DirecTV
reviews and complaints

We've been Directv customers for 14 years. About 6 years ago, we opted to buy a new DVR/HD box and dish rather than lease it as we didn't want recurring leasing charges. Instead of leasing the box at $99 we bought the box outright from Amazon.com for nearly $500. Things went smoothly enough until we moved to a location without HD reception and tried to downgrade our service to regular. DTV insisted they owned our box and wanted it back in order to go back to regular service. They couldn't produce any leasing agreement, as none existed BUT we were able to obtain the receipt from Amazon.com. We faxed it to them repeatedly, but they never acknowledged receipt nor would update our account with any of our previous calls. Every time we called, we had to start at the beginning and follow the chain up for about 2 hours. By week 2, we'd decided to cancel service. They still wanted us to send them back OUR box that we had purchased and held receipt to. When we refused and again faxed our receipt, they threatened to use our on file credit card to charge for the box AGAIN. I sent them an e-mail tonight telling them they didn't have permission to use my credit card for this purpose, but I suspect that they don't mind a little fraud here and there.

I'm so angry, I don't know what to do.

My husband ordered the service and they never informed him that we were signing up for an 18-24 month commitment and told him we could cancel anytime. We stopped using them because the basic channels we were getting were rubbish and the movie channels played the same movies all month long. We left with a final bill of $89.97 and that was in August. It's now six months later and the bill is now up to $656.31 including $420.00 for not fulfilling our contract and it continued to rise until the contract is complete. I just spoke with DirecTV and they claim that even though my husband was not informed of this contract, once the installer brought the equipment and signed off on the work, that was our contract. They were rude and are falsely luring people into multi-annually binding contracts without telling them. This is theft at it's lowest level and I would like to be included to testify if criminal charges can be brought against them because they're doing this to all families and especially marketing to military families who often do not stay in one place for the length of the contract! I'm surprised the Marine Corps allows these criminals to operate on our bases, I'm referring to the insurance scams that ultimately led to soliciting being banned on bases.

Here's the story on my horrible directv experience wich is still ongoing.

I called directv in the first week of march 2010 to order service. The man I talked to assured me of some things I would be receiving with directv service. Now a friend of mine has directv and on all the receivers there are capable of recording two separate channels while you watch a THIRD CHANNEL, now if its supposed to be that way or rigged or what I don't know. So when I called to order service, I specifically asked if they offered a receiver for me that can do the same thing. All I wanted was two HD DVR receivers AND the ability to record 2 separate channels while watching a third. I also asked that the dish not be put on the roof but the side of the house. I was assured this is no problem, that he was configuring a package to fit what I wanted.
All I asked for was the two HD DVR's and to have it function like my friends service did with the HD DVR's. I was told all I had to pay was the 20 bucks to ship the boxes to the installers and they would be at my place 3/06/10, a sat morning between the hours of 8-12. So far I thought I was getting what I wanted.
Saturday morning the installer calls a little after 8 asking for directions, and then tells me that he wont be there until 11:30 or so. He shows up a bit before noon and gets to work with the installation. Once he starts hooking up the boxes I notice that they are standard receivers and not HD DVR's. Also I notice that the spelling of my last name is incorrect on his paperwork. So he takes the boxes and assures me he will handle it. He asked me not to contact directv so that he could fix the problem and get paid for his job.
After being on the phone on and off with him over the next day, he says he checked and I was right, that I ordered two HD DVR receivers and schedules a new installation for monday morning. On monday morning I called him to confirm when he was comming and he said he could not finish the installation because of a problem with Directv. The installer then gets me on a 3 way call with someone from Directv because I apparently need to make it a new order and account # because of the receiver mix up, although the installer says he has the boxes in his truck for me. The man from Directv tells me that I was being overcharged for what service I was getting and told me he fixed it, then charged 125.88 to my debit card for the additional receiver.
So after this I was assured I'd get my two HD DVR receivers and my monthly cost for first year would be 56.99 a month and for the second year it would be 85.99 a month for the package I wanted, and then I was given a new account number. And again I request that they fix my mispelt name. Finally the installation is rescheduled for tuesday morning.
Come tuesday no call no show, so I call the installer and he tells me that he cant get released to do the job until he talks to his suppervisor who is in a meeting. More phone calls throughought the day just to have the installer tell me the work order needs to be reopened and he needed an acctivity number, which I heard the man from Directv tell him the number when we were on 3 way call. So more calls to Directv to have them fix my mispelt name AGAIN and to get them to reopen the work order and get the acctivity number wich I give to the installer and reschedule the installation for wednesday morning.
Wednesday comes, no call no show from installer, and I get an automated call from Directv confiming an installation in the aftnoon hours between 12-4. Now this was not the time I scheduled, but I waited and two different installers show up in the afternoon with my correct boxes and do the installation, albeit rudely. So now I have working service as I ordered, or so I thought.
I work night shift and 12 hours shifts at that, so I went all week so far with very little sleep. After a short nap I tried to record two programs and watch a third station like I was assured I'd be able to do with the original person I ordered service through. I could only record one and the other I'd have to stop recording if I wanted to change the channel. So then I go inspect their installation and find out both guys put the dish on the roof where I did not want it, and the second installers didn't even use the same bracket, they put an additional one next to it... it was the same exact bracket.
So again I'm on the phone with Directv and they tell me the equipment is working fine that there is no way to record 2 channels and watch a third. They told me my friend must not of had Directv or that I was lying. My eyes work, I can read. My friends house has a Directv Dish, a Directv HD DVR receiver, and gets billed by Directv... But regardless on the fact they sold me on 3 stations and then told me they cant do that, I could of lived with it if they hadn't put the dish where I asked It not to be and caused damage to my roof.
So now it has rained and I have water leaking into my roof. So I call Directv again every day going through department after department getting transferred until I talk to someone that can handle all my problems. I only talk to supervisors or managers mind you. Eventually I talk to someone by the name of Patrick who is very sorry for my problems and after almost an hour on the phone with him alone, assures me that my 19.99 for shipping the two boxes that were wrong, and the charge for the second HD DVR of 125.88 would be refunded. He tells me that my 19.99 has already been refunded and the 125.88 would be mailed by check in 8-10 buisness days. Patrick also tells me that he marked it urgent refund.
I then ask to make sure that I will not be charged for any termination fees and that my account is closed out because I will not deal with a company that treats its customers that way. He ASSURES me that he closed my account, refunded my money, and that the service people would be out sat morning to remove the dish and all the wires laying around my house. He also gave me the information for the damage claims, and told me he put it in his system and that they would be contacting me shortly to resolve the issue.
Saturday morning the 13th comes and no service people show up in the 8-12 window I was told. So I call Directv again. They tell me the sevice appointment was cancelled and I have to contact the instalation company, Directec. When I ask for a contact number they tell me they have no numbers or no ability to even transfer me to someone who could get me in contact with Directec. If they have no way of contacting them, then how can they do installations when Directv says they have no way to contact them?
I'm also told I still have an active account, and refuse to put me in contact with with anyone other than the supervisor at the cancellation department. They also tell me no one higher up in the company has the ability to make sure my account is cancelled, even the president. So this man cancels my account, although I was assured by Patrick the other day that it was already cancelled. This man also tells he has nothing to do with me getting a refund or if I will get termination fees for a service I never had but for a few hours, that didn't even work as promised. He tells me thats a different department...
So after checking my bank account, I see that the 19.95 for the shipment of the boxes was refunded to me on 3/9/2010, but I still have not received my check for 125.88 and still haven't had the installers come to collect there boxes and dish.
I have pictures of the roof and damage and, and the bolts they discarded into my yard and left for me to clean up. This is a horrible way to run a company and I will not rest until Directv fixes what they have done. I am contacting the better buisness bureau and am filling a complaint. I am also contacting all local newspapers in my area to have this story run for everyone to know what Directv does, and how they mistreat and ripoff thier customers. I also have the address for the office of the president of Directv and will be writing them uncessantly until they resolve the issue. And If all else fails, I will take Directv and they Installation company to court to reimburse me for charges and damage to my house.

I have purchased satelite direct tv and an amount us$49.95, but unfortunately I could not watch it, when I am click the down load switch an order form again show on screnn and required for information with credit # for charge again and I could not found any registration option
Purchase information.
Details of charges alreday mad as follows

Order number: 8er5mc3x
Order date: 03/08/2010 10:50 am pst
Customer name: haroon rasheed
Customer email: [protected]@cyber.net. Pk
Product: unlimited access to over 3, 500 hd channels - one time fee
Product id: 1

Payment details

Payment method: mc 4733
Subtotal: $49.95
Tax: $0.00
Total: $49.95

Regards
Haroon rasheed

I gave my son and family the gift of the down payment for service with Direct TV...used my debit card. Over a yr later my son cancelled the service due to a move and not working. Direct TV charged my debit card $614.41 to clear his charges. I contacted them and told them that I was not responsible for his charges as I have my own acct in good standing. I was met with nothing but rudeness and refusal to reverse the charges. I have a disabled husband and we live on a fixed income and I have had to dispute the charge with my own bank. Direct TV assumes no responsibility for their actions and will keep the money until the bank makes them return it. Beware...Direct TV is nothing more than thieves and should be prosecuted for fraud.

First direct tv cancelled vs channel, one i viewed frequently.

Second & most recently, out of the blue the music went from xm to some 2nd class music channels...As much as the music, the dj's on xm were as important to me as the music it's self...

I have been faithful customer & recommeded & got my rebates off my bill, but now i cant refer direct tv any longer because who knows what will change next...$60 some dollars a month is not that easy to come by...

What can be done?

I signed up online for directv services. We were referred by a friend for directv so we also got the 'refer a friend credit". I got my credit the first month, but have not the last two months. Everytime I call I get a different person with a different excuse as to why i'm not getting my credit. The last time I called the supervisor there told me that i'm not getting the credit because the company I signed up with didn't qualify for the refer a friend credit. I told him that I signed up online and did not go through any company. He more or less called me a liar and said well that's what my computer shows. He said I signed up through a company called inq, inc. But, he couldn't give me an address or a phone number so I could call them. He said he had to information other than the name of that company. I have tried looking up this company, and I find nothing! I am calling the better business bureau on monday. I'm tired of the excuses and the run around!

Directv markets it's business by advising customers on television commercials and elsewhere that if they are referred to Directv by a friend or family, both gain a $100.00 credit to their account. No details are offered, specifically, that the new customer needs the referring customer's account number, but a number is offered to the new subscriber to call for the $100.00 credit. In this case, I referred, in fact, literally sold my neighbor and friend Directv. Both of us had heard of this 'bonus', but neither of us was aware that this was in fact, a scam, a bait and switch, I am currently on hold for 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 25 seconds as of this writing, listening to elevator music while I hold for a supervisor that I have been advised will tell me the same thing as the rep I was speaking with, no bonus w/out the referrer's account number. Upon receipt of his service, my neighbor called the number that was given him to get his and my bonuses. He was informed that it was actually a $10.00/month credit to our accounts, and that since he hadn't mentioned my account number as required, but not advertised nor was the information given at the time of ordering or installation. I have visited the Directv website, went to the referrals program listing and found a lot of things, including the fact that this is a scam, a rip off, and no way around it. Bait and switch was not even a term the rep was familiar with, but it is illegal, I believe that this is what this is at least, and fraud at best. Sincerely, Patricia B. Rambin

So I am another of the DirecTv customers currently having trouble. I just moved to a new apartment and I brought my DirecTv from my last apartment. I had gotten it 8 months ago because where I moved to in rural TN, no company ran cable down my street and satellite was my only option. I'd been stuck with dial up as well. Anyways, I moved to my new quadplex, got the directv installed, and when I tried to go with another company to get cable internet (finally) they told me they couldn't because DirecTv took the only direct line in to my apartment and plugged their wires into this other companies box. My landlord won't allow the internet company to drill a new hole in to the side of the apartment, directv won't come out and change the wiring unless I pay them because they say it's a "special installment" and there's nothing wrong with my service so they don't have to do anything. Now I have been told by people that because I can't get the internet service I want because of DirecTv, I should be able to cancel DirecTv and avoid the early termination fee. I have been through the terms and conditions online and I can't find anything to that affect anywhere. And I can't check my original contract because I was never sent one (according to them they had my address wrong which I didn't find out until they disconnected my service for non payment - they were sending my bill to the wrong address too). Anyways, has anyone else been through this? Any ideas?

Direct TV is a scam. They will lie and steal from you whenever they can. I signed up for Direct TV in Nov 2008 and had to pay a $200 deposit. Now, after paying on time and in full the last 16 months, the Deposit has changed to a fee. The person that tricked me into signing up said over and over that I would get all of the money back through credits on my monthly bills. This was a total lie and the recording will show it. Who in their right mind would shell out $200 just to PAY these scammers another $900 over 18 months? You're right, it doesn't compute...So they have to lie about to meet their sign-up quotas.

I've filed complaints with the FCC and BBB, but what this company needs is a Class action lawsuit. That is the only way to stop it!

Read all of the complaints on here - I wish I had and I would have saved myself a bundle. We are real people who have been ripped off by Direct TV - STAY AS FAR AS YOU CAN AWAY FROM THIS AWFUL COMPANY!

I called to cancel DirectTV.. they tried to talk me out of it. I said I am moving to corporate housing for awhile. So they kept insisting that they sign me up for a 6 Month Temporary Suspension and when I was ready to start it up I could call.

They are so desperate to keep clients.. they will do anything to keep them on the books.. including making it hard to cancel.

I get $0 Bills for 5 months.. then all of a sudden a $213 bill (for 1.5 months - if I would have gotten an email for the partial $75 month I would have called then). I call and say that I won't be ready for service for at least another month.. and they would delete the $212 from the account. They want my service so of course they are not gonna charge me for their service I didn't use...

Well, I decided not to use DTV so I called to officially cancel and the $212 fee is still there. I argue how can they charge for something I didn't use. If you don't use electricity.. you don't get charged. If you don't use water.. you don't get charged. WHAT COMPANY CAN CHARGE YOU FOR NOT USING THEIR SERVICE?

They refused to give me my $212... Of course their notes in their computer are incomplete and favor their firm. No note of the last conversation where I was told I would not be charged.

I have spent thousands with DTV and was a HUGE fan of them.

Now.. I am going to blog the heck of my experience and I will cost them many many customers.

And the $1500 annually i spend with a TV provider.. which is $15000+ every decade... will go to AT&T Uverse or some other carrier.

DTV had to squeeze a dime out of me..this is what they get. I probably was responsible for 20-25 clients signing up for DTV and now I will take back those 25 and 50 more.

I am a Dishnetwork customer. At times I find myself needing to contact Dishnetwork for technical support. I called the wrong number by accident. I call 1 888 333-DISH instead of 1 800 333-DISH. The 888 number is a number to a group call "Dish One Up" who is retail supplier for DirecTV. They mislead those of us who misdial the Dishnetwork number into believing at first we are calling Dishnetwork only to find that about 20 minutes into they are saying they are going to need to switch our service to DirecTV. I called about a problem about mty DVR and, thinking that I'm talking to Dishnetwork, they were immediately going to set up a new DVR...and add free channels...and this and that. So I'm thinking WOW Dishnetwork is really stepping up here when all along I'm talking to DirecTV. They wasted some of my valuable time with this deception and I'm sure they successfully hijack some customers (I stayed with Dishnetwork of course). I think the exploit the phone number thing and are terible for these deceptive practices. fell free to call them to check this complaint out but they are going to want your phone number right off. Don't give it to them just ask them if they are Dishnetwork and see how many times you have to ask...I asked 3 times before I use some colorful languge and hung up on them. [protected]-DISH (3474). Have fun!

I am currently stationed at Ft Benning GA in the Columbus GA area and got direct TV, not only do they not get local channels but 2 days after getting it installed I got orders to deploy. My wife called direct TV to cancel our service because of my orders. The representative on the phone told her there would be no cancellation fee, turns out 5 days later she gets 424 dollars taken out of her account. I called Direct TV and they told me they would have to investigate the matter which could take 14-21 days. On top of that we are out 424 dollars. Military me dont mbers dont make that much keep in mind. What do they have to investigate? The fact that I have military orders and am leaving, give me a break. They care about people let alone soldiers.

My husband is 72 years old and has a pacemaker and half of his foot cut off and his tv is his life.We have been without tv sincethe 15th of May.I can not understand why a tech can not get to our house no sooner than the 24th of May.Hire more techs if need to. A tech was at my step-sons and he did not have time to call and see if we had a ticketopened, he was right next door to us and would not do a thing. Up to this point we have had a good report not now. We are very unhappy with Direct TV. We except tv on and some kind of reward for this kind of service.

Decided to get Direct TV, called up the company came and set us up, told us that we would have no problem getting local channels, two months later nothing. Called Direct TV back they told me they would have to send In a waiver to the networks to get It approved then was denied, company never told us It was denied I had to call the company back to find that out. This was advertised on the flyer I recieved In the mail that we would get local channels. I then called the company back to ask about an antenna then thay have the gaul to ask for 99.00 for set up. This Is a huge disappointment I am so upset I made a change from Dish to Direct TV.Christine Langwell

I was a Direct TV user for over 13 years and never had trouble with my equipment. I upgraded to High-Def and had to "lease" new equipment, both a High-Def receiver and a Standard-Def receiver. 9 months later, the Standard-Def receiver would not power on.

After being on hold off and on, I was finally informed Direct TV would replace my receiver - for a $19.95 handling fee. I informed them why should I pay to replace a piece of equipment that I did not own, that I was leasing - is that not what the monthly lease fee covers? I asked to speak with a supervisor and was put on hold for several more minutes. The original person came back on the line (no supervisor) and informed me they could waive the $19.95 handling fee if I purchased an extended warranty - On Leased Equipment!

So I asked if they were refusing to replace my 9 month old receiver. They informed me I have to pay the handling fee. I informed them they broke the contract and also technically broke a the lease agreement for the equipment. I cancelled my service and now they want me to pay a cancellation fee.

I strongly feel it is time to stand up to these companies and their cancellation fees. They can provide lousy, or no service, and still get us to pay to leave. I will join in on any class action.

Like many others who have posted I am trapped within their system. My reception is terrible and they want money to service their own equipment or they want to sell you a protection plan. They are simply money grubbers to the max who do not care about their customers one iota. They are well aware that their service is glitchy and barely works at all and they do not care! It seems "service" means something entirely different to them. I caught on the other day when a local farmer was talking about having his cows "serviced". Suddenly I realized just what kind of "service" I'm getting from Direct TV.

This an email from direct tv to me !

Show details 1:46 pm (1 hour ago)

You focus on the little things so much that the big ones get overlooked. We are very thankful as well that you don’t have directv . You would be too high maintenance. And tell your friends if they are anything like you not to have directv either. We like intelligent customers that don’t focus on the little things and can see the big picture.

Ignorance and stupidity – you take the cake dude! J

I love you

Andrew byrd
[protected]
Directv - sales & service
[protected]@satelliteactivations.com
Http://www.Savewithdirectv.com

Dear Board,
On Sept. 1st, 2009, Patricia Wade received a call from a woman named Carmen about an AT&T Bundle includinging telephone, Internet and Directv. I'm her son Michael Wade who takes care of her Medically since she was released the second time from a nursing home. She is sharp in mental abilities and the next day was her 72nd birthday, (9/2/1937).
I have recorded all conversations and after about third conversation, was told I could ask for name of costomer service reps. name an ID #. So in a Composition notebook, I've got pages and pages of conversations and numbers of people that I've been trying to get the deal (bundle) that we orginally set up, with no success, even to this very day, Feb. 21st, 2010. I was told that the Internet and Phone could not be set up till Sept. 8th, 2009.
The bundle consisted of Directv Choice Extra package for one year at $34.99, The Phone Choice Enhanced at $26.00, and High Speed Pro Internet at $30.00 which rounded up equals $89.99, but was informed that her credit only allowed one box instead of the four that the package usaully offers. So for two extra boxes, I was told they would be $ charged at $5.00 each for the stardard versions in which we choose.
On Sept 8th, I spoke on her behalf to add Game Lounge, since she is a bed ridding elderly person and that is her only enjoyment beside Cops, Animal Planet and the Runeay Show, at $5.99 a month, and James at Directv (Employee #416067) informed me that since we were new customers and over and over, tole me that it would not change the package, said NFL Sunday Ticket would come along with it for 5 (Five) months absolutly free, be must be cancelled after then or we would be charged for it.
Since the beginning, Ive been getting two seperate bills, AT&T with Internet for $74.99 and Directv for around $65.99 as well as a building balance each month on sport TV when neither of us, Both disabled and on a fixed income watchs any type of sports at all, unless you can call the dog shows on Animal Planet a sport. No matter how hard I have tried, I can't seem to get any resolve from these isssue of their Breach of the Orginal Contract, even though they claim that I changed the Package, which I deny and asked them to listen to the tape recordings of my conversation of the eployees that I've supplied both names and employee numbers as well as dates for them to do so.
They have cut my mothers Tv off and she is slipping into depression and I need some type of resolve or advice on Who and how to sue them here in Dayton Ohio Courts. My Name is Michael Wade, and My Cell Phone number is [protected], my email address so far is [protected]@att.net, but also use [protected]@hotmail.com, [protected]@gmail.com and others, but that should be enough for now. Call me 24/7 as well as 7 days a week for any help that you can give an elderly lady on a fixed income with mutiple disabilities as well as myself with even less income and more disabilities than her.

PS. Also they want you to pay by Credit Card and when we do and save a copy of the confirmation in our Documents folders, they only allow you to have links that lead you back to the account sites with confirmation codes present any more. I have to fine all the receipts and take picture with Cell Phone excepting the time that we have used my other Brothers Credit Card and My Loadable Credit Card. I get a Total of $115.00 a month from welfare relief.

Sincerely in your hands and at your mercy,
Patricia A. Wade Phone:[protected]
Michael G. Wade Phone:[protected]