Review by (hidden by request)
(review was emailed from domain estesgrp.com)
lodged 18 days ago
 Estes Park,Larimer,CO
 Contract price not specified.  "Absolutely Nothing" "The Customer Services, The Connection, The Charges, EVERYTHING!!!"
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Install Co-ordination:
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Tech Support:
Mail,DNS,News:
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(ratings below consensus)
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I Apologize for the length but it is worth it to read!
ViaSat/Exede/WildBlue internet is a rip off. Literally the worst internet service I have ever had. Had it for less than a week and was only able to connect a few times. We would try to get on to a website and after taking 10-20 minutes to load we would then be kicked off which would then take another10 minutes to reset. Trying to watch anything from Hulu to Youtube would take several tries and then would take forever to load. It just isn't worth it.
I was sold this internet service thru Direct-TV as the only bundling option in my area. I agreed to it because the sales lady on the phone made it sound pretty good. They did not explain that it was satellite internet or that the usage was limited.
When the installation guy came to install the internet and told me about what the internet was really about I tried to inform him that I no longer was interested in purchasing this service and that I did not want him to install it. He then told me that he was unable to do that. He had to install the service but that I would be able to cancel it within 30 days with no charge. Reluctantly I agreed and decided that we would give it a shot.
After experiencing abysmal connection capabilities after a few days we decided that it just wasn't worth it especially for what they charge $64.61 including their modem which is an additional $10.00 (and they have made it o that no other modem will work with their services so there is no way around the fee unless you outright purchase it which is over $200.00) The guy installing it told me not to purchase it because if I did then if anything went wrong I would have to pay for a technician to come look at it which
could be very expensive. If I just rent it then they have to fix it no matter what.
After waiting over 45 minutes to talk to one of their operators I was told that there is no trial period and that I would have to pay a cancelation fee that would be the remainder of my contract which was $64.61 x 23 months (They do not allow you to sign any contract lower than 2 years) which would have been $1,486.03 so probably more around $1,500.00 by the time taxes and all that was added. In shock I explained to the operator what the installation erson had told me and luckily I had recorded him stating the 30 day trial. She waved the cancellation fees and disconnected my service.
After my service was disconnected I asked about the $64.61 that I had been charged for a month of service and that I please be refunded what was not used. She explained hat they do not refund un-used services. I then explained what the installation employee had told me again and she said that she would put in a request. I then said that if you do not get refund then I should still be able to use the remaining amount seeing as I have paid for it (Even though it doesn't even work). She then stated that if I were to continue to use it the remaining time then I would have to pay the cancelation fees. However she was going to send in the request seeing due to what the
installation employee had told me. With all that then I was explained what I
needed to do to return their equipment. Which I thought would be to schedule another appointment to have an employee of theirs come to take the satellite down. That was not the case.
They explained that they would send a box and instructions to my address and that I would have to place the equipment in the box and send it back. I was a little shocked at this because it is a satellite internet service which I was thinking that I would have to take the entire satellite down and place it in a huge box. No all they wanted was the modem and this small electronic thing that they attach to the satellite pointing at it. (side note they wanted to charge over $250.00 to purchase the modem from them instead of incurring the $10.00 monthly charge for it. When I asked why it was so
expensive for the modem they told me it included the satellite and now in returning the equipment they don't even want it) It just goes to show how much this company rips its customers off. Ok I thought well at least I won't have to pay a disconnect fee.
It was also explained to me that I had 20 business days from the day of disconnection not from the time I received the box to return the equipment or I would be charged $300.00 for the equipment. That's a little ridiculous but she assured me that the box would arrive in 3 days giving me 17 business
days to return the equipment. So I agreed.
I did not receive the box in 3 days, worried I called the company again (this time I had to wait over an hour before anybody answered my call) I spoke to another lady and she looked into it right away putting me on hold for an additional 15 minutes while she figured out why it wasn't delivered. She then explained that there were shipping errors and that it should arrive in 2 days. I then mentioned the 20 business days and she assured me that I would still have plenty of time. I then waited two more days for the box to arrive and on the third day I called again, after waiting on the line again
for over an hour (doesn't matter what time you call) I was put thru to an operator and which again she looked into the issue and put me on hold for another 15 mins. She said that it would arrive the next day. Luckily it did. I then wasted no time and climbed up a latter to remove the small electronic box off the satellite which was very difficult. I placed it along with the modem into the box, wrote down the tracking number and sent it that same day. I followed the tracking number to make sure they received it before the 20 business day deadline. Now I still have a huge satellite on the side of my house and am not quite sure what I am going to do with it. I will probably take it down when the weather is more suitable. I live in the mountains and the winters are very windy and we receive lots of snow.
I never received any information back about whether or not my refund was processed. I really didn't want to deal with waiting on hold and explaining my story so I chalked it up to a loss of $75.00 (I feel that this policy should not be in place but seeing as what kind of company they are it's probably the only way they make money) After all of that I thought that I was finally finished with Wild Blue, I was mistaken.
It has now been 2 months since I have disconnected the services and I recently
just received an email stating that my account was charged $354.00 by them, I called immediately. After waiting 45 minutes to be connected to an operator I asked about the charge. He told me that he did not know what it was for but that he would look into it and placed me on hold for almost 20 minutes. He then stated that they would refund the money but that it would take up to 2 weeks. I was not ok with that, seeing as it is a substantial amount and he wouldn't even tell me what the charge was for and stated that there was nothing he could do to speed up the process of the refund. I also asked him about the request for a refund and he told me that they do not give refunds, which I then explained to him that two operators I had previously talked to said they would put in a request because of what I was told. He said that there was no request made. I then asked to speak to a supervisor because he just kept repeating that it was policy. He then put me on hold for another 15 minutes. When the supervisor came on she asked for all my account information yet again before she would talk to me about the issue. I=
then explained what I had told all the other operators and what they had told me. She then told me that it is policy that they do not refund any money. I then said that one of their employees had clearly stated that I had 30 days to try Exede, and seeing as I did not have their service for a month and was not allowed to use the remaining amount that I should be refunded what was not used. She then started to yell at me saying that the man that installed the equipment was not one of their employees. I then asked her why are they installing the equipment if they are not employed by the company that's not a reassuring thought. She then just restated that they are not employees and cannot make those kind of promises. Frustrated I then said that that is absurd which made her angry and ask why I even got ViaSat/Exede/Wild blue in the first place which I replied that they were the only company that Direct-TV would bundle with in my area. She then stated that they don't bundle with Direct-TV and pretty much called me a liar. I then stated that it is advertised on their site as well as Direct-TV's. She then stated that she has worked there for 5 years and knows what company's they bundle
with. I then hung up.
This company is Horrible and now I can see why it has such horrible reviews. I wish I had seen all of the reviews before I agreed but you live and you earn. I only hope that this will help others in the future. This is the first review I have ever made in my life because this company is the worst one that I have ever dealt with. I have never been treated like this by a company and I don't think that what I was asking for was that outrageous.
I now have Cable Internet thru another provider at half the cost Literally 29.99/month unlimited use 12mbp that I can actually connect to and use. I have had no problems so far. I am extremely happy and ended up saving much more than what was offered with the bundle.
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