I began the move from one home to another. I called HN to transfer service. The rep informed me it would be $200 for new equipment install and $100 for service connection. I informed the rep that I had purchased my equipment and only needed my service turned on. The rep confirmed that she saw in the record that I had previously purchased my equipment for $400 plus and informed me to just bring my modem and to leave the dish (as this is one way that HN gets new subscriptions from the people who move in the home I was vacating, Dish TV is the same). The rep informed me that if I extended my contract for two years then the $100 service fee would be waived and she could get me the promo price of $89.95 for the first 6 months of my new contract and then it would revert back to the current monthly fee of 99.95 plus the equipment insurance fee of $7. I meticulously went over every detail with the HN rep and verbatim conveyed back my understanding of the offer and she confirmed. I was then told she would record the agreement and she asked me a serious of questions confirming all of the above. I assumed all was good.
I then receive an email with an invoice for $427 and change reflective of one month’s service without the promo price agreed upon and including billing for equipment and installation. I immediately called HN and spoke with another rep who assured me that it was a billing process where they attached the amounts to the bill but would only deduct what was agreed upon, (one month’s service). Naturally, I was taken aback when HN took the money from my account. This is theft by the very definition of taking from another what is not yours and not owed. It is under the color of a corporation but were it an individual or I had done the same I would be facing a criminal charge for fraudulent procurement, wire fraud and theft. Luckily, I am not currently living paycheck to paycheck as has occurred in life before, if I were, these actions would have caused significant hardships. It is impossible in this forum to truly articulate what it feels like to be "buggered by a ghost" (a corporation entity that has no accountability or face to confront).
When the monies were taken I immediately contacted HN and explained the situation. The situation became even more peculiar in that a process began where I called seven or eight times and literally spent 6 to 7 hours of phone time speaking with multiple reps and supervisors. The collective answer was that they all agreed with me. I had clearly purchased my own equipment, I had clearly been told to leave that equipment at my prior home (minus the modem) as this is standard procedure, I had clearly entered into a new two year contract and received a waiver of the $100 service installation as this is also standard procedure. I was also able to confirm that extending a promotional offer upon contract extension is standard procedure.
I had also purchased my Dish Satellite TV equipment and the exact same process unfolded with Dish when moving their service, i.e. leave Dish satellite equipment, and take receivers, sign contract extension, pay nothing but the regular monthly service fee.
The most peculiar aspect is that even though all of the HN reps including supervisors agreed that the monies were not owed and had been an unauthorized deduction from my bank account, none of them could do anything about it. They proffered that me having purchased my equipment may have been the cause within the HN system.
All of the reps were professional, respectful and apologetic and a few seemed to rise to the challenge per se, i.e. they were actually perplexed why their hands were tied in refunding the monies. They placed me on hold while they contacted their inter-company billing and credit departments, alas to no avail. The collective answer was that none of them had the ability or authority to refund the money taken. Throughout the multiple calls the reps offered to give me a credit of $250 but I declined because I naturally wanted my money back. However, after no less than 6 or 7 collective hours on the phone I realized that there was no higher authority available for problem resolution and the HN reps were restricted from doing any more. SO, feeling very exhausted I figured I would at least try and get what I could get back. I informed the HN rep to go ahead and credit the $250 as at least a starting point. The HN rep confirmed that they had done so and I have invoice records reflective of the same. Crazily, several days later, that bare minimum credit was reversed by someone else at HN. I called HN again and explained for the up-tenth-time what had occurred, that HN rep also acknowledge the error on part of HN but also could not do anything about it. I informed that HN rep that were resolution not obtained and my monies returned then I would have to have my Bank reverse the charges (chargeback) as I had no other recourse.
Now keep in mind, I really just want/wanted the service I am paying for as I use it for my business filing legal briefs and communications etc.…, and to get rid of HN I would have to start over with another provider. (Though it does not sit well with me that HN has outsold its GEN 5 capabilities and has to keep throttling it subscribers between its older satellites and its newer as this is a bait and switch in and of itself- I just deserve and want what I paid for).
As I sit here tying this post, I am receiving daily messages saying that HN is unable to charge my card and interruption of service is imminent. Again, crazily, HN just billed this month’s service fee and it was paid as I do owe it, (though it is supposed to be the promotional amount) and my card is still automatically enrolled for payment.
The way I see it and the way multiple HN reps informed me is that the invoiced (chargeback) amount is $421.86. Of that amount I owe one month’s service fee of $108.86 reflective of April service. Which leaves the un-owed and unauthorized amount of $313.86, the exact amount now that HN is now threatening to turn off my service if I do not pay.
Though I prefer not to have to spend anymore of my time and energy or lose my service. I am luckily in the legal profession and have the resources to eventually succeed in small claims court.
The fact that this is the juncture I am left with, it is SHAMEFUL and simply reflects poorly on HN. I am interested to see if there really is anyone at this business entity that can bring justice to an otherwise unjust situation.
In closing, one of the biggest problems I have encountered, other than the aforementioned, is that every time you call you have to speak with a different person and start over from scratch. Sure they review the notes on your account but they too are starting from scratch. It makes for a very aggravating situation that equates to poor customer satisfaction.
I await a response and request that no PM messages are sent but whatever the remedy or response is can be viewed by everyone with access to this site. The nature of this forum is pointless if every time you read a post to gain information, the answer and thread is resolved through a pm contact.
I do not have time to proof read as it has been a long day, please excuse any and all typos and grammar corrections needed.
