DISH NETWORK

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Author: Anonymous

Oh boy, where to start with these people. I was tired of my other television service provider, so I decided to try Dish Network. I visited their site, checked out various plans, and decided to place a call to make an order.

One of the first things the customer service rep asked me is if I had any HD televisions in my household. Of course my answer was YES. Then we went through the various packages including HD channels, and I found the perfect package to fit my needs/wants.

The next step was to run credit check. I was then told that I had to pay $99 dollars up front for service. Cool, no problem. Not ONE mention during this phone call that I "did not qualify" for an HD receiver. NOT ONE. So we finished up the deal, I was told it would be a few days before an installer would be there. I was happy.

This is where it gets ugly. The installer shows up. Asks me immediately if I own my property. I do. Clearly this was to ensure that it was ok to drill into the property to mount the dish. So the installer is outside for a while, getting everything set up.

He then comes inside, and connects the receiver and all the wiring and everything and just left the receiver on the floor. He said, "you can just set that up however you like when you get time". I was fine with that as I had to jumble around different components anyhow.

He then spent a good 20 minutes going over the remote control and all of the neat little things you can do with it and the Dish Network Service.

So I go outside and noticed the dish is mounted on a hideous tripod in my yard, and not to the residence itself.(remember, he asked me if I owned the property). I asked him why he didn't mount it to my residence(I live in a manufactured home). He promptly stated how it would be a pain in the ass to find studs to drill into. NOT MY PROBLEM. He already had the tripod drilled into 3 gaudy cinderblocks(they must carry them with them on installs) in my back yard. I let that one go, but let him know I was not satisfied.

So, I go back inside, sign all the paperwork, he leaves.

I go to place the receiver on the shelf of the entertainment center where I wanted it and realized "Hey, where is the HDMI cable?". I immediately looked over the receiver and realized they had sent me a REGULAR DEFINITION RECEIVER! What the hell?

I ordered HD service.

So I contacted Dish Network IMMEDIATELY. Their response to my complaint was "You didn't qualify for an HD receiver upon your credit check". This was NEVER, EVER, stated to me over the phone. As I stated earlier, the first thing they asked was if I had any HD televisions in my household...and clearly stated I do, and even ORDERED HD programming. I even asked the customer service rep to go over the phone conversation(since I know they're recorded). His response was "Well, you signed the contract with the installer, there is nothing we can do."

OMG, are you kidding me? There was nothing they could do? I told the rep, yes there is something you could do, you could send me an HD receiver as I ordered HD services, and I'll return the regular definition receiver. NOPE. They wouldn't budge. The only recourse they gave me was to purchase an HD receiver from them for some $450! Are you kidding me? Charging me for something I should have received IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I was livid. I still am when I think about it. I cancelled service immediately. Then the customer service rep said that my cancellation fees would equal the amount of buying an HD receiver. He clearly didn't get it...or actually, REFUSED to get it. I'm not paying for something that I should have received in the first place.

So, not only did Dish Network scam me out of the initial $99, now they've got me on the hook for the early termination fees, and get this...CHARGING ME FOR THE RETURN OF THE EQUIPMENT.

The arrogance and gall and absolute shadiness of this companies sales team is reprehensible. They're fast talkers over the phone, and will omit VERY IMPORTANT items related to your account just to make a sale. They don't care if you're duped. The second they shmooze you into signing that dotted line, they know they don't have to lift a finger to rectify THEIR OWN MISTAKE. In this case, I'm highly convinced the "mistake" was intentional. Just another sale to rack up.

Why would I order a regular definition receiver when I have HD televisions?

I wouldn't.

DISH NETWORK will never get my business again, and I urge everyone I come into contact with to avoid them at all costs.

This issue could have been simply rectified by them going over the taped phone call and realizing that I was NEVER notified that I wouldn't be receiving an HD receiver, and then sending me one. I even went as far as to ask the customer service rep if he could break up the receivers cost over a few months billing time. NOPE. They wouldn't budge. I tried relentlessly to work with these people but they don't care about ripping off the public as long as they get their sale.

Stay away from Dish Network. Shady sales and business practices, lies by omittance, duping customers into buying services they don't need/want or even could use.

Horrible. Just horrible.

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