DIRECTV Question

[Riverless]

Hi all,
Just got DIRECTV installed yesterday. They tried to sell me a maintenance plan for an extra $5.99 a month. :yuk: I did not purchase it. Do any of the DTV users see any need for this? They said they charge $70 if a technician has to come out. Anybody ever needed a technician to come out?
Thanks :)

[Jyruiz]

Hi all,
Just got DIRECTV installed yesterday. They tried to sell me a maintenance plan for an extra $5.99 a month. :yuk: I did not purchase it. Do any of the DTV users see any need for this? They said they charge $70 if a technician has to come out. Anybody ever needed a technician to come out?
Thanks :)
I pay for it and I have used it twice. Once because my oval dish went out, and the other time my HD receiver took a dump. They replaced both right away and saved me tons of money.

[RitcheyRch]

I've had Direct TV for about 6 years and have never had to have a technician come out.

[Riverless]

I pay for it and I have used it twice. Once because my oval dish went out, and the other time my HD receiver took a dump. They replaced both right away and saved me tons of money.
That is a bummer, that's what I was afraid of. So they charge you to come out if their equipment takes a dump? That sucks, the phone company doesn't even charge that much for their maintenance plan.

[MsDrmr]

I have had Direct TV for about 5 yrs and have never used it ither...

[Hardly Satisfied]

another way for them to make more money

[Jyruiz]

That is a bummer, that's what I was afraid of. So they charge you to come out if their equipment takes a dump? That sucks, the phone company doesn't even charge that much for their maintenance plan.
It would have been if I did not have the service contract, the oval dish and the HD receiver are expensive. Plus, I got newer stuff so it all was good.

[Riverless]

It would have been if I did not have the service contract, the oval dish and the HD receiver are expensive. Plus, I got newer stuff so it all was good.
I guess I was just use to Comcast that would come out to the house for free and replace any defective equipment for free. I am seeing now that DCT charges for pretty much everything. :mad:
The problem I had with Comcast/TWC is that my picture would tile and/or freeze a lot, and my audio would go in and out. I was about to put my foot through the TV screen. :mad: They even came out, gave me a different box, tested the signal strength and yada, yada, yada and nothing helped. If I have this same problem with DCT I'll be ditching it asap.

[Richie Rich]

I don't have DirecTv but I do have Dish Network and they have a contract with the same related fee's. A Dish Network tech told me if my system ever had an issue I could add the service prior to the tech coming to fix the system and then drop it a month or so after the work is done. I asked if Dish kept track of people who do this becuase what's the point of charging a full service fee ($100) if you don't have the contract, when you can just add and drop the service at will. He says they do keep track but there is no real enforcement policy. I decided to skip all of this shiot and I got the tech's cell phone number and told him I'd call him directly if my system takes a dump.
IMHO if you are paying a company to watch TV, then its total BS that they charge you anything to come out and repair the equipment you need in order to pay them to watch TV.
Flame away!! :crossx:

[Blacksheep]

I've had DirecTV for 4 years now and also have never used them. Too each is own...some like the insurance whether they use it or not.

[HammerDown]

F'em...go back to rabbit ears, TV's free just like radio :D

[MOBrien]

we've had DTV for about 5 yrs now and never needed any tech to come out. Heavy storms will cause for pixilation and signal loss sometimes and it's irritating, but we've never had an issue that required someone to come to the house.
I too have a DTV question though......
How can I get HD without having to buy a new box and new dish? If I seriously have to pay hundreds of additional dollars, DTV can go screw and we're going back to Comcast since they only charge $5/mo for HD capabilities and that's it.
Thanks,
MOB

[Reaper1]

They told me $399 for the HD/Tivo receiver and it wasn't even perfected yet. Any way to get around the charge?

[gramps]

Hi all,
Just got DIRECTV installed yesterday. They tried to sell me a maintenance plan for an extra $5.99 a month. :yuk: I did not purchase it. Do any of the DTV users see any need for this? They said they charge $70 if a technician has to come out. Anybody ever needed a technician to come out?
Thanks :)
If you went to the new HD stuff they have you might want to get the plan. Here is a website that has a BUNCH of info about Direct & Dish and problems
http://www.dbstalk.com/

[HocusPocus]

i have had direct tv since the first week it came out.. i have a total of 5 recievers and 2 dishes, i have never had any problem with any of the equipment.
right now on dtv there are only a handful of channels in HD.. i do have a HD reciever and the HD package (9.95 a month)but i don't think it was really worth it. i know several of the movie channels have HD but i don't subscribe to any of those.

[Riverless]

If you went to the new HD stuff they have you might want to get the plan. Here is a website that has a BUNCH of info about Direct & Dish and problems
http://www.dbstalk.com/
thanks for the link gramps, i'll check it out.

[Riverless]

I don't have DirecTv but I do have Dish Network and they have a contract with the same related fee's. A Dish Network tech told me if my system ever had an issue I could add the service prior to the tech coming to fix the system and then drop it a month or so after the work is done. I asked if Dish kept track of people who do this becuase what's the point of charging a full service fee ($100) if you don't have the contract, when you can just add and drop the service at will. He says they do keep track but there is no real enforcement policy. I decided to skip all of this shiot and I got the tech's cell phone number and told him I'd call him directly if my system takes a dump.
IMHO if you are paying a company to watch TV, then its total BS that they charge you anything to come out and repair the equipment you need in order to pay them to watch TV.
Flame away!! :crossx:
i hear ya, richie, i call bs on charging to come out and fix the equipment. i just called DTV and they told me that if my receiver broke that it is covered and they would not charge me to replace it, but if my dish broke i'd have to pay $50 for a new dish if i don't have the maintenance plan. the plan also covers replacing wires, readjusting the dish, stuff like that. me thinks i'm going to take my chances and not buy the service contract. oh, yeah, if you have a DVR, which i do, the plan is $7.99 a month versus $5.99 a month for the standard receiver.
also, what's with that cheesy little card they give you with the channel listings? the font size has got to be about a 5 or 6, i can't read it and i know my parents won't be able to read it. i just blew it up on our copy machine, looks much better now. :rollside: they also sell the Big Button remote for $20 for those of us over 40 that can't see the buttons on the standard remote. :yuk:
one positive...i now get the cartoon network :p

[Riveratz]

If the job was installed correctly and there equipment takes a dump and you are on a lease program (Installed this year) where you do not have pay anything. We are a dealer that Covers all of CA, AZ. If you need service I will give the HB discount.
**Never the less though.. They strive for customer service and if you complain enough.. Fees are often waived....

[HYPNAUTIC]

I've had directv for bout 5 years now. Around 3 1/2 years my boxes started acting up (would turn them selves off). I do not have the ins plan, so I call DTV and they said it would be $100 to come out and fix the problem. If I needed new boxes that would cost extra. basically, I told them F that, and if they wanted to keep me as a customer they could come out and fix/replace it for free. 3 service trips and 3 new boxes later im still a DTV customer.
I had to go as far and place a cancellation date on my account, thats when they called me to work it out. DishNetwork was going to give me the same service plan with 3 HD/Tivo boxes and a new dish for free just for being a new customer; thats why DTV stepped up and took care of it.

[Riverless]

F'em...go back to rabbit ears, TV's free just like radio :D
hammer, i had rabbit ears up until last year. when i moved to claremont the reception was so bad i had to get cable. :cry:

[Havasu1986]

I've had Direct TV for about 6 years and never had a problem. Then I bought the HD system for my new T.V. about a year ago. Yesterady they came out and installed a new HD dish and a HD box for free. Well I had to sign up for anoter 2 years though. They said they are getting ready for when more local channels are HD. ESPN on HD is awesome.

[Riverless]

I've had directv for bout 5 years now. Around 3 1/2 years my boxes started acting up (would turn them selves off). I do not have the ins plan, so I call DTV and they said it would be $100 to come out and fix the problem. If I needed new boxes that would cost extra. basically, I told them F that, and if they wanted to keep me as a customer they could come out and fix/replace it for free. 3 service trips and 3 new boxes later im still a DTV customer.
I had to go as far and place a cancellation date on my account, thats when they called me to work it out. DishNetwork was going to give me the same service plan with 3 HD/Tivo boxes and a new dish for free just for being a new customer; thats why DTV stepped up and took care of it.
nice! :)

[NorCal Gameshow]

Now, they want to sell you the equipment and charge you a lease fee. they are starting to look a lot like the cable companies...

[Riverless]

If the job was installed correctly and there equipment takes a dump and you are on a lease program (Installed this year) where you do not have pay anything. We are a dealer that Covers all of CA, AZ. If you need service I will give the HB discount.
**Never the less though.. They strive for customer service and if you complain enough.. Fees are often waived....
thank you, Riveratz, much appreciated.

[Richie Rich]

If the job was installed correctly and there equipment takes a dump and you are on a lease program (Installed this year) where you do not have pay anything. We are a dealer that Covers all of CA, AZ. If you need service I will give the HB discount.
**Never the less though.. They strive for customer service and if you complain enough.. Fees are often waived....
Then maybe I need to switch to DirecTv because Dish Network didn't waive jack....

[Riveratz]

Then maybe I need to switch to DirecTv because Dish Network didn't waive jack....
I am a dealer for Dish Net also... We hear tons of complaints on there Customer service... but that is why people buy different brands of cars also.

[JetBoatRich]

I have a pretty good hook up on Direct issues :cool: let me know if I can help :cool:

[Riverless]

I have a pretty good hook up on Direct issues :cool: let me know if I can help :cool:
if i have any issues JBR i'll let you know.
thanks!