Direct TV

[Yosemite Joy]

Oh boy. We had DirectTV in 2004 from boxes we bought ourselves, installed ourselves. We heard good things about Dish Network and rented boxes through them a year later, with the much loved DVR service. 18 months later we canned our service with Dish in favor of DirectTV's service, it was initally cheaper for more options/channels/DVR. Our DVR has broken twice, both rented equip was "refurbished" (it said so on the bottom). They replaced the boxes for "free" because we have the 5.99/mo "insurance" on the boxes.

Now we are talking cheaper tv, and talking about cutting our debts to the point of debt-freedom. I call DirectTV to find out the cancellation fee (it is inevitably cheaper than 70+ a month for the next 13 months of our commitment to them). Find out it is 440 dollars. When our DVRs broke (once in Sept, once in Jan 08) they "renewed" our contract of 18 months with them. Without telling us, without us signing anything. I would never had known unless I wanted to cancel now or when I believed the contract to be done. I am disputing the change in my contract without my notice, without signing anything, without the operators ever breathing a word of it to me.

They want me to write a letter in. Oh and to cancel early with the original contract it would be 200 dollars. The man on the line told me "anytime a customer upgrades his equipment [which I did not do] we automatically start the contract over." So if you have DirectTV and decided recently to get HD or a DVR and had one month left in your contract with them, guess what? You have offically started over your 12-18 month contract with Direct TV with no notice.

[only1alphafemale]

Thanks for posting this ~ We have Dish right now, and the commercials for the Direct are and have been very appealing with how much more it appears they offer for less money.... We havent had to change or upgrade our boxes with dish in the past year, its still the same equipment ~ and it IS brand new stuff, not refirbished..... I dont like the sounds of the refirbished equipment at all, nor how it sounds like its used to keep people "stuck" to their services..

Rethinking the whole thing now...... :eek:

[only1alphafemale]

I forgot to add one more thing, Several years ago, we did have direct service. I had paid for the full year up front ~ about two months before my year was up, I started getting nasty notices from them that I owed them over 200 bucks in fee's ~ When I first spoke to them regarding this, I was told I was wrong ! I got a nasty letter from them in the mail and called them again ~ this time I had my cancelled check from the years payment I had first given them in my hand. I gave them the information off of the check and then faxed them a copy of it ! I never got an appology or any from them after that...... which is why I chose to use Dish networkk this time.... Just FYI

[Mysteefied]

I have dish network, I like it, we haven't had any problems, I have changed programming several times and am getting ready to get the DVR from them in the next few months, I'll double check that my contract isn't renewed.

[only1alphafemale]

I have dish network, I like it, we haven't had any problems, I have changed programming several times and am getting ready to get the DVR from them in the next few months, I'll double check that my contract isn't renewed.

We were lucky Myst when we got out Dish, as we got the free DVR for the years subscription~ and I LOVE IT !!! :yes: I seem to remember where they were giving the free DVR for any upgrading? Which means your roped back in to a years service with them, but if you like than and plan to stay with them, thats not an issue, right? I keep getting the free dvr notices in mail~ if your not and want one I will save one for you?

[Dodgergirl]

When Dish was offering a free DVR to new customers a year or so ago we called and asked for one. I then told them I would cancel my subscription and start over. They sent me the DVR... I have no contract with them, it's month to month.
I like Dish, but it was going out so much a couple of months ago, they had to send repairmen out twice in one month. They wanted me to pay for the repair. I told them I was renting the equipment, so therefore I expected what I was renting to work properly or I would rent elsewhere. There was no charge.
The kids will be up here next month and are really happy with their Direct TV. So, I guess they'll have Direct in their room, whilst I'll still have my Dish in the living room and bedrooms. It'll be interesting to see whose goes out in storms.

[only1alphafemale]

When Dish was offering a free DVR to new customers a year or so ago we called and asked for one. I then told them I would cancel my subscription and start over. They sent me the DVR... I have no contract with them, it's month to month.

The kids will be up here next month and are really happy with their Direct TV. So, I guess they'll have Direct in their room, whilst I'll still have my Dish in the living room and bedrooms. It'll be interesting to see whose goes out in storms.


Hmmmmm, lol, never thought about having two dishes...! I have found that the channels we will loose first on our Dish service are the higher channeled ones..the HD content ones ~ and another thing I have found that works as far as the actual dish loading up with snow causing loss of signal, is I spray a bit of Pam on my dish.....lol...works pretty well actually ~ :D

[Mysteefied]

I don't think I've gotten one, I'd love it if you'd hold onto one for me. Thanks!

We were lucky Myst when we got out Dish, as we got the free DVR for the years subscription~ and I LOVE IT !!! :yes: I seem to remember where they were giving the free DVR for any upgrading? Which means your roped back in to a years service with them, but if you like than and plan to stay with them, thats not an issue, right? I keep getting the free dvr notices in mail~ if your not and want one I will save one for you?

[Michelle]

WOW, I had direct tv years ago then went to dish because dish offered the hunting channel for my husband then there monthly fee went up and they didn't offer the hunting channel without upgrading my package.. so i shut off my cable for awhile over a year. Called Direct tv I was set up with my account again. they came out set up my boxes and I haven't had one problem with Directtv at all. I couldn't be happier with Direct tv .. I would never go back to dish again....

[Michelle]

WOW, I had direct tv years ago then went to dish because dish offered the hunting channel for my husband then there monthly fee went up and they didn't offer the hunting channel without upgrading my package.. so i shut off my cable for awhile over a year. Called Direct tv I was set up with my account again. they came out set up my boxes and I haven't had one problem with Directtv at all. I couldn't be happier with Direct tv .. I would never go back to dish again....

PS, They should of told you to send the boxes back that is a big part of your fee when closing an account. that is 400.00 to 500.00 for the boxes alone

[Yosemite Joy]

WOW, I had direct tv years ago then went to dish because dish offered the hunting channel for my husband then there monthly fee went up and they didn't offer the hunting channel without upgrading my package.. so i shut off my cable for awhile over a year. Called Direct tv I was set up with my account again. they came out set up my boxes and I haven't had one problem with Directtv at all. I couldn't be happier with Direct tv .. I would never go back to dish again....

PS, They should of told you to send the boxes back that is a big part of your fee when closing an account. that is 400.00 to 500.00 for the boxes alone

The fee they wanted to give me (the 480) was with me returning the receivers.

[only1alphafemale]

I don't think I've gotten one, I'd love it if you'd hold onto one for me. Thanks!

Would be happy to do that ! Seems like I remember throwing one out a week or so ago, so I will watch for the next one and save it for you ! I will PM ya when I get it ~ :yes:

[Edana]

I have done rounds with DirecTV. I say you should call them back, %#^&$, moan, and complain until they cancel your contract free of cost. Unless you signed a renewal they are completely out of line to have renewed you in the first place. They are difficult people to deal with but the more we stand back and allow them to pull this kind of stuff the more they will continue to push their line. I would even go as far as to threaten them with legal action. It worked for me after they defaulted on several installs and tried to make me pay for literally nothing. In the end I even got them to credit me for the time I was on contract but without a receiver.