Dish Network
Equipment failed within three days; cancellation fee waived after corporate call

I had Dish installed on Thursday and it was broken by Saturday night. One receiver doesn't get a signal and the DVR overheats. I called CS numerous times asking to cancel it and kept getting told that I had to pay the $240 cancellation fee and that there was no one higher up that I could talk to.

I explained that since their system broke within 3 days and that based on the fact that the DVR box was in a tv cabinet with glass doors it would most likely always overheat (as I had been told by their tech help). One of their upper CSR's was extremely rude. I told him my concerns about the overheating DVR and asked if this was a fire issue and was told to put the box on the floor outside of the cabinet!

I told him this wasn't a good option because I really didn't want it in the middle of the floor and he told me in a smarta* fashion that I was more concerned with where the box was placed than my house burning down. Actually I'm equally concerned about my house burning down and my toddler possibly getting burned or stumbling over a box left on the floor. After that conversation I filed a report with the BBB of Colorado.

When I asked what would happen if I didn't pay the cancellation fee and bill I was told that they would cut off my phone and internet. Talk about being held hostage!

Today I called corporate 303-723-1000 and put in to speak to David Rayner Executive Vice President, Installation & Service Network. I got his receptionist Andrea who was wonderful to deal with. I explained the situation to her and said that I didn't feel I should have to pay the cancellation fee since I only had the system for 3 days before it broke and that based on my dealings with customer service I really didn't want anything more to do with Dish ever again. She transferred me to Matt with their Executive Resolution Team. I explained the situation to him and my dealing with customer service and he agreed to waive the fee and send out a box so I could return the equipment.

10 minutes of being on the phone with corporate accomplished more than 10 calls to customer service AND the corporate people were nice unlike the rude jerks at CS.

I'll keep everyone posted as to if they end up charging me anyway or saying that they didn't receive the equipment as some people have stated they have had done to them.

Thankfully I didn't cancel Comcast before all this happened and the Comcast tech will be out today to switch the wires over.

The real kick in the pants about all this? I went to Dish so I could bundle my phone, internet and tv and save money but if I had just switched my phone over to Comcast I would only be paying $20 more than with the Dish bundle and they are giving me HBO, Showtime and the sports channels in that price. Lemme tell ya, an extra $5 a week is nothing compared to the aggravation I have had the past 4 days! Also, considering that Dish doesn't offer any free OnDemand type viewing, it's really not saving you much if you have to pay $1-$5 for everything on their AtHome system.

Company: Dish Network
Country: USA
State: Colorado
City: Littleton

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