Complain about a product or service

DISH - Billing

Donald of Gordonsville, VA September 3, 2009

Dish added 5.99 to my July bill for Home Protection. Called and they reduced bill 3.88. Called again and they reduced bill 2,03 Still chaging .08. Called today to cancel all service. They said it'll be 120 and I have a 24 month contract. Never signed a contract. Asked for a copy. Was told takes 7 weeks to send me a copy. This is Fraud. They've created a contract. What can I do to get rid of them forever?

Alexis of Braselton, GA August 27, 2009

Signed up for service on 8/22/09. I have not had service the first week with them. I asked to be relieved of the contract and they want to charge several hundred dollars in cancellation. I have also been advised I was not getting the rate I agreed to.

Michael of Brunswick, OH August 26, 2009

I called Dish Network to sign up for an installation on August 12, 2009. Within the hour after signing up for the installation, the local installer called and said they would be unable to install the satellite TV due to my location. However, I live in an apartment complex where the people downstairs have Dish, and the people in the buildings all around us have Dish. I agreed to be issued a refund, and was transferred back to Dish Network operator to have my refund issued.

The operator then told me they could not issue the refund until the next day because the money had not cleared yet. So, I called on August 13, 2009, to make sure that a refund was issued. The operator I spoke to said that they would have to issue a check, and that if I did not receive the check the following week, to give Dish a call. So, that week comes and goes, and no check. On August 20, 2009, I called Dish Network again looking for my refund. The operator told me I would have to wait 7-10 business days for a refund check to be mailed, and that I should have it by Monday, August 24, 2009.

On Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 10 business days after the refund was confirmed, I call Dish Network again because I still had not seen my refund. The operator then tells me I have to wait until August 31, 2009, to see if I receive my check, and if I don't, I should call on August 31, 2009, and ask for the check to be re-issued, and, of course, having to wait another 7-10 business days to receive that check. Dish Network is claiming that the check was mailed by corporate on August 13, 2009. I know the postal service is a little slow, but that's 13 days that this check has been in the mail! So, Dish Network has 300 of my money that they refuse to refund me, and every time I call to inquire about the status of the check, they tell me just to wait a couple more days.

I called DirectTV and they came out within the week with a free installation, and the installer told me that the people who said they could not install Dish Network were full of it, and that there was no problem with my location because I can get DirectTV perfectly fine, and both DirectTV and Dish Network have to point in the same direction for the satellite feed. Buyer Beware!

Wanda of Mead, OK August 26, 2009

We are seniors and on a fixed income and enjoy watching tv. On our bill from Dish Network, we are charged 5 for TV2 Receiver Connection each month. This is because we don't have a phone line to our receiver, we don't watch pay per view movies and never have in the years we have had Dish Network. So why should we have to Pay that 5 each month.

I think it is a rip off, can you imagine how many old people are paying this 5. We don't see so good at times and having that phone line hooked up, we could accidently hit the wrong button on the remote and be charged for a movie we don't want. Wish something could be done about this 5.

Jared of Lathrop, MO August 22, 2009

I was laid off from my job two months ago, at the time Dish disconnected my service do to me being unable to pay. I started working agin two weeks ago. I went to pay my bill. Was told it would be a set amount of 163.06 which was the past due, with a 25 reactivation fee. I called them not once, not twice, but three times to get a conformation on it before I paid. Then when I go to pay, I am told that oh the bill is higher. It was the past due of 163.03 plus two months programing, and a 1.63 a day rent.

Mike of Whittier, CA August 19, 2009

I had service men out to fix a "loss of signal" 2 times without fixing the problem. On the third time we couldn’t get signal I called and canceled the service losing faith in their ability to correct the issue. I canceled the service 05/19/09 with them owing me 48.98 I started getting phone calls on my cell phone from Dish asking for a payment of 61.02 charging me an early disconnection fee of 110.00 08/19/09 I spoke with a Dish supervisor and was told there are only 3 cases where the early termination fee is waived. 1 Death 2 Active service 3 Being putt in a nursing home

ANTHONY of IRVINE, CA August 19, 2009

Dish has been double charging me since January 2009 according to the manager. They have two accounts and when I realized that I had been paying double he seemed to think tough luck, instead of saying look let me give you credit on the account or send you arefund for the double payment.

darlene of happy camp, CA August 18, 2009

I am being harrassed from Dish TV network. Phone calls ,overcharging, attempting to take funds from my bank account, after I paid in full, per the Dish tv agent, to reconnect my dish tv. I was told that the service could Not be restored without back payment due, and paying ahead the next 2 months bill. I did that per the agent, my service was restored and Now they atre trying to get more money (for the 2 months i already paid) and trying to bill me for the equipment that I am using.I have had no luck after 6 phone calls and numerous "agents". I explained to them I wanted to file a complaint and am getting nowhwere!

Arthur of Los Angeles, CA August 16, 2009

Last June I wanted to switch from TimeWarnerCable due to their shortage of HD channels but still my monthly bill is about 60. I saw a Dish ad in a newspaper offering service for 14.95 with hundreds of HD channels, so I called the number and negotiated a package finally for 44.95 after promo period with all my favorite (mostly sports and Discovery family) channels in HD.

The next day a technician came and installed their equipment and service; immediately I saw that some of my favorite channels were missing (like NBATV) and I called Dish for explanation. I was told that with all my channels my price after promo would be not 44.95 but 84.95 monthly, which made me feel sorry for myself and I decided to cancel despite their threat of cancelation fee of 300 - that for being a victim of cheating and using their signal for several minutes! After couple of days I saw the charge online and immediately called Citibank with my complaint since I never authorized Dish to charge my credit card and didn't sign any agreement or contract which would justified the charge.

First, at Citibank they told me that they open a dispute regarding this charge, but when I talked with them today due to the charge still being on my account after almost 6 weeks, I was told that since I gave Dish my credit card number, they cannot do anything if its the company's cancelation policy. By this logic, I have to be happy it's only 300 - could be 3000000 or more! I called TWC and reinstalled their service for some extra charge, and for 2 days I did not have TV service. I'm 71, a retired and disabled person living on SSB income (kind of low since I was never a public employee) and 300 is a lot of money for me, especially to pay it for the lies, deceit and cheating!

Also a terrible customer service, no grace period (should be at least 3 days!) even with instant detection of their cheating and instant cancelation! Please help! Thanks

maxine of Birmingham, AL August 8, 2009

My service plan/"bundle" with AT&T in 2008 included a tv plan with dish network. I was "dropped" in June, 2008 by AT&T - less than one year after the plan was initiated. I was steered to Direct TV under the representative's statement that Direct TV would support the same service plan that I had with AT&T.

As of July 22, 2009 I have received a billing statement from Dish Network indicating that I owe Dish Network a 200.00 "Prorated Cancellation Fee." I have spoken with customer service representatives on the telephone since I received the billing in July. Neither At&T nor Dish Network will work together to resolve this "billing" problem. I have informed them that I did not enter into this, but was "offered" this tv service contract through their "bundling." offers.

Neither AT&T nor Dish Network will speak with me in a 3-way call to assist me in resolving this problem. I am constantly being put on hold while they connect me with "the other company". I am a senior citizen and am on a fixed income - I cannot pay a 200.00 fee that has been unfairly imposed on my account with Dish Network. AT&T refuses to do anything to help me with this situation - even though it was AT&T who offered me the "bundled services."

Problem: My credit will be negatively affected with an "unpaid bill" notation. I need your help. All parties involved indicate that they have no control over the other. I am stuck in the middle of a corporate "dispute". Please help me. We cannot afford this "padded"new expense from Dish Network.

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