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Journal Staff and wire reports

Rhode Island will receive $20,000 as part of a $5.9 million settlement DISH Network reached with 46 states to settle claims that it improperly marketed, promoted and sold its products and services.

Under the terms of the settlement, the satellite TV provider doesn't admit any wrongdoing.

But Dish Network Corp. said Thursday it agreed to pay restitution to affected customers. It also agreed to make fuller disclosures in advertising and written contracts of all terms of service, fees and other information.

State attorneys general say Dish failed to disclose all the terms of service to customers, including rebates, credit and free offers, made telemarketing calls to consumers in violation of Do Not Call rules, and charged customers' credit cards and debited bank accounts without proper notice and without obtaining appropriate authorization. The states say that when retailers that resold Dish services and installers misled customers, Dish refused to take responsibility.

Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said in a Thursday-afternoon press release that unresolved complaints sent to DISH Network or to his office's Consumer Protection Unit since Jan. 1, 2004, are eligible for the restitution program.

New complaints filed through Dec. 14 will be considered for restitution as long as the complaint concerns activity that happened within the last two years. Consumers who are not satisfied with the company's offer of restitution can file a claim to be decided by a third-party claims administrator.

Questions or complaints regarding the refund process should be addressed to DISH Network LLC, Dispute Resolution Team, PO Box 9040, Littleton, CO 80120, or by e-mail at CEO@dishnetwork.com.

In addition to Rhode Island, the settlement includes: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The original version of this story was posted at 4:37 p.m.

 Tags  courts Dish Network Rhode Island settlement

Comments

joyce187 said:

Couldn't happen to a more deserving company.

I once made the mistake of phoning them to ask about their service, and it took months to stop their phone calls and mailings, and the Customer Service(sic) people were rude and nasty when I complained. Why anyone signs up with them, I can't imagine.

Link | July 18, 2009 4:58 AM
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Joe said:

I once had dish if I signed up for a year I was
supposed to get a free dvd player,I called several times and got the old pakastani accent
person who could barely speak english and did not have any idea of a free dvd player because they,her words have so many other PR companies
with there own offers!!Than on top of it they tell you it is free want your credit card # to
charge you for a credit check and then at the end of the conversation oh there is a one time
$ 50.00 charge for hd converter.Dish in pure english :bite it"

Link | July 18, 2009 7:58 AM
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Paul D. said:

i beat them after they installed it i refused to sign a contract for one year told them to take it out i did not read anyting about having to sign a contract. They left it in tried to charge me a higher rate and i refused to pay that higher rate and told them to fix it or take it out they left in in at the lower rate. Anyone that gets screwec by them it is their own ignorance by not being aware of the facs and the laws protecting you form these people. I had it taked ou anyway after nine months not worth the price. and living in florida everytime there was a thunderstorm it crapped out so when the rainy season came they went.

Link | July 19, 2009 9:24 PM
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