Dish to Pay $2 Million in Settlement With Colorado Attorney General

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers’ office reached a $2 million settlement with Dish Network stemming from the state’s investigation of Dish’s sales practices, it said Friday. Suthers’ office began investigating Dish in 2011 after consumer complaints about price increases. “Customers were upset to see their price raised after Dish sales agents pledged contract rates were 'locked in,' 'frozen,' or 'guaranteed' and in some cases that prices would never change," Suthers, a Republican, said in a news release. Rates that were supposed to be locked in for two years increased by an average of $5 per month during the second year of a contract, Suthers’ office said. Of the $2 million settlement, $1 million will go toward Colorado’s general fund, while the other $1 million will go into the state attorney general’s office’s custodial fund, which the office uses to fund consumer protection work. Dish also agreed to revise its sales disclosures nationwide to say the company reserves the right to raise prices at its discretion, Suthers’ office said. Dish said in a statement that it is pleased to have resolved Colorado’s investigation even though the company disagreed with the state’s claims.