HN9000 equipment does not need to be returned?

[jcollison251]

Case# 103926294

I was able to cancel Hughesnet today because I found out I had DSL in my area this whole time (with fiber being installed next month), and I must say this is one of the happiest days in my life.

The rep told me that my HN9000 equipment does not need to be returned.  Can I get some confirmation that this is, in fact, true?  In my 5-1/2 years with Hughesnet I have read MANY horror stories about fees for "lost" equipment returns and such. 

So I was all prepared to take photos of my packed-up box with a video of it being sealed up and everything as proof.  Now instead, all I'm left with is trusting the verbal claim of some representative that I shouldn't worry about it at all. 

Also, the rep assured me I'd be receiving a confirmation email (which I have not received), but just last week Liz posted a reply saying they don't even send out email confirmation of cancellations.  What's the straight dope?

[C0RR0SIVE]

The HN9000 fleet is being retired, so it would make sense if Hughes stopped asking for returns on those units, however I am willing to bet, that they still want the units returned for now.  @Liz would have to clarify...

But, you wont get a confirmation about your cancelation via email as Liz posted last week.

I would however, call in and make sure your account is being terminated, as it seems some people in the retention department like to keep a good number and not send in the cancelation requests.

[jcollison251]

I wouldn't take that bet, C0rr0sive, because I'm with you:  Even if they have no use for the HN9000 modems, I'll betcha they want them all back.  If for no other reason, because it gives them another potential way to screw over the customer and get a few hundred bucks in fees.  So with nothing in writing, who am I to believe now?

Rentention department is now "retaining" cancellation requests instead of processing them?  You've gotta be kidding me; that one I hadn't heard before.  Unbelieveable.  I did ask for an "immediate" cancellation so they have no excuse to sit on it. 

If they don't process that cancellation I'm going to be one upset customer.  If I've learned one thing in my 5-1/2 years out here in the boonies, it's this:  Don't mess with country folks, because they tend to own firearms!  🙂

[C0RR0SIVE]

They usually do process the requests, but we have seen a few occasions where someone will say the equipment doesn't need to be returned, only to find out service wasn't actually cancelled. 

[BirdDog]

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@jcollison251 wrote:

If they don't process that cancellation I'm going to be one upset customer.  If I've learned one thing in my 5-1/2 years out here in the boonies, it's this:  Don't mess with country folks, because they tend to own firearms!  🙂

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Smiley face or not , is that a threat? I own firearms but don't reference them in public posts on the internet.

Have I misunderstood your comment?

[jcollison251]

Yes, BirdDog, you did misunderstand my comment.  I didn't say *I* owned any of them.  Anyway, the girl sitting next to me thought it was funny, but then again she's missing some teeth and has had several glasses of apple jack, so that ain't saying much.

If they don't cancel me, all I'm out is $39 for a month of service.  No big deal, because I'd have Chase bank immediately initiate a chargeback (it was a real credit card) and I wouldn't be out anything. Actually that sounds rather fun.  I haven't done a good chargeback in a few months now.

Off-topic, but I'm sad to see HN9000 service being decommissioned.  Where else can you pull down nearly 150 gigs a month, and have _unlimited_ uploads for only $39???  I feel bad for the folks on Gen4/5.

[C0RR0SIVE]

Well, to be fairly honest, comparing a Gen5 plan whose minimum FAP speed is 1Mbps, and the top tier Legacy HN9000 plan that capped at 2.5Mbps I think it was, or 1.5Mbps (I had a 1.5Mbps package with 500/day allowance back then) isn't fair... I can honestly download more on Gen5 even while in FAP than I ever could with my old HN9000 plan.

That aside, I am sure @Liz will chime in tomorrow and let us know that your account is closed out and whether the gear should be returned or not.

[BirdDog]

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@jcollison251 wrote:

Yes, BirdDog, you did misunderstand my comment.  I didn't say *I* owned any of them.  Anyway, the girl sitting next to me thought it was funny, but then again she's missing some teeth and has had several glasses of apple jack, so that ain't saying much.

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OK, just in today's world I get a bit concerned when people reference weapons in posts. Not really funny to me but maybe to some, teeth or not. Back to actual help.

[Amanda · Accepted solution]

Hello jcollison251,

Great question! We are no longer asking for HN9000 equipment to be returned when cancelling service. We do still require the modem to be returned when they are being replaced with a new one. So no, you do not need to return it and you will not receive a box to return it. 

Thank you,

Amanda

[jcollison251]

Thanks for the confirmation, Amanda.   That's interesting that it still needs to be returned if the modem is being replaced.

By the way -- Since cancellation confirmation emails are not being sent out, I don't think reps should be telling customers to expect one.  You might want to have the retention department managers send out a memo or administer spankings or whatever they usually do.

[Amanda]

Hi jcollison251,

I heard about the cancellation e-mail thing.. were you the one who brought this up to Liz? If so, she's already alerted our call center managers. 

The reason we ask for the modems back when its a replacement is mostly because we want to know if the issue was really the modem, and if so, can we replicate and fix it ourselves. There is a small team dedicated to this at our manufacturing plant here in Maryland.

-Amanda

[jcollison251]

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@Amanda wrote:

I heard about the cancellation e-mail thing.. were you the one who brought this up to Liz?

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No, that was henrysj in this thread.  And that was over a week ago, so the call centers must be slow with the whip.  I did eventually receive an emailed survey asking why I had canceled, so that served as good enough proof for me.

Understood about wanting the modem back to test it out.  When I had read "replacement" I was thinking that included "upgrade" (Gen4/5), which made less sense.