Hughes review: poor customer service! 23

4 months ago I ordered Hughes Net satellite internet and have had nothing but trouble from the start. Installation took over 10 days. The original installer was 4 hours late and then told me he could not install the dish on the roof. So I installed a metal pole in my yard. I then called to reschedule installation and they wanted to send the original installer which I said NO. So they sent another installer and when he showed he told me that the pole was not necessary and the dish could have been installed on the roof. Initially I thought that the installation went well but come to find out later one of the cables at the dish had a crushed wire. So I was probably running off only 1 cable. And the wire in the second cable was corroded.

The satellite connection seemed to work well the first 2 weeks but after that it was horrible. I would get dropped communication errors. This happened not only trying to access the internet but also getting to my emails. I have satellite TV so I know how the weather will affect signal. Everytime I called tech support the first words out of their mouth is what is the weather like. Their tech support technicians always seemed like they were reading out of a manual. Many times talking to the techs, they would always place me on hold like they were holding another conversation. And after having several calls with tech support the system never did perform any better.

One night I lost signal and could not gain access to the internet. The weather was OK. I reset the modem thinking that would help and didn't. I called Tech Support and spent at least 30 minutes to no avail. Then tech support forwarded me to advance tech support to no avail. I asked for a supervisor and after being on hold for 5 minutes was told the supervisor was not available. After 15 minutes I just gave up and then called back. When I called back the different tech support told me that they had a system failure on their end and was surprised the original tech didn't know this bit of information.

I also had numerous amounts of downtime with no credit to my bill. When I called customer service for credit they said they would do so but in checking my charges, I would never see credit.

As I am unemployed, I was trying to access a restricted website to gain employment. I received errors that the website was not available. I spent 30 minutes with the webmaster of the website I was trying to access to ensure I had the correct settings. I tried to access the website through my desktop and laptop to no avail. So I took my laptop and gained wireless access to another router and gained access right away. I had a backup desktop and could not access the website. So after all of this work, the only problem was with Hughes net. I called Hughes tech support and the tech tried to convince me it was my computer or the website. I was forwarded to advanced tech. I finally convinced the advance tech it was Hughes issue and he finally agreed. The tech placed me on hold and when he returned he said he would turn this issue over to the engineers. I was told the Engineers would get back to me in 2-3 days. After 4 days I heard nothing and called back to Tech support. This issue was never turned over to the engineers.

I called customer service to discuss this issue and they were not aware. The customer service rep said the Hughes system was down and could not access my account. I said I wanted to talk to a supervisor. The rep returned and said the supervisor was not available and would call me back in 2-3 days. I told her it was unacceptable. Then my phone conversation was disconnected. Later I called back to customer service and told them I wanted to discontinue my service. I was told that I had to pay a $400 disconnect fee along with sending back the equipment at my expense. I told by the customer rep that based on their inability to service me with good quality service that I would not pay the $400 disconnect fee.

In the meantime I have ordered and connected to cable internet with no trouble at all. No interrupt in service. Installation was quick and smooth. I do not have trouble accessing any of the websites that I had trouble with Hughes net.

Now I have to figure out how I am going to get Hughes to take back their lousy equipment and discontinue their customer/tech support.

I will probably be filing a report with the local and national better business bureau against Hughes net.

Please do yourself a favor and do not consider Hughes net for you internet needs.

Hughes Net set up my brother's account in my name after I repeatedly told them that I was only making a one time payment to get his service. They are LIARS, CHEATERS, and UNSCRUPULOUS. The sales rep assured me that his account would be in his name only to find out that the account is in my name and I can not get out of the service until I pay an early termination fee. This is not my account as the address for service is my brother's. I WOULD IMPLORE THAT EVERYONE RUN FROM THIS COMPANY.

Hughes Net provides sub-par service for a high cost to the consumer. Rural customers have limited options for internet providers. Hughes Net is not a good option. In order to have decent download speed, you have to pay for a "professional package." Buyers beware of exceeding fair access thresholds, contract policies, warranties that do not cover equipment for the length of that contract, and if you do have any problems there is NO SUCH THING as CUSTOMER SERVICE.

If you have a choice for satalite internet service do not go with Hughes. I HATE Hughes net. There Customer dis-Service department is the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with. Every time I call I get a different answer to the same question. They will never let me talk to a supervisor. They supposedly do not have outbound phone calls so they will not call you back. I'd just as soon go back to dial up than pay for their horrible service.

Just to add my terrible experience and reiterate if there is any other high speed alternative to take. My internet service was down for 32 days before it was finally fixed. Complete disregard of customer service and technicians. It was all due to faulty equipment. I lodged a formal complaint and never was contacted after being promised I would be. I spent a total of 15 hours on multiple service calls before they finally got the right equipment to me. The delays are completely unacceptable.

very true, they simply do not care

Hughes net has the worst customer service ever. If you want to order great... someone answers and they take your money immediately. However, just try to complain about the service; no number listed, call the order number to find it, get the service number and call, stay on hold for ten minutes, customer service tells you that you can't cancel since your wife ordered the service, ask to speak to a supervisor, told that their policy won't let me cancel the service..., ask to speak to a supervisor again, put on hold for 15 minutes, same operator come back on the line and tells me again that their policy won't permit me to cancel, ask to speak to a supervisor again, put on hold again, supervisor comes on, tells me I can't cancel the service since my wife ordered it - even though my credit card gets direct billed, ask for their complaint dept number, I told they don't have one...
call my Credit Card company and had all future charges from Hughes Net disputed; maybe they will call me and I can put them on hold for a change...

I wish I'd done an internet search about Hughes before signing up last Spring. I am now going through the worst customer service nightmare after moving to a new address. Good luck with your case. I posted to another complainant: Have you tried complaining to the Attorney General in your state?

No wonder direcway sold it to huhges, cause they don't won't to get invol.

Customer service sucks! I just spent 2.5 hours of my time trying to solve slow browsing. I was told that I have to run 5 speed tests per day for 5 days so they can solve the problem. Then they said that there is no problem on my end and that they had to run more tests on the "network" asking me to spend even more time. When I worked my way up the chain to the supervisor in Ft. Lauderdale who gave me the same story that someone would call me in 2 days to solve my problem. I then asked to speak to his supervisor and he said I would need to write a letter with a complaint and refused to give me phone and name contact info saying he was not authorized to give that information. I asked for compensation for my time and was told I had to speak to billing and would once again be put on hold. Think twice before going with Hughsnet!

I agree and experience the same headach fromt he start. They would not install on my roof and I had to pay an extra $150 for the pole for the yard. THen he had to dig for the line and I had to pay an extra $200 for him to dig in harder dirt than he wanted to. I loose internet all the time. Their tech support is horriable not just I can hardly understand them but the way they treat me. Their customer service is horriable as well. I have been on the phone for an hour waiting to speak to a supervisor, nothing yet. Anyone reading this to make the choice of getting hughes.net dont do it. It is expensive for the headach and yes you will have good internet for about 3 to 4 weeks but after that you are getting errors more than going to the sites you want.

Just spent another 3 hours on the line with some Indian customer service agent! Hughes net is a total scam! They installed my service. Cut it off the very same night. I cancelled my service that night, and sent back all the equipment as instructed. A week later, I recived a bill for an additional $216 with no explanation. By the way, I chose to purchase the equipment and thus getting free intallation which the installer actually charged me an additional $150 on top of the $450 for equipment. Now the multiple little Indians are telling me that the $216 is for an intallation fee and they don't have to refund it. This is criminal and don't be fooled by the ever so nice American sales staff! Does anyone know the CEO's address? I'm not above crushing his face with my fist for all the other people out there getting screwed and for those going to get screwed!

%$#&@ You Hughes Net!

I totally agree... mine was down forever and it was always because of THERE equipment, they are rude, disrespectful, helpless, and worst of all...i speak english... so how the ### am i supposed to understand them on the phone with there jibber jabber!

HUUUUUGHESNEET! ###ING SUCKS!

HUGHES NET IS THE WORST INTERNET SERVICE I EVER HAD! please dont take there service they dont care about you they just want the money. i know every step they will have you go Thur to fix there service but they say it is your computer, billing people is in the philippines and the tech is in India then the advanced tech is in florida. if you want to talk to the ones in florida go Thur billing most of the time you can complain and they will get you to them not that they can fix anything . i was thinking about a class action suit. the people that this company has screwed we should get our money back. hit where is hurts if anyone know about this please let me know. STAY AWAY FROM HUGHES NET PLEASE ! IF YOU GET IT YOU WILL HAVE DIAL UP SPEEDS SO FOR THE MONEY YOU PAY STAY WITH DIALUP IF YOU CANT GET ANYTHING ELSE SAVE YOUR MONEY!

So we are also roped into this Hughes Net C R A P. It takes me at least 3 times as long to do my work when I am working from home. They didnt tell us anything about the myspace deal either. I am going to call and see what is up with that. I use the myspace to promote my studio and the bands that record here. I just built a brand new studio out here in the boonies and the only way I can get anything other than dial-up is to bend over and take it from Hughes Net with no reach around.

They suck, they know it, they dont care

The FAP is a bunch of horse *@#! Ok, I agree with that 100%! Now my real ### is I hadnt had an issue other than the FAP till this past thursday night. (1-17-08) I decided to upgrade to pro due to the "faster speeds and bigger DL threshold" hahaha. Once i completed the upgrade my speeds dropped down to below 100kbps. Most test were closer to the 50kbps mark. I find this to be rediculous. How in the hell can this happen. These towel head idiot keep telling me its because you are using the internet on peak hours. WTF? 10:30pm 1:am? these are peak hours? I was recieving these speeds at these hours. I should say i still am getting these speeds at all hours. They have totally hosed me on this, and all was fine till i tried to upgrade and Hugesnet towel heads put the Screws to me. I hope this company goes bankrupt.

I have Hughes Net and I thought I was getting a fast Internet, wrong it's a little faster than dial-up. I pay $70.00 for that. I haven't tried that FAP, but as soon as I get off this web-site I'm going to. Also, I understand what your saying about customer service is run out of India, so is Dell computers, they all use American names, I call them Abdul, also Xerox company customer service is coming from India. I don't know why American companies want to use someone that doesn't speak the language I guess because they can get those people for pennies per hour.

I HATE Hughes Net, I just spent 2 hours trying to figure out why myspace wouldnt work on my computer then i find this site and read all of your comments and its all because Hughes net banned it! the didnt tell me anything banning of websites- just that you had a limit of space- pardon my french but this is ###in rediculous. we just got hughes about a month ago and myspace was workin fine until about 3 days ago it got completely screwed saying the "you must be logged in to that" message. i cant believe that they allow youtube and not myspace- you can waist millions of megabytes on youtube extremely faster than myspace because myspace is all text! i hate this. now we cant get out of this internet thing and the only other alternative is verizon wireless adapters that we were using b4 all of this Hughes net crap. this is so dissapointing.

Hughes net services. You do not get what you pay for. I am supprised they haven't been investigated for their practices. There calulations of usage are a inflated. They do not guarentee speeds. I only get about one third of what I am paying for. Just ridiculous. I pay 112.00 a month for the crapy service. Total rip off.

The FAP policy has now nabbed me twice. BUT I have never had a problem seeing my usage. Go to your myhughesnet page and its right there..check usage. Myspace is banned from our house (you can use up over 200mb in an hour on there) and YouTube is limited. I understand the policy and understand why they have it. WildBlue has an INSANE Fap policy and if you think they are better just wait until you are cut off for a month and still have to pay instead of 24 hours. And the FAP has always been in effect they just had a "bucket" recovery before instead of flat rate 24 hrs. Be informed users read the policies. I didn't know about until I hit it the first time. I read up on them and other ISP providers policies and its the better of sat internet policies.

You can sign a PETITION by going to www.petitiononline.com/dpcfap/petition.html and typing your name and filling in the blanks. If we don't fight back there will be nothing done about it.

100% on target!

Hughes is supposed to have a place to check on usage so one does not exceed the so-called "Fair Access Policy". But I cannot access it even though customers are supposed to be able to do so. To date, I've spent 3 hrs. and 40+ minutes with Customer Dis-service and been apologized to profusely (excessively, actually, in accents that are often difficult to understand ) but the problem is never fixed. I've sent five emails about this problem and each one suggests that the recipient does not/cannot read. The reply tells me how to access the usage page...which I just explained in my email that I have done and nothing shows up! Talk about frustrating...

It is crucial to know how much you've downloaded because at the paltry sum of $60/mo. you only get 200mb of download per day. That's right, no YouTube vids for your kids, no music downloads, hell, I'm even afraid to download a news clip on CNN. If you exceed your allotment, they slow you down to speeds slower than dial-up as punishment for 24hrs.

Of course, if you pay more, you can download more. This appears to be a new policy as it certainly was not in effect when we got our plan in '06. I'm convinced they do not want customers to see that they are actually well within their download limits so that they will be forced into buying a more expensive plan for $10 or $20 more per month... at god-knows-how-many customers, what a great get rich fast/screw the customer scheme!

Hughes - the worst customer service I've ever experienced-truly
- sketchy internet service provider (should probably be checked out by the FCC, FTC, whoever oversees internet communication and service).
- all tech support is outsourced so if you have trouble understanding accents, forget it!