Direct TV - Are all providers this bad

[charlesebrownjr]

I left them 3 years ago. I wouldn't use Direct TV if it were free. Nuff said!!!!!!!!

[Seabyrd]

Wow !! So glad I haven't had any problems with them infact I switched from Dish to DTV 10+ yrs ago because Dish would (at that time ) only let me have 5 receivers on one account and when we decided to go from cable to satellite I thought Dish was the way to go. We took all the channels and paid a premium for them.... then we wanted to add 5 receivers on our boat in Galveston (180 miles away) and they said we'd have to have a separate account which would have been around $300 month so I switched to DTV and have never looked back.. we have 21 receivers with them all on one account and never a problem. Don't ever use their repair services.. I use local guys that know the business and I order what I need for self installation and they overnight it to me. When we go on a long trip I take a receiver from one of our bedrooms with me just incase I need it. We used to be able to buy them at Best Buy until they changed their policy... seems like all these companies are getting too greedy!! Dish used to be much harder to tune into the satellites than DTV but I think that has all changed now. Dish would never let me have that many receivers so I have to stay put.
I would have been mad too if I couldn't replace a reciever when travelling like that.

[Jerry Winchester]

While their service sucks, you should deal with XM-Sirius. They are about equal to AT&T for cluelessness.

[garyde]

Try Nextel/Sprint . If your phone breaks, tough luck. Theyll replace it , with a 2 year contract agreement.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I write letters to the Chairmen and CEO's of companies like that. Nothing really changes, but I feel really good expressing myself.

In the case of a regulated company such as ATT include a copy to your state's Public Utility Commission. We in essence allow if not encourage such shitty service by accepting it as normal. When I am forced to talk to several automated machines before even getting a human I am already spring loaded to explode so if I get the slightest hint of resistance I ask for the supervisor and work my way up the food chain by talking calmly and firmly about how I expect my problem to be resolved. Asking for people's names and the correct spelling seems to set the tone with folks to help them understand I am not going to be bullied.

So far there have been times when my problem was not immediately resolved, but by the time my letter to the Chairman is working its way down the food chain the cooperation I get is excellent.

BTW, I have yet to find a large company that has a web site for us mere mortals with the chairman's name and mailing address, but if you look for investor information you not only get the mailing address, sometimes you get his phone number and email address which significantly shortens the time between the problem and resolution.

[merle&louise]

Louise has found a way to cut quickly thru the recorded messages; just say customer service at each prompt! It gets you thru to a human and then they can put you on hold!

I have dropped DirecTV also. I just use the campground cable service or just use the local channels thru the batwing antenna when we are dry camping.

[phorner]

Guess I got lucky. I actually had excellent customer service from DirecTv.

We were in a campground in Arkansas when my receiver went out. After a call to customer service, they said that a replacement would be on its way overnight.

Sure enough, a replacement DVR receiver arrived by FedEx the next day, I called in the new access card number, and I've been in business ever since. Apparently, I happened to get the right guy, or a new guy that didn't know any better....

After reading this thread, I'm now hoping that my receiver lasts a long, long time!!