Directs latest glitch

[Jimbo]

The problem I had with D* aka TB, is that they just do things weird. Why couldn't they have sent me a notice that I was on online billing now or check to see if that was my real choice. Instead there's a glitch, they know about it, and then just wait and charge late fees? Unfortunately I've had several problems with their billing dept in the last 6 months and it is a major pain in the butt to get it straight. If it wasn't for the ST football I'd be gone.

actually I don't think it was a glitch, there was mention in one of your bills back in maybe April or May talking about the change, The day I saw that in my mail I went to thier site and went to the area where that was an option and UNCHECKED the check box.
It was a default, if you did not UN check it you would be placed on the Online billing system.

Jimbo

 

[ShadowEKU]

Yeah I almost got screwed... I pay online but I pay bills as i get them.. and I document all of them.

well I got this call from a CSR saying my account was overdue... I asked when my last bil was sent and they had no idea... she put me on hold and came back and sai dI was online billing... I said thats fine but I didnt even get an email.

she reads back the email address they have for me which I had never heard of... well I signed on and made a payment and then told her i did so...she put me on hold again came back and asked if I wanted a paper bill from now on.

 

[icstephen]

actually I don't think it was a glitch, there was mention in one of your bills back inmaybe April or May talking about the change, The day I saw that in my mail I went to thier site and went to the area where that was an option and UNCHECKED the check box.
It was a default, if you did not UN check it you would be placed on the Online billing system.

Jimbo

I did that 2 times, they sent me 2 separate notices over 2 separate months and each time I went to the web site and opted in (for paper bills), they still went ahead and switched me so my bill was late. They say its fixed now and I hope so because if I have to deal with what I have in the last 6 weeks with billing I am going to try another company, which I don't want to have to do because I have (for the most part) been happy with D*

 

[Jimbo]

I did that 2 times, they sent me 2 separate notices over 2 separate months and each time I went to the web site and opted in (for paper bills), they still went ahead and switched me so my bill was late. They say its fixed now and I hope so because if I have to deal with what I have in the last 6 weeks with billing I am going to try another company, which I don't want to have to do because I have (for the most part) been happy with D*

Tell them if they can't get thier billing correct, and are trying to place blame on you, and you have it documented, you'll be finding other options, be polite, you'll get farther...
They may compensate you for your troubles.

Jimbo

 

[geaux1]

This also happens to me all the time, and then I almost get disconnected and get hit with a late fee, idiots. I am convinced they do this on purpose hoping you will just say okay so they can save postage. I always erfuse to pay teh laet fee and make them take it off and get somethnig for free, except this last time I didn't because I have been havign so much trouble with these clowns I was just too tired I didn't bother. I had them supposedly just put me back on paper billing. This is another thing that if they don;t do I just won;t pay it even if I notice it is due online and when they disconnect me I will never pay it, ever, and i'll get another service. I'm sick of their horrible service and yes I am at the point that I am looking for an excuse for a fight and to argue with them and leave.

 

[icstephen]

I agree I am also thinking about switching to dish (to save a few bucks) and if D* keeps it up I will go. I was polite and have made sure that they documented everything in my file (that's how I got them do drop the late the first time), the last time I called (retention) the guy was just plain rude. the last 2 times I called (to get a reprint bill) they just pushed the CC option. I hate to say it but I am so fed up I don't even want to be compensated...I just don't want to have to call month after month to get them to mail me a bill. They say it was fixed so I should know with in the next week. If I don't get a bill I may just put them on ignore until they shut me off.

 

[geaux1]

I will say this, they have never ever been rude to me on the phone, even the regular number, just inconsistent information, stupid information and statements and downright false information and failure to live up to agreements or even document thnings no my account like they claim tehy do when I insist they do it, so don;t be surprised if tnext time you call they say their records don;t indicate ever having a problem in this department from you. But they have never been rude to me.

 

[Jimbo]

Keep in mind IF you talking to a first level CSR , they can only do so much as for appeasing you, and they are not allowed to elaborate off thier scripted FAQ.
If you do have trouble , make sure you get a supervisor to talk to...

Customer Retention has a lot more flexability to answer your questions ...

Jimbo

 

[Happy Camper]

Happened to us also

We are also victims. We were charter D* subscribers, a premier package/HD/preferred status/Neilsen family, and presumably would be near the top of the list of people they did not want to cancel, especially since we had never, ever missed a bill.

Nope-the first thing we heard was some irritating automated phone message telling us our service was going to be cut off. Don't you think they'd have called or written sooner? When I called them they indicated surprise and were confrontational when I told them I had never signed up for internet paperless billing.

These D* people are Idiots.

Fortunately, we are now wired for Verizon FIOS (fiber optic), and we can get all the channels we got from D*, plus all the additional movie channels, plus more channels, four HD DVR/tuners, and we save over $30 per month while getting a perfecto picture and video on demand service, local HDs and a raft of other services!!. Oh, and this is full resolution 1920x1080 high def via FIOS fiber optic, not crappy HD lite, and yes, we can tell the difference on our Sony 1080p sets..

Easy choice. In all the years we have subscribed, D* has done absolutely nothing to indicate they wanted our business. I am ashamed at our acceptance of such stunning mediocrity.

In contrast, Verizon really has their stuff together. This FIOS TV service is state of the art-truly terrific.

 

[icstephen]

D* used to send the occasional free PPV coupon and that is all they really ever did to keep me (not that I expected or wanted them to kiss my butt). I have been a happy D* customer for along time and this new trouble reminds me (unfortunately) of some of the crap USSB used to pull shortly before D* bought them out. My big problem right now is cost, I have and am very happy with SC and would like to cut my package with D* but there bottom package is no deal (excluding the family pack that I don't want)...I am not keen on switching or signing a contract with Dish but $19.95 a month (introductory price) sounds pretty good, although I may just put up an antenna since I mostly want my locals anyway. I have been given a 10' C-band dish so I may just put that up , drop D* and I will still have SC + C/KU analog & DVB.

 

[icstephen]

Keep in mind IF you talking to a first level CSR , they can only do so much as for appeasing you, and they are not allowed to elaborate off thier scripted FAQ.
If you do have trouble , make sure you get a supervisor to talk to...

Customer Retention has a lot more flexability to answer your questions ...

Jimbo

Sad thing is the guy that was rude was retention...the girl I talked to on the regular number was friendly (not too helpfull...but friendly) and they both pushed the revolving CC plan hard.

 

[Coz]

All the sudden one evening we had been disconnected. Turns out when I created an online account I was automatically signed up for online statements. Looks like I'm not the only one that got tricked.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

It happened to me last month also.

 

[Polar33]

Same thing happened to me too. I had them resend the missed bills and credit me for the late fees.

 

[69Mustang]

Glitch

The CSR herself, called it a glitch. "A computer error-some kind of glitch". Nobody should need to pay that much attention to their bills each month even if it was posted. Which in my case it wasn't. I don't want to give them the ability to help themselves to my credit card at anytime, at any amount without my approval first. I've been charged double in error before from them for a setup problem that the installer made. Each their own. God bless you.

 

[icstephen]

I got my bill today...Amazing...I almost forgot what they looked like

 

[FlyingJ]

Just to keep this real, I have been paperless and pay by CC online for about 2 years now with never a problem.

 

[stevesmall]

Just to keep this real, I have been paperless and pay by CC online for about 2 years now with never a problem.

im sure most people would never have a problem with this but the REAL issue is that they converted from what i understand to be in the very least thousands of people to autopay without approval. multiply the 5 dollar late fee by the number of people charged that late fee and we are talking a huge sum of money directv received in error. and being realistic i assure you a good amount of people just paid that bill when notified by directv and were never refunded the late fee. i paid the late fee the first month thinking i must have missed the bill. i was refunded the 2 months late but spent an hour fixing this on the phone. i would bet directv didnt refund all of the money

 

[69Mustang]

Think about how much money they may have made at $5 a pop? Not a bad little glitch (in a very sick way). Hmmmm