As a new subscriber to Direct TV, I am definitely unhappy about all parts of their organization. I attempted to get installation done. They showed up with the wrong hardware. Rescheduled they showed up again with wrong hardware. The next time the installation tech indicated he may not be able to install and attempted to charge me $50 each for the installation of 3 wires. Rescheduled again, (yep, I am an idiot) they never even showed up. The next time, they sent a supervisor who installed the system. I was somewhat pleased. I then got my first bill, instead of it being the quoted price, it was extremely excessive. They explained that the 3-3 month free preview offers were for "moving" accounts and not for new subscribers. Any rebates could take as long as 6-8 weeks to process.

Bottom line, buyer beware, NOT supid like me.

I have had nothing but problems with getting my direct tv rebate. Within 48 hours of getting my services I went on line and did the things I had to do to get the $21. rebate. The next month I got my bill and it did not show the rebate. I was told that it would be taken care of. I assumed they ment every month. The following month I got another bill and it had a late charge on it and did not have the rebate. I don't understand if they did not receive the original rebate request on line how where they able to contact me via my e mail? This time I spoke with Direct 8/3 I was told I would get the credit rebate but it would take some time. I told Direct that they charged me for the pay channels and I did not want them. She connected me to another rep. and he took the movie channels off. About two days later on 8/5 I spoke with another rep. about the the bill and rebate. I paid what I was told I owed $77.31. On 8/15 I get another call saying that they are not going to accept the rebate at all and I will have to pay full price for the year. This is truely deceptive business.

I signed up with AAA and was told the entire installation was free. I specifically asked for a ground pole installation and the lady told me no problem. When the installer called to let me know he was on the way I asked him if he had the equipment to install the pole. He said no problem he had it. BUT it was going to cost $75. I explained that it wouldn't be free in that case. I called DirecTV to complain and I am told its a standard charge but it is up to their installers if they want to charge it or not. After spending about 20 minutes on the phone the customer service rep and his supervisor let me cancel. I call back totally amazed that they let me cancel. The guy on the phone apologizes but said yes it is true. The installer shows up and gets belligerent because I didn't call him to tell him I canceled. I told him I told the call center to call him, it isn't my problem and I am not a customer anymore.

I send in an email and complain. I get a call back and I am told that they will credit me the $75. I said I was ok with that but had issues with be committed if I signed up and received such poor customer service. The guy on the phone said no problem he could renew my old account which I canceled in 2004 BUT I would lose the AAA deal of $10.00 a month for 24 months. I said well I don't want to lose $240 so lets just do the AAA deal. He said "oh just call the sign up number and go through the process all over again." Can you believe I need to re-sign up and he can't do the AAA deal? I said if that is the case I probably won't bother. I send another email saying ok guys I want to do it but I don't want to deal with the sign up process again. If you can just click a button and make it happen sign me up. A "customer advocate manager" calls me back and we talk. He tells me there is no way I can reuse my tenure since I am getting new equipment. I said ok I understand that it makes sense. He said ok but since you were a customer sometime in your life no matter how long you have been gone I am not subject to the AAA deal. He even said that account review would have recognized that I was a previous customer (I mentioned this when signing up originally). I asked him if they were going to come and install me and then after the fact tell me I am ineligible for the AAA offer? He didn't really answer. So now instead of arguing over a stupid $75 pole I am fighting to save my $240 service credit for the next 2 years! The guy just will not bend and won't honor the original deal. He even had the audacity to tell me he answered directly to the CEO, Board and Shareholders when I asked if there was a manager of his I could speak with. He said he couldn't offer it because he needed to make them money. I then asked him if the AAA deal was so good that everyone who signed up with it was costing this company money? Again no response and I wasn't eligible. So now the $75 pole that they will credit me is going to cost me $165.00. The problem is that they promised a price, promised a free installation and lied on both accounts. When you call them out on it they just stonewall you to the point where you start to lose credits and it starts costing you money. Sad part is I want the service but apparently my ruffling of feathers has caused me to be black listed. As a side note I found Ellen Filipiak's email address which apparently goes to the same customer service group. They have responded no one will discuss it any further and our company's position on the issue hasn't changed.

At almost $100 a month I get back to back commercials, for a paid to view service they increase revenue by reselling the same slots to advertisers and product networks, if you like 5-9 commercials back to back then Direct TV is for you but I know I would never sign up for it again.

They have the worst possible customer service. Service was scheduled twice. They reschedule without informing. The second time, they canceled without informing. Ridiculous service. Unfortunately because of 2 year contract, I do not have options now.

I had cable before and it never happened once.