What was I thinking?!
Written: Nov 28 '03
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Pros: The deals sound great
Cons: Customer service is horrible and will not get better.
The Bottom Line: Do not commit yourself to this torture. Life is stressful enough.
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| dawnkim's Full Review: EchoStar 3720 Dish Network System |
When I first got Dish network I lived in the country (Colorado) and cable was not an alternative. I had the large dish and saw service was disappearing so I thought it was now the time to change. The dish was installed as expected and channels were clearer than the large dish, but less selection. I got 100 channels and expected to get the Denver affiliates as I paid for. Come home to find a message on my answering machine that it was not legal for me to have the Denver affiliates thus they were eliminated. (Now my zip code was checked when I signed up but now that I had paid it didn't work.) I could get no answers from anyone on the support line for one week. Finally I was told I needed to receive a waiver from each station. Neighbors to each direction of me had Denver on their DN and no waivers but I needed waivers. (Somewhere in here some person said it was ok without waivers and turned them on again but the next day they disappeared again). For one month I worked to get the waivers. I mailed and faxed them in. No service. Bill still included them. Finally after 2 months and no response I started calling phone numbers in the Denver phone book and got some guy at echo star who apologized and turned them on. I tried to calm down after that.
Then I moved. Before the move I called DN and they said no problem, they could transfer the service (and the networks would follow me) but there would be a $50 charge for a new dish and installation. Ok. Got here and no, it wouldn't transfer. I had to have previously had the 150 channel service to transfer thus I had to resubscribe for another year for 150 and loose the 2 month old subscription I had for the 100. No way I told them. Shut off the networks and HBO and just let the blasted thing run out. I moved in August. I then started getting bills for HBO and the networks. Called them. I hadn't shut the system off properly thus I was subject to those bills. I'm not paying it. The people who occupied the old house weren't able to use the balance of my subscription because DN needed the credit card number for who ever was running the dish and I wasn't being that charitable. This went on for 3 months and they still billed me monthly for HBO and the networks. Finally got my nerve up to take them on again. Called and got a nice lady who said "Goodness no, I should have been able to transfer with no problem". She arranged to have someone come out free of charge and reinstall the system and I got use up my subscription from the point I had moved and the charges for HBO and the networks were removed. Wow I thought!! They've changed!!! But I still longed for simple cable. Came the end of the subscription I called Dish Network 2 weeks before the end and told them I would not be using their services after the 26, shut it off at that time. Alright and good. I disconnected the receivers and never a thought. Guess what? I then get a bill for HBO, networks, and $300+ for my new subscription. I call them and tell them, no, I called you and told you and I'm not paying this bill either. According to them, I didn't turn it off properly. ?? I was supposed to ask for a certain department. How was I supposed to know I was to ask for this department? Its required. How am I to know that -- once I tell the guy on the phone to shut it off and he says ok, aren't I done? The guy looks this his notes and yes, there is something there that I want it shut off on the 26th. But it was still done wrong. Again I use the statement, I'm not paying for this. The representative then says he will shut it off right and I have to stay on the phone. 45 minutes I'm on the phone. Finally he says its shut off and he's adjusted the bill. I now owe $60. No. I was losing it. I told my husband to come to the phone. He calmly asks for the next level supervisor. The guy won't transfer him. Finally he does get another person on the phone whom he threatens and the guy says everything has been taken care of there is no charge.
2 days later we get another bill. We are still ignoring it.
Today I received a special offer because I've been such a good customer and if I can get 2 friends to sign up for free before November something I will get $120 credit on my account. Anybody want them?
The cost was not better than cable (especially with more than one receiver). I'll never go back. The controls can be figured out for many people. My elderly mother has had it for 2 years and still cannot figure out how to run it.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 1400.
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Epinions.com ID:
dawnkim
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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