Do Not Call Fines Slashed From $11M to $95,000 for Dish Network Telemarketers

just goes to show that Congress is powerless, and complicit with anything corporate/telecom. manipulation breeds in circles, i'm afraid.
after their cowardly capitulation to mr. bush's precious immunity clause; we can only get after these slackers to make the wrongdoers allocute to the wicked things they did do, now that they have no fear of retribution regarding our right of privacy.

What a firm slap on the wrist. They get fined amounts far less than they probably paid their attorneys. They are most likely celebrating now at a tax deductible lunch. Who cares if they can afford to pay the fine? Take all the money they have, liquidate their assets and put them out of business. If you can't pay the fine, do not do the crime.

Damn straight.

I would hope anyone I owe money to, takes into consideration my ability to pay. It's so ludicrous, it's laffable; that of the above companies (the one with the most liability), gets fined less (as less than 1/3 penny per dollar that it is).
I guess I shouldn't have placed all the blame on our impotent congress; as the corporate-appointed judges involved, think the robe covers their shame in this sham.

All Others that took the Time here;

We'd hope more thinking persons would be involved in this particular discourse. Thank you for your mindful thoughts.
Hope to see you both, elsewhere, where Truth might be spoken.
I can't quite comprehend the languor these past 7+ years has infected this country with; yet, let's all go nuts over the bird flu, right?

Peace, Fairness, and in Hope our "reprehensibles"(did i "just" spell "representative, executive & judicial" rong?) find the Courage to respond.

In Sincerity;
bull

Amen!

Dish TV's latest trick - your own number and name appears on your caller id and rings your phone - since you can't figure out what is going on - and answer what looks like a phone call to yourself, their robo-caller kicks in with the Dish TV pitch - wonder what other clever things they can do?

Hmmm - fines based on ability to pay.  If found lying about their finances (under reporting) they will be dealt with severely.  Slap on the wrist for being caught the first time - conditionally.  Found lying and/or caught again, will be dealt with harshly.

For first time offense, they are giving them a chance to redeem themselves.  However, I'd like to see the FTC also address the game played where these guys will shut down a business, then reopen under a different business name with different names of people (but the same-o are the really the ones in control).

Yes, Dish Network REALLY sucks! I pay about $125.00 a month for almost everything they have to offer except porn. I ALSO pay a $6.00 charge that is supposed to cover all repairs that might be needed. I had an error on my screen 2 months ago. It was nothing to be concerned about but it DID say to phone for assistance. I did. They said I needed a tech to come out. He did. He said "our call center is CRAZY. You didn't need me. That particular part of your system isn't even being used!!! He left without doing anything. Next month I was billed an extra $50.00 for a service call !!!!! Like I was going to pay that huh? Well, they took it off my bill but zero apologies or explanations. Wow! I'm sure glad I had that service policy.

I DISCONTINUED my subscription to Cable TV in January of 2007. I did not switch to Satellite TV. Over the last 10 years I have seen the overall quality of Television Programming head south as Quality Drama and Comedy Shows have been discontinued and replaced with "Reality". Game and News Shows. If that wasn't bad enough the number of Commercials aired during shows has more than doubled during the Decade. Many of these ads are for Products I have no interest in Purchasing, and many are presented in an Obnoxious or Offensive manner. Some ads, such as those for certain Medical Products, approach being Pornographic in nature, and are often aired at times when Children are certainly watching. (Such as Afternoon Sporting Events) I have even seen Commercials for Sex Pills aired during a Childrens Show! One can't even watch the Program without getting bombarded with Ads, During the show Parts of the Program will get covered up with "Pop-Ups" Scrolls and Banners, sometimes accompanied with Sound Effects! Complaining to the Networks or the Subscription service is an act of futility. Callers are often told they have no control over what is Advertised. I finally decided enough was enough. Why should I pay to watch all of this schlock? The money that was formerly used to pay the Subscription Fee is now used to but Box Sets of TV Shows on Home Video. For what it costs to subscribe to a Television Service one can purchase 3 to 5 Box Sets of their favorate TV Shows on DVD. I now enjoy my evenings in front of the TV again. I no longer have to keep my Finger on the Remotes "Mute" Switch, waiting to snuff out an offensive Commercial at a moments notice. I get the program only, without all the intrusions and interruptions. Best of all, after I'm done watching a Show, I GET TO KEEP IT!

DHPP is pointless - I would remove it until it's necessary. Remember it can be added on at any time and it covers all things with the dish logo and installed by a dish tech.  If you lease your equipment, it's not necessary either because all the equipment is covered.  If you need a technician out, then add it to get the s/c discounted to 29 and then just complain or threaten to quit so they transfer you to an account specialist to have that fee waived.

I wish people would roll back my bills based on my "stated" ability to pay.   Honestly, is that judge crooked or just stupid?  Those  creeps at Planet Earth Satellite and Star Satellite  must be laughing all the way to their respective off shore banks.

"Ability to pay"?!? WTH?

Ah, well, the government owns the airwaves and does what them as they will. The technoscenti tell us the hard media format is doomed, that all content will soon be delivered by wireless, said wireless being subscription only of course.

I hope everyone didn't scrap out their SW transmitters...

=M0=

Would not guarantee that just because the equipment is theirs that they will do a service call to fix THEIR equipment without charging you a fee - don't happen.  They don't even service their own equipment when there is a problem without passing that charge on to you the customer.  Anywhere they can make a buck and take advantage of their customers they will do and even with insurance you have to pay to get them out.  Is just a racket and another way they get over on the people that keeps them in business (their customers).  Without us, they would be out of business and I think if everyone would do exactly what you said to threaten to leave their company we might be able to get through to them that we are not going to be jerked around like that.

So, does this mean that if I can't "afford" to pay my satellite tv bill, that Dish Networks will accept less than 1% of my total bill instead?

Hmmm, Dish Network for less than $1 per month (also, about what they are worth!!!)....Where do I sign up?