I’ve been lurking here literally for years and I’ve received some great information. I had to join and relate my absolutely horrible experience trying to get the Mpeg-4 HD upgrade in the Atlanta area. Sorry for such a long and negative post for my first one.
I’ve been a DTV customer for seven years. I subscribe to the Total Choice Platinum package and the HD pkg. I’ve been following the Mpeg-4 LIL rollout here and when I read that Atlanta had been turned on and customers were scheduling their upgrades, I called and scheduled mine.
After three calls and numerous transfers, I was finally able to get a hold of someone who knew about the upgrade and was able to schedule one for me. I was charged $99 to my bill for the installation, receiver upgrade and new dish. I was told on the phone that the installer would be taking my old HD receiver. The installation was scheduled for 12-7 between 1-5pm. I had to take half a day off from work to do this, but I was excited so I did it.
On Wednesday the 67th, I arrived home at around noon to wait for the installer. I received a call from the installation company at about 3 pm telling me they would have to reschedule due to the fact that they were out of dishes. I was disappointed, but I knew this was a new system, so I rescheduled for the following Saturday, 12-10 between 8Am –noon. I received an automated phone call from the installation company on Friday evening confirming my appointment for Saturday between 1-5PM (!). Now, since I no longer knew just when in the day they would arrive, I readjusted some responsibilities to make sure I was here all day to wait for them.
At around 9Am on Saturday I received a call from the actual installer the company had assigned my work order to. He explained that he would not be coming as he was on the North Carolina/Georgia border; about 100 miles away and he didn’t understand why they gave him the WO instead of someone more local. He apologized and said he would be calling his installation company to have it reassigned.
I called DTV and after relating this story to the three separate individuals I was transferred to, I found someone in Advanced Technical Support who contacted the local installation company. He said that they would be calling be right back to arrange to get someone else out to me that day. He also gave me the installation company’s number and a direct line to his department in case something went wrong. He assured me everything was taken care of.
I waited several hours for the call from the installers which never came. I called them and after being transferred several times, I was told that the soonest they could come out was Tues, Sept 13th. My blood pressure reached critical and I told them that was unacceptable and hung up to contact DTV at the number the last rep gave me.
I was transferred and had to retell this story several more times until I reached the Advanced Technical Support department again. I unfortunately let my emotions control me and even though I was civil on the phone, I told the DTV rep that I was fed up and to cancel my upgrade and that I was through with attempting to get my HD locals. I told him I was almost ready to cancel my service and get cable again. It had gotten me that upset. Instead of trying to work anything out, he cancelled the WO, and transferred me to someone who began to disconnect my service completely. Now understand, I did mention this in my anger, so I suppose I asked for it, but never once did I raise my voice or accuse the reps at DTV of making the mistake. I told them I knew it was the fault of the local installation company. I did expect them to try to make things right somehow. Instead, I received disinterest and disconnection. They were ready to let $125 a month and a long term customer walk without a fight.
I immediately called Comcast and scheduled an installation for September 20th. Now that I’ve cooled off, I really would like to stay with DTV, but their lack of caring for the issues I had make me wonder if I shouldn’t move on. Is there anyone at DTV I can contact to straighten this fiasco out?
).
