I just had this happen, I have been a Direct Tv customer for several years also. I just upgraded to HD ($99 for the HD reciever) and man oh man, I dont know what happend to there survice or if it always been like this but man. The installer was 4 hours late from my 8-12 time frame they gave me so he got there around 4pm. He wanted to charge me $100 for installation, after wasting 8 hours of my day waiting for this guy, I was already pretty ticked off. So I let him know in a loud way that I am not paying that and I got on the phone with Direct Tv, they did let him know that the instal was free and he finished the work (4 hour later and several calls to someone for instructions on how to do things) later. When he left I noticed he had the box set up wrong. Thank god Im tech savy, I fixed the problem and my HD looks great. Now, on to the next problem, I decided to move and after I found a place I called all my utilities to transfer over like a month in advance. Got my directv scheduled for the same weekend that I would be moving. Had the TV and everything setup and ready to go. They never show up, I call Direct TV and hour before the deadline they gave me and told them this had happened before and I just wanted and ETA. They checked the system and nothing was inputed. So when the time was up, i called again. They said give him another hour they will try and contact the installation company. About a half hour later the installation company called and informed me that the tech had broke down and would have to reschedule. I set that up and called Direct TV. Since this happened to me before and I know there is a $100 credit if the tech doesnt show up. I let them know the tech called but after my scheduled time, I want my $100 credit, the put a suprevisor on the phone and he says that I dont qualify for that because they said they tried to call earlier and there was no answer. Hmmm, I was home waiting, I got the call to reschedule. So after argueing and getting loud with the superevisor i did get my HD service free for 6 months. OK, the third issue; I called Direct Tv to get some information about the HD DVR and to my surprise they dropped $100 in price from $299 to $199 and they offered to split it up into 3 payments. I said great lets do it, but I had to start another contract, well I had to when I moved in order to get the free installation, so it only been a month so OK. I order the box and they shipped it to me. I get the package a few days later and open it, there was the HD DVR, instructions and the power cord just thrown in the box. The instructions and power cord werent even in plastic, they were just laying in the box. So I grit my teeth and proceed to install it, I clear off a shelf, manuver the box into my entertainment center, plug it in then I look in the box and its empty. No HDMI cable or any type of cable to connect the DVR to the TV. I call Direct tv and after that damn annoying voice activated recording I finally get a person, then give them my phone number after telling the recording, then my name; i explain the probelm and they said they have to transfer me. I get transfered and I give my phone number and name again, then explain the problem. The lady says, let me get you to my supervisor, AHHHHHH! He comes on the phone and I have to verify my phone numeber and name yet again and explain the probelm. At this point I am very ver very pissed. I tell him in a shorter more annoyed and frustraded mad way. I tell him that they sent me a used box, and incomplete at that. He kinda brushed it off he said he can credit $30 for the HDMI cable and send me the B-Band coverters that are required for HD programming. So those finally come, I hook everything up, I got picture woo hoo. Now for number 4, I am watching my new or used HD DVR the pictures great and the sound is also, then the sound goes on an off continuously, the the picture freezes. Im like, OK maybe the signal got lost for a sec, I check the signal stregnth and its at 90% for A and B. I reset the box via the red button, then after the load tv is back. Then it does it again, this goes on all day. Im hoping it will go away cause I really dont want to call direct tv. Needless to say, it doesnt. I get on the phone with direct tv and go through the same routine as stated above. Now im on the phone with a Supervisor, I explain what is going on and let him know that I was sent a used HD DVR, he also brushes that off. He says to me, he will send a tech out and make sure its all connected and setup right then take it from there. I tell him to make sure the tech has a replacement HD DVR so incase it needs to be replaced. And he said he will put that on the request. Now the teck arives within the scheduled date and time and looks at the DVR, he goes through the set up, looks at the dish and says everything looks good, the DVR will need to be replaced. He said I have to call and reorder one, I explained to him that he should have a replacement with him, thats what I requested and Direct TV put on the request. He said OK, let me call my supervisor. This had bad news written all over it. He now says he cant give me a brand new one, I have to call DTV and order a replacement. I thought this to be kind of odd, so im like OK. Im ready to cancel. He goes on his marry way and I get on the phone to Direct TV, go through the motions and get a supervisor. I tell him and make sure hes hears me, that this DVR is used. He said whether he meant to or not, that existing customers get used or refurbished items at a new price and only new customers get new items. So I say, thats a great way to do business, get someone locked in a contract the ### on them. What I got out of the conversation that this is pretty much Direct Tv's way of doing business. So after our arguement he breaks down and says he will knowck the remaining payments on my existing DVR and have someone bring a brand new one and install it. So after all that, I will no longer purchase anything that will make my contract longer. I am going to cancel the first chance I get.
