Satellite TV Rant!

[Kanewpadle]

Ready for a long story?

I signed up with Direct TV a year and a half ago. Since day one we had problems.

We used the online tech support, phone tech support, had three different service calls two of which they wanted to charge me for. And still we have problems.

DVR doesn't record because the signal was lost. Channels unavailable or poor audio/video.

Called them last week and they said they would send someone out. Do you think they showed up? NO!

My wife and I have been married close to 28 years. I hate being told "I told you that you shouldn't have switched!".

We've been patient and understanding with Direct TV but tonight was the last straw.

So I called to cancel. They tried to get me to stay by offering to send someone out. I declined. As they proceeded to cancel my account the support person say's that a $160.00 disconnect fee will apply. Which I knew was coming. I argued a little. Talked to a supervisor to no avail.

But I was so mad that I told them to disconnect me and I will pay the stinking fee anyway. As long as I don't get my butt chewed over the son of a gun TV AGAIN!!

So the bottom line is: I paid for a product that never worked properly for a year and a half AND PAID THEM TO DISCONNECT ME!!

I ain't happy. But I guess the wife will be.

 

[cp1969]

What's your plan, to go with Dish? They're just as bad. My DVR won't work and even though it belongs to them, they won't fix it. The problem is how to I transfer my recorded movies from the dead DVR to the new one. Their solution is for me to buy a hard drive, then pay them a $40 fee for transferring the files.

The only way I can see to deal with the satellite companies is to switch every two years or so, whatever the minimum contract length is. Direct TV has tried way harder to get me back as a customer than they ever did to keep me.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Back to Comcast. Never had a problem with them before. May or may not cost more but at this point I don't care. And there is a Comcast office just down the road with real people I can talk to.

I never should have switched.

 

[gjamison]

i'll be honest with you guys. i have had directv for years and not one problem and everytime i call for a billing question or anything else there always there. i just had them at the house for a update to my system and they showed up early also both my dvr's work great.

i think there a very good company and working hard to make there
customer service the best in tv...

 

[cowboy117]

i'll be honest with you guys. i have had directv for years and not one problem and everytime i call for a billing question or anything else there always there. i just had them at the house for a update to my system and they showed up early also both my dvr's work great.

i think there a very good company and working hard to make there
customer service the best in tv...

I have directtv also & like them way better than the cable co's.My 2 cents.

 

[m1gunner]

Buy a decent antenna and a signal amp. Cancel the cable or sat service. TV isn't worth watching when it is free, you really don't want to be paying for it.

 

[amd6547]

I haven't had cable or satelite TV for 20yrs...
My job puts me in hotels often, and I see cable there...amazing to have 100 channels and nothing I want to watch...I honestly cannot believe how much people are willing to pay for that stuff.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Got Dish TV and have had for over 5 years and they won't even come out to re-adjust the dish without a sixty five dollar service charge. Seems to me if they really wanted to do the right thing by the customer and keep them happy they would see that they had optimum signal at all times. Guess they are all the same just after your money and could care less about C/S. I have hade Time-Wrner cable Dish and Direct and they are all the same when it comes to C/S.

 

[4406v]

I had Direct T.V. for about 7 months.The picture quality was excellent but they changed programming that I ABSOLUTELY told them I had to have when I signed up (versus and fsn pittsburgh) After tolerating the lack of Versus for 6 months I cancelled.They tried to charge me the early termination fee which I disputed,they declined my dispute and re-billed me.I ABSOLUTELY refuse to pay them the whole amount and they WILL NOT NEGOTIATE so I am not paying them anything!!! They can go ahead and put a black mark on my credit I really don't care.Sometimes you just have to stand up against these crooks!!!

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

I have had DirecTV since it was commercial free like satellite radio today.....have never had a problem with the equipment or customer service. I have moved twice and each time they have come out and installed a new antenna for free, no hassle, no problem. Pay $3.00 extra a month for the Outdoor Channel that has all the gun programs on Wednesdays.

 

[gunlovingirl]

I had DishNetwork and cancelled a couple weeks ago. Went back to cable. My main complaint was losing the signal whenever it rained hard. I rely on a local TV station to keep me updated on weather conditions when it gets bad, ie tornado weather. And everytime it would storm, the signal would be lost. So I went back to cable.

 

[don95sml]

Regarding Direct TV, maybe you were influenced by the Russian-sounding guy that says "I jump in it!"

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

The only folks I know who switched from cable to satellite did so for sports packages. I have Comcast. It's fine but can't wait to switch to fiber optic service. Internet speed and on demand programming is going to make Comcast look like they are using tin cans and string.

 

[Steave]

I'm surprised to hear this.

About 15 years ago, after NUMEROUS issues with cable companies, I switched to DISH Network vowing never to have cable again. I had DISH until '02 or so and switched to Direct TV, no real issues with DISH, I just liked some of Direct TV's programming better. With the exception of occasionally losing the signal during heavy rain I have had virtually no problems with them and when I have had issues, they ave addressed the problems quickly. I really can't think of anything bad to say about them.

 

[sheriffoconee]

I don't have cable as an option...I live too far away from any cable service....
I had Dish for 10 years, and quite frankly, I got tired of them offering new, fantastic "upgrades" to people who were new, and leaving me to beg on the phone for some kind of deal after I had paid them faithfully for years.....
Direct offered us a better deal, I called Dish to talk to them and they didn't seem to want my business, so I went with Direct.
LOVE IT....
I am sorry you have had trouble, but Direct has been good to us, and unless it is a driving, I mean FROG STRANGLER rain, we get excellent reception and service. I hate the OP had a problem.....my experience has been the exact opposite..

 

[Kanewpadle]

While I was at work today they called my wife and tried the ole end around bit and convince my wife to stay with them. Didn't work.

I know others than don't have a problem with Direct TV. Heck my next door neighbor love's them and has no problems and his dish is right next to mine! But that's what's so frustrating.

That's ok. I picked up two boxes today from Comcast and just hooked em up. Got a great deal on a package.

There all a bunch of crooks. Guess we just have to pick the right one!

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Makes me think life was a lot simpler when a good set of Rabbit Ears was all that was needed to get snowy reception on the big round tube set in the living room that the family crowded around for a couple of hours each night. There were few commercials, and they gave useful information, not the side effects of weird named drugs...and repeated over and over again. I have a gazillon stations now and still can't find anything to watch. The best programs are the old movies or comedy shows from the last Century.

 

[Ogandydancer]

quite frankly, I got tired of them offering new, fantastic "upgrades" to people who were new, and leaving me to beg on the phone for some kind of deal after I had paid them faithfully for years

This is another negtive for DishTV. All the good deals go to new customers and old customers can go to balzes.

 

[Grumpy Ole Dude]

I have comcast cable and they keep changing the channel lineup. Never know what is on which channel. I remember when we had rabbit ears and cable is miles better except...programming. We have well over 100 channels and there is nothing on worth watching. It seems the same thing is on at least 5 channels. I watch news at least twice each day and even that is going downhill really fast. I'm just about ready to cancel the cable tv and just keep the internet. I'll pay to buy DVDs (usually on sale for $5) and watch what I want when I want it. So far I have over 230 DVDs to choose from. I know, I'll READ A BOOK!

 

[oldman45]

I've tried them all. Cable went out if it thundered 200 miles from here.

Direct was over priced and failed to work half the time in addition to never getting their billign straight.

Got Dish about 8 yrs ago. A very good friend been installing for them in another state. He came down and installed it to every room. Never had a problem yet until he came back and upgraded the dish and receivers. Now I keep getting interruptions asking if I want to rent movies. Press any key and the notice stays on. Just have to turn the receiver off and back on to get rid of it. A couple hrs later, same thing again.

A niece dropped Dish and went to Direct. Had Direct a couple months and tossed it for Dish back.

None of them are any good these days. They all want a lot of money for not much entertainment.