USA: Oregon AG settled dispute with DISH Network over hundreds of complaints about misrepresentation and inadequate service

[kohd] Oregon Attorney General John Kroger today announced a multi-state settlement with the DISH Network, L.L.C., a satellite TV provider that is the subject of hundreds of complaints by Oregon consumers in the past few years.

"Telecommunications companies ranked No. 1 on the Department of Justice's Top 10 Consumer Complaints 2008," said Attorney General Kroger. "For that reason, we have made telecommunications abuses one of our top consumer protection priorities."

Attorney General Kroger has made telecommunications one of his top consumer protection priorities. He will work closely with Oregon's Public Utility Commission to ensure that satellite TV, internet and telephone service customers are treated fairly in Oregon.

"The evolving nature of telecommunications and merging of internet and entertainment services has left many Oregonians confused about who to turn to for help when they have billing or service quality issues" Oregon Public Utility Commission Chairman Lee Beyer said. "The PUC has a long history of helping consumers resolve these types of complaints and we look forward to continuing our work with the Attorney General to find solutions to these complex issues."

Dish was the subject of about 80 complaints to the Oregon Department of Justice in 2008 - 7 percent of the 1,189 complaints about telecommunications companies by Oregon consumers.

The settlement resolves the states' allegations including that DISH Network:

Refused to accept responsibility for the misconduct of its third-party retailers and installers;

Made telemarketing calls to consumers in violation of do-not-call rules;

Failed to disclose all terms and conditions of their customer agreements, including the availability of rebates, credits and free offers;

Did not disclose that purchased or leased equipment was previously used and/or refurbished;

Made reference to competitors' price offers when the goods or services being compared were materially different; and

Charged customer credit cards and debited bank accounts without providing adequate notice and obtaining appropriate authorization.

Dish will pay a total of $5.99 million in the 46-state settlement.

Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department's mission is to fight crime and fraud, protect the environment, improve child welfare, and defend the rights of all Oregonians.

Dish Satellite Settlement