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Hughes review: hughesnet offers poor and expensive service 8

J
Author of the review
11:12 am EDT
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We recently moved to a mountainous, rural area where satellite internet was our only way to get online. I signed up with Hughesnet. Unfortunately, problems began immediately. They charged me $199.99 for standard installation of the dish, but when their contractor came out to install, he said he had to do a special install. This costs me an additional $288. So for an hour's worth of work, I spent almost $500 to have my satellite dish installed. This is in addition to the 199.99 I paid for the equipment itself. Total was $688 to get started.

When I called Hughes, they told me these varied install prices were in the contract I agreed to. He said it was up to me to haggle with the installer on the extra charges. It was my fault for not getting a better deal. The next problem occurred when the next week Hughes downgraded the bandwidth threshold that I signed up for. They sent a form email saying that I would be charged the same amount, but that I could not download as much each day. It was a system wide change, but very discouraging that they were downgrading instead of upgrading.

When I called to complain that I was not getting the service I signed up for, they said it was all in the mandatory 2-year contract which I was still obligated to pay. They could change speeds and thresholds as they saw fit. I did get to speak to a sympathetic supervisor who credited me with one free month of service since I threatened to cancel and eat the loss of ending the contract prematurely.

In the end, I didn't have much choice but to remain a subscriber. If I wanted to be online in this rural area, I had to go with satellite internet. Hughes handcuffed me with a ridiculously longterm and expensive contract just to test them out. Now that I signed up and am unhappy, I either live with them or pay $300 (minus the $600 I paid to install) to end this poor service.

8 comments
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MaddViolet
, US
Jul 10, 2011 9:54 pm EDT

Oh, and one more thing: hughesnet DOES lie. Of all people, hughesdealer, you should know. Stop advocating them just because they're your paycheck.

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MaddViolet
, US
Jul 10, 2011 9:51 pm EDT

Hughes dealer knows nothing. I've been polite to all Indian techs and subcontractors that have come by. It's not their fault the service sucks! it's the company themselves. The Indians and the subcontractors are just doing their job. People like the Hughes dealer and those making corporate decisions are the sick ones. Hughes dealer is only a loser because all he can do to substantiate his claims is go and bash people who made simple mistake in buying hughesnet. Twenty bucks tells me the only reason you're on this complaint board is to aimlessly type up horrid excuses for counterarguments with those chubby little fingers of yours. Go find something productive with your life, like ripping people off with hughesnet.

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KYHI
, US
Dec 22, 2010 12:41 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

HUGHESNET Residential Installation

The certified HughesNet installer will install your HughesNet system when it is convenient for you. The installer will provide the following equipment to complete your installation - HughesNet modem and the cable required to connect the modem, Antenna assembly, which includes the radio, and mounting hardware

A standard residential installation includes:

• A standard installation includes travel mileage to and from customer’s location.

• Installing the HughesNet modem and connecting it to one PC.

• Mounting and grounding the antenna to an outside wall, first level roof or any approved structure or surface with HNS standard roof/wall mounting brackets. Antenna must be accessible within 21 feet from ground level.
-- Brick mounts and roof mounts over finished ceilings or living space’s are considered non-standard, restricted surfaces.
− Antennas must be mounted a minimum of 5 ft. off the ground and out of reach of small children. (FCC Regulations)
− Tri-mast MUST NOT be mounted on surfaces, building materials, or structures that cannot support the mount/dish assy. (Stucco, aluminum siding, vinyl siding, chimneys, trees, fences or any free-standing wooden posts, utility poles and metal roofs are not authorized mounting surfaces.)

• Drilling one point of entry, terminating on an exterior wall and installing one wall jack.

• Installing and routing two exterior RG-6 coaxial cables from the antenna assembly to the point of entry and terminating with a wall jack. A standard residential installation includes up to 100 ft. of cable. (Up to 150’ for .98m systems)

• Connecting up to 20’ of ground wire from the ground block to the required NEC-approved bonding point. (Service Panel Ground or Meter Panel)

• Installing and weather-sealing appropriate cable bushing, wall penetrations, and mounting locations.

• Using the installer’s laptop to test the HughesNet system to verify receipt of satellite signal and Antenna Cross Pole.

• Activating and commissioning your HughesNet system on your computer with your permission. Installer will also help you setup your billing and email accounts.

• Demonstrating your HughesNet system is operational by browsing the Internet.

• Cleaning up debris from your residence after the installation is complete.

• Completing the Installer Reference Sheet and obtaining your signature on the appropriate forms.

A standard residential installation does not include:

• Networking computers or connections to local area networks (LANs), Routers or Hubs, etc.
• RG-6 coaxial cable over 100 ft. if your system uses a .74m antenna. (150 ft. for .98m systems)
• Drilling more than one hole (Point Of Entry).
• Installing the antenna at a location not accessible with a 24-ft. ladder or above 21’ off the ground.
• Special cable requirements, such as routing coaxial cable through attics, basements, crawlspaces, decks or walls.
• Complex or custom installations, such as special moldings, cosmetic hardware or routing to hide exposed cables.
• Pole Mounts or Custom Mounts - if one is deemed necessary by your installer.
• Removing or repairing previously mounted equipment.
• Special site surveys to determine the optimal location for your HughesNet antenna. ($125 Service Fee Applies)

Note: Installers may charge a customer up to $125 to install a pole mount located within 25 feet of the customer's residence. (Antenna cables must be Buried / Protected). Pole mounts that are installed more than 25 feet away from the residence or that are more then 6 feet out of the ground are considered non-standard.

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Betterbill
Dallas, US
Jun 17, 2010 10:28 am EDT

http://www.dotnetcash.ws and some advantages of 4G WiMax with Clear

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Ima Douchecheese
, NP
Apr 30, 2010 1:17 pm EDT

Hughesnet Dealer is a real [censored]bag. I should know because I'm one too. Ripping people off for mediocre service at best makes me feel like a real man, almost like punching a baby in the face. If you people had done your research you'd see what a [censored]tastic deal we dave going for you. I'd love to have your money, so please, sign up for our sorry excuse for an internet service already! Verizon offers better plans at 1/3 the price we do but I don't really care as long as you give me your money.

-Hughesnet [censored]r

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Hughesnet Dealer
, US
Apr 10, 2010 9:50 pm EDT

Unlimited every nite from 2-7 and you can cough up 10 more bucks and raise your daily limit and for 79.99 you get 1.6 meg and 425 meg daily limit. So if anyone does need high-speed internet and you cant get dsl or cable you'll love hughesnet. And oh by the way everyone get a 30day satisfaction gurantee and can cancel and return the equipment. So how can you agree to the charges, sign the work order approving all work done, and then keep the system past the thirty days and then start badmouthing the service that you bought. i mean come on. I been installing hughesnet for 8 years and i have 100 to 1 ratio of customers who say i saved there life from dail-up hell and love us forever compared to one piece of work who was rude, demanding and impossible to please and i can only imagine were in that ratio you guys who are complaining would fall. Im sure i can picture how rude you were to the poor sub-contractor who only purpose for being there was because you needed something. You people make me laugh. Of course now that i have my own dealership and i have several techs installing for me, I tell my guys if you're rude pack it up and leave em with dail-up you can cuss hughesnet all you want you cuss one of my guys and were backing-out and if you want to complain about it i guess you'll have to get offline to use the phone or vise-versa huh and we laugh all the way home because guess why we live in the city and have cable, i mean we have what we need and your' still stuck in 1980 hell. Have Fun at least with hughesnet you might pay a little more but hell you live in the middel of nowhere and pay 60.00 dollars for a phone line to use and then 20.00 for dail up which is 56k at best and complain about 59.99 for a 1000k what ###s.

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Hughesnet Dealer
, US
Apr 10, 2010 9:30 pm EDT

Hughesnet is the number 1 satellite company in the industry. I find it amazing how many people misrepresent the cost factors. For starters I love how people move to the middle of nowhere and build these lavish homes meccas and then relize hey i need internet. And some poor installer comes along and installs a systems that pull speeds of up to 5meg out of thin air and they complain. Do a little more research before you purchase the cost are straight forward and compared to 5 years are cheap. standard installation is 199.99 the equipment is 199.99 so that is 399.98 at that price you get a standard installtion which consit of a wall or roof mount using a tri-mast, if this is not possible, then your installtion is a non-standard install and will need to be mounted on the ground for 125.00 additonal dollers. Now for all you whiny babies who complain about how you were over charged. the 399.98 you agree to before we ever show up as prev stated 399.98 so dont blame that on the installer. And the pole mount well you always have the option to do yourself so whos to blame, cough up the 125 bucks and shut up it goes directly to the guys who does the non-standard work you know digging a three foot hole with post digggers concreating a 2 3/8 pole in the groun and burying 25 foot of cable which im sure none of you compaining would do for 125 dollars or you would have and not been compaining huh? And if it was anymore than that it's 85 for masonary, crawlspaces and attic work which once again you can do yourself and if you wont then who's to blame. I mean all you complaining people just want something for nothing well move back to town. Hughesnet is the leader and has been around for thirty years. And you will not get anything faster where you live. So i wonder are you complaining online using the internet that so bad. Oh and by the way that 7000 is old-shool man get a 9000. 59.99 you get 1meg so catch up. I mean honestly A fully networkable 1 meg connection for 59.99 in the middle of nowhere that has nothing to do with your phoneline. Whats the alternative again.
Or another note im sure you were very rude and crappy to the installer who worked putting in your system. I hope you know they are sub-contractor with little kids at home and they do not work for hughesnet they work for themselves and people like you just suck. Always want everything yestarday and then dont want to pay for anything for it. I mean its not our fault you live where you do. We just get the pleasure of finding the middle of nowhere and bringing high-speed internet to it. Get the new system and quit hooking 5 computer to the home plan it's just for one computer you cheap skates and get billy-bob off your wireless.

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Chris Metz
,
Sep 03, 2008 10:10 am EDT

We had Hughesnet installed on July 19, 2007 and was charged the installtion fee - plus $125.00 for the pole. We have had the service for a year now and it SUCKS, if you downloads 285 MB in a 24 hr period you cut off. You are still connected to the interenet, but the service is ZERO.

For the Home policy you are suppose to get 1.0 mbps service and you do from 3am to 6am eastern time - from 7am to midnight you get 680 kbps service. When you call tech support or customer service to complain you get someone from india that can't speak english and gives you some story about reading your contract and fare access policy.

I live out in the country where there is only electricity, you have to use wireless cell phones and satellite TV. The contract states 24 month agreement - will they can shove it because we are going to Verizon WiFi and get 1.5 mbps service and no download limit.

A TV advertisement needs to be done to let people know what a rip off Hughesnet is.