We started my DIRECT TV service in September 2007. The agreement required a purchase of 24 consecutive months’ service. We stayed loyally with DIRECT TV for about 25 months regardless of the increasing bill amounts and even the charges by their mistakes. On Oct. 3, 2009 I called DIRECT TV to cancel my service. I was offered that each month I would get about $20 discount and the $5.99/month fee for Protection Plan which I have never purchased could be canceled without a penalty. We had waited for two years to be able to cancel the DIRECT TV service that had ripped us off ever since we signed in with them. I was very determined to terminate the miserable service that we had to put up for so long. Knowing that there was no way that they could persuade me to stay with them, the representative told me that they would charge me $240 early termination fee for one receiver that was replaced a year ago. We replaced the master bedroom’s TV with a HD LCD TV. Therefore we requested to replace the regular receiver with a HD receiver. We were charged a total of $21.60 for shipping/handling and tax for this HD receiver. The regular receiver was returned to Direct TV.

Where did this penalty come from? I was told the fine was based on the HD receiver that we had in service for only 12 months. When we started a new receiver, this equipment requires a service of consecutive 24 months. What a reason? I have never been informed or required to sign or orally agree to renew my service to another 24 months from the date of replacing a receiver. We subscribed the service with 4 receivers. We disconnected one in Aug. 2009. We have never added a new service. The 24-month agreement was completed. How can DIRECT TV still charge us for any early termination fees?