DirecTV
reviews and complaints

I continuously have issues with Direct tv service. It goes out for 5 to 6 hours at a time for no reason. Sometimes even days. Too many 771 signals which means problems with satellite. I have had this problem for months on end and it hasn't seemed to change. I pay direct tv but I have to talk to a seperate company (Multiband) about my issues. I live in an apartment so I feel like I don't get outstanding service. This company cannot handle wheather issues either. I chose this company by default because dish I didn't know much about and comcast was not available in my area. It goes out so much and comes back in on its own that sometimes you feel relieved and it forces you to cancel service calls, only to become a tease and go out yet again. The service techs know little to nothing. They use tape on the dish to fix major issues. Can you say lazy? If you are looking for okay customer service, poor service and good con- artist choose Direct Tv. If you are looking for descent customer service, excellent (tv) service choose Comcast. My opinion only.

I cancelled my services early with directv. I received a letter saying I owed them $420. I gave them a call on Tuesday March 22, 2009 and talked to a customer service representative. They were trying to charge me for a receiver that I didn't have. I explained the situation to her and she told me that I only owed $180. I said ok and I would like a statement reflecting this and I would make a payment after I recieved the statement. I never received the statement and then on Friday March 27, 2009 they just took $420 out of my checking account which cleaned my checking account out. I had no money for anything. This put me in a financial hardship! I called them back on Saturday 28 march 2009 and they told me I would have to wait 6 to 8 weeks to get my money back. I have emailed them 3 times and they keep telling me the same thing, 6 to 8 weeks! How can they take more than I owe them out of my account and then I have to suffer for 6 to 8 weeks to get my money back when it was their mistake, not mine. This is ridiculous! They can 'TAKE THE MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT' in a minute? They should 'PUT THE MONEY BACK IN MY ACCOUNT' in a minute? How can these companies play with your money and life with no repurcussions?

I have never complained about a company, service or anything in my entire life. I am simply not that kind of person, or I thought I was not until recently switching to directtv. A couple of months ago I was looking to save money while keeping my existing premium channels. I moved from charter communications (Been with them for over 15 years) to directtv. My friends and family had warned me about the lack of reception and poor customer service from directtv but I decided to switch anyway. This proved to be the biggest mistake that I have ever made!

I went through a third party company called wise guys and was told that I would hardly ever loose my reception. I specified that I lived at the top of a mountain and had needed my tv reception during storms. I was talked into switching. They came out to install my equipment and left my existing surround system disconnected. I received different equipment than what I was promised. I called cs and they stated that they would have someone come back out the next weekend. Guy never showed up and I had lost my reception several times since then. (Every time it stormed). Called back and went through the same process, guy never showed up to connect my surround system again. I then got my bill and was nothing like my quote given. I was then on the phone back and fourth with wise guys and directtv for weeks. Each played the “blame game”. I finally decided to switch back to charter as soon as possible. I called directtv and was transferred to one of the nastiest customer service managers I have ever spoken to. I explained my very unhappy experience with the company and she very frankly told me that it was past the 30 day time frame to cancel their services and if I wanted to continue with the cancellation it would cost me over $500.00 worth of cancellation fees. I was simply stunned.

I am now stuck with this company for the next 1 year and 9 months. I am being forced to stay with them. I loose my tv service every time it storms / wind blows and I am now paying more than I was at charter and I lost all my premium channels after the 3 month free offer! Great decision! Lesson learned and I am now on a mission to inform as many people as I can to not fall for this company’s lies. To have to pay for a service that I loose every time it storms is ridiculous and should be against the law. Do not switch to directtv, you will regret it!

On may 29, 2011, I tried subscribing to satellitedirect tv paying $49.95 with my discover card. I was not able to download. I emailed the company several times for help, but were returned as delayed, failed or undeliverable. I called discover and was told my credit card was charged. The representative suggested contacting you about this situation since you process their payments. Satellite direct tv is not unaccessable. I want the $49.95 credited back to my credit card.
Thank you. Jos p pastagal

I just got DirecTV because I can't get Comcast where I live. Of the first 20 channels, only 4 are regular programs. The remaining 16 are infomercials. Then the next 20 or so are pay per view. Then back to infomercials. I'm wondering why I'm paying so much money to watch commericals.. They advertise hundreds of free channels, but only a handful are programs, . The rest is advertisements?. Avoid DirecTV if you can! It's not worth the money.. In addition, I ordered a bundle package through Verizon'. It was supposed to be $89/month for 1 year?. So far I've received a phone bill from Verizon for $84 and one from Direct TV for $124, . This is more than double what I thought I'd get even if it was prorated.

To who it may concern I write this letter regard my directv account back in may 15, 2011 I had not have t. V service because it was a problem with the relocate service when they came out on may 18, 2011 so I had to put my account on hold for 72 hour for some one had to put my account on hold until someone got back to me on may 22, 2011 and a directv supervisor came out and say the service can be done with out them mount any thing on the roof top so I haven't have t. V service seen may 15, 2011 and I pay my past due account of 191.24 with mean they gave me credit for my t. V service had been off as of 59 dollars and that may me pay 125 dollars toward my bill but it wouldn, t take the pay me so I had to pay a extra 72dollars to restore my service so I in up paying 200 dollars on my bill as of june 9, 2011 and he set up the mover day for me to get t. V service as of june 11, 2011 the work came out this morning to do the job be the landlord say that the owner do not want any wire hanging off the roof so the work john rose came out to my apt unit 1 and talk with the landlord so he had to call his supervisor over the phone so he was talk to her and he came back to me and let me talk to his supervisor over the phone and she told me she is going to put my accout on hold until we get notes from the owner and the customer have to call directv to set up a new appointment and my mother call them today and she was talk to one of your sale rep. Answer call this morning to place the account on hold for her as of today until she get t. V service and they tell her she need to pay 180 for the mover for come out to her home this morning and your supervisor was on duties this morning was verliy rule to this ederly lady over the phone and she just as a question is why she had to pay 180dallars toward the mover and I didn, t get service at all on my t. V and I as the gentlement real nice can he put this account on hold until I get notes from the owner and the landlord is get in contract with the owner today and I will get back with you guy to get my service up and run again and I contract customer service at9:12a. M this morning to let the company no what was going on with the t. V and they want to charge her for t. V service that is not in service at the moment so please give some kind of credit until she get her service... Thank you verliy much shirley porter may contract me at [protected] thank you.

Directv has been deceiving me since I set up service. I signed up for the choice extra package with the dvr at an additional cost. The lies and deceptions I have been told are as follows.

1. When I originally signed up for service on september 1, 2010 I was told I could have an indoor satellite due to the strict rules of my apartments complex. On september 15, 2 weeks of waiting for a technician, the technician had no idea what I was talking about. The technician had never heard of an indoor satellite that attaches inside the house by a window. After the technician and I being on the phone with directv, they explained that it was equipment that I would have to special order from directv for over 400.00 dollars and would not be able to receive insurance on it. I told them I would wait for services when I move into housing the following month. Once in our new house, I called directv to set up an appointment and spoke with henry. The representative set an appointment up for thursday october 28 between 8am and 12pm. Henry also confirmed my order being choice extra package that included 210 channels, dvr service, whole home service, two receivers, and hdtv service. Henry explained I was going to get a free upgrade to choice extra (Instead of 34.99 I would be paying 29.99 a month), I would also receive hbo showtime and stars 3 months free, the first receiver was free and the second receiver was 5.00 a month, my bill would show a 29.00 rebate for 24 months, a 10.00 dollar refer a friend rebate, and a 10.00 dollar rebate on bundle package, and my hdtv service would be free if I signed up for direct pay (Which I did at that time) and my final amount due at the end of each month would be 21.99 dollars. On october 28, a technician never showed up. Again directv has wasted time. I set up another appointment which directv couldn’t come out for another 2 weeks. The technician never showed at the house again. I complained, this time directv said they would get a technician out sooner since I was having thanksgiving and wanted the football game on. So on november 23, the technician came to the house after I called directv explaining it was getting close to the end of the day and still have not seen the technician. He still didn’t have the receivers that already had our account loaded in, he had to take another customers from his truck and call in the problems. As we was speaking to the representative he asked her if I could receive a credit. After getting off the phone he told me he was sorry for all the inconveniences over the past three months but there would be a credit on my bill and I should expect an amount that would probably cover the first month. I was satisfied with a credit after having so many troubles with directv. I never got the credit, never. I called and explained the situation to several representatives, and their bosses on more than one occasion. Even having the evidence of the phone calls they wouldn’t credit anything. I assume directv and the technician just wanted to activate the service before I got too fed up and cancelled the entire thing where I wouldn’t owe them money yet.

1. When signing up for service the representative explained that if I filled out a rebate form before the technical set up service it would be reflected on my first bill. After receiving my first bill, this was not true. I had and still do have the initial email confirmation for the rebate. Calling directv forced me to waste time on the phone, and resubmit all information I had previously done where I then got a second email confirming my rebate. This not only wasted my time but directv still did not credit the rebate on my bills until I continued calling. It took several months before directv started crediting me the initial promotion rebate. One representatives explained that even though the rebates did start right away, that I would be prorated the rebate amounts from the months I did not have it over the first year of service. This has not proven true, I am only receiving the 24.00 normal rebate each month, not the 24.00 rebate plus the prorated amount from the months I did not receive rebate. Directv made no effort to let me forward the confirmation email or adjust the price right away on the first 3 bills contrary to their website and me having proof of doing their instructions, twice.

3. I don’t have local channels. I was never told I would not have locals, in fact I was told that the choice extra package would include over 210 channels. The technician told me to wait 24 hours for all channels to be downloaded onto receiver. So the next day I called to see why I couldn’t find the thanksgiving football game. I was then informed I didn’t have locals. I asked them to cancel and deactivate my service. She said I would owe over 400.00 dollars, I refused to believe that and got transferred to the deactivation department. I was told I would owe fees again, however I explained I would not pay them and they needed to stop services since I would have never signed up for a tv package that didn’t include and of the channels I watch (Abc, cbs, nbc, fox). After battling I told her to cancel my service and I would battle the charges through my credit card company and directv. She then explained the computer system is down and she couldn’t process that request. However she could transfer me to a department that would process a request for accessing the channels from an outside area (New york). Since I wasn’t allowed to able to deactivate I let them put in a request for the channels, she informed me it would take up to 45 days to see if it was approved. I called in january to see if I was approved, they said a request was never put in for me, but they could do one now. I agreed. I called on june 8 explaining I still don’t have the channels and I got the same response of their being no record in my account of a request. When signing up for service I was signing up for package & ldquo;choice xtra” on my bill the package is & ldquo;choice xtra-no locals monthly”. This is wrong, I have been deceived and lied to, as a customer I should have been told that I would not be receiving everything as advertised or told to over the phone.

4. I never received hbo for 3 free months. I still have the flyer explaining I will get it for new customer and have asked directv to allow me service for 3 months. I spoke to a woman named obee and she said I would receive the service but it would not show up on my order. Directv still refuses to give me what they explained I would get when I originally signed up.

5. Charges get added without being warned by directv and not being requested by me. I got a new charge in february of & ldquo;directv protection plan begins in 30 days: $5.99/month” I had to spend a lot of time debating the charge and having them remove it from my plan. I then told the representative to remove me from autopay, and I do not authorize directv to take payment from any credit card or bank account. It was worth not receiving the free hd to have peace of mind that my accounts would not be misused. Although directv may have removed this charge they make it very difficult to get in contact with the person who is able to fix the problem by having the customer go through many steps of talking to several representative and departments which forces the customer to spend abnormally long amounts of time trying to fix a simple problem. I feel this is a tactic directv uses often to discourage customers calling or fixing problems that are worth small amounts of money to each customer.

6. My bill says my price guarantee ends on october 2011 (I didn’t even activate service until november 23 since directv kept not showing up to scheduled appointments). I was told I would have a price guarantee for 24 months. I still have an advertisement saying & ldquo;lock in your savings for 2 years!”. Although I have not reached october where my bill says I will no longer have a price guarantee, I am trying to fix the problem in advance. I continually call directv, but they will not believe me that I signed up for a price lock of 24 months, they have told me that it is not a plan that exists. I have the advertisement still explaining otherwise.

7. Directv will not remove my hd service. I am being charged 10.00 dollars for service I don’t use. I was never told I would have to keep the hd the entire time I would have directv. The hd receivers was given as a & ldquo;free upgrade” it was never explained that by not choosing the free upgrade you would not be forced to have hd services. On june 8 the representative explained I could in fact deactivate the service however I would have to return the receiver I currently have for a different receiver of lesser quality, I was okay with that. I then was told I would be charged 168.00 dollars. They normally only charge customers a 19.99 delivery fee, yet I am being charged to switch out a receive for a lesser quality receiver. I currently have one receiver for & ldquo;free” and am being charged 6 dollars for a second receiver (Which they said would only be 5 dollars but again you have to pick your battles with directv). Since my roommate moved out I wanted to return the second receiver, I was told no and I will continue to get charged monthly unless I pay 168.00 for that receiver too. However they won’t charge me to return devices once my 2 year agreement is over.

8. The first week in june I receive a & ldquo;directv customer agreement” pamphlet. It says it is & ldquo;effective as of april 24, 2011, until replaced”. It is all fine print, but it does state & ldquo;if you do not accept these terms notify us immediately and we will cancel your order or service”. So I called on june 8 regarding the service agreement. The representative explains that this was sent to me by mistake somehow because nothing new except international channels have are different I said I didn’t want the new service agreement. She said if I don’t agree I still have to pay the cancellation fees and by continuing service I agree to the customer agreement. This agreement says that directv may collect any moneys directv feels entitled to from any bank account, debit or credit card you have paid with from previous transactions with only a 10 day warning. I do not agree to this. Directv has shown dishonesty the entire time I have had their service. Regardless directv customer agreement form says you are able to cancel if you do not agree, however they make a customer pay the regular cancellation fees. I was never given a contract & ldquo;which should have included all this fine print” before I started.

9. Directv states that they record and keep records of each customer call. I have tried to get directv to locate a representative or listen to conversations I have previously had to prove that I was promised something that has not been delivered, and even though I have the day and time and provide representative id number, they have told me that the conversation I have had is not saved. Directv outright lies.

Directv is a large company with many departments. Each employee is able to explain and sell you on a service and lie about the details without disclosing disadvantages. Directv employees know that by lying they get customers to sign on for a service which makes them look good as a seller, and they will not be held accountable since the company is too large for a customer to get back in contact with. I do not want someone else to have to go through what I have gone through, I have only listed the partial problems I have had with directv, I will never get the time back I have spend with directv correct and fighting issues where the end result is not favorable for me.

I canceled my directv account after years of poor service. Six months after I canceled my account and returned my equipment, I received a bill for $4.23 for a movie rented in 2004 (7 years before I canceled my account). They told me that they "found" a pay-per-view movie rental when I returned my equipment that had not been billed. The movie was a disney movie, and it was "found" on equipment that was not in my possession until 2010 (It was a box that I received as an upgrade during a service call).

They refuse to reverse the charge, even though I did not have the equipment in my possession, and never rented a pay-per-view movie in my 10 years as a directv customer. The phone line hookup that is necessary to rent movies interfered with my dsl internet service, so we disconnected it - - thereby disconnecting our ability to order ppv movies. The only way we could order movies was by telephone, which incurred an additional $5 service fee, so we chose to not use this feature.

Despite this, directv insists that we rented a children's disney movie in an adult only household in 2004, on equipment that was not in our possession, using a technology that we had disabled.

Do not use directv! We only kept them for 10 years because we are football fans and put up with horrible service, outages, slow customer service response, and outrageous price hikes for the "sunday ticket" service. But when our service went out during a snow storm this year, and we missed the superbowl when our dish became covered with snow and didn't get our service back for over a week while we waited for it to melt, we reconsidered whether sunday ticket was worth putting up with this dud of a company and switched to comcast.

This company is horrible! Any provider is better. Do not give them your business! No tv is better than directv.

Salesman came to our home claiming he was a sister company to the company we were subscribed to and could help us with any problems we were experiencing and save us money at the same time. He failed to tell us that after signing papers we had to go on line to set up account with direct t.v. to get our rebate. We at the time did not have our computer running. Called for service and was told it would cost extra for them to set us up. The gentleman on the phone spoke very bad english which i could not understand. Now I'm paying twice what I was paying to Dish and have one more year on my contract. Idaho is doing class action lawsuit which i want to apply for

Wow! Direct tv really blew me away with their poor customer service. It first started three days ago when I called to orde their service. After 45 mins on the phone, I was assured that I would recieve the $31 rebate for the whole 24 months! Plus a few other great additions (Such as free movie channels for 3 months, $7 off for setting up auto pay, etc. ) I was told I would have to fill out for the rebate online. The morning after I did the rebate online, I received an email saying my rebate was good for 12 months and then my bill would be $72.99. I called customer service where they informed me that there was no way I was promised that rebate for 24 months. I agrued to no end, with no result. I spoke with several different sales people and supervisors. They were rude, spoke to me like a 2 year old, and had no intentions of making things right. After 2 and a half hours on the phone, I gave up for the night. I went home and did some research. 36, 000 complaints in 3 years on the bbb, and they have a failing score! Tennessee's attorney general led a lawsuit that ended on dec. 15th, 2010 that resulted in direct tv paying out 13.25 million dollars!

Having this new infomation, I called back the next morning and let them know that their customer service and the fact that they are setting u false contracts would be the cause of another lawsuit! They wanted to cancel my current order. Pull my credit again, and charge my car again to 'see' if there was a better deal! They were also escalting my case and I would recieve a call in 3 to 4 weeks! Are you kidding me? I cancelled my installation and told them that I would be reporting to every agency I could. They are false advertising, selling false packages, and have the rudest customer service reps. They advertise that they are number 1 in customer service... Bull!

I will be telling everyone I know (And a lot of people I don't know) about my horrible ordeal with direct tv.

Havent had t. v. cable since april 4 of 2011. I took over the servic feb 27 2011; put in my name... they already had a dish there @2892 e. calle rabida... move out on the 27th of march, cancal my service there april 4th... they told me that I would have to pay 50.00 to setup @a different location, I had let them now I didnt have the money at time and will call. well I made my bill in full and 50.00 for the set up ;the came out he said it would be imposable for services. they have no sight. my manger of this aptment says no to the roof and in the front, only a tpot in my patio

I was charged a $400.00 deposit for direct tv service, no where in their user agreement did it say that this was non refundable. I had to cancel the contract early because I was transfered to a new state and the aparments did not allow satellite dishes. I paid the early cancelation fee and was told I would be getting a refund on the deposit. After several calls I am now told that it is their policy not to issue refunds and they are not required to disclose that to the customer. Is it just me or is this a bit shady? To expect someone to pay 400 for the priviliage to watch tv? It apears that Direct tv is ripping peopl eoff left and right and getting away with it, I had called Bobby Vernon's office and they just reinforced the scam that is Direct TV

I have only been a customer with Direct TV since March 9, 2011 and I have had issues with them 2 times! The first time I had NO service for days and they were very rude. The second time No service in one room because the receiver stopped working. When I called them about it they told me I would receive a different receiver in 3 to 5 business days and I would be responsible to send the "old" receiver back or be charged $400.00. What type of service is that? I have to wait to receive a new (different) receiver, try to hook it up myself, and then ship the old receiver back. I'm STUCK in a contract for 2 years and i've only been with the company for 2 months. IT'S GONNA BE A VERY LONG AND MISERABLE 2 YEARS! The day my contract is up.. I WILL BE LEAVING DIRECT TV!

direct TV told me if I bundled my services I could save $70 a month with them. My internet service droped $1.50 a month, my Cable bill went up 4!0 per month and my phone bill went from $30 a month to $75. WOW what a rip off they refused to make any adjustments. Avoid these people if at all possible.

Joseph Starling
Wilmington NC 28401

Iv'e been trying to get Direct tv set up in my home for a couple weeks now with no avail.I have an install today (5/06/11)set up but Claudia has blocked me from getting my account set up, I'm being treated like a criminal.A red flag came up when she looked up my name for some reason and I asked her why, she would not tell me she asked for a previous address and because she couldn't find it she wanted me to fax over a copy of my ID, Soc. Sec. card and a bill with my address on it.I did .But blacked out part of my Soc.Sec.# to protected myself, she told me that they have to have the full # on the card to verify it, I told her that I didn't feel comfortable sending my # over a fax that I don't know where it's going she told me it would go to her personally but when I asked her if she got it in another call she had to go to a pile of faxes to find it, I don't like being lied to.I can't believe that she is the only way to get this done.

I would like a call from her Boss A.S.A.P please
Janine S. Clark [protected]

I spoke with Sarah AQ-1671

As I tried explaining myself to her she kept interrupting me. When I raised my voice and asked her not too, she yelled at me saying I don't have to put up with this and she wasn't going to talk to me if I continued to do so. I raised my voice because she wasn't listening to me, and asked her to stop. (You might have this conversation recorded) I feel she was being a bit overzealous.

My problem was when the installers were here they said I could have an extra outlet added at no charge. I told them at the time I wasn’t sure where I wanted it. I called yesterday after deciding where and was informed that it was no longer free. That's one issue.

Another was the installers also told me that during a rain storm I wouldn’t loose reception because the dish is pointed in a way that would prevent that from happening, they lied on both accounts. I did all of the attic work for them as I'm particular in the way my wires are run in the attic. The spent approximately two minutes in the attic.

Another issue is the picture not being synced with the sound. There was a rep here that changed the receiver and said; after trying to rectify the problem, the problem was with the broadcasters and not Direct TV. He said he would notify the "engineers" of the problem. I called after the first day of installation as the problem was occurring then, and was told by a rep that she would also contact the "engineers" to rectify the problem. I never heard form anyone so I called back and that’s when they sent out the “tech”

The problem still exists. After having Direct TV for only one month I'm quite dissatisfied with the product, but more-so with the staff associated with Direct TV. I'm a patient and kind person and I felt like I was treated rather rudely. Unfortunately I have signed a two year contract with no way of getting out of it, if I have known what I know now I would have gone with Dish TV or Comcast cable TV. But when my contract ends I promise you that I will have your service disconnected. In the mean time I will not recommend Direct TV to any of my friends or relatives.

Sincerely
Direct TV customer

Iv'e been trying to set up my home for direct tv, I called to set it up and for some reason was redirected to the fraud department (With no explaination why) I spoke to a woman by the name of claudia she would not answer my questions keep interupting me and was trying to talk over me. She asked me for a preveious address, I gave it to her she told me it was not in the system (I lived there 3 years) I told her I didn't remember the address before that and while I was looking for another she was getting impaient with me told me I had to fax over copies of my id, my soc. Sec. Card and a utility bill I did but blacked out part of my soc. Sec. # cause I didn't want it all over the office, she lied to me when she told me that it would only go to her, when she said she was looking for it in the fax pile. Everytime I call I get directed back to her, she has blocked me from getting any help. She talks to me as if i'm not me and that i'm trying to get direct tv through someone elses name. I assure you I am not. I was told by the cust. Service # that I could call for a reorder and not give my soc. Sec. # and get it set up right away. She has blocked that and they send me back to her. Iv'e asked for her superviser, she told me she didn't have one. I called cust. Service and they told me I have to e-mail my complaint, and thats how I got here. The first time I called cust. Service they gave me a # to call and I asked if that was the fraud # she the person that answered said "no mam it is not". I don't like being treated like i'm the criminal, or being lied to. I just want to get set up with direct tv without a hassel, the installers will be here tomarrow 5/06/11 and I can't get tv until then, i've allready paid 49.99 up front.
Sorry so long i'm cinda upset.
Janine s. Clark

If you are one day late on anything - they will state that you are "shut out" of your account and/or any services that they have pre-billed you for... Say this is february - you already owe for march! So, if you're a day or two late on paying for january, you're nearly two months behind as it is... Even if you're able to get an extension on the bill! (Yep - we watch most of our stuff on the computer now - gee - it een has a bigger screen!)

Seeking information; not yet a complaint. Our 100+ hotel tvs lose the directv, pro idiom hd channel decoding key on a frequent basis. (Simple: high definition satellite channels lose picture, apparently because the signal to decode the pro idiom encrypted picture is lost from the system. ) (Only hd, not sd) temporary fix is to set bad tvs to specified channel & have decoding key resent by satellite signal—ok for a few days until decoding key lost again. Typical average is 2-8 per day reported. I have heard other hotels may have a similar issue—if so, what are the details? Our setup: new 32" lg, 1080p flatscreen lcd tvs; new directv equipment & installation. We have talked with the system installer, directv & the tv manufacturer. No one has an answer & no one accepts responsibility. Efforts to diagnose & fix are ongoing. What have you tried; what has been said? Comments please.