I saw your site. Thought I was the only one who is trying to deal with Direct TV. I just paid for a year of See mag. $37.99 in May 1999. Called them to explain I was going on vacation in June and to turn off my service till I got back in August.
I came down with the flu first week of school vacation, followed by
pneunonia. No June See mag arrived. I was going to see what was on and resume service since I couldn't go anywhere. I called direct tv and they informed me no service, so I didn't need a mag. I paid for it! now I called the next day for someone else who said I would get my refund.
Come July I got a regular bill for monthly service, they did give me $1.99 credit. Personally I think the consumer protection will be the only way I will ever see my money. Oh yes, I gave my dish and reciever away. Can't get thru on their phone number 1 800 531 5000. Tried for three days after that . . . day or night it was always busy.
I have even sent a letter via snail mail to their inquiry address requesting explanation. That was two weeks ago and I have yet to hear from them. I have, however, received a late payment notice (I explained in my letter that
I will not pay the bill until I receive an explanation). They are threatening to disconnect my service. Frankly, at this point, I think I will let them.
Through a little digging with the Better Business Bureau, I found that
DirecTV has been reported 48 times (soon to be 49).
If anyone has found a way to get through to DirecTV, I'd love to know!
A few weeks ago about half my Direct TV Programming was turned off. I went through hell getting through to Direct TV. Kept getting their too busy, call back message. Finally got through because I was calling RCA and giving them hell for making the equipment; RCA got tired of me and found a way to put me through to unreachable DTV. Turns out Direct TV and USSB merged. Well, then I got a collection notice from the former USSB for two months of programming that I HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVING. When I told the collection agency for this former USSB that I had not received the programming, they told me to call the UNREACHABLE Direct TV and they still expected me to pay the BILL! I kept calling USSB collection back until they got tired of me and patched me through to Direct TV! I cancelled service and am getting a REFUND! They were trying to charge me for two months of USSB service that I was no longer receiving! I'm lucky I cancelled while I was patched through. Man at Direct TV told me they now had 7 Million customers! (After USSB merger) Also I was told that Direct TV had not expected the high call volume! What a joke! [Frenchie adds, the amateur programming alone should make you laugh also, but it costs too much to laugh at.]
Hi !
I can not reach Direct T.V. to have my service stopped, they are not
answering their phones, just a recording. I wrote them a letter and they keep
sending me bills. Is their any one out there that can tell me what to do?
We are on a fixed income. I think it stinks.
Here's my latest attempt at DTV. I think they have stolen a page from the
America Online "Rose Colored Glasses Manual".... Call direct TV and you get
nearly the same recording as AOL to the effect of "Due to the overwhelming
popularity of our great service we cant help you, goodbye". Glad to see
your site and know there are others out there...
In early August I was called by Direct TV regarding the merger and was asked
to select what programming I wanted. I explained that a few months prior. I
had responded to a special offer letting me add HBO to my service for $5/month for as long as I wanted it. I would like this to continue.
The person on the phone explained that with the merger my monthly charge
would increase by about $10/month, but that she would honor my previous
agreement, and provide a $10 rebate to keep my bill unchanged.
Shortly thereafter, I lost all Direct TV programming except the most basic,
but received a new bill for the higher rate. After spending many hours trying
to contact Direct TV via the 1-800 number, selecting home system, and always
being disconnected, I finally dialed the 1-800 number and selected office
system. Although this was incorrect, I spoke to a real human who patched me
in to the correct line. After a 30 minute wait, I spoke to another human who denied that I had ever received a call two weeks before and refused
to honor the agreement that had been struck earlier.
This page is dated July 1999. Bill Wrote . . . Please show others my input re Direct TV.
They show me an on screen
program guide that is frequently wrong.
When I call the people from whom I bought the equipment, and to whom I pay my monthly fee they say, "We have nothing to do with programming". I then ask for the number of whoever does the program guide. They can't (or won't) give that to me. I must call the individual station.
I called Fox West at least a dozen times. Of those, ten times I got a recording saying to leave a message and they would get back to me. They never did.
The couple of times I talked to someone, they said they always give Direct TV the correct information when they were asked for it, and it was
DirTV's mistake.
(As you know sports schedules change frequently) I
decided it was just "a failure to communicate". So, I decided to get
hold of whoever did the on-screen programming and explain the problem
and suggested they set up a better communication system with the
station (and with others which I also found mistake prone). I was
passed around the country, from one number to another (all at my
expense) and NEVER succeeded in getting the correct number.
No matter how many times I said, "Don't you agree that it doesn't do me any good to have the system if I don't know what is on and when it is on?" I finally gave up in disgust.
I ran an ad in our local paper to ask people to call me before they invested in DirTV so I could warn them of these problems. Sadly, only two people called and one of them was most certainly connected with the local distributor.
I would not recommend DirTV to anyone.
Cleo wrote:
Stacy wrote:
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one fighting with DirecTV. My monthly
bill suddenly jumped $20 with no explanation. I been trying to contact
them via the 1-800 number for five weeks now, at all hours from 6 a.m to
2 a.m. Every time I call, I get the "we're so busy" message and then my
call is disconnected.
Lee wrote:
A couple writes <91771@aolcom>:
Frenchie said:
I would send a telegram and a letter. Be sure to keep copy of letter and telegram. Ignore any more bills. You will be covered in any attempt to take you to court. Include what you told me and this note from me in the letter! They will recognize their stupidity soon enough and stop their ignoring customers. When they look at my website and comments from folks like you, they may mend their terrible dis-service to the world. Have peace of mind and smile.
Frenchie "the Webmaster of http://www.maryland-us.com
Gary writes:
Phil wrote:
Frenchie says, Look on the government links below for places to write or send e-mail.
Get their attention in this area they need to investigate and regulate NOW!
Tour Federal and State government offices, activities, people resources below !
State & Local Government
Send Mail regarding this site to: nwchaus@verizon.net