DirecTV Review

WEST DUNDEE, ILLINOIS -- Genie does not work and has gray screen and is a known software. They will not replace with HD box unless I pay them $100.

CLERMONT, FLORIDA -- I received an offer in the mail offering me a Free Genie upgrade with new service for up to 4 rooms. I called and requested the service. The installation was quick but I was never able to record anything per what the Genie (DVR) offer stated I could. I called DirecTV a few days later and was told that this was only for new customers.... (I promptly told them I AM a new customer.) I feel that this was a classic case of bait & switch. I am very disappointed and I encourage anyone looking at DirecTV services to go elsewhere. My problem still hasn't been resolved and I'm thinking of gong back to Dish Network at this point.

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA -- DirecTV upgraded my service since I was not under contract to a HD DVD and a HD receiver from a SD DVD and SD receiver. I was told I would get free equipment, new HD dish, wireless home cinema connection kit, multi-room DVR service and free installation. The first problem in this process was when the tech that came out said the home cinema connection kit was not on the order and I would have to call back in for that. So I did, and I was pretty much told I was lying and that it was not on the order so I would have to pay $25 for it plus $6.99 for S/H plus $40 for installation.

I then of course asked to speak with retention which was the department that had told me that and finally got them to give it to me if I paid the S/H of $6.99. So I am still waiting for that to arrive. Issue number 2, I called the tech that installed my service to discuss some issues I am having with my "New DVR", which is model HR21-700, which is their old box with known issues. I tell him the problems I am experiencing and we went through a few troubleshooting steps which did not fix the problem, and then, he tells me that I have a bad DVD and that I need to call in to have them mail me a new one.

COLORADO -- I will let everyone I know hear the issue I had with DirecTV. I had to replace a DVR that froze up on me. Then 10 months later, I wanted to go with a TV & Internet service with someone else and DirecTV stated I had agreed to a 24 month contract when I replaced my broken equipment. I did not agree to any of this, it never came up when I purchased the new DVR from them. If I had known, I would not have done it. I had another receiver in the house that was not being used and I could have refreshed the access card on it. They are now charging $295 to cancel an account that has been active and in good standing for over 12 years. Terrible company.

CALIFORNIA -- We have used both DirecTV and Dish Network and I guess they would both get my rating of 0, but right now the problem is DirecTV. Customer service is terrible. They send out a replacement box and tell you to install it. When I suggest that I might look at Comcast (may not be any better), they don't care. Is their business so good, that they don't need mine or the many others who have similar complaints? I would like to find a cable/satellite company that really delivered what you expect.

At 1 year I upgraded to DVR's and since have had nothing but issues. Replaced the hardware 4 times, had a service call and each attempt made it worse. During the service call they told me that I had to move my dish or they would no longer service it despite the $5.99 a month and the fact that they installed it originally. I have cement fiber siding so moving it would cause significant damage to the siding. Per my suggestion, they adjusted the angle to get the signal numbers they require and did not move it.

I tried calling today to cancel only to find that upgrading the receivers automatically renews your contract for 2 years with no cooling off period. If you decide to cancel it is $20 a month for all remaining months. So I called again to get service and they told me that despite the history and despite the fact that I have been dealing with this for 2 months now, They will not dispatch service due to the storm. So how do I get the service I am stuck paying for??? Stay away!!!

We inherited our DirecTV service from my husband's former roommate. He hated the service and rather than take it with him when he moved out, my husband took over the account. We had DirecTV service for almost 10 years. A few years ago, we decided to pop for the HD DVR box. This was a huge deal for us because we don't watch a lot of TV, so investing $200 was a big commitment. We noticed a monthly fee on our bill but figured it was for another receiver we had in the house.

Every time we had a problem with the receiver, we were charged for service. When we decided to cancel earlier this year, we learned that we had been "leasing" our $200 receiver. I looked over the agreement, which did not explicitly state it was for lease - in fact it covered both leases and purchased devices. We were informed that if we did not return the box, we would be charged incur a significant fee for not returning the equipment. At the time we cancelled, we figured we would probably shop around but return to using DirecTV when football season rolled around.

After this experience, I would NEVER consider contracting DirecTV, ever again. As we tried to work through the problems and our disappointment, not one representative was courteous or even seemed to care what the problem was. I got the impression that they received a lot of these calls and were told to repeat over and over again - if you don't return the box, we'll charge you. Even as my calls were escalated to higher levels of management or moved from department to department, it was like listening to a broken record.

When I was ordering DirecTV, I asked a few questions about On Demand and DVR service. I was told that On Demand was free and available with the HD receiver I was about to get, so I skipped on getting the HD DVR (free the time, but with a monthly fee of $10). Fast forward a few weeks, after browsing through their website and seeing that all the info about On Demand points to using it with a DVR, I called DirecTV to ask about it. First, I talked to a supervisor that told me On Demand was available in my account and I had no reason to complain.

So I asked the supervisor to explain me how to use On Demand with my HD receiver, because their website only mentions the DVR. She said "sure, let me just put you on hold for a sec". 15 minutes later, I was still on hold and no-one answered from the other side of the phone. 10 minutes later, decided to hang the phone and start all over again. It has been over 1 hour now and I'm still on the phone, explaining my situation to every single person until they forward me to the next one. This is unacceptable. I'm thinking about canceling service and paying the hefty cancellation fee, but I will not be paying for such a dishonest service.

I have DirecTV service with a DVR receiver. Have been having problems with the signal. System prompt says searching for signal and after a few to 30 minutes, service is restored. That is until this morning. The receiver went through at least 7 attempts on its own to restore service. Went to DirecTV online for troubleshooting advice. Followed the instructions to restart receiver. My manual attempts also failed. Called DirecTV and got automated response. Followed the instructions and receiver didn't work. Was forwarded to technical support. Tech remotely diagnosed problem with power cord. I questioned that determination.

Tech Support remained confident that problem is in power cord. Was told replacement cord would be sent and would arrive in 3 to 5 days. Asked about service credit and was told that I would have to call back in after receipt of new power cord and ask for service credit. And then the credit would be for 3 days of service. Went to DirecTV online technical support forum. Advised to call back because problem was in the receiver. New tech agreed and will send out new receiver. Arrival in 2 to 5 days. And it will cost $19.99 for shipping. I said no. Hung-up and called back to cancel my service.

DirecTV agreed to credit the $19.99 service charge. It will still take 2 to 5 days for them to ship out replacement. I will still only get a maximum of 3 days credit. And I pay a price much higher than is currently being advertised because I'm a longstanding customer. A valued customer that DirecTV can, will and does shaft.

On 1 July, I scheduled an installation appointment for a DVR upgrade for 4-8 pm on 20 July. When no one had called by 7:30 pm today (20 July), I called the DirecTV number I had been given (888-355-7530) and talked to an agent. She reported the installer had tried to call around 1 pm because he couldn't find the house and no one had answered.

I had specifically noted that the home phone number is a DSL line which isn't monitored and provided an alternate cell number. I had received no call. The agent said the installer would call us within 20 minutes. He did and said his work order only stated "pm," that he'd never seen a 4-8 pm schedule and had only been given the home phone number. He was 2 hours away and had already turned the work order in, so it would have to be rescheduled.

I called the DirecTV again and an agent and a supervisor said sorry, but… earliest installation available was 6 Aug. I indicated that we would terminate our service if the installation wasn't completed tomorrow. "The system" couldn't accomplish that. At 8:18 pm, a phone message was left on my cell phone by a woman who identified herself as ** from?? Mastech?? -- she was hard to understand -- who said she was with the DirecTV contract installer and would I please call back as soon as possible to 800-531-5000… which is the DirecTV number. I called and the agent with whom I spoke knew nothing about why she called.

So, we're canceling our service tomorrow, 21 July. Ironically, we received a THANKS card today from Eileen Hanson, VP of Customer Communications, for 5 years of customer loyalty, giving us 3 months of free GSN Game Lounge access. Too bad, DirecTV wasn't as loyal in meeting its service commitment.

As a college professor with 200 students/semester and a consultant who wrote the book on Value-Based Marketing for Bottom Line Success (Amazon), DirecTV has provided a perfect anecdote of a company on which customers CAN'T rely to meet needs effectively or professionally. Dish has been pursuing us for 5 years. DirecTV has earned Dish a new account.