OldGirl1936
New Member
I got an advertisment by mail, for a special on a home satellite TV offer, from Dish Network, through a retailer named AllSat. The offer was $10 off the bill for 10 months & a free gift. I then was told Dish Network required an 18month contract. After installation, we realized the reception was not good. We called AllSat ( the retailer ) & were told after the initial sale any other business had to be done EXCLUSIVELY with Dish netwok. Every time I called Dish I was asked " Is it raining?" I would say no, or not today, or its a bright day here. I called many times & I always got the same question & gave the same answer. I lost reception MANY more times than I called , but it raining on other occasions, & did not even bother to call. Finally on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY MORNING, we lost ALL signal, we called & were able to convence the customer rep, that is was not raining & ALL SIGNAL WAS GONE! It took 3 days for them to show up & restore the signal to the bad reception, we already had. I had to call & tell them I was cancelling the service because it was so bad. I thern asked for the early cancellation fee to be waived. They told me to return their equipment & then we could discuss it. I returned the equipment,I never got the $10 off or the free gift & had paid my bill in full at this time. ( I am told I have a credit of $24.77 on hand )After speaking to many people I was told, by mail that would indeed waive the early cancellation fee & stated , " You are not obligated to fulfil the terms of the Digital Home Advantage Promotion", I was relieved. Then recieved a BILL FROM ALLSAT (the retailer), stating I owed them $295. for early cancellation fee. I call AllSat & was told "we do not have anything to do with that it is handled by Dish"I called Dish, left a message for the "Excutive Resoulation Board " member that had sent out the letter stating I was no longer obligated for the fee. She returned my call promptly & told me I only had to fax a copy of her letter to AllSat in order to clear my account. I did that & got no response from AllSat, until yesterday, I received a notice of collection fron NCO Financial, for $325. AllSat had turned me over to a collection agency. I calld AllSat & they did talk to me this time telling me I owed them the early cancellation fee because I had made a verbal contract for 18 months, & they did not care if I had bad reception or no reception as they did not guarentee good reception, I still owed them for a early cancellation. I am refusing to pay AllSat, I do not have $325. What can I do about the collection agency ? HELP !! HELP!!
