DIRECTV has been deceiving me since I set up service. I signed up for the Choice Extra package with the DVR at an additional cost. The lies and deceptions I have been told are as follows.

1. When I originally signed up for service On September 1, 2010 I was told I could have an indoor satellite due to the strict rules of my apartments complex. On September 15, 2 weeks of waiting for a technician, the technician had no idea what I was talking about. The technician had never heard of an indoor satellite that attaches inside the house by a window. After the technician and I being on the phone with DIRECTV, they explained that it was equipment that I would have to special order from DirecTV for over 400.00 dollars and would not be able to receive insurance on it. I told them I would wait for services when I move into housing the following month. Once in our new house, I called DirecTV to set up an appointment and spoke with Henry. The representative set an appointment up for Thursday October 28 between 8am and 12pm. Henry also confirmed my order being Choice Extra package that included 210 channels, DVR service, whole home service, two receivers, and HDTV service. Henry explained I was going to get a free upgrade to choice extra (instead of 34.99 I would be paying 29.99 a month), I would also receive HBO Showtime and Stars 3 months free, the first receiver was free and the second receiver was 5.00 a month, my bill would show a 29.00 rebate for 24 months, a 10.00 dollar refer a friend rebate, and a 10.00 dollar rebate on bundle package, and my HDTV service would be free if I signed up for direct pay (which I did at that time) and my final amount due at the end of each month would be 21.99 dollars. On October 28, a technician never showed up. Again DirecTV has wasted time. I set up another appointment which DirecTV couldn’t come out for another 2 weeks. The technician never showed at the house again. I complained, this time DirecTV said they would get a technician out sooner since I was having Thanksgiving and wanted the football game on. So on November 23, the technician came to the house after I called DirecTV explaining it was getting close to the end of the day and still have not seen the technician. He still didn’t have the receivers that already had our account loaded in, he had to take another customers from his truck and call in the problems. As we was speaking to the representative he asked her if I could receive a credit. After getting off the phone he told me he was sorry for all the inconveniences over the past three months but there would be a credit on my bill and I should expect an amount that would probably cover the first month. I was satisfied with a credit after having so many troubles with DirecTV. I never got the credit, never. I called and explained the situation to several representatives, and their bosses on more than one occasion. Even having the evidence of the phone calls they wouldn’t credit anything. I assume DirecTV and the technician just wanted to activate the service before I got too fed up and cancelled the entire thing where I wouldn’t owe them money yet.

1. When signing up for service the representative explained that if I filled out a rebate form before the technical set up service It would be reflected on my first bill. After receiving my first bill, this was not true. I had and still do have the initial email confirmation for the rebate. Calling DIRECTV forced me to waste time on the phone, and resubmit all information I had previously done where I then got a second email confirming my rebate. This not only wasted my time but DIRECTV still did not credit the rebate on my bills until I continued calling. It took several months before DIRECTV started crediting me the initial promotion rebate. One representatives explained that even though the rebates did start right away, that I would be prorated the rebate amounts from the months I did not have it over the first year of service. This has not proven true, I am only receiving the 24.00 normal rebate each month, not the 24.00 rebate plus the prorated amount from the months I did not receive rebate. DIRECTV made no effort to let me forward the confirmation email or adjust the price right away on the first 3 bills contrary to their website and me having proof of doing their instructions, twice.

3. I don’t have local channels. I was never told I would not have locals, in fact I was told that the choice extra package would include over 210 channels. The technician told me to wait 24 hours for all channels to be downloaded onto receiver. So the next day I called to see why I couldn’t find the Thanksgiving football game. I was then informed I didn’t have locals. I asked them to cancel and deactivate my service. She said I would owe over 400.00 dollars, I refused to believe that and got transferred to the deactivation department. I was told I would owe fees again, however I explained I would not pay them and they needed to stop services since I would have never signed up for a TV package that didn’t include and of the channels I watch (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX). After battling I told her to cancel my service and I would battle the charges through my credit card company and DirecTV. She then explained the computer system is down and she couldn’t process that request. However she could transfer me to a department that would process a request for accessing the channels from an outside area (New York). Since I wasn’t allowed to able to deactivate I let them put in a request for the Channels, she informed me it would take up to 45 days to see if it was approved. I called in January to see if I was approved, they said a request was never put in for me, but they could do one now. I agreed. I called on June 8 explaining I still don’t have the channels and I got the same response of their being no record in my account of a request. When signing up for service I was signing up for package “Choice Xtra” on my bill the package is “Choice Xtra-no locals monthly”. This is wrong, I have been deceived and lied to, as a customer I should have been told that I would not be receiving everything as advertised or told to over the phone.

4. I never received HBO for 3 free months. I still have the flyer explaining I will get it for new customer and have asked DirecTV to allow me service for 3 months. I spoke to a woman named Obee and she said I would receive the service but it would not show up on my order. DirecTV still refuses to give me what they explained I would get when I originally signed up.

5. Charges get added without being warned by DirecTV and not being requested by me. I got a new charge in February of “DIRECTV Protection Plan Begins in 30 Days: $5.99/Month” I had to spend a lot of time debating the charge and having them remove it from my plan. I then told the representative to remove me from autopay, and I do NOT authorize direcTv to take payment from any credit card or bank account. It was worth not receiving the free HD to have peace of mind that my accounts would not be misused. Although DirecTv may have removed this charge they make it very difficult to get in contact with the person who is able to fix the problem by having the customer go through many steps of talking to several representative and departments which forces the customer to spend abnormally long amounts of time trying to fix a simple problem. I feel this is a tactic DirecTV uses often to discourage customers calling or fixing problems that are worth small amounts of money to each customer.

6. My bill says my price guarantee ends on October 2011 (I didn’t even activate service until November 23 since DirecTV kept not showing up to scheduled appointments). I was told I would have a price guarantee for 24 months. I still have an advertisement saying “Lock in your savings for 2 years!”. Although I have not reached October where my bill says I will no longer have a price guarantee, I am trying to fix the problem in advance. I continually call DirecTv, but they will not believe me that I signed up for a price lock of 24 months, they have told me that it is not a plan that exists. I have the advertisement still explaining otherwise.

7. DirecTv will not remove my HD service. I am being charged 10.00 dollars for service I don’t use. I was never told I would have to keep the HD the entire time I would have DirecTV. The HD receivers was given as a “free upgrade” It was never explained that by not choosing the free upgrade you would not be forced to have HD services. On June 8 the representative explained I could in fact deactivate the service however I would have to return the receiver I currently have for a different receiver of lesser quality, I was okay with that. I then was told I would be charged 168.00 dollars. They normally only charge customers a 19.99 delivery fee, yet I am being charged to switch out a receive for a lesser quality receiver. I currently have one receiver for “free” and am being charged 6 dollars for a second receiver (which they said would only be 5 dollars but again you have to pick your battles with DirecTv). Since my roommate moved out I wanted to return the second receiver, I was told no and I will continue to get charged monthly unless I pay 168.00 for that receiver too. However they won’t charge me to return devices once my 2 year agreement is over.

8. The first week in June I receive a “DIRECTV CUSTOMER AGREEMENT” pamphlet. It says it is “Effective as of April 24, 2011, until replaced”. It is all fine print, but it does state “IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY AND WE WILL CANCEL YOUR ORDER OR SERVICE”. So I called on June 8 regarding the service agreement. The representative explains that this was sent to me by mistake somehow because nothing new except international channels have are different I said I didn’t want the new service agreement. She said if I don’t agree I still have to pay the cancellation fees and by continuing service I agree to the customer agreement. This agreement says that DirecTV may collect any moneys DirecTv feels entitled to from any bank account, debit or credit card you have paid with from previous transactions with only a 10 day warning. I do not agree to this. DirecTv has shown dishonesty the entire time I have had their service. Regardless DirecTv Customer agreement form says you are able to cancel if you do not agree, however they make a customer pay the regular cancellation fees. I was never given a contract “which should have included all this fine print” before I started.

9. DirecTV states that they record and keep records of each customer call. I have tried to get DirecTv to locate a representative or listen to conversations I have previously had to prove that I was promised something that has not been delivered, and even though I have the day and time and provide representative ID number, they have told me that the conversation I have had is not saved. DirecTV outright lies.

DirecTV is a large company with many departments. Each Employee is able to explain and sell you on a service and lie about the details without disclosing disadvantages. DirecTV employees know that by lying they get customers to sign on for a service which makes them look good as a seller, and they will not be held accountable since the company is too large for a customer to get back in contact with. I do not want someone else to have to go through what I have gone through, I have only listed the partial problems I have had with DirecTV, I will never get the time back I have spend with DirecTV correct and fighting issues where the end result is not favorable for me.