EchoStar to JSR: Do Not Call

As part of an effort to take action against “do-not-call” violators, EchoStar Communications and its Dish Network terminated their relationship with independent EchoStar retailer JSR Enterprises of Santa Ana, Calif., officials said Wednesday.

EchoStar ended its relationship with the retailer as a result of the direct-broadcast satellite company’s internal investigation of consumer complaints alleging violations of telemarketing laws and St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Lisa Van Amburg’s recent issuance of a temporary restraining order prohibiting JSR from making telephone solicitations to Missouri consumers.

The order was issued at the request of Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon against JSR and other companies that aren’t EchoStar retailers. According to the Missouri Attorney General’s press release, JSR requested a copy of Missouri’s No Call database but was cited in multiple complaints after receiving the list.

The JSR termination follows the recent terminations of EchoStar retailers Atlas Assets of Irvine, Calif., and United Satellite of Aliso Viejo, Calif., as a result of similar investigations of consumer telemarketing complaints. EchoStar alerted state attorney generals of the results of its investigation.

EchoStar said it fully supports the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry and all telemarketing laws and regulations, and that its policies prohibit unlawful telemarketing calls to existing and potential Dish customers and require retailers to be fully knowledgeable of applicable law as a condition to any telemarketing activities.

EchoStar will continue to investigate the practices of retailers and marketing lead generators that violate telemarketing laws and will take appropriate actions as necessary.

“EchoStar takes violations of telemarketing laws very seriously,” senior vice president of retail services and sales Erik Carlson said in a prepared statement. “EchoStar will continue to expend significant resources and work with law-enforcement agencies in pursuit of improper solicitations by parties who hide behind EchoStar’s Dish Network trade name.”