Having been with Comcast, Dish Network and DirecTV in the last year, I have to say that the others just don't compare to DirecTV. The picture quality is outstanding and the sports selections are unrivaled by any provider. I have also had nothing but great experiences with their customer service since signing up in May.
Things you may not like if you switch from cable:
-DirecTV almost always requires contracts with early termination fees
-receivers cost more up front and you will not own them
Many of the BBB complaints against DirecTV stem from those two points. Especially the way DirecTV and Dish sometimes automatically withdraw hundreds of dollars from your bank account to cover "unreturned" receivers and the remaining portion of your termination fee. I had DirecTV a few years ago and I was hit for almost $500 because they said I didn't return the receivers and they were taking the ETF too. I had my bank reverse the charge and had DirecTV actually send me a return box, which they said they did, but I never received it. I then cancelled my debit card. After they received my receivers, I paid the ETF. It was that simple. Why did I have to force it to be simple?
Anyway, I don't trust these companies as far as I can throw them, but DirecTV provides an excellent service, and I am a happy customer. I plan to stay with DirecTV until well past the time my contract expires unless I move to a place with no line of sight. You just have to know what you are getting into. I cancelled my debit card the day before I cancelled Dish Network. lol. I also promptly paid their ETF as soon as they got my receiver back.
The second point is mostly offset by the fact that the lease fees for DirecTV receivers are usually much lower than for cable and they are definitely lower than Dish Network's fees.
Overall, I would not let the BBB rating affect my decision. DirecTV has millions of happy customers, and you have found one of the best resources for knowledge about satellite tv on the planet. I absolutely love it.
Things you may not like if you switch from cable:
-DirecTV almost always requires contracts with early termination fees
-receivers cost more up front and you will not own them
Many of the BBB complaints against DirecTV stem from those two points. Especially the way DirecTV and Dish sometimes automatically withdraw hundreds of dollars from your bank account to cover "unreturned" receivers and the remaining portion of your termination fee. I had DirecTV a few years ago and I was hit for almost $500 because they said I didn't return the receivers and they were taking the ETF too. I had my bank reverse the charge and had DirecTV actually send me a return box, which they said they did, but I never received it. I then cancelled my debit card. After they received my receivers, I paid the ETF. It was that simple. Why did I have to force it to be simple?
Anyway, I don't trust these companies as far as I can throw them, but DirecTV provides an excellent service, and I am a happy customer. I plan to stay with DirecTV until well past the time my contract expires unless I move to a place with no line of sight. You just have to know what you are getting into. I cancelled my debit card the day before I cancelled Dish Network. lol. I also promptly paid their ETF as soon as they got my receiver back.
The second point is mostly offset by the fact that the lease fees for DirecTV receivers are usually much lower than for cable and they are definitely lower than Dish Network's fees.
Overall, I would not let the BBB rating affect my decision. DirecTV has millions of happy customers, and you have found one of the best resources for knowledge about satellite tv on the planet. I absolutely love it.
