Big Corporations Like Direct TV
feel they have the right to abuse their customers.
As the public we are really being taken advantage of as customers. At one time people took pride in their jobs and the equipment was good. Not today, they send you the cheapest equipment knowing it will not last and then when you have a problem instead of fixing it they give you are big run around making it look like they are doing something.

I lost the signal on one of the receivers I have. They wanted me to call them, couldn't just email me the instructions with images so I could do it without going through a bunch of bull with their automated call center. We've all have been through the automated call centers so you know what I am talking about. Any how lost the signal, the only way to get it back is turn off the receiver, unplug it and pull the chip out. Leave it off for about 5 minutes and plug it back in. Then it works.

After a half hour on the phone and resetting the receiver, well that is their solution. Needless to say if it happens again I will have to go through the same thing. Another fact is if this happened "ONE" time then there is a PROBLEM with the receiver and it should be replaced so I don't have to go through this again. Second they know everything that I watch and what the receiver is doing at any given time. If you wonder how I know, watch their ad about knowing who is watching what show at any time. I should not have to give up my time because of their problems. They don't care if you miss your favorite program as long as they get their money. Now they won't email you the instructions so you can do this for some reason, they make you call. and this is from one of their emails and I quote:

"Thanks for writing us back. I understand your current situation. We are limited to what we can troubleshoot by email, but we want to ensure your system is up and running again as quickly as possible. As previously mentioned, since you have the DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN, the best way for you to get help as soon as possible is to call 1-888-667-7463 and choose the option to speak to a technical assistant.

You would have to speak to the DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN department directly to have this issue resolved as any service call or receiver replacement processed through the email department would require a charge for the service."

Simple instructions with images work wonders in solving problems. I know I do it all the time helping people with their computers. So why the run around, got me. But they will not send the instructions via email and they are really simple instructions.

I emailed them about this problem and they insisted I make that dreadful phone call, at my expense, (prepaid cell at 25 cents a minute) just so they can say they did something. Now odds are the receiver is going to go out again when a program that we don't want to miss and have to go through this all again.

As I said the problem most likely would return, well it did a week later and I had to call them again, this time they said they would ship me a new receiver and would receive it in 3 working days. I called on a Tuesday, and they said that it would "ARRIVE ON SATURDAY" but the shipping company did not work Saturday's so it would be Monday. Now Tuesday to Friday is what I call 3 working days but I am getting I guess somewhat old and can't counts as they do today. The receiver should have be shipped the first time and saved me the headaches of dealing with a company like this and the loss of the service I am paying for again. As long as they get their money we the customers do not count.

After receiving the new receiver box it had to be activated. They gave me an 800 number to call for activation. I called that number only to get a menu to choose from. Seems they would have given me an 800 number directly to the activation department instead of wasting my time with a menu.

So after going through their menu I finally got a woman who was going to activate the box. Well after trying for 15 minutes she couldn't do it and had to transfer me.

After being transferred they wanted my life history including and this is amazing they wanted to know what room it was in? Sounds like there were staking out my house.

They also wanted to know the Model Number, the serial number and another number which was on a small tag on the receiver that was so small even with a magnifying glass I couldn't read it. So while I am trying to tell this guy it was too small to read I looked at the screen of the TV and there on the screen were the numbers he wanted. Funny he didn't know they could be found there.

Sadly the story doesn't end there. After I finally got this thing activated, about 30 to 40 minutes I went online and checked my bill and guess what? They added a $1 fee for a leased receiver when the one I had been using for two weeks didn't work. Now only was I without a good receiver box for two weeks, they now want to charge me a lease for a receiver box? Talk about GREED AT ITS WORST. As you can see it is autopay so from the last billing it was paid in full and there should be no charges until my regular monthly bill is sent so what is this extra charge for??? Some CEO needs the money I guess.

Whatever happened to pride and a good job and doing the correct thing? Like just sending a new receiver so this problem doesn't happen again. One other thing a supervisor came to the house to check the installation told me and hasn't been done yet. This was about 7 months ago that he told me the pole the dish was on was supposed to be cemented in the ground and the wires run underground. He said they would send someone around to do this and I had to pay $50 to have it put on a pole in the ground because I didn't want them running bolts through the roof of the house.

After paying you would think they would do what they promised but hey they got their money and the pole still hasn't been cemented in the ground and the wires are blowing in the air.. So before going with Direct TV better plan on not having any problems or else get ready to be put through a bunch of crap for no reason at all.

Unlike other products you buy, when something goes wrong, you call and they give you a RA number to return the product and they replace it. NOT DIRECT TV, and by the way, they don't have 24 hour tech support. It starts at 8AM till and I didn't pay any attention but it most likely is 4 or 5 PM so pray you don't have problems at other times or you will be paying for a service you will not receive until they open up again the next day.

This is nothing but big corporation greed at its worst.

Yes I have just experiences the same thing and catch this one. I had service for 18 months which was my commitment term-I cancelled one week after the 18 month-they charged me $125.00 for early termination and just yesterday I got socked with a a$52.82 cent charge. I called their customer service and you are transferred to the Philippines. I asked to speak with a manager and they told me this was for pay per view events that showed up on my access cards from 2007!!! Well I tried to tell this idiot that my phone line was never connected to any receiver so therefore I never got the event and yet you can try and steal my money from me 18 months later? There needs to be something done about this company legally. I am furious. Not only did I fill my commitment but also I had the most expensive HD package they carried for 5 rooms.

Hello,
my name is Sheena Ruegamer. I spent 45 minutes on January 28, 2009 with several representatives trying to get my service disconnected. I have been a customer since May of 2005. Last year my husband got a DVR (which we never used that function.) when he spoke with the representative to connect the new receiver, no one mentioned that he needed another 2 year contract. He bought the receiver from an authorized Direct TV equipment provider from EBay.
On that day, I told the representatives that I moved from that address in Mesa AZ. 85207 to another address that already has Direct TV. That I wanted to disconnect the service because my husband and I are divorcing and he does not want the service.
They directed me to email and write to them explaining my circumstance. I emailed them and I received a letter later stating that I owed Direct TV for early cancellation as well as a DRV receiver. My bill totals $845.68!
I called them again to resolve the issue and spent another 45 minutes on telephone with another "resolution supervisor" who said the exact same thing. I owe for an early cancellation, as well as receiver (that I have a receipt for!)

I was able to change my service needs with Qwest, the water company and the electric, I don't know why this has to be so difficult or expensive with a company that I worked with for almost 4 years. I would expect better from a nationally known company like them.


Sheena Ruegamer
[email protected]

Saturday February 28, Direct TV sent a installer and because the wind was blowing in excess of 40 mph we both agreed that it was too dangerous. He stated that he would reschedule my installation for Monday the 2nd, but I said that would not work so he got on the phone and scheduled it for Tuesday the 3rd. Monday the 2nd I called DIRECTTV to confirm, having a suspecious nature, and they told me "NO" that a installer was on his way and I said "NO" that I was at work at work and could not break for 4 hours today. I explained that it was set up the next day the 3rd and they put me on hold and came back in a short minute and said OK that it was set up. Then the installer called me the 2nd and said "Why would you trust the installer who was at my house, Saturday? He was just a independent contractor". He stated that unless he was in an official DIRECTTV van then he probably did not schedule the installation for the 3rd. I stated that I talked to the people at 800-DIRECTTV and they assured me that they would be there on the 3rd. He said it was not scheduled. On the 3rd, feeling uneasy, I called again to verify my installation and they told me that it was scheduled for the 2nd and was cancelled. I naturally went crazy and asked to speak to a supervisor and Tony (which I doubt) came on the line stated he was a resolution specialist.
I said OK and explain the above and without so much of an apology or effort to defuse the situation started telling me that there was nothing he could/would do, other than, reschedule. After ranting awhile I finally calmed down enough to ask when? He went away for a while and finally said the 5th. I asked him if we could do it from 8-12 and he did not say "No, Mr. Aylor, I am sorry but we are filled, but we could work with you in the afternoon". What he did say was "NO, 1-5 only".
At that point I said cancel the whole thing. Oh, by the way, he did say I'll give you a hundred dollars or we can just cancel earlier in the conversation, but never once did he give consideration that I took off work that morning and never once state that he was had empathy for this situation.
Now, I know having been in retail for my entire 40+ years in business that you spend huge amounts of revenue promoting your product and in one unbelievable phone call it all comes to an end because you are trusting those on the phone to handle your customers with kid gloves.
I will not re-sign with DIRECTTV and will tell as many who will listen that the company is being run by incompetents. Hire, train and follow up on that training daily or continue to lose not one, but everyone they know and touch.

I sold my home in which I had DTV and got an apartment. I was happy to see if I could bring my DTV with me to the new place. I scheduled hookup at my new Apt. and tech never showed up. I called DTV and was told I now have a $100.00 no show credit. Technician finally came by to hook up and said there was "No Line Of Sight" at the Apt. so I had to go another route for TV. I spoke to DTV Rep. and she said " Since verified no line of sight" there will not be a $178.00 early cancellation fee. Two months later a bill showed for the $178.00! I called again and this rep. claimed they reversed that charge and I confirmed it online and got a regular mailing to this effect. I had other credits due back to me from DTV all totalling $308.00. They sent me one check for $80.00, then 2 weeks later I recieved a bill for the Ealy Cancellation fee again of $178.00!! I sent DTV's "Billing Dispute" dept. a letter and evidence from their mailings to me that they should not expect the "cancellation fee" from me per their reversal of that fee!! I also sent with that dispute letter a Demand Letter for what the owe me back and havent heard a thing for a month now. Totally terrible communication on DTV's part and I still do not have my money!!