Direct TV customers Beware

Having had our Direct TV discontinued we decided to switch to Cable for several reasons the first being every time we had a storm or snow we lost our connection, when we called about the service we were told wed have to pay a 80 Dollar’s for a service call to repair or readjust their satellite, the service man said it was OK, thus we had to continue to experience the continual disruption, when we signed up for this service some 14 years ago we had to purchase the receivers which we understood would be refunded when service was discontinued, we asked how to return this equipment we where told it was obsolete and they didn’t want the receivers back or their satellite dish, I wonder how many other consumers out there are using obsolete equipment and are receiving poor service. When we received our last Bill we didn’t pay on time and without authorization used a credit card number they had on file to pay the amount due, the card used wasn’t even the debtors, so they withdrew money from someone who wasn’t even a customer. The point to this is that Direct TV will withdraw their fees without notice or permission to satisfy their Bill, but they will not honor their customers with updated equipment and continuous service. So Please contact Direct TV and insist they update your equipment and don’t pay with a Credit or Debit card, or personal check because they will transfer the needed funds without notice from these financial instruments.

Beware when signing up for Direct TV. I recently signed up for Direct TV. Two days later, I called to cancel because the service turned out to be inferior to my cable service. When I spoke to Direct TV, they informed that service could only be cancelled within the first 24 hours. After that, I would have to pay a two-year commitment fee (over $400) if I wanted to cancel the service. Additionally, although I initially signed up for the service by calling Direct TV directly, they told me the service was actually installed by a third party, and therefore the cancellation issue out of their (Direct TV's) hands.

First, I was never informed of the 24 hour cancellation policy, nor of the two-year commitment when I signed up. Nor was I informed that the installation service was being performed by an independent third party not directly affiliated with Direct TV -and whose business name I don't even know - which means that any issues outside of the satellite service itself are between me and the unknown third party installation service provider.

This is a crooked business practice that makes you a slave to Direct TV, leaving the consumer with no other options once he/she is trapped in their web. Buyers beware. Direct TV is inferior to cable service in every way possible!

Mr. Carey, My name is Bruce Snider & I have had DTV for about 3 years. I have had 4-5 problems losing the signal of 1/2 of my channels on one tv. Every time it has been the multi switch that the techs replace. They have all told me that the problem is the multi switch & they not only change it, they give me another one for a spare. Once this spare goes bad I have to call DTV & go through all of these tests that I do before I call. I also do one test that they dont ask about. I go to the multi switch & I can move the problem from reciever to reciever. The problem obviously isnt in the recievers its the mulit switch. This evening I talked to a gentleman that I felt kept trying to make me feel foolish. I asked to speak to his supervisor & he told me it would take 2-3 minutes to get one. He asked more questions & then put me on hold for a few minutes. He came back with the same questions again. I asked for your name & he told me he could not give me that information. I then asked again for a supervisor & he told me to hang on for 2-3 minutes again. I asked him how big was this place that it takes that long for a supervisor when you have talked to him with a problem customer already. He told me that wasn't information he could give me. I then got to talk with John ID#255107 & he started the whole thing over again. I shared with him that I have had this problem numerous times & that I would like a tech to come look at this problem. He wanted me to get my cell phone & go to my garage to do these tests that I have already done. He wanted me to do them again. I shared with him that the garage does not have a telephone in it & that it was about 100 yards from house. Mr Carey, I know you are a busy man & so am I. I would like to spend my off work hours with my family, & not running back & forth from my garage to do tests that I have already done. I pay $81.22 per month for my DTV with TiVO & 2 other recievers & the equipment protection plan. I feel that I do enough for your company & should get the services that I pay for.I have one other complaint & that would be my TiVO unit. When a storm comes & disrupts my service thats OK. I understand weather affects the signal. But the TiVO unit locks up & must be reset. This started happening a few months ago. I have had a tech out to look at it. He told me the dual LNB was bad. I have never seen one go bad & John told me this evening that is very rare. The tech called his boss & was told that if the TiVO unit still worked they couldn't replace it. It has now gotten to the point where it doesn't record all of the programs it is programmed to record. I have to manually set it to record or it will miss shows from the season pass. I only record first runs. Sir, I & my family really enjoy our DTV when its working properly. But for the money I spend I think we should get a little better service when we have a problem. It has gotten to the point where I truly hate to call in with a problem. The service people act like I am a bother to them. Maybe I'm interupting them with my trivial problems. I left DISH network because I liked the DTV set up that my father in law had. He said he had had both systems & liked DTV more & it cost less. I have to agree with him, it costs a little less, the programing is a little better, but lately I have been very disappointed with the service. I thank you for taking the time to read this. I wont bother you or your staff with my trivial problems anymore. If you can help me out & get my system fixed great. If not, whenever my contract is up I will have to move on. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 614-316-4449 cell during the day. Or my home 614-833-4486 my home in the evening. You can also email me at [email protected]. Again, thank you for your time in this matter, Bruce Snider9490 Salem Church RdCanal Winchester OH 43110

I have had Direct TV at our business for about 2 months and purchased their protection plan with our service and today I have no signal on either one of our receivers and I spent over an hours talking to different people and being transfered to different dept. and having to call different numbers just to find out it will take them a WEEK to come out and fix the problem and then when I asked for a credit for the week I am going to have no service they were completely rude and told me they don't credit your account for non service and that they would have to suspend my service and then call back to reconnect my service which means of course more of my time wasted on the phone with them. I have comcast at my house and whenever there has been a problem with our service with comcast they send somebody out within 24 hours. I am not happy with Direct TV at all and would not get it at my house or recommend it to anybody.

I had an appointment scheduled for Thursday. The installer shows up and says he only does residential and can't do commercial installations. He tells me he will reschedule for Tuesday between 1 - 5pm, since Monday was a holiday. At 4:35p on Tuesday, the installer calls to tell me he is in T. Oaks headed to Ventura. I said great, I'll give you directions. 6:05, no installer, so I call him. He tells me he will not be able to make it and will reschedule for Wednesday between 1 - 5. Said someone will call to confirm the appointment.

It's 11:50 on Wednesday and no call from anyone associated with Direct TV or Ironwood. I call the main Ironwood number in Camarillo, tell the fella that answered the phone my story and tells me he will have someone out between noon and 4 today.

How do people like this stay in business!!!


Sounds like a great opportunity for someone that really knows what they are doing...these people obviously do not know the first thing about customer service!