DISH Network Reviews

Now fast forward to today. We called to re-establish service with them to take advantage of their special offers, plus, we were unhappy with our current provider. The Dish Network representative checked our old account and history and said we would not be considered for a returning customer since we never returned our equipment to them 2 years ago! WOW! Not only did they not want to retain us as customers, but now they don't want us back. Think TWICE before signing up with these YO-YO's.

We were placed on a 'prepaid account' (admittedly our credit was limited, we paid cash for 90% of our purchases, no loans, no credit cards, etc, inherited our house, soooo... Understandable) -- but we were told that after 2 years of on time payments it would AUTOMATICALLY TRANSITION to a traditional postpaid account (but we could not make payment arrangements, the day the bill was due, we would get a 48-hour window [in actuality it's roughly 36-hours] before the service is shut off, with a LARGE reconnect fee would be added)... ***And were told that we would be notified before each price hike by 30-days.***

We did so, to no avail... After enduring the 2 year gauntlet, nothing happened... Apart from a rate hike... The IMMEDIATE issue was the lack of HBO. We were PROMISED HBO/MAX and no changes to our service... Lies... They were "in litigation" with HBO over a rate hike that lasted the length of our contract... But we were 'locked in", so we zipped our lip and endured... Then, after waiting around 6 months, I reached out regarding the $200 gift card that didn't arrive (which would have been WELCOME because in that window 3 of my vertebrae exploded... I underwent emergency surgery and when I awoke, I was wholly unable to bear weight from the waist down and became trapped on my side in a hospital bed in my living room, awaiting further surgical interventions, to present)...

We were given a handful of PPV vouchers in exchange... I informed the person on the phone that internet service ends 2 miles away from our home, so if PPV is contingent upon internet/WiFi, they would be useless, he claimed that internet service was unnecessary... So we accepted the vouchers. We attempted to use one a few months later, to no avail... Internet service was INDEED required to utilize the vouchers, so there they sat, useless and unused for the duration... We held our breath for the two years, waiting out the final promise from the company, which [surprise, surprise] was NOT honoured...

Recently, we discovered our bill jumped from $165 to $212, which is a MASSIVE increase (with ZERO NOTICE) and were rudely informed that that was the price of service at the close of the 2 year contract. The account TYPE never "automatically" transitioned. We were informed that the ONLY way to do so was to cancel the service, wait anywhere from 30-days to a year (depending on who you speak to, the duration changes), and RE-ENROLL as a client (which is asinine). I was aghast... The KICKER is that I WORKED for Dish Network out of high school, out of the corporate offices; rising through the ranks in customer service and eventually becoming a team lead for Customer Service and Retention... And I would NEVER treat a customer/client the way we've been treated...

As I said to countless reps: Clearly, one hand does not know what the OTHER is doing (between Sales and Service)... This situation is SNAFU/FUBAR... And if I have to climb up the ladder, to corporate, in order to rectify the countless lies, inaccuracies, and missteps, I most certainly WILL. I may be disabled... Crippled... But I have a mind like a steel-trap... They will NOT be getting over on me ... One way or another, we will hold them to account...

We have sent the necessary equipment back and when I called to ask if they would rescind the $400 charge they said the only thing she could do is reinstate her account and they would waive the fee. Otherwise, she is to pay the full $400. I explained that she does not have $400 to pay and at her age she lives social security check to social security check with barely enough to get by let alone pay such a substantial amount of money. I'm just putting this out there so if others sign up, please check on the termination fee and read your fine print.

Two weeks later UPS shows up asking if we have a box for DISH. I explained that equipment was already returned. Driver advised that this happens all of the time. In addition, he warned that they will probably try to claim some or all of the equipment was not returned. Sure enough, six weeks later, we get a bill for unreturned equipment. Supervisor informs me that one Joey was missing. (It was not.) Terrible company. Terrible customer service. The only good thing I can say is that their terrible service led me to a streaming service that is much better. And $100 per month less expensive.