BROWNNOSE
BOOTLICKER
The Miami-Dade Consumer Services Department sued D*recTV this week, accusing the company of using ads that mislead consumers about the cost of services and failing to properly disclose the terms of its contracts.
The consumer protection agency has logged more than 300 complaints about D*recTV since June 2006. The suit accuses the company of violating Miami-Dade's uniform trade practices law.
A review of the complaints showed that D*recTV ads didn't state the complete price of products and led customers to believe they would pay as little as $34.99 for different packages of services, but were billed as much as $65.99.
The agency says D*recTV buried additional fees in small print in service agreements with customers. For example, a $5 charge for a second receiver, a $19.95 fee for complex installation, handling and delivery, $6 per month for DVR service and $10 a month for HD access. But the company's offers of free installation in up to four rooms and free HD DVR receiver upgrades didn't include information about these fees.
In addition, the suit says customers who thought they were signing a one-year contract based on ads that offered to lock in a price for a full year were actually signing two-year contracts. Ads that claimed the service offers more than 130 HD channels, including local channels and exclusive sports packages, added in fine print ``eligibility for local channels based on service address. Programs not delivered in HD in all markets,'' and ``Blackout restrictions and other conditions apply.''
The consumer services department says these conditions didn't clearly explain to consumers that even with the most expensive programming packages, they wouldn't get all channels all the time.
Other complaints against D*recTV say the company extended contracts without customers' permission. Customers who upgraded their equipment, then wanted to end their contracts when they expired were told they had to pay early termination fees of as much as $480.
The suit aims to keep D*recTV from these practices and force the company to refund affected customers.
I can't stand this comp.
B hunter
The consumer protection agency has logged more than 300 complaints about D*recTV since June 2006. The suit accuses the company of violating Miami-Dade's uniform trade practices law.
A review of the complaints showed that D*recTV ads didn't state the complete price of products and led customers to believe they would pay as little as $34.99 for different packages of services, but were billed as much as $65.99.
The agency says D*recTV buried additional fees in small print in service agreements with customers. For example, a $5 charge for a second receiver, a $19.95 fee for complex installation, handling and delivery, $6 per month for DVR service and $10 a month for HD access. But the company's offers of free installation in up to four rooms and free HD DVR receiver upgrades didn't include information about these fees.
In addition, the suit says customers who thought they were signing a one-year contract based on ads that offered to lock in a price for a full year were actually signing two-year contracts. Ads that claimed the service offers more than 130 HD channels, including local channels and exclusive sports packages, added in fine print ``eligibility for local channels based on service address. Programs not delivered in HD in all markets,'' and ``Blackout restrictions and other conditions apply.''
The consumer services department says these conditions didn't clearly explain to consumers that even with the most expensive programming packages, they wouldn't get all channels all the time.
Other complaints against D*recTV say the company extended contracts without customers' permission. Customers who upgraded their equipment, then wanted to end their contracts when they expired were told they had to pay early termination fees of as much as $480.
The suit aims to keep D*recTV from these practices and force the company to refund affected customers.
I can't stand this comp.
B hunter
