HughesNet Formerly Known As DirectWay Class action suit needs to be filed against this scam company Ripoff Chicago Illinois

My story about HughesNet broadband service is like many others posted here. I've spent many hours with tech support people who barely if at all, spoke English. They prefer to blame your computer rather than their horrible service. Six days after it was installed I gave up and tried to demand they remove it at no charge to me since it never worked right and they couldn't make it work. Every time I called I got the runaround and ended up with technical support again. I gave up and called my credit card company and started to dispute the charges. I also had to pay an additional $125 cash to the installer who said he had to put it on a pole. Rusty and bent and I got charged $125 for that? He also drilled a hole right thru my wall, ran the cable up and over a door way around a corner and then to the modem and my computer.

Month after month I tried to get this to stop. Each charge put on (some with no explantion as to what the charge was for, double billing in the first month etc) I disputed with my credit card company. They would send HughesNet a letter asking that they respond. When they didn't the charge was charged back from them. HughesNet just turned around and rebilled!

My service was so bad that 5 days after I had the broadband installed I begged my dialup to put me back on again which they did.

Today after 4 months of hassling with calls to the credit card company and still tryng to get someone to listen to me at HughesNet I was told to call and DEMAND they cancel this for non compliance. Well I did. Here's what happened.

First I got told my husband had to call since he's the one so "signed up for it". I signed the receipt of equipment so she said "Ok they waived it and you are now canceled and now you will owe us $700 for early termnation PLUS the last 4 months worth of billing and if you don't pay we'll send your account to a collection agency. "

I objected and told her I am NOT paying that ridiculous cancelation fee or the last 4 months of NON service. She informed me they don't "guarantee the speed". Excuse me? If not then why are there designations as to how much you pay for how much speed? Mine was supposed to be "blinding fast" according the commerical and 500-700 kbs download speed. I never got that ever! She told me I signed the contract agreeing to the early termination fee. I ssked her what was their obligation in this contract then, and she just repeated that they don't guarantee speeds.

I am feeling totally ripped off by this company. I can't believe they are allowed to remain in business with practices such as these. My next stop will be a report to the BBB because they cannot be allowed to go on cheating other people who believe their claims that they will have speeds so much better than dial up.

One additonal note is that one of their come ons was $300 in rebates. First was sent in right away for $100. Never saw it. The second was for $200 and you could only send it after 2 paid invoices which I didn't bother to send in for because I figured they would get it thru their heads that they weren't giving me what I paid for so would cancel this gracefully.

Jackie
Quincy, Michigan
U.S.A.