How To Cancel the Dish Network Effortlessly
The Dish Network is a U.S.-based satellite TV provider serving over 17 million consumers. The service competes with cable TV providers, offering more than 200 HD channels, integration with popular streaming apps, and a commercial-free viewing experience. While many users are satisfied with Dish’s services, some claim to have encountered streaming disruptions and a lack of assistance from tech support.
If you belong to the latter group or want to disconnect your Dish for any other reason, you’re in the right place. This guide will explain how to cancel the Dish Network successfully and inform you about the company’s cancellation policies and fees. You’ll also learn how to evade unwarranted subscription charges from Dish or any other service.
Note that the information in this article is valid as of January 2025. Visit the official company website or contact customer support for updates.
How To Cancel the Dish Network and Return the Equipment
Dish Network lets you cancel your subscription in three ways—via phone, online by email, and through regular mail. The following sections detail the steps to cancel Dish Network services under each method, as well as your obligations regarding the return of the equipment you leased from Dish.
What Is the Phone Number To Cancel Dish Network?
The phone number to cancel Dish Network is 866-974-0769, available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to midnight ET. Before calling the Dish cancellation number, ensure you have your account number, which you can find on your Dish bill or online account under the My Account Summary section.
How To Cancel Dish Online
If you want to cancel your Dish account online, you can do so by sending an email to onlinecancellation@dish.com. Make sure to include the following information in your cancel Dish TV online email:
- Your full name
- Dish Network account number
- Contact information (phone number, email address, etc.)
- Reason for cancellation
How To Cancel Dish by Mail
To discontinue your Dish Network services by mail, you can send them a written cancellation notice that includes your account number and other relevant information. You should send the letter to the company’s general customer service mailing address:
Dish Network L.L.C.
Customer Service Center P.O. Box 9033
Littleton, CO 80160-9033
What Equipment Do I Need to Return To Dish Network?
After discontinuing your membership, you must return all leased equipment in good condition within 30 days of cancellation. The leased equipment to return might include:
- Receiver(s)
- Smart card(s)
- Remote control(s)
- Low noise block converter feeds (LNBF)
You can return your Dish equipment in person to the original retailer you purchased it from or to Dish directly. The company will send you the return labels or boxes, which might cost up to $25 each.
If you fail to return the equipment within 30 days, here’s what Dish charges for unreturned equipment:
- LNBF—$49
- Smart card—$50
- Hopper Duo—$250
- Hopper with Sling—$300
- Hopper 3—$350
- Super Joey, 4K Joey, Wally, Joey, Wireless Joey, Hopper, and Hopper Plus—Up to $100
The charges will be applied to your Dish account or qualifying card on file.
What Is the Dish Network Early Termination Fee?
Dish Network offers a 2-year contract for its subscriptions. If you terminate your subscription before the commitment term expires, you're subject to an early termination fee (ETF).
The ETF is $20 a month for each remaining month on your agreement. For example, if you cancel your Dish subscription 12 months into the contract, you’ll pay a $240 fee.
Alternatives to Canceling To Keep in Mind
In case you’re moving or plan on coming back to Dish later, you should consider the options in the table below instead of canceling:
|
Option
|
How It Works
|
Phone Number To Activate the Service
|
|---|---|---|
|
Pausing the subscription
|
You can put your account on hold, which will set you back $5/month.
|
866-974-1695
|
|
Moving to a new location
|
With the DISH Move-in Deal, you may be able to get free equipment installation at your new location.
|
877-839-2110
|
|
Switching to a cheaper plan
|
You might be able to lower the bill while keeping your favorite channels, as Dish offers various pricing options.
|
866-974-3285
|
The availability of these options depends on your eligibility. You can call the listed phone numbers for further details. To find out how long you can pause your Dish service for, contact customer service at the number provided above.
How Do I Contact Dish Customer Service?
If you encounter any issues with Dish Network’s services, including billing, technical problems, or equipment malfunctions, you should contact the company’s customer support.
You can call the Dish Network at 1-800-333-3474 from 8 a.m. to midnight ET, seven days a week, or chat with a representative on the Dish Network website for assistance. For technical support, you can call the Dish phone number 24/7.
Before contacting the Dish Network customer service, have your account number and personal information ready. This will help expedite the process and ensure the Dish customer service representative assists you effectively.
Why Subscription Cancellations Can Sometimes Be Stressful
According to a few user reviews, canceling the Dish Network may not always be simple. One user claimed to have waited on hold for over three hours in multiple instances. Other issues customers have reported include tenacious support representatives determined to convince them not to cancel, as well as delays in the shipping of equipment return boxes.
Unfortunately, complicated subscription cancellation procedures are common nowadays. Some companies design the process to be challenging enough to trick you into remaining a paying customer for longer than you want to. While you can’t escape the early termination and equipment return fees, you may be able to secure your funds from excessive charges while going through the cancellation process, thanks to virtual cards.
Virtual cards’ primary purpose is to protect your financial information from potential hacker attacks on merchants’ servers by substituting it with random card numbers at checkout. However, these cards often come with additional features that give you control over your expenses. For example, Privacy Virtual Cards allow you to pause and close cards or set spending limits to prevent sneaky merchants from charging you more than you’ve agreed to.
Take Back Control of Your Expenses With Privacy Virtual Cards
You can connect your debit card or bank account to Privacy Virtual Cards and use them to pay for all your favorite subscriptions, such as Walmart, Peloton, and Spotify, safeguarding your funds from unauthorized or unwarranted charges.
With Privacy, you can generate three types of virtual cards:
- Single-Use—This card type is valid for a single transaction, closing shortly after the first purchase is completed. You can use it on websites you’re shopping on for the first time and whose trustworthiness you’re still unsure of.
- Merchant-Locked—This card type can be used with only one merchant. It’s suitable for merchants you transact with often and recurring payments, such as subscriptions.
- Category-Locked—This card type “locks” to a group of merchants rather than a single vendor. Only merchants that meet the set criteria can charge the card. You can use this card to control and manage spending in specific categories, such as dining and digital goods.
Unlike your debit card, the Merchant-Locked Card lets you set spending limits and close or pause the card quickly without affecting the funding source. Privacy declines all charges on the closed or paused card as well as those that exceed the designated limit. Next time you sign up for a subscription service, use a Merchant-Locked Card. If you ever decide to cancel the service, take advantage of the above features to stop unwarranted subscription charges, as well as prevent sneaky subscription services from charging you more than the agreed price.
Privacy—Additional Benefits, Pricing, and Setup
In the following table, you can learn about additional perks you get from Privacy:
