Cutting ties with Dish

[Dishless]

What's the best way to drop Dish when my contract ends. My experience with this company, it's dial-up like performance (actually worse), and it's Comcast-like customer service (actually worse) has been profoundly disappointing. So I'm looking to cut ties with Dish as swiftly and efficiently as I can when the time comes. That is, I don't want to be mugged or lied to once again when I bolt from their barbed-wired service agreement.

I plan to change my billing options this month to end the automatic billing from my credit card. I fear they will attempt to place additional charges on my credit card when I pull the plug. Any advice on how to painlessly as possible break free from my 2-year sentence with this lousy company? Any further hidden shakedown tactics from their typical repertoire that I should be aware of?

Much appreciated,

A soon-to-be former Dish customer

[hddn]

You probably just want to call them. You can change the billing thingy if you want, but I doubt it will make much difference. Ie: it's not like it will cause them to forget who you are or what your number is/was. If you really want to duck any final payments, you could cancel the card, but I think you will find that most credit card agreements have a clause holding you accountable for payments that come in after you close the card, probably for just this kind of reason.

Dish internet is contracted out to satellite internet companies. Hopefully you knew that that satellites can not compete with dialup on ping times (ie multiple round trips through a device 22 thousand miles up takes time even at the speed of light), but should do OK on bandwidth (compared to dialup at least.) Obviously no one recommends satellite internet as your best option unless you are in someplace very remote.

[Dishless]

hddn wrote:

You probably just want to call them. You can change the billing thingy if you want, but I doubt it will make much difference. Ie: it's not like it will cause them to forget who you are or what your number is/was. If you really want to duck any final payments, you could cancel the card, but I think you will find that most credit card agreements have a clause holding you accountable for payments that come in after you close the card, probably for just this kind of reason.

Really? So you're telling me I can't do anything to prevent Dish from continuing to charge my card after my contract with them has expired, after I have closed my account and no longer use their services? That's obviously the sort of mafia-style business practices we all expect from Dish, but I'm trying to avoid such shakedowns, which is what my question was all about. Did you not understand that?

hddn wrote:

Dish internet is contracted out to satellite internet companies. Hopefully you knew that that satellites can not compete with dialup on ping times (ie multiple round trips through a device 22 thousand miles up takes time even at the speed of light), but should do OK on bandwidth (compared to dialup at least.) Obviously no one recommends satellite internet as your best option unless you are in someplace very remote.

Indeed, that's the sort of truth in advertising Dish ought to showcase; especially the "Obviously no one recommends [Dish] satellite internet" tagline. I mean, charging cable internet rates for less than dial-up performance, not to mention your internet dropping every time it rains, are some of the joys of being a Dish customer - it's so reassuring to be part of a community that cynically shares in its own misery. I think everyone should know that....hopefully, that is.

[hddn]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. I was just pointing out that they are likely to charge any fees due regardless of an autopay setting, as would anyone else. See your contract for anything that might be due such as ETFs.

I've used Dish for about 17 years and never had any "shake down" or anything unexpected. And certainly no "misery". That said, even the most cursory thought about satellite internet should suggest to anyone that an internet service that doesn't require trips off-planet should be faster. And prices for internet are based on a combination of equipment/infrastructure costs, supply and demand etc. and obviously won't scale from one technology to another. Sat internet and sat phones are great for when you are truly in the middle of nowhere, but if you're closer in, there are obviously better choices. Always a good idea to check the options before signing up for any kind of long-term plan.

[logdog]

If you believe that Dish or any company is charging you for goods or services not received, not authorized or beyond the scope of a contract; you can dispute those charges through your credit card company.

[Chadt41411]

logdog wrote:
If you believe that Dish or any company is charging you for goods or services not received, not authorized or beyond the scope of a contract; you can dispute those charges through your credit card company.

Just remember, if they submit proof that they are valid, you're still responsible for them. It's not an automatic get out jail free card, just because you don't agree.