Dish Network Say "No" to Dish Network's Two-Year Committment! Nationwide

In May 2008, I received a mailing from Dish Network regarding a special promotion for HBO and Showtime channels. My wife and I were excited about it, so I called the number listed on the mailing and spoke with a representative. I ordered the channels and then the representative offered me another deal. He said that I can lock in my current Dish Network package price for two years without an increase. He told me my monthly price of $75.34 and I was happy with it. He also told me that if I cancelled, I would be charged with a $250 cancellation fee. I told him that I was happy with the service and had no trouble committing to Dish Network for two more years. All correspondence for the two-year commitment was oral. I never signed or initialed anything related to this commitment. He never mentioned anything regarding a price increase would take affect every year of the two years.

All was going wonderful with my Dish Network experience until I received my e-bill for the month of March 2009 on February 16th. I noticed that it was $80.69 instead of the usual $75. I quickly looked over the bill and saw that the Classic Silver 200 package had increased from $49.99 to $57.99. To say the least, I was quite astounded by my finding and became furious. I quickly called a customer service representative and explained my situation. This representative told me that rates change every February and that my two-year commitment wasn't immune to an increase in rates. I told her that the representative I originally spoke with back in May 2008 told me that there was only a cancellation fee and there was not going to be a rate increase with the two-year commitment. I explained it again to her and she forwarded me to an account representative.

Again, I explained my situation to the account representative and she told me the same thing the customer representative said. I stressed that I was not told that a rate increase would occur in my two-year commitment. I asked her the question, Why would I agree to a two-year commitment when there are rate increases and a $250 cancellation fee? That does not make any sense at all. Why would a customer of any product agree for two years only to have an increase in price and be subject to a huge cancellation fee? I didn't get an explanation from her. I was only offered a lesser-priced package and a free month of service. I supposed disgruntled customers are silenced with a free month of service.

Lydon
Avondale Estates, Georgia
U.S.A.