Menu
Login
10/31/06 ORIGINAL COMPLAINT:
I've waited a few months to write this because I wanted to be certain my rage and hostility had settled down. My WildBlue experience is one that lawsuits are made of. If I dared to want to waste my time filing complaints about them, I would. Aside from lodging one complaint with the state of GA, I'm done with WildBlue. Instead, I'm telling everyone I know to stay away from this company.
My installer no-showed for the first, second and third scheduled appointments. WildBlue subs out installation through DSI who subs out through somebody in the local area. In my case, this was American Communications. They, in turn, sub out to somebody even more local. I had to go through this chain-of-command to track down who it was that stood me up. The whole process is ridiculous. Eventually, the installer phoned me and managed to show up. I'll skip all the small talk he made and get to the point: when he couldn't get "all green lights" on my service, the guy left! He told me that I had to call WildBlue and tell them to send me a new part. That was that. I was left with no service, out $60 for the pole, staring at $299 worth of equipment and wondering WTF I had just paid for.
It took TWO weeks to get another installer scheduled to replace the defective part. When he arrived, he told me the part was recalled 3 months ago and that the initial installer would have known that. He then realized that my cable was not approved by WildBlue and would have to be replaced. Afterwards, he was still unable to setup email or other online WildBlue services (such as viewing my bill). I gave WB one more week and then called up to cancel under the 30-day money back guarantee.
Three weeks and two phone calls later, I get credited for my equipment. That still leaves the $80+ for service that I never had. WB says they credited my bank account $20 and $40 (still not $80) back in September. My bank says that isn't true and WB says now that I have to send them my bank statements to prove they didn't refund my monthly service fee.
None of that compares to the final blow, however. Just last week, I got an email from WildBlue stating that they had billed my credit card (debit, actually) for $791. I phoned WB and got the biggest attitude and run-around you can imagine. Eventually, the rep told me that WB did "attempt" to get the money but "since we didn't get it, you don't need to worry". I lost my cool for the first time in a long time but nobody there cared.
A trip to my bank, a talk with the bank manager and one fraud warning later, WildBlue is locked out of my accounts and finds themselves at the top of my list. Crappy service is one matter. Attempted bank fraud is another.
Even if slow dial-up is your only option, avoid this company. Unless, of course, you can afford to miss 3 or 4 days of work (without pay) waiting for an installer that never shows, want to pay for equipment you can't use and can afford to have a random $791 sucked from your bank account.
11/08/06 UPDATE
Well it has come down to me deciding over a BBB complaint, a state of GA complaint and/or legal action. The staff tells me that this matter is "over their head" and they can't seem to fix the problem. If they need help with that, I'll step up. More updates to follow. As of now, I have filed a BBB complaint and asked for my $87.92 back for the monthly fees, 1/2 of my lost pay, 1/2 of a monthly cell bill and a letter stating I do not owe WB anything.
Today, I received this email:
Dear: NICOLE
Our records indicate that payment on your account is overdue in the amount of $791.43. If the amount has already been paid, please disregard this notice. If you have not yet made a payment, please contact WildBlue at [protected] (option #2) to make a payment while this reminder has your full attention.
Failure to make full payment within 10 days will result in suspension or termination of your service. In addition, we will take other actions to enforce our rights under the Customer Agreement, including reporting your account to a collections agency.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
WILDBLUE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
P.O. Box 4427 Englewood, CO 80155.
2 years of this nonsense SCAM!
Wild Blue is awful! I got hooked up about 3 weeks ago and it is off more than it is on. If anyone knows a way out of this contract, please let me know.
Chris.
I agree with all these complaints - i just had wild blue installed here - and its virtually useless, along with the installation, speed, support - i cant cancel, so i'm stuck with what i consider garbage for the next 18 months - you got dial-up? - Do yourself a favor and stay with it if thats all available - i really i could get a lawsuit going for a refund, they CANNOT deliver what they preach.
Wildblue Communications is a scam operation. Their service to their customers is in reality no service at all, but in fact a disservice! I have been toleration this company for a year now. The Wildblue disservice has cost me $49.95 a month for the year, as well as the $299 equipment charge. I would have been better off with dial-up internet, and it couldn't be any slower.
Now that my year is up, Wildblue is giving me the runaround as I try to go through their channels to disconnect the disservice. I have had to go to my bank to put a STOP on the automatic withdrawal. I am sure that they are used to that so they probably have figured a way around it -- we will see. Maybe this stops here. If not, I have already wasted a lot of money on Wildblue so I might as well wast some more on a lawyer!
This is the WORST company I have ever dealt with by far! 45 minute to an hour hold times to be told there is nothing they can do. I have waited for a month now for an install. Canceled 3 times, the last by an installer that wanted $75 cash " for the cost of my gas" to come to my home and install. Today they guaranteed installation and guess what? No installer! I am beginning to think this company is some fly by night outfit based in a basement somewhere. Their guarantee is nothing because they offer nothing in return for breaking it. Their service is sub-par at best and who knows if the service even works, since they will not install the equipment. Today they even told me to call a local dealer and see if they would come out and install the equipment for me. Of course I would have to then pay for my "free installation" and Wildblue made no offer to pay or reimburse my cost to me. I already have a complaint with the BBB against Wildblue and I guess the Attorney General will have to be next, since they will not even give me my money back for their worthless equipment!
Wild Blue is not a good company if we had any other choice we would go back to dial up this instant.
I contacted the BBB and here is my report Now it is time to contact My State Attorney General. This worked for me when I had problems with Direcway / Hughesnet.
Filed against :
Johnston Communications
320 E. 3rd Street
Villisca IA 50864
&
WildBlue Communications, Inc.
Greenwood Corporate Plaza, Bldg. 1
5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Suite 300
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
WildBlue Communications, Inc
P.O. Box 4427
Englewood, CO 80155
1-866-WildBlue [protected])
Complaint Description:
I signed up January 5, 2006 and the automatically took the money out of my account for the dish. I have been waiting over a week for an installer. I contacted them on my installation date which was set for the morning and they later changed it to the afternoon. Then later that day I called in and they said they would not make it due to weather. So they rescheduled me for the following Monday. If it takes this long to get an installer out here how long will it take if I have technical problems!? I later called them and told them I wanted to cancel and they told me they would not refund me the money for the dish which they took out of my account the day I signed up for $299.00 and I would still have to pay for a full year of service which is another $264. I have a problem with a company that takes your money and takes there time installing and telling me that I broke the contact. They never lived up to their end of the agreement. WildBlue is another Directway HughesNet. Now I am stuck with a dish and no service since they will not refund me the money. I would never do business with WildBlue or HughesNet again. I called in yesterday and they said someone would get back to me. I was never called! I called today January 16th, 2007 and they told me the same thing. I paid for this service and now I am obligated to pay for another 12 months when they never lived up to their end of the deal. I am tired of the run around. They told me when I first signed up that if it is scheduled on a certain date then the company they have doing the job will be out because they hired them to do so! Thank you.