First time post and I hate to whine on the first date

[etrin]

I have been with Direct for 6 years. Last Dec I purchased an HD set and got an HD DVR and added the HD channels.

Well I have had several run ins with them since that time. I have dropped the HD add on pack the one with Universal and MGM after the 3 month free offer expired. It has since been added back on even though I never said to, Then the rate increase, then this and that all small things that just added up over time.

Now my year contract on the HD DVR is over. My bill went up $30. I said enough is enough. Dish with everything and 2 722's is $23 a mo cheaper. Heck even comcrap is cheaper. They are now the highest price supplier in my area.
When I went shopping and noticed that Dish has more channels....especially on cinemax, hbo and showtime (comcast has these as well).
I called direct and said I would like to cancel. They did not ask why or say anything. They just said just a minute. A lady clicked in and said you service will be cut off at midnight and you owe us $220.
Uh whats the $220 for?
You have a year left on your contract.
No I only changed out a receiver, where do you get a 2 year agreement for that?
Thats what it is have a nice day and hung up.

WTF is wrong with them can they promice anything , change agreements and tell the customer to go to hell and I have no recourse ?

What can I do about this?
Is there any way I can get out of this $220 and a 2 year agreement I never agreed to?
Again this is just more of what I have had from them this past year.

What can I do?

 

[ClemSole]

Read the fine print. Either pay the 220 or keep the service for another year. Simple as that.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Anytime you active a new receiver on your account ,"Unless you own it outright" Comes with a 24 month programming commitment.

 

[mlb]

I haven't heard of a 1 year contract from D* in a very long time. I think you were mistaken.

If they are not trying to keep you around then apparently they don't think much of your business.

 

[etrin]

thank you very much for clearing that up for me.
I can't believe that they would even consider a contract to change out a std receiver for an HD receiver.

And think that I would agree to a 2 yr contract to do this is just beyond me.

I guess that even when they don't tell you I should know all the BS they can add and its my fault for not knowing.

Anyway I am going to send them their money and I won't say exactly what I think of them here.

ps its a $1$$ a month they are loosing because of their crap attitude and greed.

 

[riggscm]

You know I have known D* subs that have come and gone, and no one...not one has ever said anything except how polite the customer service department is. I can't imagine a world in which D* would have said "Thats what it is have a nice day" and hung up on anyone, unless you were as harsh with them as you have been here.

I have to call shenanigans on the OP. However if the events as detailed did occur as stated, then I feel truly sorry for the poor service. I would suggest that the OP call back and speak to Customer Retention if the service has not been killed yet

 

[etrin]

I called back and told them and asked to have my service until the end of my billing period.
They said sure.
I then asked to have a bill sent for my final payment and again told them this 2 yr agreement for a receiver change out was BS.
They said nothing to this.
But they did say they would send a bill to my email that day.
this was monday afternoon and I have yet to receive anything from them.
They also said they would be sending a box for the receiver.


My checking into this started when I was deciding on changing out my other std TV to HD. AFTER HEARING ALL THIS BS >>my thoughts, no I don't want another 2 years for a receiver that is not mine and I pay a bill for each month anyway.

Hell if they want that give me the receiver and DONT charge me a monthly fee too.

 

[scottie_h]

My checking into this started when I was deciding on changing out my other std TV to HD. AFTER HEARING ALL THIS BS >>my thoughts, no I don't want another 2 years for a receiver that is not mine and I pay a bill for each month anyway.

Hell if they want that give me the receiver and DONT charge me a monthly fee too.

But you don't mind a new 2 year contract with Dish to lease their equipment?

This is going to sound like a rip on you, but it's honestly not. You're the type of customer that causes them to require a 2 year committment. You got a receiver worth several hundred dollars, plus more than likely a new dish plus installation. The day you hooked up that receiver they had several hundred dollars invested in you. A 2 year committment is simply their way to ensure they can make that investment back. For all of those customers that jump ship after a few months, DirecTV eats that 'investment'.

Bought a new cell phone lately? We are required to extend our contract 2 years each time we do...

And like my wireless provider Verizon, I'm very happy with my service from DirecTV. I'm not going to jump ship, so they can extend my contract today if they like. (although Verizon just extended my contract last week when I got a new phone )

 

[Zynergi]

Now my year contract on the HD DVR is over. My bill went up $30.

Your "contract" isnt up, the special upgrade incentive you signed up for is up.

Yep everyone expects this and that and everything under the sun free, but fails to understand the consequence for services being free initially.

D*'s basic investment in you.

$500+- Retail for a HDDVR (free to $199 on your part)
$100-$250 to pay someone to install it and applicable small parts
$300-$400 to pay commission to the sales company (applies to new service)

So your "free upgrade" cost them $200 to $700 depending on what was needed and all they ask is that you stick around for 2 years. This was told to you, you also signed an agreement to the effect. But as other have stated, if your this rash on a forum, I can only imagine how rash you were with CSR #1 - #10. If you go the E* route you will have a 2 year agreement and you will have a agreement with a Cable company plus equipment costs and lease fees. Sure on Paper E* is $23 cheaper, but the lease fee per tuner and the Non-Phone line fees will bring you up about the same.

Its up to you, your obviously un-happy with some aspect of D*'s service prior to calling and statistics show you will have the same problem with any service provider that "has to adjust their rate" I would hate to see you at a cell phone store complaining that you have to pay $300 for a iPhone when the Motorola Flip is free. anyways.. good luck with what you choose.. D* isnt for everyone.

 

[twangboy]

advanced receiver such as dvr hd or hddvr is a 24 mth commitment a sd receiver is a 18th commitment.

 

[sonydude1966]

On E*'s website, you can choose a non commitment that will cost you an additional $150 in lost rebates. I paid D* $199 anyway for an H21 and HR22 with the 2 year commit ($50 more than if you choose a non commitment with E*). If you do choose the commitment and cancel, it's $240 ($10 per month left in contract), as opposed to D*'s $480 ($20 per month left in contract) early termination.

E* has a better deal. I chose D* because of a few extra HD channels, and what I thought was a better company. The past 30 days has caused me to re-think that stance. Who knows though. If I chose E* it could have been worse. I will never know.

All companies have their good and bad, and can vary substantially on the time of day it seems.

E* definitely has the better deal on paper.

 

[etrin]

Well WHY is everyone saying all this investment.
Please read
I have been a customer for 6+ years
all I did was swap out a SD DVR for a HD DVR.

I can't understand where you are all flaming me.
Do you work for them or something?

 

[randyk47]

While at some level it does seem strange that DirecTV requires a new two-year commitment for a "swap" of a SD DVR for an HD DVR that is a customer requested upgrade. There may be exceptions, part of the problem with what sometimes seems to be inconsistent deals/information with different DirecTV CSR's, but voluntary upgrades are cause for a new commitment. I recently did a overhaul of my receivers and by that I mean I swapped out a supposedly defective H20 and upgraded an H10 all in one phone call. The swap of the H20 caused no extension in my commitment since it was DirecTV pushing that exchange not me. However, the upgrade of the H10 to an H2x did trigger a new commitment so I'm on the hook for another two years. At least the CSR I was dealing with was clear about that and there was no confusion on their or my part. I knew I was resetting my commitment and that's not a problem for me but I guess it could bother other subs.

 

[varaonaid]

Well WHY is everyone saying all this investment.
Please read
I have been a customer for 6+ years
all I did was swap out a SD DVR for a HD DVR.

I can't understand where you are all flaming me.
Do you work for them or something?

Did they charge you anything at all for swapping out the SD receiver to an HD-DVR? If not, that in itself is the reason for the commitment. There is cost involved in any advanced receiver such as that. In fact, last I heard, they are still charging new subs $$$ up front for such a receiver in addition to the 24 month commitment. I've also heard of existing subs who've been required to pay an upgrade fee in addition to the 24 month commitment to upgrade receivers. If they didn't require anything from you but the new commitment, I would say that was their way of showing their appreciation of you 6 years as a D* sub. As much as I love to find a good "deal" on things and get a great bargain, this stuff does cost money. All that they asked was that you keep the service that you had been getting for 2 years for the upgrade. Not that much to ask, IMHO.

 

[etrin]

I can see your point and mine too.
Just give me a DVR. That is kinda wrong.
BUT they gave me nothing.
Its a lease item and I pay $9.99 a month for it.
And I have to return it.
IF they had said here is your free receiver or no additional charges then that would have been enough for a 2 year contract.
But when they don't give you anything and charge you for the receiver and expect a 2 year agreement that is another.



sonydude1966 is E* dish network?

I have talked to them and like I said before its a shame that D* does not carry all the channels that Dish does?
I guess that is why Dish is $23 a month cheaper...they have more channels in the premium services no wait that can't be right can it?
and for 2 722's and no contract you have to pay $99. At least that is what they told me last night

 

[paulman182]

Well WHY is everyone saying all this investment.
Please read
I have been a customer for 6+ years
all I did was swap out a SD DVR for a HD DVR.

I can't understand where you are all flaming me.
Do you work for them or something?

I don't think you're getting flamed, it is just that the contract extension is standard procedure.

The CSR should have told you about it on the phone, it is mentioned on the DirecTV website, and the installer should have had you sign something saying that you understood this.

 

[randyk47]

Etrin - Actually you don't pay $9.99 additional for the second HD receiver. The charge for any extra receiver is $4.99 per month whether it's owned or leased, SD or HD. The $9.99 charge on your bill is your HD access charge and is the same for one receiver or several HD receivers.