVDR freezes up and when we call for help we get someone we can’t understand… not happy!

     Comment by puget_islander — May 2nd 2009 @ 5:08 pm

208. THE TECH THAT HELPED ME WITH MY DVR BOX, WAS MOST HELPFUL. HIS NAME IS MICHEAL.HE TOLD ME THAT OUR BOX WAS OUTDATED, SO HE TOLD ME WHAT TO DO, AND NOW OUR BOX IS WORKING JUST FINE.THANK YOU MICHEAL FOR ALL YOUR HELP. BY THE WAY, MY CELL PHONE RAN OUT OF POWER.THAT IS WHY WE GOT DISCONNECTED.THANKS AGAIN,VICKI & WALTER BUTLER.

     Comment by VICKI — May 4th 2009 @ 7:40 pm

209. I bought 2 DTVPal DVR’s, $250 + shipping @, from Dish. They work great. I found out that the model 21.0 dish remote will work very well with the above mentioned unites.

     I called Dish and spent an hour on the phone to have them tell me that they won’t sell me the remote. You see the DTVPal DVR doesn’t require a monthly fee because it receives it’s signal over the air with a regular TV antenna so why should they give a dam about us. They tell me that if you don’t have an account with them they won’t sell you accessories even though your a good customer. They told me to try their retail stores but they have none at least none that can get accessories. They told me to go to ebay and maybe I could get one. Is this any way to do business?

     If you are thinking of doing business with Dish I’d advise you to get cable. If your thinking of switching from dish to cable do it now.

     VERY VERY UNHAPPY!!!

     Comment by Thomas Carpender — May 5th 2009 @ 10:22 pm

210. To Thomas Carpender,
     I don’t know if this will help, but sounds like a ‘universal remote’ might solve your problem: buy it from a reputable source! Or, write or e-mail directly to the manufacture-they can usually help. Good Luck! Joe

     Comment by Joe — May 6th 2009 @ 12:18 pm

211. BAD SERVICE DOSNT EVEN COVER IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     I cancelled dish back when they lost C B S THEY were going to send me boxes to return thier equipment ,that took them 5 months to get that to me.I then sent them back thier crapp in jan,in feb I called them because they sent me a bill for $184.90 it took them fifty minuts
     to finaly put someone on the phone that could help me
     they told me that thay had recieved the recievers and that it would be removed frome my bill.
     four months latter i get call from a collection company
     saying i owe them $184.90.I call dish network may 6th
     to tell them what has happend and again 45 minuts on the phone and they say they never recieved the equipment .I then explained to them how can they at one minut tell me that they have it and the next minut tell me that they dont and that it is my responcabilaty
     and that they are not going to take it out of collection
     I COULD GO ON AND TELL YOU ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THESE PEOPLE BUT THAT WOULD TAKE ALL DAY
     LONG STORY SHORT THIS IS BY FAR WITH OUT A DOUGHT THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER HAD THE MISSFORTUNE OF DEALING WITH AND IT IS STILL NOT
     OVER.STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE IN HOW TO GET SREWED BY DISH NETWORK!!!!!!!!!!!
     THEY MORE THEN SUCK AND I AM TO NICE A GUY TO SAY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TOO

     Comment by TONY EDWARDS — May 6th 2009 @ 4:34 pm

212. Well Joe here’s the thing. I spent over five hundred bucks on their equipment and I want a twenty dollar remote that I know works with my equipment and they won’t sell it to me.

     The ‘universal remote’ is a great idea but where are you going to get an RF learning remote for twenty bucks?

     Comment by Thomas Carpender — May 6th 2009 @ 5:21 pm

213. I hope you don’t take offense to this but I read your posting top to bottom a couple of times and really the problem is with the retailer. You don’t sign up with a commitment with Dish Netork when you purchase or lease through a local retailer. Any commitment you entered into would have been with the retailer. So any discount you should have been recieving should have been coming through the retailer, not Dish Network. Sounds like the retailer is the one giving you the run around. Sounds like he is referring you to Dish Network to dodge the blame/responsibility when he knows that he himself is to blame here. You should go to the local retailer and demand a copy of all paperwork to do with the transaction: reciepts, contracts, commitments papers and anything he has supposedly sent to Dish Network. I can almost guarentee when you look into the paperwork (but I highly doubt this shady retailer will give it to you) that any commitment and/ or contract will be between you and the retailer.

     Comment by Pamela — May 14th 2009 @ 3:50 am

214. Surprised there are no rants here on the new Smart Card fiasco…we begged for the new card for our upstairs, “dumber” receiver; got it and it “only” took 3 hrs of phone tech work to make it work, lol! We were assured we would not need a new SC for our slightly smarter old style downstairs PVR receiver.

     Alas, last Thursday, May 14, we got the dreaded New Smart Card Needed from that receiver, too. After 6 days of daily calls to SmartCard Customer “Service”, they tell me it might be here tomorrow, Wed. May 21, or it might not…They could have sent cards for both receivers, they could have given customers more than 3 days notice before 99% of their paid for programming goes Poof! They coulda, woulda, shoulda…Customer “Service” across the US, in many industries, is simply non-existent, and DISH may be the ugly example.

     No one at DISH really cares about any current customer, imo. It is populated by front line grunts that are unempowered/uninformed and “backed” by day dreaming mgrs that think ol’Charlie is going to take care of them. The company is almost “governmental” in their poor response, layers of madness, and bureaucratic bs, imo. Thanks for listening.

     Comment by David — May 20th 2009 @ 7:50 pm

215. Promises,Promises,Promises,Lies,Lies,Lies. I have never gotten the same reason for my delima. I have been paying monthly payments for n

     Comment by Dale Wiskerchen — May 21st 2009 @ 2:14 am

216. Dish Network is erasing my comments I am a 77 year old man being billed for services I am not getting…….

     Comment by Dale Wiskerchen — May 21st 2009 @ 2:28 am

217. I had Dishnetwork for a couple of years. Signed up for an “international package” that required a “Super Dish” in addition to a regular Dish. Initial installation was a pain in the neck. Took a couple of trips (one for each Dish), several interminable phone calls, wait all afternoon for some contractor in a Datsun to show up – the usual bullshit. Naturally, we’re charged a hefty amount for all of this “premium” service.

     Couple of months ago, we start having severe problems with reception. Local channels going out all the time, for hours at a time, with a misleadingly upbeat error message. (“Don’t call us; we’re aware of the problem and we’re working on it!) So we call several times to complain. After several complaints, Dish grudgingly agrees to extend us the “courtesy” of sending a technician out to take a look at no charge to us! Yippee, we’re in Dish Heaven.

     So the Dish guy comes out and pokes around on the roof. Comes down and explains that our neighbor has been wired in to our two satellite dishes. “Say what?” We ask. Yeah, he explains, some Dish contractor came out and wired up our neighbor to piggy-back off of the satellite dishes that we paid for. Our answer is simple: “Unplug the guy.” “Can’t do that,” Dish Guy tells us. “I’m not authorized to go unplug paying customers.” “Here’s a phone, we answer, “call 1-800-Dishnetwork and get authorization.” Dish Guy says he can’t do that, but he will “fix” our service. So he fiddles around, says our service is just fine, and that he will follow up to have our neighbor disconnected.

     Problem resurfaces soon after the guy leaves. I call up and yell at some people at Dish, lose 1 ½ hours out of work day and can’t get anything resolved. Aristotle at the wrong end of an “800” number wants to give me a lesson epistemology. (“How do we know that it was a Dish representative who installed your Dish?) Tough job market for philosophy PhDs.

     We call several more times, waste hours on phone and can’t get problem resolved. So my wife agrees to sacrifice the obscure foreign language package (only available through Dish) so that we gave leave this hell. The cable company has an offer running and its service can’t be any worse that this.

     Now Dish is charging me, of course. Typical shakedown.

     Comment by Now a Cable Dog — May 21st 2009 @ 3:16 am

218. I’m so glad to be out of my Dish contract. The worst service ever!!!
     Two years of the worst satellite service of my life.
     I immediately went back to Directv as soon as my contract was up.
     I had only switched to get the lower prices and amazing sign up deals they promised me if I would switch. I never got any of the promotional items Dish promised us when we switched and every time it rained I didn’t have a signal.
     I only pay $10 more for Directv and it is well worth it, I have more and better channels and excellent signal.. it has rained here all week and not once has Directv signal failed me.
     Dish not only failed to follow through on the offers promised to me upon sign up..but also held me hostage to their shoddy service by telling me that in order to cut off (during the trial period) I would have to take down and return their dish and equipment at cost to me.

     Comment by Christina — May 26th 2009 @ 7:20 pm

219. The other day, I got an e-mail from Dish saying my bill hadn’t been paid and my service was going to be shut off. I called them, and they said it had been 10 days since they had billed me and they hadn’t received payment yet. So now they only give you 10 days from the date they print the bill before they start threatening to shut off service. What they neglect to mention is that it takes them up to 10 days just to post a payment. So one is going to get this threatening e-mail no matter what. Dish is a joke.

     Comment by Brian — May 27th 2009 @ 6:43 pm

220. As for contacting the BBB, the BBB never does anything other than send a letter saying any case I open is closed-information only. The BBB is worthless now.

     Comment by Brian — May 27th 2009 @ 7:03 pm

221. Satellite television is a market that is hard to do much with. My discovery was that the same group handles the sales of both DIsh Network and DirecTV, so the old trick of playing one against the other for a better deal no longer works. Incidentally, it was the wonderful customer service rep at Dish that told me that they handle both services. It stands to reason that the level of service will be similar, as there is little incentive to do better without competition.

     For us, our choice was made based on a channel that we desired that Dish Network offered and DirecTV does not carry. It helped that Dish also has a few more channels than DirecTV did in a comparable package.

     Your rant was warranted, and as petty as it might seem to some, I would have pursued the issue just as you did!

     Comment by Terri — May 30th 2009 @ 11:22 am

222. I have been with Dish Network for 10 years and have seen the serivce go from outstanding to crap. The first thing that really bothered me was that last year, they kept raising my bill when it was “america’s top 100″ I think it was. Then, they really raised the price up, and I decided to change to the lowest package that they offered (family pack), and it was almost the same price. Little did I know, they were tacking on a $5.00 fee per month for not having a phone line?!!! I have never had a phone line since I moved into the house 5 years ago! Anyway, the reception got worse and worse, until I could not even get any reception, went through all their stupid tutorials, and I knew the damn thing was out of alignment, so they said they would have to send someone out to the tune of $99.00 (I didn’t have a cable or a small tv, or I would have done it myself). So I told them to forget it. I called up to cancel a few days later, and got the rudest person, insane person! She said that I was stupid to not know that I would be charged $5.00/month for no phone lines. But then she said that she would “wave” the $99 fee to align the satilight and get it fixed right away ?!!. I told them I’m sorry, I decided to go to directTV. She would not accept no for an answer, and this went on for 20 minutes, and I kept saying I want a confirmation etc, she would not give it to me. I told her my blood pressure was going up, and she still did not stop arguing, and I told her she was being taped, and that I would be putting it on Youtube if she didn’t stop, and she flipped!!! Finally she said she would give me a confirmation the date I canceled (june 2nd). I still don’t know for sure if they will disconnect service. Dish network, if you are listening, your customer service is terrible! Sad to say, Cable is better than this crap! Sorry to see such an awesome company go down the toliet.

     Comment by chud — May 30th 2009 @ 3:39 pm

223. Dish is a joke. Tivo will sue them and Mr. Urgen will pay for stealing engineering (then you will see Urgen try and sue them for something because that’s the way he works). For those in a contract, Dish can’t prove you signed anything and if you haven’t signed it, then don’t (a X works). Another Federal lawsuit is also about to open on this despicable company. If you have DISH sell it because they violate EEOC laws daily. Insider news…they have groups that work together to fire, not layoff, employees. If they laid off their employees like they should, then that would look bad to shareholders indicating loss of revenues (despite they have been losing customers consistently for the last two quarters of 08 and will continue to sharply lose even more for 09). They have plans to open a pay as you go plan which is risky and even more detrimental to acquiring a credit worthy customer. It takes 18 months for them to make penny off the reg’ sub so, why would they do such a thing – despite just getting a warm body? These customers will not contribute to the bottom line for more than 18 months and they won’t have much of a monthly rate to impact revenues. Real smart idea Dish. DirecTv will prevail…besides, they have better service, better price, and better business ethics. Sell DISH, they ain’t going anywhere but down.

     Comment by ExDish — Jun 5th 2009 @ 4:24 pm

224. I’ve noticed many of you mention that Dish service is bad. I acknowledge and agree. They outsource some of their call centers to the Philippines. WOW, how did she know that? (ExDish employee) They claim they operate CSC’s in the US (for job market and growth) but truly, as of now and prior to today, they are continuously outsourcing jobs and tasks away from US workers that were once handled by customer management organization. Its all about the money, not about you, the customer.

     Comment by ExDish — Jun 5th 2009 @ 4:33 pm

225. A man after my own heart, God bless you. Sounds like as much fun as jacking off a bobcat in a phn booth with a fistfull of cockleburrs as granpa used to say.
     Only one Bloggish thang: FREEDOM POWER SKREWS SHEEP TO DEAL WITH, THEY QUOTE YOU AN AMOUT TO SEND VIA MONEY GRAM IF YOU DONT HAVE A VISA OR MC AND THEN A WEEK LATER WHEN THE COLD SHOWERS YOU’RE TAKING ONLY EXSIST TO KEEP YOUR BALLS FROM MELTING OFF IN THE TX HEAT, DO THEY BOTHER LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THEY NEED ANOTHER 100 BUCKS ‘CAUSE THEY PULLED THEIR COLLECTIVE FINGER OUT OF THEIR ASS LONG ENUFF TO CALL RELIANT FOR A HISTORY OF USAGE, AND IF YOU DONT AGREE WITH THEIR ESTIMATE, THEY GET TO KEEP 65 USD OF YOU ORIGINAL 79.40, NOTHIN WRONG WITH THAT , HUH? SHIZZATT!

     Comment by jeff greenhill — Jun 6th 2009 @ 2:04 am

226. YOU EXPECT MORE FROM CORPERATE ASS HOLES?

     Comment by jeff greenhill — Jun 6th 2009 @ 2:06 am

227. 06-06-2009

     Dead people can’t cash checks,

     My mother has had Dish Network for nearly six years. She had it installed for my father and it was installed in his name only,(BIG MISTAKE). They had nothing but problems the entire time they had it. I tried several times to persuade them to have it disconnected but Dish made that proceedure so difficult that they opted to keep paying the bill instead. My father then passed away two years ago and Dish kept billing under his name. Mom called and asked what she could do to at least have the billing put in her name. Dish said that she needed to send them a copy of the death certificate and she complied with the request. Guess what? The next billing still had dad’s name on it, and the next and the next and so on. I finally persuaded mom to have Dish disconnected after countless problems with signal, service and billing. I was on the phone for nearly an hour and we finally were disconnected from Dish service. Now Dish owed a refund to mom for the month in advance payment plus two weeks of down time of signal. The executive I talked to said he had a copy of the death certificate but he was going to have to refund what Dish owed in the name of my deceased father. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I asked him, “you mean to tell me you are going to make a check out to my father when you have a copy of his death certificate?” He said yes as the service was in his name. I told him to make it to my mother and told him to write her name down and he said he did. Two weeks later my mother recieved a check in the mail and you won’t believe whose name the check was made out to. Yep, thats right, MY FATHER. I have tried to send a complaint letter to the CEO but so far that has been to no avail. I do hope people who consider Dish Network as a server reads these letters prior to signing up. If they don’t, only we know what they are in for.

     Speaking from experience.

     06-06-2009 (D-DAY)

     Comment by Mark Hall — Jun 6th 2009 @ 10:41 pm

228. ******PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT*******

     Hey everyone I have read a few of the previous posts and I really have to agree with many of you. Unlike some or most of you I am actually a tech support agent with Dish Network. That is correct I work for Dish and I’m creating a post because I think it’s time I let some of my frustrations out here and on dishnetwork.com and I advise you all do the same.

     I have been working for Dish for nearly a year and I have hated every minute of it. I would quit but just like you customers I’m somewhat tied down by Dish because jobs are hard to come by for average people and I’m a college student. I really do understand my customers and I feel sorry for you and in most situations especially I’m really unable to help you and I really want to.

     Anyway on the the nitty gritty….. what Dish is like for employees and customers.

     As we all know every company has its good and it’s bad and I’m sure other customers and employees go through b/s with the other cable and satellite providers. But of course we dont care about other people and it’s about our experiences which i full understand.

     First thing that I would like to touch on are the stupid generic “greeting” and “closing” scripts we have to say to you guys. They are so scripted and they definately don’t sound genuine at all! “thank you for being a valued dish network customer my name is……” and the one that pisses everyone angry customer off “how can i provide you with the best value and service today?” and lastly “have I handled or answered everything to your satisfaction?” Believe me people I hate saying this crap but we get graded on our calls and if we do not say those things word for word we get points taken off which i think is dumb. First of all when people call in it is usually a repeat call so they have heard that crap at least 2 or more times. I mean if you are so valued and we are providing the best value and service you wouldnt be calling us would you? And hell no I haven handled or answered eveything to your satisfaction because you still have no signal and a tech cant come out to you house until 4 days later and it just costed you 29.00!

     I really do care about the people who call and speak with me no matter how rude and mean they can be at the start of the call. I know the customer isn’t angry with me they are mad at Dish but I’m the one that they take it out on because I am DISH for the length of the call.

     I do find it really unfair when a customer has replaced numerous recievers and they keep sending them the same remanufactured piece of crap model time and time again. I know they cant send brand new stuff to everyone but I mean after the 2nd replacement they could upgrade you or something. Also please believe me when I tell you if you are getting “Attention Aquiring Satellite Signal” consider yourself screwed because they really isn’t much that can be done over the phone. All we can do is check your connections and run whats called a check switch test. If the test works then great if it doesnt then be prepared to hear “we need to send out a technician” and it’s a 29.00 or 49.00 and sometimes even 99.00 charge!! I mean at least with cable they repair things that are messed up on the outside for free!! I mean geesh you people pay 5.99 a month for the “Dish Home Protection Plan” that you probably never use and when you need something there is still a fee! But hey if you are one of my customers and you’re nice and I see that you are being inconvienced and you havent cursed me out I usually waive the fee or make an adjustment of your bill for your time without service and sometimes even both. Of course not on every call because I might get caught! LOL.

     This is the last thing that I want to say about Dish. Dish sucks because they dont have any freaking programming that people want to watch and they are always taking down programming “to save passing on the cost to the customer.” I’m sure people don’t mind paying extra to get the channels that they want because I’m pretty darn sure they wouldnt mind waiting to cancel to go else where! But honestly people you have to start going to the contact us link on dishnetwork.com to get your frustrations out because telling us over the phone or speaking to a supervisor will only get you off the phone!!! I will give you a prime and great example of squeeky wheel gets the oil.

     A few months ago Dish and Univision’s contract had expired and Dish didnt want to pay the money that Univision wanted for all the Spanish channels so Dish was going to remove nearly all the Spanish channels. Well that pissed every Spanish speaking person off and they called in for nearly 3 or 4 days and went online and threatened to cancel services and go elsewhere. So what happened???? Dish got back all the channels and kept all their Spanish speaking customers. People do like they did, if you want ALL of your local channels, YES Network, TV One, and any other station people complain and get others to do the same. But send it to the corperate people to get results. Trust me you guys will get what you want because Dish wants and need your money.

     Thanks for listening guys and I hope that you will understand that the people who work for Dish are people too and we do try and help you guys it’s just we are little fish in a big pond.

     Comment by REAL DISH AGENT!! — Jun 10th 2009 @ 11:47 am

229. Dish Network is HORRIBLE. We always have problems with it. I’d almost rather have our old cable company (who added on $10 every couple of months just for the hell of it. Saying they had to up the rates.. started out paying $39/month and when I cancelled was paying almost $100 a month!)
     Every couple of months my dish just stops working! out of the blue! We call, complain, they say its because of weather or because the dish got moved in the wind, then they send someone out- usually we have to pay a huge service fee for this. We shouldent have to pay just beause their satellite dosent stay put! Honestly I think they flip a lil switch just to get us to have to pay more. Right now I have been without tv for a week. It was slightely raining the day it went out. No wind, nothing… just a slight drizzle. Called today to complain. Went thru a million tests and he said “its the weather, when its sunny out it will work again!” wait…… so I can only watch tv while its sunny out?! I think not. That is when we want to be outside, not watching tv! ANother complaint is that NO ONE that works there speaks English.. its impossible to understand them and they never understand us!

     Comment by Pepper — Jun 15th 2009 @ 6:50 pm

230. I forgot to mention in my last post that the people who installed our Dish’s tore our house up. There are now two huge holes in our walls from where they had to drill to put the wires thru. Only the holes are about 2 inches across – which means we had to add caulking in around it otherwise you could see outside!

     Comment by Pepper — Jun 15th 2009 @ 7:00 pm

231. Not only that, but the most important reason I discontinued my service with them is because they outsource the CSR’s. I’m not a protectionist by no means, but times are hard everywhere and I’m just not going to support a company that wants my American money, but can’t supply me American jobs. India has a billion people, not my problem they have a heavy caste culture and don’t share their wealth properly. Bad enough the greedy bastards in this country less known supporting a foreign one. Hell they ought to be exporting jobs here.

     Comment by Joshua — Jun 22nd 2009 @ 7:29 am

232. I love your rant, especially because i’m going to rant about almost the same thing!
     I had a free installation credit…but guess what…the $99 was on the bill…I FINALLY received my credit..and things were going great until: my DVR broke several months later-Installed in late Jan/early Feb & broken 4/26. The harddrive failed and I could only watch programming if I unplugged the machine over and over again! Not conducive to watching tv or recording a program. Called and CSR said they would replace it by sending someone out. Fantastic! Had to beg and plead for someone quickly because my child and I were involved in a car accident-someone hit us stopped at a red light…and we were homebound. I digress. sorry.
     Back to my story:
     A new bill comes & it says I owe $99 for service. HUH? NOT! Was first told, they would remove it, then 10 minutes later…new guy…said nope because a technician was out in Feb. & I already received a credit for $99. They can’t credit me twice. Huh? The $99 was for an installation credit I was due and promised in the first place with the FREE Installation. I asked to speak to a supervisor, but nope…can’t, pay your bill and then will forward you if there is one available. I’m sure they are not alone..but no go.
     I had previously spoken to on Sunday 6/21 Chris, then Kevin, then Samantha, then Finally Chuck Williams of the Executive Resolution Team. He gave me his number – no 1-800 number & ext. BUT shame on me…I wrote it down incorrectly! And he also called me later that day…but I deleted his message with his phone number…because heck, I had written it down.
     Well, none of the folks I spoke with told me my account was way past due and my service would be turned off. Not one of them. strange. ok, maybe not. Hey, I lost my job a few months back due to the elimination of my department, I’m a single mom, was rear-ended in a car accident, and take my child and myself to physical therapy 3x a week besides going to doctors…things slip. I know…my fault. Once again, I digress.
     Back to my phone call on 6/21. I called them because I received a phone call from UPS saying they were going to pick up a package tomorrow…huh??? Yup, Dish Network set it up. That is when I spoke with Chris, & Kevin & Samantha then of course Chuck Williams. I wanted a simple request: Please call UPS and cancel a pickup to something I don’t have. Simple right? Wrong. See, I had called customer service a month ago when I received an empty Dish Network box in the mail with a note to put the old receiver in the box and send back to Dish. Huh? Repair guy at the end of April took the BROKEN receiver with him. SO, why are they asking for a receiver when it was removed by the repair guy. CSR said it was a MISTAKE, sorry. Don’t worry about it. They have it in their notes, they received it, It was a mix-up …blah, blah, blah…and I should have any more problems about this and will receive no CHARGES. HMMM… sounds good. Ok, too good to be true. The UPS is expecting to pick it up. But, don’t have it. CSR (several of them) say it’s a mistake, sorry, no charges, noted the problem and it should be fine. BUT, I just want them to cancel UPS delivery because according to UPS only Dish Network can cancel a delivery they scheduled. Sorry, CSR can’t call out, don’t have that ability and nicely told me: “Just have your child answer the door to a STRANGER and tell him it was a mistake…there’s no package”. They must not have children! I wouldn’t be home during the day…looking for a job…and don’t want my child (whose 13…but still) to answer the door to a STRANGER and tell him anything. UPS said they would come back 3x to try for pickup on a phantom box. I don’t care if it’s “Brown” picking up a package. I dont want a STRANGER knocking on my door. Simple. Please note: I live in a community where somebody off the street can’t just knock on your door–we have a guard…but UPS and FedEx are given access. These days, you MUST be careful with anyone! Haven’t these people listen to Nancy Grace on CNN? Well, Chuck would call UPS and cancel the scheduled pickup for the phantom box. Fabulous…until…30 hours later…

     I’d pay the bill…but I don’t want to pay the $99. I was told by B that if I just paid the bill then I could speak to a supervisor. Who has an extra $99 plus tax laying around? Not me. I feed my kid meat and fish and I eat just rice & pasta…because hey, I’m a mom and do what I need to do. I know what you’re thinking…cancel the tv …who needs it? Well, my child has been in an ankle cast since the accident in April, just had it removed last monday 6/15…was told by the physical therapist to ride his bike to strengthen the ankle, yet 1 day later, had an accident on his bike and we were back to the ER for 5 stitches on a nasty cut—the metal bike peddle spikes tore through his skin on his thigh. Poor kid. He has to stay in bed/or on the couch with the legs up. TV is what he really needs. As of today…we have none!
     I tried also doing the online customer service. He couldn’t help, but said to call the 800 number and ask for the Executive Response Team. NOPE>tried that…they won’t forward me. He said: sorry, but if you pay the bill, you then can later get a credit. Obviously, he has a job, makes money and $99 plus tax is not a big deal to him.
     Frustrated. Tried to then…say fine…cancel my account and I’ll pay you the amount I owe-not including the $99 plus tax bs. Sorry…can’t do that. Your account will cancel in 17 days. But, I don’t want to incur more charges and today with the prorated for the month…because I’m canceling as of 6/22 I only owe: $68.03 give or take a few dollars. Was told sorry charlie: you pay the full amount or NOTHING.

     I think I will follow others and file a complaint with the BBB (little good it will do) and the AG. My best defense, keep posting on blogs and keep letting the folks in America know: if you want to choose a service, Stay away from DISH NETWORK!

     Chuck Williams or anyone from the Dish Network Executive Resolution Team: Please give me a call.

     Comment by FL mom — Jun 23rd 2009 @ 9:19 am

233. actually even tho you didnt get your $50 rebate, your still came out ahead cause they say your not in a contract so you could cancel now, sell your recievers on ebay, make money and subscribe to DTV.

     Comment by greg — Jun 24th 2009 @ 10:45 pm

234. Loving life today! Guess what I got??@!! An email response (gee, after you send a letter to almost everyone and comment on 21+ blogs) apologizing for how I was treated and for the ‘miscommunication’! I received a credit for the $99 + tax and some perks! It took less than 48 hours to solve the matter.
     I wonder…if I hadn’t had all that free time to send emails and blog constantly…would I have received a response or one in such a timely matter solving my issue? I’m not sure…what I do know: ‘we’re all good’, I’m happy again and it has been reinforced if you get the word out about your unhappiness in a company…things to change. Power to the people!

     Comment by FL mom — Jun 25th 2009 @ 12:40 am

235. Dish Network is a Cesspool. As a former employee who only wanted to take care of the customer, I have a little insight into how things work at Dish. You have to threaten to cancel your service FROM THE GET GO. Do not tell them that you are dissatisfied, do not tell them you are upset, call them and say “I want to cancel my account” plain and simple. Stick to cancellation until you get 100% satisfied. If they fight you, follow through and cancel.

     There is already small claims precedent where a judge got mad at Dish because of the “cancellation fees”. Do not do automatic bill pay, and do not do any “promotion” that requires a cancel fee. READ every piece of paper the tech sticks in front of you. Did you know that on the back of the “service agreement” YOU could be held liable for damages the tech causes on your property?

     Don’t even get me started about the hostile and abusive work environment for the employees.

     Comment by Former Dish Employee — Jun 28th 2009 @ 1:03 pm

236. I am so glad that I read this, I am totally disappointed with DISH, they should put the “i” in after “h” and add “t” drop the “d”. You can’t get out of the contract, I have had this for 8 years, and I am not satified at all and had not been. The worse to this is that I have been looking at Time Warner, Guest What, they are no better as far as the “customer service” department. They all suck, but guess what we just keep onpaying them because we want something to watch. I think there should be a glass action suit on all of them.

     Comment by Juanita Hewlett — Jun 29th 2009 @ 9:59 am

237. If we do not get some help which I have called about, we are going to cable. All we want is to have someone come out and reajust out satallite so we do not have it go out with just a little wind. I will not pay 100.00 just for this service, because I think it should be included in the price we pay for service.

     Comment by RICHARD HELGERSON — Jun 29th 2009 @ 10:04 am

238. Whatever you do , please don’t sign up for dish network. They charge you $9.98 just for taking your information. What a rip off!!!

     Comment by Beverly — Jun 30th 2009 @ 4:21 pm

239. Had Dish installed several years ago. The technician spent HOURS at my house before everything worked. We had no issues until I rolled my 60 inch rear projection TV out in order to connect a new DVD player. The technician had broken the cable connector off of the back of my television and had fashioned a “harness” out of thin wire to loosely hold it on. This, of course came off when I moved the TV. I contacted Dish and was put through to their damages department. An investigation was opened and quickly denied due to the lapse in time. I let them know that had I known that their tech had “jerry-rigged” the connector 4 months prior, at installation, I certainly would have contacted them at that time. The tech obviously created this harness to cover up his mistake. They still denied the claim and I’m stuck running my satellite through an old VCR. DISH SUCK BIG ONES!!!!!

     Comment by Lisa — Jun 30th 2009 @ 10:11 pm

240. I totally agree – DISH sucks! We canceled our DISH because we had 100 channels and only watched about 6 of them. Never had a decent monthly “free channel” and got so fed up with paying for channels we don’t watch and commercials that we canceled. Well, that’s when our trouble started. I called and canceled and CSR wanted to argue wiht me on the phone about why I was canceling. She kept trying to talk me into another package with less or more channels that we wouldn’t watch. I had to finally say “what part of NO don’t you understand.” She finally agreed to letting us cancel. Any contract we had was expired over 2 years ago so we were not dealing with contract problems. She told me they would send a box for us to return everything in. Afte 2 weeks I called and asked where the box was. The CSR said that it takes 3-5 business days to receive the box, and when I said that I had canceled over 3-5 days ago, she didn’t have any answer except kept repeating that I should wait 3-5 business days. I got so frustrated that I gave up. So, I waited 3 days and called back, hoping to speak with somebody more knowledgeable. Well, I got the same run-around. This time I was told they didn’t have my correct address. Then I was told I would receive a box tomorrow, and then she changed it to another 3-5 days. I demanded to speak to a supervisor and at that point was put on hold for 20 minutes. Finally I got a so-called supervisor and she just repeated more slowly what the CSR had told me. When I said that I was getting rather frustrated with them, she kept apologizing and repeating the standard line about 3-5 days. I said if I did not receive the box to return the equipment in by the end of the week, I would ship it to the corporate office COD and let them worry about it. This whole time I was unable to speak to anyone that spoke English. All the CRS people and the supervisor were not English speaking. They had their set speech and they did not know how to problem solve other than their little cheat sheet of set responses. I believe that if someone is going to hold a position as a CSR in the United States, that person should be able to speak English and be able to communicate with the public. These “call-centers” are the downfall of any business. If a business can’t give customers service directly and has to resort to foreign “call-centers”, then the American public is being cheated and conned.

     There, now I feel about 10% better. Thanks for letting me vent.

     Comment by Nancy — Jul 7th 2009 @ 1:56 pm

241. thank you for the info, Nickel and wifeofnickel…

     you’ve helped me make my decision. forget DishNetwork.

     I’ll stick with cable. Besides, i need internet anyway.

     THANK YOU FOR THE RANTS!!! awesome post.

     Comment by kristine — Jul 16th 2009 @ 2:24 pm

242. We live in a rural area of Montana and tried going without TV with its annoying commercials, and after going thru the 2008 election crap. We lasted three months but missed our news channels, history channel etc., and decided to take Dish up on an introductory offer. We contracted for the six-month special rate and freebies being offered, which included movies. We seldom ever watch a movie so that was not an inducement to buy. In the 17 years we have lived here, we have never paid additional for a movie.

     Next thing we know, we are being billed for a couple of movie channels. I call and Dish immediately says it will take off bill and credit our account. No argument.

     This moring AT 8.15 A.M. I ANSWER THE PHONE TO A ROBOT CALL telling me our account is delinquent. I check our internet payments for July and find I have paid exactly what the customer service rep said to pay, which amount took into account the charges for the two movie channels. I finally get through to customer service and after my rant a rep says she again will take off the charge. We’ll see. I admonished the rep about the early a.m. call and instructed, “Don’t ever call me early in the morning again, and don’t ever have a robot calling.” She said she would put us on a “no call” list. We’ll see.

     To go to the Family choice in programming, when our introductory period is over, I have to make a telephone call next month when our initial programming offer expires. No, cannot write and say what we want. Must phone. We are supposed to spend 15 minutes (that’s what it took today) to get to a live customer service person to ask that the programming be switched. Doesn’t make any sense to me. I shall put it in writing and send Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested.

     On another subject, why do we have to have a telephone hooked up to a receiver for the sole purpose of receiving Dish messages? I already have a phone in our TV room. If no phone is hooked up, then we must pay $2.00 a month for not having one connected to the receiver. Doesn’t make sense to me. We have three other phones in the house, why should we have to pay for another that is strictly for Dish’s convenience to try and sell us something else.

     Any more frustrations with Dish and we’ll walk away. In our 80’s we no longer care about our “excellent” credit rating. .Pat

     P.S. I am keeping good records of any dealings/problems with Dish. I shall probably need them in the future.

     Comment by Pat O'Buck — Jul 17th 2009 @ 12:39 pm

243. To Pat O’Buck, the reason you have a phone line to the back of your receiver is to order pay-per-view, to allow them diagnose problems with your equipment and to make sure you haven’t been doing any illegal modifications to the equipment. Both Dish and Direct TV have phone lines to the back of their receivers. You don’t have to have a new phoneline installed. Just get a cable and run it from an existing phone jack to the back of your machine. They usually poll their equipment once a month and it just takes seconds, doesn’t cost you a dime for the call.

     It’s been some time since I’ve been here but I had to relate what happened to me the other day. If you go up the the Feb comments you can see why I got fed up and left Dish. Earlier this week I got a phone call and a nice lady was on the other end and she politely asked me why I had left Dish Network. I asked who she was and she said that she was a sales rep and was interested in bringing me back into the Dish Network “family” (creepy). I laughed and told her the reasons I had left. The overpayment of the two destroyed receivers, their inability of being able to straighten out my name on the account, the junk dvr’s and the absolutely crappy customer service.

     She told me that she would straighten out the name problem right there and that she had a terrific deal for me if I returned to Dish Network. I told her how I had overpaid on the receivers that were destroyed in the house fire and that I tried for a year and a half to get them removed from the account. She had the gall to tell me that it was up to me to report it to the insurance company. I told her that I notified Dish the day I got out of the hospital after the fire that the equipment was destroyed and to suspend my service until I had moved. I explained that the insurance company told me that since the equipment was Dish’s it was up to them to file the claim. I then told her about the crappy equipment that I kept getting. Then I went off on her about how I tried to get their customer service to help me but they couldn’t/wouldn’t help and were extremely incompetent. She tried to apologize but I stopped her and said that 18 months is a long time to be patient with a company that seemed indifferent to its customers.

     She then made one more attempt to get me to sign back on with an offer of the premium channels free for a year, a dvr upgrade and then I stopped her. I told her I would never, ever return to Dish and that Directv was far superior to their company. I then told her that I would go to cable and failing that a bent coat hanger hanging out my window before I spent another dollar on their crappy (I didn’t use the word crappy but another word meaning the same thing) service.

     I could hear her sputtering and trying to compose herself and I told her not to call me again and then I hung up.

     Man. They are really interested in drawing in customers but not too concerned with them when they have them.

     Comment by Gar — Jul 18th 2009 @ 4:23 am

244. I agree!!Dish Network doesn’t know what customer service is all about.We recently changed houses and called Dish to hook up all dish lines in the new house.The dish guy came did the wiring work from outside and left without hooking it to our TV.I have called the guy several times ,day in and day out,but he didn’t even had the courtesy to return the call!!!We are stuck with paying for the imaginary service!!!!
     Dish has the most annoying and exasperating customer service in the world!!!!

     Comment by Ina — Jul 25th 2009 @ 10:58 am

245. Actually 9 times out of 10 it is not free, dish or directtv both state this but usually about 14-15 months down the line your LNB will start drooping and lose satellite conections and they’ll tell you you need a tech to come to house and retighten for $49.99 fee or get warrant service at $6.03 per month for a year then its free? For some reasons those tech’s keep forgetting to use lock nuts, when they say its free actually they mean for now not forever.

     Comment by Ray — Jul 26th 2009 @ 1:49 pm

246. TO ALL THE PRO COMMENTS FEW AS THEY ARE YOU ARE JUST AS BAD AS DISH FOR SENDING USA JOBS TO A FORIGN COUNTRY ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS ARE IN COUNTRIES THAT WE ALSO GIVE AID TO THE AID MUST NOT BE USED FOR SPEECH THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND WORSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SAYING I WAS TOLD TO SHUT UP BY ONE — REP OF DISH NET —THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ???????????????????????? FC

     Comment by f connerley — Jul 26th 2009 @ 10:59 pm

247. DISH/DIRECT TV they are both the same. If you want to play you must pay. In this country today money talks and TV walks all over you. It doesn’t matter if you got the satellite or if you have the cable they got your $$$. Just maybe the time has come to put your TV’s at the curb and get a real life. Get up off your dead #$% and get outside and see the real world. It only hurts for a little while.
     Spending a little time with your kids could be fun or maybe talking with your wife/girl friend/boy friend would be different. I had that funny thing on my roof, I had cable, I had DISH, I had DIRECT and back to DISH and out to the curb with it all. Trust me it works.

     Comment by C. Wells — Jul 27th 2009 @ 9:29 am

248. @ f connerley

     There’s no perfect company nor customer service. It’s funny how Americans boast anti-racism when they are the racist beast themselves. The reason why some of your major companies are outsourcing their call centers to foreign countries is because people in the world has this “respect” to Americans so much, thus… patience is always there in every call. We treat you right as much as we can. I’ll give you a scenarios…

     # 1

     Caller: What the fuck is happening? I don’t have TV for couple of days now!!! I’ve been paying so much and got no TV? I’ll cancel my service coz your company sucks!!!
     CSR: I apologize for the inconvenience sir but may I ask what’s on the screen right now?
     Caller: A fucking snowy picture!!! It’s been happening for a week now!!!
     CSR: Do you see a green light on your receiver?
     *** wife shouts at the background, Honey… the receiver is unplugged!!!
     Caller: hang up…

     # 2

     Caller: I ordered a pay per view and I dont like it. I want a refund
     CSR: as much as I would like to help you with that sir but please be guided that pay per view is non refundable
     Caller: fuck you!!! no one told me that.. give me a refund you mother fuckin cunt! I don’t like what I ordered so I want a refund.
     CSR: well sir..
     Caller: (interrupted)… give my money back! do you understand english? give my money back!!
     CSR: when you ordered pay per view, the agent told you that ppv is non-refundable and you agreed. am I right mr customer?
     Caller: Where you at? seems like you dont understand me very well. You are so dumb that you cannot give my money back! Are you Indian? Chinese? or from the Philippines? give me your supervisor coz you dont know what you are saying.
     CSR: No problem sir. Please stay on the line while I look for a supervisor
     Hold ****
     Supervisor: Thank you for patiently waiting, Im Ashley , Im the supervisor… how can I help you today?
     Caller: your dumb agent dont want to give my money back
     Supervisor: For pay per view , this is non refundable if you simply don’t like the program. We can only do refunds if there’s a technical problem in our end during the time of the event or ppv. I have checked notes in your account and we see here that you ordered ppv 6x in a week and 4 of those were refunded for courtesy purposes. We also have recordings of each call that you agree with the terms and when an agent disclose that ppv is non refundable
     Caller: go to hell!! fuck you..!!!
     Hang up!

     lots of American customers are like this… so abusive of “customer service” rights… go figure!

     Comment by CSR — Jul 29th 2009 @ 6:35 pm

249. To CSR. “The reason why some of your major companies are outsourcing their call centers to foreign countries is because people in the world has this “respect” to Americans so much.” PALEASE! No, the reason companies outsource is because it’s cheaper. They want American money, but don’t want t pay Americans wages. Your examples are par for the course for CSR’s. Surprise, some people are rude. And guess what? Some people even fight and start wars. Wow! Look, the racist thing may very well be true, and the way to solve that is not to deal with Americans. Ergo, there’s a billion people in India, and it’s not America’s problem that its economy is in such shambles that it depends on taking CSR jobs from other countries.

     Comment by Joshua — Jul 29th 2009 @ 8:38 pm

250. Wages … cheaper is also a fact. But if companies will not outsource their customer service to other countries, they might file a bankruptcy one of these days.

     Not to deal with Americans? Hahaha.. lolz. Wish we could. Maybe if Americans will learn how to read their product manuals and think first before seeking help then there’s no need for companies to outsource to foreign countries.

     Been a CSR for 10 years… 50% of customer will call you because of simple problems, their TV or computer is not working. Only to find out that their equipment or cables is not plugged in. They are frustated for waiting 15-30 mins to get hold of CSR wherein it only take 5-10 sec to checked their equipment. Companies will not pay lots of money to answer dumb problems isn’t it?

     Comment by CSR — Jul 29th 2009 @ 9:02 pm

251. Back to dish…

     Any questions? post it here… I’ll try to answer them.

     Comment by CSR — Jul 29th 2009 @ 9:14 pm

252. This is about Dish, and the many reasons it sucks. We’re not here to be consoled by a Dish CSR. Smile. I hope you realize there would be NO CSR’s if not for dumb questions being asked. I dont know what news you watch, but it’s not for fear of bankruptcy companies outsource,it’s about greed and power. A native Indian should be well aware of this normal but destructive trend of man to dominate since they have one of the most oppressive Caste cultures on the planet. So Dish still sucks for giving us CSR’s that dont have a strong command of the language of the customers who’s paying their wages.

     Comment by Joshua — Jul 29th 2009 @ 9:34 pm

253. Well… it’s your opinion, I respect that. But FYI Joshua, only few percentage of calls are being routed to different parts of the world. Smile.

     With Direct TV, how sure are you that their CSR’s have a strong command of the language? lolz…

     Dish questions? Post it here….

     Comment by CSR — Jul 30th 2009 @ 1:48 am

254. I have received possibly the worst service of anyone in the united states from this conglomaration. Upon install, the installer was very inexperienced, had to call his supervisor to advise him how to install the service and he then broke two of three televisions! One of which was a sony 50 inch tv and the other a 19 inch tv. The company offered me $200 for replacment and told me to prove that my devices were working before install. I was also asked to sign documentation the would alleviate the company of damages from the installation. I signed it but wrote an exclusion of the paragraph on the page. I am now filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and am attempting to locate their insurance carrier so I can file a claim. Comments and additional information on where to go are appreciated.

     Comment by Latrissa Joven-Fuentes — Aug 3rd 2009 @ 10:13 am

255. After a week waiting for my installation(Today 8/03, 8am-noom)( Justin, TX 76247), nobodys displayed, called or send an email. Order #3180564. Bad customer service.
     I lost my time(day) waiting for you boys. Thanks.

     Comment by Lester l Rodriguez — Aug 3rd 2009 @ 4:45 pm

256. I was not surprised when I searched “Dish Network Sucks Ass” and there were 1,170,000 results returned… I have been dealing with Dish Network for several months now regarding an unreturned receiver. It WAS returned, I kept the tracking number and when they charged me $400 for not returning it, I contacted them and they credited my account back. One month later, I am charged again. I spent a lot of time on the phone with them and was told that it was credited back to my account and this error wouldn’t happen again. Two months later, I receive another $400 charge for the unreturned receiver and this time they went ahead and charged my credit card. I called them AGAIN. They apologized AGAIN and issued a credit back to my credit card but said it could take a few days for the credit to show back up on my card. That was two days ago. Just to be on the safe side, I logged onto Dish Network and guess what? They DID credit my account for $400 but the next day, they charged my account for another $400. I called customer service AGAIN and had to speak with two different people who became so confused they had to transfer me to other associates. I am awaiting the credit back to my credit card and then I am contacting the credit card company and blocking Dish Network from charging anything else to the card. Once I know my card is safe, I am calling them and cancelling my account. I am still in my contract period, but I can assure you that Dish Network will not get ONE more penny out of me. I will contact the BBB, Attorney General, etc. to remedy this situation. I have now been through Direct TV and Dish Network and have decided that I will just watch the local channels from this point forward… And I will warn everyone who will listen to me, NOT to go down the Dish Network road…

     Comment by Rachel J — Aug 12th 2009 @ 3:27 pm

257. Hey everyone. I am currently working a Dish Network Customer Service Rep in a call center in the United States.I’ve been here for 10 months and I hate this job. I feel so bad for everyone cuz I get people whose homes were damaged by installers, the programing gets cut off every time it rains, the packages are ludicrous, and the bill is stupid. If you want to know whats really going on inside a Dish Network call center or ask questions about whatever and get an honest no bs answer, follow me at :
     http://darkdishnetwork.blogspot.com/
     and I’m really sorry. Just do yourself a favor, unless you want international programming, DO NOT GET DISH!

     Comment by Rosie D — Aug 14th 2009 @ 7:47 pm

258. Apparently I’m not the only one who has been experiencing frequent, prolonged local programming interruptions. I am in the Phoenix, AZ, broadcast area and have extended periods when ALL the VHF and UHF channels were off the satellite. This is not a problem with my equipment, as evidenced by the
     “Sorry for the interruption. There is no need to call us. We are working to have this channel back…” Nor is it due to atmospherics. These outages occur when, as we pilots say, it is “severe clear.”
     message that has been on my screen for the past three-and-a-half hours. This is a Dish system problem that they are clearly not willing to pay to correct, since it has been going on over the past six weeks.
     After reading the many reports of terrible Dish customer service I have no expectation that a chat with a CSR in Manila or Bombay would have any effect.
     What I have done is to cancel my automatic payment via credit card in lieu of a mailed monthly paper bill. When I return the bill my payment will be half the amount shown as due as compensation to me for the inconvenience and aggravation of not being able to see local progamming when I wish.
     Because this alone will probably have no positive effect, I am compiling a list of advertisers on the local Phoenix channels whose messages have not been reaching their perspective customers. I will strongly suggest that they demand rebates on their time purchase contracts proportionate to the lost air time for their ads.
     I would urge others in the central Arizona market to do likewise.
     HarrynAZ

     Comment by Harry Weisberger — Aug 15th 2009 @ 7:30 pm

259. Apparently I’m not the only one who has been experiencing frequent, prolonged local programming interruptions. I am in the Phoenix, AZ, broadcast area and have extended periods when ALL the VHF and UHF channels were off the satellite. This is not a problem with my equipment, as evidenced by the
     “Sorry for the interruption. There is no need to call us. We are working to have this channel back…”
     message that has been on my screen for the past three-and-a-half hours. This is a Dish system problem that they are clearly not willing to pay to correct, since it has been going on over the past six weeks.
     After reading the many reports of terrible Dish customer service I have no expectation that a chat with a CSR in Manila or Bombay would have any effect.
     What I have done is to cancel my automatic payment via credit card in lieu of a mailed monthly paper bill. When I return the bill my payment will be half the amount shown as due as compensation to me for the inconvenience and aggravation of not being able to see local progamming when I wish.
     Because this alone will probably have no positive effect, I am compiling a list of advertisers on the local Phoenix channels whose messages have not been reaching their perspective customers. I will strongly suggest that they demand rebates on their time purchase contracts proportionate to the lost air time for their ads.
     I would urge others in the central Arizona market to do likewise.
     HarrynAZ

     Comment by Harry Weisberger — Aug 15th 2009 @ 7:33 pm

260. This might help some disgruntled Dish customers. Check this link out and see if you qualify. There are several eligibility factors here. Not just related to unsolicited phone calls. Many would qualify because of contract issuses.

     Comment by David — Aug 17th 2009 @ 11:21 am

261. I had the SAME experience with Dish and still have not got anything resolved! They have the WORST customer service EVER!

     Comment by Mellisa — Aug 19th 2009 @ 11:38 am

262. The moral of this story is….Never order Satellite/Cable/or any service from a reseller or the pennysaver…..Always order directly from the company….

     Comment by carlos — Aug 29th 2009 @ 10:08 pm

263. Here it is nearing the end of 2009 and the service has not changed with Dish, the state autorney general is not going to do any thing and the BBB is working for the company since the company is the paying client.
     What a tearrable ordeal I have had with Dish, they are liers, crooked as a dogs hind leg.
     They mean nothing they say and refuses to honor anything that is written.
     I was told that I would have to pay through nose to get rid of them. They are allot more expensive than cable, you get a better picture with cable. Why in the heck was I talked into this?

     Comment by John — Sep 6th 2009 @ 8:42 pm

264. O come on people. what a bunch of pure rubbish this is. Dish Network has pretty good customer service. On a sliding scale I would say that it is much better then that of Comcast or Directv. The problem is a simple one these days. there is just not enough money to go around. These companies just are not making the money to hire on staff enough to dedicate the time needed. Sadly there are a lot of people that are just dumb and they it takes an hour to teach them something that should take 4 minutes. When that happens, that throws off the time slots and the manpower. Nothing can be done about that. Then the real geniuses call asking how to set up their DVD or PS3 and they get really upset when the Dish people tell them to call the manufacturer of the DVD player. AGain, manpower is off, everything falls behind. I have been with Dish for nearly 14 years now and I am going no where.

     Comment by David — Sep 8th 2009 @ 6:13 am

265. Dish’s problems are not my problems. I have had enough of finding extras on my bills each month that I haven’t asked for, nor did I contract for. I’ve gone back to Direct, even without locals in my community. There were two parties to the Dish contract and Dish didn’t honor its side.

     Comment by Pat O'Buck — Sep 8th 2009 @ 9:00 am

266. I originally had Direct TV as my first satellite provider. If you think Dish Network is bad, try contacting Direct TV for technical assistance. I then had problems with Dish and decided to got with Time Warner. Within 2 weeks I was back with Dish. Then my problems with Dish began. That was 2 years ago. Since then I have not been able to log on to their website to pay my bill. They have no record that I have an account with them. It shows that I had the service disconnected. Dish, Direct TV, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, the Government, and on and on. They are all companies that have grown so big that they have lost control of the ability to take care of their customers. Doesn’t it alarm you when you find yourself dealing with a company that avoids customer contact by establishing a complicated phone answering system that leads you back to the “main menu”. The reality is that they are all alike. It’s like the last time an airline lost your bag, and you swear you will never fly that airline again. Eventually they will all lose your bag, and you will find yourself full circle. As you migrate from Dish to Direct, someone from Direct is migrating to Dish. You can’t affect them. They are too big and influential. The higher up you go you will find the more they spend to fund the campaigns of our elected officials. It’s what lobbying is all about.

     Comment by Bill McArthur — Sep 9th 2009 @ 3:08 pm

267. Hey bud, this isn’t a political blog. What does Dish Network has to do with big government? None that’s what. Dish Network isn’t exactly the mogul of entertainment providers anyway. Nor does the topic of lobbyists has anything to do with tea in China, which is the metaphoric topic. Unless you’re saying Dish Network is lobbying to keep bad customer service. Also, you may want to keep your myopic opinions to yourself or share them with like nuts as yourself. As for me, I love big government, since our, my government, as it were, is, ‘of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.’

     Comment by Joshua — Sep 9th 2009 @ 6:43 pm

268. Damn- now there is the irony at its best.. One guy complaining at another for making the story about government and then he goes off on how the government is our government and so on. How do the nuts always manage to this? Even the simplest of complaint websites turn out to be all about government nuts. My only point was that not everyone has a bad experience with Dish.. I have been with them for over a decade and other then a couple of issues, that the “higher ups” took care of almost as fast as I wrote the emails, they have been awesome.

     Anyway, those of you who have to make every thing about government conspiracies really need to find somewhere else to hang out. My Lord, there are tons of websites for you conspiracy people. There is no need for you to interject your opinions into normal websites with all the nutty websites that are out there for you to play with. You will have lot s of buddies on those websites and you can probably even find a mate..

     Comment by David — Sep 9th 2009 @ 10:59 pm

269. If you want to call a one sentence quote,’and so on’, have at it. LOL. But since the guy railed on about government, I thought I’d remind him who the government is supposed to be. Smile.

     Comment by Joshua — Sep 10th 2009 @ 8:19 pm

270. We have dealt with Dish for a few years now and really had no problems till we moved. A buddy of mine owns a TV store in the town we used to live in and this is where we got our dish set up from. I paid for the extended warranty service and if I ever had a problem, Mike (Quality TV, NP FL) was there and handled it that day or the next. When we moved.. holy crap! It took 3 weeks to get someone out to install the dishes, 3 of them, they never showed when they were supposed to and they had to come back 5 times! Dish sent installers from Louisville which is about 100 miles away when there is a Dish dealer not 10 miles away. When I called for phone service they talked me into bundling dish with windstream, BAD IDEA! The bills were more than what I was paying for dish separately, not only that but Windstream has it’s own dish tech support which are clueless.
     I called to de-bundle in march and here it is sept and they still haven’t got it done. I’ve been calling every month since to no avail. But that’s not the kicker! The DVR we got worked good but sometimes it would glass over and I traced the problem to the RCA cables. After replacing the cables 3 times I found the video rca out was loose inside causing an intermittent problem. Called Windstream/Dish, they sent a refurbed unit (not to happy about that) and I sent the the broken one back. I get my bill and there is $400 charge on it! I flipped out and called and asked why did I get charged ( the new unit was still under warr_)? They said there was a foreign substance in it and it was our fault, I said BS, the dvr was in an entertainment center and could not have anything spilled on or in it. Then I asked them to send it back to me so i could see the damage that was irreparable, they said ” we destroyed it” WHAT!? So you are telling me you are going to charge me form something that you have no proof of and I am paying for something I don’t have? “that’s correct sir” WTF! After 45mins and 3 different people I finally had a so called tech on the line ( i was threatening to take them to court), this guy said “there was dirt in the box and that caused it to fail”, first off, how does dirt get in tiny vent slots, secondly..dirt will NOT cause damage to a solid state piece of equipment (hard drive excluded). I asked to him to technically tell me how dirt (dry) is a conductor and how it may fry a mother board,this is where it gets good, after calling him on this he replies, “Dish can charge for anything they want, if we get a dvr with a scratch or we even nothing wrong with have the right to charge you for it”
     ARE YOU FRICKIN KIDDING ME! ? unbelievable… he did waive the fee after I threatened to take dish to small claims court and we would see what Judge thinks about this. Where I am at there is no cable so sat is all I can get, I’ll try Direct next from a local shop and if that doesn’t work the antenna will be going up

     Comment by Rj — Sep 15th 2009 @ 11:38 am

271. I have been lied to for some time about Dish not standing by thier comitment. They say one price to get you to sign up than they raise the price to what ever they fill like and it changes allot with what contractor is sub contracting for Dish. Yep most all Dish net work people are actually sub contractors trying to out do one another at the customers expence.The more customers they sucker in and the more money they steal from you is what they striving for. At least out in the pacific nortwest.
     Lets band together and start a class action law suit.

     Comment by John — Sep 15th 2009 @ 12:38 pm

272. just got off the phone with Dish Net and thought everything was good. When i checked my email i see they have my account listed wrong, they have me down for the next higher package that i told them i didn’t want. i hope i don’t screwed like every one else. i am one that will fight those bastards. here where i live it only cost $99.00 to sue someone.

     Comment by mike — Sep 16th 2009 @ 11:13 pm

273. Dish through ATT is the worst. Customer service and their tv service sucks. I was a week late on paying my bill and they charged me 1000.00 on my next bill. I had already paid the previous bill I was a week late on so I called and asked for it to be updated. I was told it was after an hour long call with ATT. 4 months later Im still spending 2 hours at a time trying to get the charges removed. Im done and headed to disconnect phone, cell, dish and internet through ATT. I DO NOT RECOMMEND EITHER COMPANY. YOU WILL NOT GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

     Comment by DESAREE — Sep 17th 2009 @ 12:39 pm

274. This is too funny. Most of the complaints I have been hearing here are the fault of the you people- terminating contracts early, not paying bills on-time, asking for services that you do not pay for and so on. No wonder large companies ignore most people’s complaints. It’s people like these that make the rest of us have such a hard time. Gosh, its horrible that Dish would make you live up to your end of a contract… How can they do that. God help them if they would have raised your rates while you wanted to keep the contract but as long as the contract only protects you all is good? Then the one that got me was the one complaining about owing a late fee… Did you not know that late fees are assessed when you don’t pay on time? Did you really not know that they charge all kinds of extra fees if they turn your service off?? Come on people, forums like this are to air real complaints, pay your bills and honor your agreements and life will be much better.

     Holy cow.

     Comment by David Conley — Sep 22nd 2009 @ 2:26 am

275. I know the problem with the customer Service. I own my own Brokerage firm. It happens all the time, not just through Dish. Just call Dell, HP, AT&T, and you will get the same response, if the question gets over their head. They will hang up or just put you on hold.
     All I can say, WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
     How would you like to be your kids growing up and have this to look forward to the rest of your life. I don’t think is going to get any better.

     Good Luck,
     R D Driggers

     Comment by RDDriggers — Sep 30th 2009 @ 5:59 pm

276. At what point does it become harassment?

     I left Dish back in Feb of this year. Look back thru the posts for why if you are interested.

     Since about mid July, I get a call from Dish Network Sales office every 2-3 weeks. They beg and plead with me to come back to the Dish Family. At first I told them why I left and then tell them I won’t come back and to stop calling me.

     They call back a couple of weeks later begging me to come back. I started to get mad and told them I’m not interested and to go away. I tell them to remove me from their lists or whatever and not to call again.

     They call again. The past two times I’ve been beyond pissed. Once the sales rep identifies them self and starts to ask why I left I stop them and then I start to lay into them. And I use vocabulary that is mainly made up of 4 letter words, most of them adjectives that I used in my military days. I then tell them that in no way will I ever return to Dish Network but I would rather use a coat hanger jammed into the back of my T.V. than use their service. Again I tell them not to call me anymore, remove me from the lists and to never EVER F…..G CALL ME AGAIN!!!!!

     They call again.

     Six times they’ve called me. Each time I’ve asked them to stop calling. They don’t.

     This is nothing more than stalking. People go to jail for that.

     How do I get them to stop calling me? If I wanted their service I’d call and ask for it. One sales call ok. Two calls, one call to much. And no matter how I ask or tell them not to call back, they do.

     I’m anticipating a call sometime next week.

     Comment by Gar — Oct 1st 2009 @ 1:44 am

277. Hi Gar,

     Been there. Get listed on the “DO NOT CALL LIST!” Then if they call again, you got ‘em.

     Mil B

     Comment by Mil B — Oct 1st 2009 @ 3:34 pm

278. I’ve been on the do not call list since it out and just updated it last spring. Still getting calls.

     But if you read the documentation on the Do Not Call Registry, it says the MOST Telemarketers will stop calling.

     Guess Dish Network isn’t in the MOST list.

     Comment by Gar — Oct 2nd 2009 @ 2:02 am

279. Message to Gar, and all others who want to stop “telemarketers”. You “must” follow up and report the company (Dish Network). I understand that is the only way to get them to stop: REPORT THEM!

     MB

     Comment by Mil B — Oct 3rd 2009 @ 7:52 pm

280. THIS IS THE WORST CABLE COMPANY AROUND. THEY CHARGE YOU FOR NOT HAVING PHONE SERVICE WITH THEM WHEN YOU ARE SUBSCRIBING TO THEM FOR CABLE NOT PHONE SERVICE. THEY HAVE NO REGULAR AFRICAN AMERICAN CHANNELS ON THEIR REGULAR CABLE CHANNELS YOU HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO EXTRA PACKAGES IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM. THEY ALSO DO NOT HAVE ANY AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH CHANNELS AS WELL. I WAS LIED TO WHEN I FIRST RECEIVED THIS CABLE COMPANY. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DO HAVE THESE CHANNELS WHEN THEY KNEW THEY DIDN’T. KNOW I AM STUCK IN THIS HORRIBLE 2 YEAR CONTRACT. OF COURSE THEY WILL NOT LET YOU OUT OF YOUR CONTRACT. BELIEVE ME YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY DIRECT TV THEY ARE BETTER THAN THIS MESS.

     Comment by ERICKA — Oct 6th 2009 @ 12:55 pm

281. Remember that there are two parties to a contract. Dish has to honor its also.

     Comment by Pat — Oct 6th 2009 @ 2:55 pm

282. I have sooooooooo
     many problems with Dish and get this my service was cut off for a month because my husband got laid off and
     I didn’t have the money,My next bill was higher then all the months before,Yes I call customer service,was told you pay ever when your service is OFF,I’m going to write to BBB and State Attorney General’s office,thinking about paying $200 just to get out of 18 month committment

     Comment by deksawi deksee — Oct 8th 2009 @ 8:34 am

283. I just called to have my service disconnected with DIsh. I now have Uverse. When the CSR answered he was laughing to where he couldn’t ask me why I was calling. I couldn’t believe I had just called a customer service department! I had to ask him his name it wasn’t given to me during his answering of the line. While canceling my service and listening to countinuous laugher, I was informed the sattelite dish has to be removed by me, and that they don’t want it back. Now because I was speaking to a ding bat, I’m not sure if this is true. What crappy service, if I have to climb a ladder and remove something they installed. I will call on Monday in the hopes that the better of the CSR work Monday-Friday, vs the weekend crap I just spoke to. So glad to be rid of DISH!

     Comment by Chicago — Oct 10th 2009 @ 5:55 pm

284. They are just …. not sure what would be appropriate. List of problems that I have been having with them would probably take too much space. All I can say if class action ever happens I will be there. Oh by the way for those who don’t trust what’s being said here go ahead and call them, sign up with them, you will be back here soon with different post and smoke out of your ears.

     Comment by Elma — Oct 12th 2009 @ 1:13 am

285. How many people with complaints here actually bothered to actually read the paperwork that they signed at the end of the initial installation???? Not very many, I’m sure. Nobody really reads all of the fine print on those contracts, right? Besides it’s all just legal mumbo-jumbo, right? The problem is that it truly does give these companies the right to basically do whatever they please, and the American consumer is left without a legal leg to stand on, because after all “you signed the contract”. And we all signed it and we all know that we signed it, the biggest problem most don’t know what they are getting into because they don’t READ it. I read it, word for word, I made the installer wait for me to read every letter on the contract before I would sign it, and have re-reread it every time I have had a problem with Dish or Direct or Cox or At&t or Ntelos or any other major service provider. I will say that most are better than Microsoft or Dell who want you to pay before even giving you tech support over the phone. Everyone needs to remember the American Capitalist motto – “TANSSTAAFL – There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”. You will pay for the service, you will pay for a technician to come out, you will pay for canceling. In short, YOU WILL PAY. But everyone here has the responsibility to find you what you are getting into before signing anything. If you don’t do that then I have no sympathy for you, because you did to yourself.

     Comment by Responsible Customer — Oct 13th 2009 @ 12:55 pm

286. Yep, there is a contract. What is forgotten is the parties to the contract have equal responsibilities, it isn’t just the purchaser. With us, Dish didn’t honor its part.

     Comment by Pat — Oct 13th 2009 @ 3:20 pm

287. Please quote what part of the contract you don’t think they honored. Because I am positive that they lived up to the letter of the contract. Not the spirit, no large company lives up to the spirit of the contract, but they all live up to the letter of it. I am not trying to defend Dish, believe me, in now way am I defending the business practices they follow, but my point is that they are truly no worse than any other major corporation. They did not get into the top 250 of the Forbes list by giving away freely everything that customers want. None of the top 500 did that. But all of the top 500 did the same type of things that that these people are accusing Dish of doing. To me that does not make them right in they way they do things, just no worse than the alternatives. None of the major television providers do exactly what they promise. That is the nature of the business. They all include in their “contracts of service” and “residential customer agreements” the clause that they can raise the rates at any time, with no notice to the customer, and that the customer can be charged for this or that with out any reason given. And if anybody thinks that another service is any better, then I can only say “wait until you have a problem with them” because I have had 4 different TV service providers in 9 years and I can say from experience that Dish does not screw you over any more than any other company that I have been with. They all suck, but they have a monopoly between them, and there are no new players entering the field. Right now, the choice is agree to their terms and put up with all the bullsh*t or do with out. Take your pick. Personally, I’ll just keep rotating between them and cycling back every time my contract is up with one or the other.

     Comment by Responsible Customer — Oct 14th 2009 @ 2:26 am

288. BTW: To all who rant here. I enjoy reading them, but they might be take more seriously if the people writing them had ever learned to spell. “Dought”, REALLY??? do you mean “doubt”??? What a joke. If you can’t spell, why bother trying to type? This is ludicrous, the browsers come with spellcheckers! USE them people! And some of these same people are complaining about CSR’s that can speak English!! If you can’t spell it any better than that, I’m sure that you don’t speak it much more plainly than they do!

     Comment by Responsible Customer — Oct 14th 2009 @ 3:06 am

289. Don’t be so sanctimonious! Sometimes fingers don’t spell as well as the brain. And one isn’t as able to proofread one’s own writing as another who is a stranger to the thought. That’s why authors hire professional proofreaders.

     Comment by Pat — Oct 14th 2009 @ 11:22 am

290. Well as to dish’s equiptment we had dish and their chineese reman recievers, here is what happened. lost count of the aggervated service calls, replacing the recievers, and the Bravo Sierra that these so called techs tell me. ( Personally I do not believe that they are Certified Electronic Technicians ( or CET’s ) ) for those who are not into the School of Electronics , I am in a Acredited School myself & been around this stuff for several years, and hold 2 FCC licenses, and a CET to boot. unfortunately some dishonest people have been selling poor quality parts and apparently people buy them for the el-cheapo price and then you wind up with a electronic junk box , and I told the Dish rep that their receivers are of poor quality and I did not want their service anymore. I have Directv and have never had any reciever problems, only had once the underground cable replaced from a Prior Dish Tech poor repair job, Had the first tech in Mich from Directv replaced my RG6 Satellite grade quad shield replaced the crappy splice jobs. and Now last night some salesman knocked on my door my wife said no and I just got done filing a do not call request & Opted out. anyone reading this from dish network, try reading some componet failurers by those cheap remans I am happy with Directv too far away from CATV and personally not interested. I have my own reasons.

     Comment by Mark — Oct 16th 2009 @ 9:53 am

291. BTW: To all who rant here. I enjoy reading them, but they might be take more seriously if the people writing them had ever learned to spell. “Dought”, REALLY??? do you mean “doubt”??? What a joke. If you can’t spell, why bother trying to type? This is ludicrous, the browsers come with spellcheckers! USE them people! And some of these same people are complaining about CSR’s that can speak English!! If you can’t spell it any better than that, I’m sure that you don’t speak it much more plainly than they do!

     Comment by Responsible Customer — Oct 14th 2009 @ 3:06 am

     there is a term used for misspelled words —> ( sic ) it generally used in formatting anything so if I did not spell cat as Kat then I can use ( sic ) to state my possibility of misspelling a word. College thing here and feel free to check the web for what I posted here !

     Comment by Mark — Oct 16th 2009 @ 10:13 am

292. To Nickel-The problem today is most idiots will sign in to a 18 or 24 mth commitment without reading any fine print-like the print on the flyer you received in the mail that states you are signing up through an authorized Dish Net retailer-NOT DISHNETWORK DIRECTLY-and all thire fees are clearly written or verbal-most people “forget” this when signing. What number did you dial when you signed-1-888-555-9874, well Dish’s num. is 1-800-333-DISH. Go with Direct-pay twice the mthly rate-and get stuck with a bill twice the amt. of Dish’s. Everyone complains about Dish-goes to Direct-then comes crying back to Dish. Read the fine print-you wouldnt lease a ford car from Billy Bobs car dealership-then write Ford Manuf. to complain about the fine print at Billy Bob’s! Take ownership for your screw ups

     Comment by David Anthony — Oct 22nd 2009 @ 11:44 am

293. To comment number 12-this would only happen if you were either inadvertently or on purpose doing something illegal-possible stolen equipment-a bootleg smart card-or receiving the service at a fale address-as I said before-take ownership

     Comment by David Anthony — Oct 22nd 2009 @ 11:52 am

294. What a bummer.

     I was surprised to read about the trouble you had.

     I’ve never had a problem with Dish customer service – and I have dealt with them on more than a few occasions over the past six years or so. In fact, I would have to rank them up there near the top of the best Customer Service departments I’ve ever dealt with.

     My $0.02 (after taxes)

     Len

     Comment by Len Penzo — Oct 24th 2009 @ 5:05 pm

295. I was actually on the line with Customer Service when I read this….
     I had a cancelation date for the 5th of November (and I was pretty ticked that I had to pay the cancelation fee. I am moving to an apartment with no balcony. Let’s see you get a tripod hooked up in a studio apartment) and needed to change it to the 1st. The initial CSR started out alright, until she transfered me to an ‘account specialist’, whatever the fuck that means. Last I checked, they were all supposed to be ‘account specialists’ at the CSR center…. So, she transfered me and this guy did not seem to know what the fuck he was doing. Instead of reading the damn notes on the account, he asks me all the same questions, including verifying that I am the account owner. Which I had done twice, on the auto-prompt and the last CSR.
     I think I made him cry.
     I would have loved to keep Dish Network. I am going back to cable.

     Comment by Jason Drummond — Oct 26th 2009 @ 3:12 pm

296. Ok so here goes another for you. I am currently WORKING for Dish in the CSR center and most likely on the verge of termination for giving the discounts that were promised to the customer. Let me tell you how it works. You call in and get the auto prompt, once you get to the CSR you have a total of 3 depts you will talk to *residential* Tech, Dr.Dish, or Loyalty. The depts are quite self explanatory. I personaly hate the company as they can not keep a straight billing method. Say Grandma jones has basic services, 5.00 for leased rcvr fee, 19.99 for dish family *before uncle sam or greedy a$$ nobama* programming…thats it nothing more; Dish will toss in an added 5-10.00 fee every few months. Honestly guys the software we run there only gives us limited power to the discounts we are allowed to give, though i give as much as i can as dish’s billing practices are so screwed up. we have to go through 6 weeks of training to understand their billing….oh and BTW, DO NOT…DO NOT go for the free HBO/Showtime 3 month promo…..they will infact give you 66.00 credit…BUT you will NOT get 3 months of “free” viewing…only 2 and you are billed the 3rd month for 22.00…that is a big beef of mine with these guys…you get a total of 44.00 credit when you first accept the offer, (2, 22.00 credits on one bill and only one more 22.00 credit on the following, there after YOU WILL BE BILLED WITH OUT any help to remove it *with most CSR’s)…*another insider tip* We have a thing called P4P, (Pay for preformance) As a CSR/Tech/DrDish you have a certian time limit once you answer the incomming call to resolve the issue, after that we begin to loose “points” Now P4P is/was a BONUS for meeting/exceeding a goal. It is now a requirement or we are terminated…..go frigin figure a compay that is more concerned with getting a friggin JD POWER award than the happiness/well being of their employes/customers….i will never have dish network in my home nor will i ever reccomend someone be a customer or employee….

     Comment by dish-worker — Oct 26th 2009 @ 6:39 pm

297. 292.To Nickel-The problem today is most idiots will sign in to a 18 or 24 mth commitment without reading any fine print-like the print on the flyer you received in the mail that states you are signing up through an authorized Dish Net retailer-NOT DISHNETWORK DIRECTLY-and all thire fees are clearly written or verbal-most people “forget” this when signing. What number did you dial when you signed-1-888-555-9874, well Dish’s num. is 1-800-333-DISH. Go with Direct-pay twice the mthly rate-and get stuck with a bill twice the amt. of Dish’s. Everyone complains about Dish-goes to Direct-then comes crying back to Dish. Read the fine print-you wouldnt lease a ford car from Billy Bobs car dealership-then write Ford Manuf. to complain about the fine print at Billy Bob’s! Take ownership for your screw ups

     Comment by David Anthony — Oct 22nd 2009 @ 11:44 am
     ——————————————————-
     Leme tell ya something, regardless if its leased from dish itself or bought from billybobs, their equipment is quite shotty….some get some realy good rcvrs….most dont. I am a TSRII with them and i can not count how many rcvrs i have to replace a day. Granted some are due to retards trying to do something thaey can not and screw it up then try to lie on the phone and “I dont know what happened, I just came in and turned on the tv and it went out”….thats why we ask a million questions…its easy to pull a lie outa your arse once…but asking the question in another way will 9 times outa 10 get the trouth outa the idiots when they tried to “overclock” it……..

     Comment by dish-worker — Oct 26th 2009 @ 6:53 pm

298. go ahead and flame on for they typo’s! BTW, anyone honest looking for a good csr? LOL

     Comment by dish-worker — Oct 26th 2009 @ 6:59 pm

299. Dish network rcvr is good. But stay away from VIP model and model 625. You will have headache with these recvrs. others.. very fine.

     Comment by blacksmith — Oct 27th 2009 @ 8:13 pm

300. Over 13 million subscribers-yeah youre going to have a few problems-truth is 99% of problems, be it technical or billing, are “user” errors. Most complaints are from idiots who dont know how to turn on thier T.V.’s, or who do not pay thier bills. Why is my service turned off? Well you have not paid a bill in 6-months. Ford or Chevy-Direct or Dish-there will be problems-so pay for your porno ppv you ordered while your wife was sleeping-pay for the receiver your wife threw out the window when she CAUGHT you watching the porno-and apologize to the CSR you swore at when you lied and said the dog ordered the ppv–. Its just T.V. people, you could smack a strangers kid in the grocery store and they wouldnt get this upset.

     Comment by Dave — Oct 27th 2009 @ 9:57 pm

301. Gosh, I don’t know anyone who watches porno in the area in which I live. Must be quite a number in your area, Dave. My husband doesn’t watch porno either so that is not my problem with Dish. Nor would it be a problem for me if my husband did so. He’s a big boy. Neither were my problems with Dish because I am an idiot, which I am not, or that I don’t pay our bills. My problem with Dish was that it kept adding unauthorized charges for programs and other items we did not order and, therefore, did not abide by its part of the contract. Each and every party to a contract has an obligation to honor its part.

     Comment by Pat — Oct 27th 2009 @ 10:29 pm

302. And their contract reads, and I quote: “Dish Network retains the right to alter their programming and pricing at any time, either with or without notification.” As for Jason on the 26th … “account specialists” are their “Loyalty” team. They are the only people in the company that can close an account. Regular CSR’s are not allowed to do it, because the “account specialists” have the ability to give away more in an effort to retain the customers they have. I had to go to basically the same department for Direct TV when I canceled with them and with my cable company and when I canceled with Dish. Everyone who cancels has to go to that department, but the CSR who transferred you there should have introduced you so that you wouldn’t have to re-verify all of your info.

     Comment by Responsible Customer — Oct 30th 2009 @ 10:35 am

303. No such provision in what I signed, nor would I have signed a contract with that one-sided provision. I cancelled in writing, return receipt requested, as well as by eMail. I had more to do with my time than to go along with its telephone shenanigans.

     Comment by Pat — Oct 30th 2009 @ 2:24 pm

304. Horrible! Just tried to sign up for the last few days, the technitian that showed up late had no idea what he was doing was going to install my dish on my wooden deck and run the cables outside and across my floor! I live in a big house, gee all my neighbors with direct tv have theirs on the ROOF. To make matters worse they were going to send a new tech today NO SHOW no call and I took off of work. Now they will not refund my 49.95 even though they told me “it was just to make sure I would be home when the tech came.”
     UNBELEIVABLE I AM FUMING!! Ispent at least two hours total on the phone. RIP OFF.

     Comment by Helga — Nov 3rd 2009 @ 12:36 pm

305. I think the Feds ought to step in and clean up both these companies. We signed up for Dish Network, and they got all our personal info, and never showed up to install. We were lucky!

     Comment by Terri — Nov 6th 2009 @ 12:42 pm

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