Consumerist
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lawsuits
Judge Greenlights Class Action Against DirecTV
A California Superior Court judge has just been given the go ahead to a class action lawsuit against DirecTV over their practice of charging early termination fees. More » -
lawsuits
FTC Sues Dish Network For Violating Do Not Call List
A lawsuit has been filed against Dish Network by the U.S. Justice Department (on behalf of the FTC) alleging that the company violated "Do Not Call" rules by phoning potential customers without their permission. More » -
twitter
Twittering With DISH Scores Free Local HD Channels
Like anything that's cool and people use to organically connect to one another, companies have rushed into Twittering. To take advantage of this, reader Justin says he's started following all the companies he gets service from on Twitter. When he saw @dishnetwork tweet about an area getting local HD channels, he asked in reply when Cincinnati would get them. @dishnetwork replied back that Cincinnati should have them and asked for his account for so they could check into it. Turned out he needed a different Dish and the rep agreed to have it installed at no cost instead of the usual $60. "The tech showed up this morning, and I have local HD channels for free," writes Justin. "I'm finding tracking companies on Twitter is useful because they people monitoring the accounts are ones who can actually do something."
(Illustration: carrotcreative)
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DTV Scam
Dish Network Slides Advertisement into DTV Transition "Warning"
An 'Authorized Dish Network Retailer' is preying on the confusion surrounding the DTV transition to sell its satellite television services, suggested in lieu of cable companies because of "Complaints" and "Lack of HD Channels". Full copy of the letter inside. More » -
phone numbers
Secret Phone Numbers And Email Addresses To Reach Executives At 101+ Companies
Inside, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses for over 100 different companies to inject your customer service complaints into their corporate executive offices, and get it well on the way to success.
More »
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early termination fees
DirecTV Debits A $446.60 Cancellation Fee — For Service You Canceled Within 24 Hours
Meet Brandon. He canceled DirecTV after less than 24 hours (the agreed upon time limit to avoid a fee, apparently), only to see that DirecTV debited $446.60 from his checking account. More » -
call Charles Ergen
Updated: Contact DISH Executive Customer Service
If you have a problem with DISH and regular customer service isn't working, try these folks: More » -
telemarketing
Dish Telemarketer Fined $75,000 For Hanging Up On Customers
The FTC fined a Dish Network telemarketing firm $75,000 for hanging up on customers, reports the Deseret News. The company used teleautobots to dial peoples' homes, which were then supposed to connect to a live telemarketer when someone picked up. However, the system would sometimes get more live customers than there were telemarketers, leaving some customers with a silent line. Federal regulations stipulate that if you use teleautobots, you have to connect the customer to a person within two seconds. The FTC made this law because people, in particular women and old people, were worried they were being stalked when they answered the phone and no one was there.
Provo marketing firm fined for hanging up on customers [Deseret News] (Thanks to Brandon!) (Photo: Getty)
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broken promises
AT&T Will Say Anything To Get You As A Customer
Greg wants to know why AT&T doesn't feel the need to honor its quote for a Dish Network package. He notes, "I were to claim I made a mistake in agreeing to a two year commitment, I hesitate to think you would let me claim that I should not be held accountable for that." But it's not that AT&T "mistakenly" quoted him a price. An AT&T rep gave him one price, and another rep agreed to honor it and to make a note on his account. Now there's no record he ever spoke to anyone, and the rep who originally helped him won't return his calls. More » -
worst company in america
Round 29: Countrywide Home Loans vs Dish Network
This is Round 29 in our Worst Company in America contest, Countrywide Home Loans vs Dish Network. Vote which sucks more, inside... More »
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rude
Dish Network Telemarketer Tells You To Shut Up
Here's a new sales tactic from Dish Network. When they interrupt your dinner to sell you satellite TV, and you politely decline, they will win you over by telling you to shut up. More » -
consumer reports
Best Internet, TV, Phone Service Providers
Lots of companies are pushing deals for their bundled internet, tv and phone plans, but which are best? Consumer Reports surveyed its readers and here's how they ranked the service providers:
Overall rating / Company / Rating for Internet / TV / Phone
250 Verizon FiOS 84, 84, 82
222 Bright House 75, 69, 78
222 Cox 74, 69, 79
221 Verizon/DirecTV 73, 74, 74
221 Qwest/DirecTV 72, 74, 75
221 AT&T/Dish Network 72, 70, 74
214 Cablevision 72, 65, 77
208 Time Warner 71, 63, 74
199 Comcast 66 ,62, 71
188 Charter 61, 59, 68Despite occasionally setting a house on fire, Verizon FiOS is clearly tops, while Comcast and Charter are scraping the bottom.
Internet, TV, phone [Consumer Reports]
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dish
Dish Subscribers: How To Get Cinemax For 1 Cent For 1 Year
Dish Network customers can get the Cinemax movie channel for one cent for year if they switch to paperless billing. Here's how:
1. Call 1-800-333-DISH
2. Go to Billing
3. Ask rep about a promotional Cinemax deal for 1 Cent for signing up for autopay and paperless billing.People posting in various forums caution that this won't work if you've had Cinemax in the past 6 months. Also, the Cinemax will be canceled if you cancel the autopay and paperless billing. Deal ends 1/31/08.
(Photo: Tubes.)
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suspicions
AT&T Lying about Dish Network HD DVRs?
Like all decent Americans, I loath Time Warner and decided to cancel my cable and get satellite service through AT&T, who are a Dish Network reseller. More » -
moving
Dish Network Sends Prepaid Return Boxes To Wrong Address Three Times, Bills For Unreturned Equipment
Reader Ryan called the Dish Network three weeks before moving to disconnect his service. Dish graciously offered to send prepaid return boxes for his equipment, but instead of sending them to Ryan's new address, Dish sent them to his old address. Three times. Oddly, Dish managed to properly address a bill to Ryan's new address. Ryan writes: More » -
complaints
So What You're Saying Is Bank Of America Is Basically Powerless To Stop Credit Card Fraud?
"Got a charge on my credit card from "Member Services" for $19.23. This is a card I use for 3 specific bills, and I pay them off the day after the charge shows. I know it's coming so this stood out.
I called the bank to find out more, and they pointed out this has been happening every 3 months, on the same day, starting in February. I asked for more info on the merchant - All they could give me was "Florida" and an 800#. They said to call them and find out what's going on and then call the bank back if everything doesn't go well. So I call the number.
"Thank you for calling Home's Club - Formerly eClub"
Who what huh? 3 for customer service. "Hi, who are you and why are you charging my credit card?"" More »
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resolutions
AT&T Won't Charge Couple For Leaving Satellite Receiver Behind In Flaming House
AT&T wrote in to say they won't be charging the family whose house burned down in the California wildfires for the satellite dish they left behind when fleeing for the lives
"This customer initially called AT&T to discuss other communications services. After she was transferred to Dish, the disaster policy Dish has in place was not followed. This customer will not be charged for service cancellation or equipment fees—--that is our policy, and the policy of Dish, in times of natural disasters. We have spoken with this customer to clarify our policy, and we are committed to taking care of all customers affected by the fires."
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videos
AT&T Asks CA Wildfire Victims If They Remembered To Pick Up Satellite Receiver As They Fled Their Burning House
UPDATE: AT&T Won't Charge Couple For Leaving Satellite Receiver Behind In Flaming House When this Azola couple got back from their honeymoon, they had about an hour of matrimonial bliss before being forced to flee as their house was engulfed in flames. So you can understand they had some things on their mind other than the status of their AT&T | Dish receiver as they ran for their lives. When they called to cancel service, the customer service rep asked if they had "remembered to pick up the receiver" as they left the house...
After the couple said no, AT&T told them they would have to pay $300 for the receiver and would not put any forbearance on the bill as the couple tried to get their life back together. Escalating to a supervisor yielded the same result. You would think AT&T would allow for some extenuating circumstances CONSIDERING THE WHOLE PLACE IS ON FIRE OF FEDERAL EMERGENCY PROPORTIONS! Still, AT&T has a right to recoup it's property... which makes us wonder if the couple's homeowner's insurance will cover it, as the receiver isn't actually theirs. Just an unfortunate situation all around.
In contrast, Washington Mutual is refunding overdrafts and ATM surcharge fees to wildfire victims.
(Thanks to Desiree!)
dish
New York, 6:55 AM
Sun Nov 8
7 posts in the last 24 hours
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