Let's start on a positive note 
I just signed up at this site and it is a world of information - you guys do great work!
I am new to the US (from Australia) and after a lot of research, went with directv, mainly because of the HD, which I am very impressed with the picture quality. But that's where the positives end I'm afraid!
When I signed up, they took $418 out of my account without any notice or explanation. (Naturally I canceled). I called them, they apologized, explained that the $300 is for some sort of credit reason (being new to the country and having no credit history) but the rest they couldn't explain. So again, signed up, another $300 out of my account (the other wasn't refunded yet) but got some discounts on my rate.
The muppet they sent out to do the install had no idea, the wrong equipment, and eventually left saying that they'd come back with a different dish. They never returned. Nor did they return my calls. Then they canceled my account on me!!!!!
Maybe I'm a sucker for punishment, but I called up again, this time a real professional came out, mounted the dish on a stand, perfect reception, nice guy. He even helped me call in and get my rate down to $29.98 per month for the choice extra HD package.
AND GUESS WHAT?? Someone internal canceled the account! Not impressed. I got everything set up again, but I couldn't get the same rate - $44.99 was the best they could do - even after all the trouble.
Every bill I have had has been wrong. All around the $80 mark until I called and got it changed! I was charged for HD DVR when I didn't even have one, charged for additional receivers when I had only 1, the protection plan which I was told was free really wasn't....and so on.
And now for the final straw - I called about my most recent incorrect bill and thought I was getting a good deal, switching out my HD reciever for a HD DVR for $199 instead of $299. The installation guy comes out and says he can't do it because it requires 2 cables instead of 1!!!! The morons could have told me that beforehand!!! Damn!!! I would have thought the only reason for the second cable was for the receiver to perform 2 tasks at once - i.e.: recording something whilst watching something else. Apparently not. At least according to this guy. Though it wouldn't surprise me if he was wrong. I'll be asking my apartment manager about setting up the dual cable box (I'm not running the cables along the floor!)...but I'm not sure how well that'll go down!
So...any tips? haha. Sorry about the long story. I might do what someone mentioned - speaking to customer retention department and seeing what I can get....
This is by far the worst company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with in my life. Most customer support people can barely string a sentence together. If it wasn't for the fact that the picture was so good I'd have canceled ages ago....and set fire to my dish! haha
I just signed up at this site and it is a world of information - you guys do great work!
I am new to the US (from Australia) and after a lot of research, went with directv, mainly because of the HD, which I am very impressed with the picture quality. But that's where the positives end I'm afraid!
When I signed up, they took $418 out of my account without any notice or explanation. (Naturally I canceled). I called them, they apologized, explained that the $300 is for some sort of credit reason (being new to the country and having no credit history) but the rest they couldn't explain. So again, signed up, another $300 out of my account (the other wasn't refunded yet) but got some discounts on my rate.
The muppet they sent out to do the install had no idea, the wrong equipment, and eventually left saying that they'd come back with a different dish. They never returned. Nor did they return my calls. Then they canceled my account on me!!!!!
Maybe I'm a sucker for punishment, but I called up again, this time a real professional came out, mounted the dish on a stand, perfect reception, nice guy. He even helped me call in and get my rate down to $29.98 per month for the choice extra HD package.
AND GUESS WHAT?? Someone internal canceled the account! Not impressed. I got everything set up again, but I couldn't get the same rate - $44.99 was the best they could do - even after all the trouble.
Every bill I have had has been wrong. All around the $80 mark until I called and got it changed! I was charged for HD DVR when I didn't even have one, charged for additional receivers when I had only 1, the protection plan which I was told was free really wasn't....and so on.
And now for the final straw - I called about my most recent incorrect bill and thought I was getting a good deal, switching out my HD reciever for a HD DVR for $199 instead of $299. The installation guy comes out and says he can't do it because it requires 2 cables instead of 1!!!! The morons could have told me that beforehand!!! Damn!!! I would have thought the only reason for the second cable was for the receiver to perform 2 tasks at once - i.e.: recording something whilst watching something else. Apparently not. At least according to this guy. Though it wouldn't surprise me if he was wrong. I'll be asking my apartment manager about setting up the dual cable box (I'm not running the cables along the floor!)...but I'm not sure how well that'll go down!
So...any tips? haha. Sorry about the long story. I might do what someone mentioned - speaking to customer retention department and seeing what I can get....
This is by far the worst company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with in my life. Most customer support people can barely string a sentence together. If it wasn't for the fact that the picture was so good I'd have canceled ages ago....and set fire to my dish! haha
