You'll enjoy this one!!! A brilliant business plan!!!

I've been a DirectTV customer for several years...never really had a problem with their service. Although a little more expensive than their competitors, I get the basic package that I pay for.

Almost a year ago (Oct 2007), DirectTV notifies me that I have to swap out my equipment becuase of upgrades they've made to their system. The upgrades in equipment would be handled for free and not doing so...would affect my service. In other words, if I didn't have them come out and change out the old equipment for the new upgraded equipment...DirectTV wouldn't work anymore.

Of course I said, "ok...change it." What did I care... They made an appointment and the service guy came out and changed the dish ( I remember him saying something about chagning to a 3 wire...instead of a 2 wire...or something like that) and he changed the box for the same reason. Still...no big to me. It didn't seem out of the norm for a company to upgrade their equipment.

In the last week, I called them with the idea of cancelling service. I was told that I was "within contract" because I had upgraded my equipment last year and if I canceled...I would be charged a cancellation fee!!! I discovered that when they upgraded the equipment...they hid a 2-year extension or contract on me.

I recapped the situation and how they "DirectTV" had requested and told me I had to upgrade the equipment and that I had never requested it be done. NO MATTER...they denied any chance of removing this contract period from my account saying...you had the option of not upgrading the equipment...I loved that one!!!

The fool proof way of retaining customers...tell them they have to upgrade existing equipment (whether they need to or not) and hide or play down a contract extension when making the swap.

I told DirectTV this scenario...but really...did I have too? They did it to me...and how many others have enjoyed this same treatment.

DirectTV...NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER...sign up for their service.

I'm looking for any advice on who, what, when, where, and how to get this situation resolved. I want to part ways from these bandits...

Thanks for reading and I hope you have an answer to my problem.

Email me: [email protected]

Directv does not take care of its good customer service technical agents. The employees that really value that customers and take what time and research needed to resolve the customers issues. These good csrs are penalized by the company by not getting their incentive payouts and some time their payroll checks which in the end causes these good csr reps to leave DTV. The Customer Service Reps that remain are low caliber human beings that have tattoos, noise rings, have moehocks and are overweight and filthy poor uneducated individuals that can't get a job anywhere else loser employees that make $9 to $13 hour. These are the people handling your DTV account. DTV rewards csr that do not roll trucks for sc, send out remote controls or receiver replacements and who do not issue credits because these stats tie into incentive payouts so instead of the csr doing the moral and just right thing for the customer they disc calls for searching for satellite to avoid setting up service calls, tell customers to get remotes from retailers and refuse credits that the customers entitled to. DTV also tracks seconds between a call, how fast a tech gets off the phone and if a tech says everything they should on the phone and if they transfer a call. Its a model for poor customer service to the customer and I'm sorry I work for DTV and have done this to customers to earn a living.

Did not realize I was entering a 2 year contract until after the installation. They tried to charge me more than the advertised price. Installers did not know the digital video recorder should have 2 cables coming in instead of 1. Reported continual loss of signal and they sent someone out who moved the satellite dish but did not fix the problem. 2 more crews came out before the problem was corrected. The installers are contractors who argue with DirectTV right in front of you. One of them asked my daughter for her phone number.

When I moved, the installer did not show up until 10pm, did not know what he was doing, and left around 11:30. DirectTV kept cutting off my service even though I was paying $90 a month. After an hour on the phone they determined that I had changed plans but and they were charging me for the old and the new plan. I asked to be let out of my contract 3 months early. The representative took my information and said someone would call me back. Guess what. You got it, no call.

By far the worst customer service I have experienced in my 55 years.

My 93 year old mother, whom has only an air antennae, had false charge from Direct TV.Left telephone number with Direct TV, as they requested; however, after a week - no rerturn telephone call.

I closed account within three days. They turned me over to two collection agencies. I had to write both of the certified letters that I owed them nothing. It has been over a year & I have 2 HD boxes and another box plus the dish and 100 feet of wiring. They robbed my bank account, even when I changed debit cards. I had to change banks all together.

On the 11th month a man from the President's office called; but I would not talk to him.