D* vs Comcast. Cancellation Fee!

[FlyingBoat]

I thought it would be a good idea to try D*for a bit, for the following reasons:

1. CC in MPLS does not carry ABC, Universal, or ESPN2 in HD
(we watch tennis and this is often on Universal or ESPN2)
2. I have been having quality problems with CC
3. The introductory NFL package looked like a good and interesting deal

However,

1. CC cost including 2 line phone service (not VOIP), HSI, 1 HD DVR and 1HD non DVR is 151/month including equipment. D*would be 167 with equivalent phone and HSI, so D* is a bit more per month and I have to buy the equipment!!!

2. I hear the D* DVR is soooo slow! My wife would hate it. She likes to flick through channels to see what she likes. (Don't give me the nonsense about TIVO being so much better that it is worth it. I have had ReplayTV for years and sure wish they would have won the battle. I have also had TIVO but gave it to my mother because I prefer ReplayTV, but that's just a matter of preference. The 6412 is pretty similar to ReplayTV, some things worse some things better, overall not as good) Also, from my reading, the other D* HD device, the H10 has a lot of issues as well.

3. Here is the real, unbelievable kicker. Not only do I need to buy the D* HD equipment. I have to pay D* a prorated penalty of $300 each if cancel! What a joke!!! So I pay anywhere between the $199 to $599 deal for an 10-250, and I find my wife and I can't stand it, then I either return the device to D* and am out my $199 to $599 or I cough up another $300!!! The same is true for the H10 unit I just purchased from BB!

This is what their terms say. I called D* to confirm and they said yes, once the service is activated, if I don't like it, I need to send them my equipment or have a $300 charge per unit. This is true even for equipment I bought from somewhere else!

So the day after activation, if I want to cancel, I am out either the $199 I paid for the BB H10 + shipping to D* or out $300 penalty. This is per device!

What a joke!!! Why the heck should I need to pay D* for a device I return to BB!!!

So, there goes the try out D* option. It is ridiculous to say the least.

I cancelled my D*install, picked up an OTA receiver for $89 instead and watched ABC in HD last night.

The arrogance and stupidity of D* is astounding. Most companies give you an incentive for trying their service not a substantial penalty!

D*=
1. Pay more per month
2. Super Slow HD DVR
3. Pay hundreds of dollars for equipment
4. Huge penalty if not sticking with them for 2 years

Maybe, someone can correct me on this cancellation and return policy, but that is what the paper work says, and the D* contact was very smug and certain that yes, I would be charged the $300 if I return the equipment to BB after activation.

 

[skaeight]

Do you work for Comcast?

 

[damaged]

How transparent, obviously a cable troll. What about the fact cable companies are monoplies? Not to mention their ridiculously high prioces (once your <insert offer here> runs out), and you find youself paying 75 bucks for basic digital cable (yes that's what it goes for here.) for years, you'll find you eventually come out behind with cable, instead of hitting your wallet upfront(satellite), they(cable) just suck it(money) out of you, slowly, and alot more of it(money).

Anyhow, DirecTV could deliver its content with paper cups and string hooked to an etch-a-sketch, and I would still choose them over comcast.

 

[JerryVolunteer]

How transparent, obviously a cable troll. What about the fact cable companies are monoplies? Not to mention their ridiculously high prioces (once your <insert offer here> runs out), and you find youself paying 75 bucks for basic digital cable (yes that's what it goes for here.) for years, you'll find you eventually come out behind with cable, instead of hitting your wallet upfront(satellite), they(cable) just suck it(money) out of you, slowly, and alot more of it(money).

Anyhow, DirecTV could deliver its content with paper cups and string hooked to an etch-a-sketch, and I would still choose them over comcast.

I think you mean COMCRAP!

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Are you trying to make some kind of Point, We really don't care, we are all mostly happy, And I'd trade in that wife. I put mine in the nutthouse, and she is still there.

 

[FlyingBoat]

Are you trying to make some kind of Point, We really don't care, we are all mostly happy, And I'd trade in that wife. I put mine in the nutthouse, and she is still there.

Yes the point is the question at the end. Is this truly the return policy of DirecTV? Buy a receiver from BestBuy and from the moment you activate it you are subject to a $300 cancellation fee or you need to send the receiver to DirecTV? Is this true for a used piece of equipment as well? Basically anything you activate becomes the property of DirecTV or else they have the right to charge a prorated $150 to $300?

I couldn't get a straight answer from DirecTV. The CSR kept going to her supervisor and coming back with different answers. The latest is there would be 7 days in which I could try the service and then return to BB without a cancellation fee, but that's a bit short and shaky. Who knows what their answer would be if I actually did activate and tried to return it.

From everything I have read the H10 I bought is a POS. The H10-250 doesn't sound much better to me either. Though I would have possibly given them the benefit of the doubt and gave them a try.

I tried to trade in my wife, but the cancellation fees are way to high.

 

[FlyingBoat]

The other thing about my wife is she is an older model and doesn't come across that well in high definition. She is not as thin as the newer models either, definetly sticks out more up against the wall.

The thing about the new models, however, are they just don't have the same quality. The old model can give off erratic signals, but properly adjusted she still provides the best overall experience, particularly in a darkened room.

I think I'lle keep this one for a while.

If I set my focus off a little, then I hope I won't get the screen door affect.

 

[Hotshoe]

Comcast vs. D*

If you look, there are many offers for free equipment and installation for both satellite services. If there's a cancellation fee, I never knew about it.

There is no way that we would have Dish, though, since we got D* primarily for the NFL Ticket.

Can't comment about the slow menu since we have no basis for comparison.

And there's no way we'll have Comcast, since they tried to extort a monthly fee from me for their basic tv service, when all I had/wanted was internet. I switched to dsl then and never looked back.

 

[freakshow]

D* had a prorated cxln fee (as of earlier this year when I quit working for D*). The cxln fee is not per receiver, it was once per account. Also, if you do cxl you do not return your equipment to anybody, you own it...unless you send it back to D* to waive cxln fee. So you could sell it to pay for the cxln fee.

 

[boba]

D* had a prorated cxln fee (as of earlier this year when I quit working for D*). The cxln fee is not per receiver, it was once per account. Also, if you do cxl you do not return your equipment to anybody, you own it...unless you send it back to D* to waive cxln fee. So you could sell it to pay for the cxln fee.

It has been too long since you worked for D* your info is out of date. New contract went into effect August 1st.

 

[tristanjohn]

Yes the point is the question at the end. Is this truly the return policy of DirecTV? Buy a receiver from BestBuy and from the moment you activate it you are subject to a $300 cancellation fee or you need to send the receiver to DirecTV? Is this true for a used piece of equipment as well? Basically anything you activate becomes the property of DirecTV or else they have the right to charge a prorated $150 to $300?

I couldn't get a straight answer from DirecTV. The CSR kept going to her supervisor and coming back with different answers. The latest is there would be 7 days in which I could try the service and then return to BB without a cancellation fee, but that's a bit short and shaky. Who knows what their answer would be if I actually did activate and tried to return it.

From everything I have read the H10 I bought is a POS. The H10-250 doesn't sound much better to me either. Though I would have possibly given them the benefit of the doubt and gave them a try.

I tried to trade in my wife, but the cancellation fees are way to high.

I'm in your boat re the DirecTV equipment. The TIVO gear is piss-poor designed and engineered. Very slow menus, and don't even get me going on the way it completely cuts out your VCR/DVD recorder from the chain!

I have my fingers crossed re the H10, but I don't know. As I'm getting it for free it's no biggie, I guess, as I can always go out and buy a refurbished Toshiba DST-3100 or something like that if it's no good at all (I'd get the older DST-3000 if I could find one anywhere, which is what I had previously until it lost its SAT 110 signals) until DirecTV's new DVR hardware is available,--though I suspect that might be as bad as their current HR10-250 box.

I think DirecTV does have a cancellation fee, but what the hell, that's got to be better than what you have through your cable . . . if you're into NFL coverage, which I assume you are based on what you've written. I wouldn't go back to cable (Comcast here, too) if someone paid me to do it. I've dealt with cable companies since the early 70s and I haven't seen one yet that had 1) good reception or 2) good service--if you could even call what they dish out to customers as "service."

It's fairly funky at DirecTV servicewise, too, but if you call the Retention number (1-800-600-8977) the odds seem to be fairly good that you'll get ahold of someone who either knows what he's talking about and/or tries to make it right by you anyway. Of course Retention's for existing customers, though if I knew what I know today I'd call that number anyway coming in the door--dealing with their level-one techs is a joke.

None of that necessarily makes the company any better as a whole, but like I said, if you're into the NFL it's the only ticket in town, and I guess we both know what to expect from local cable outfits.

Hope that helps.

 

[4408]

if you buy all your own equipment inlcuding the dish and cables, and install it yourself, you can weasel your way out of the contract.

If you go for "free" intall, that costs dtv about $300 or more, so duh, they're not going to give you all that stuff, only to have you change your mind the next day, keep the stuff, and shrug it off.

same thing with the "free" or "rebate" phones from cell-phone companies...they're paid for by your monthly bill for the contract length...also, it prevents you from leaving at the first sign of trouble, and makes threats of switching to the competition less biteing.