I have had a similar nightmare with direct tv installation crew but i didn't find out that the direct tv and the "direct tv installation crew" were in a sense two separate entity's until i was transferred several times through every department to clear up a cancellation order because there service was terrible. First i order direct tv with premium channels. Second they schedule there install with the standard 4 hour window o. k. Next they arrive install the dish on the wall come to find out my community HOA says it must be installed on a pole in the ground mind you i'm not the first customer in my neighborhood shouldn't they have known this and been prepared properly "YES" but that wasn't the case they wanted to charge me additional $$$. Then they cut my original cable coax on the exterior instead of simply unscrewing the connection. After that they proceed inside to remove a splitter that looped my 1st floor with the 2nd floor cable outlets and say they need to run new coax up the exterior into the front bedroom through my hall and into the second bedroom in order to install my two receivers for those bedrooms. Oh and this wasn't gonna be free there was going to be a $$$ charge for this decorator cable running on my floor through my house. Fortunately my wife said no to all there ridiculous suggestions and they leave having installed 1 of the 3 receivers ordered,And no evidence of a workorder and the discrepancies discussed with there potential customer. So I turn on my direct tv to find out i have basic cable channels and no premium channels as ordered at this point i'm ready to cancel which takes me five days including sat, sunday because of the absurd operators that transferred and disconnected my calls finally when i speak with an operator and cancel everything for poor service they tell me there going to charge me for the days i used my direct tv with basic cable channels- Mind you before directtv my basic cable was on and working because of the HOA arrangements with the local cable company. And in order to dispute the charges which would be around "$8. 33" i would have write a letter to another direct tv enity what are you SERIOUS. It doesn't end there then i have to start on getting there equipment returned so i don't get charged a ridiculous fee for the garbage it is. Which takes another set of phone calls only to be transferred and disconnected several times before reaching the notorious installation department to find out why no one except myself knows i have only one receiver not three. finally i hope finally they have cleared up this cancellation nightmare nope they send three boxes for there equipment only i can't figure out how to fit the satellite in the other two boxes come to find out after more calls the other boxes are for 2 receivers never installed and the satellite is mine like i want your satellite "NO" i guess it really is that crappy there own company doesn't want it back. And so i thought it was over after they cancelled the 2 fed ex labels that were prepaid by them thanks for something right "no" not quite i get a bill for 137. 00 for cancellation fees. Cancellation of what i was never your customer because you never gave me customer service. i did'nt have contract with directtv for one receiver it was three my suggestion to them is stop hiring unqualified installers and trying to charge customers for unnecessary work and by the way i have been doing electrical work for 15 years plus and if i ever told a customer an outlet can't be wired properly and come up with a solution like running an extension cord through there house for everyone to see and for them to live with for a undisclosed amount of time i 'd be out of business. it's not the holidays year round- cords and cables should never be exposed year round either. Direct tv installers need to go back to disney with there mickey mouse suggestion. That. Knuckleheads

I cancelled my service after starting new service in a different area. They then billed me $87 saying it was a cancellation fee. Although we were customers with Direct TV for over 5 years they said we had a one year contract because of a bad receiver that we had replaced. No one told us of this extension of the contract when they replaced the bad receiver. No one told us there wold be a cancellation fee. We sent the replaced receiver back to them. They will not waive $40 (total after subtracting our cancellation). I talked to them and they put me on hold and never came back. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO WAIVE A MEASLY $40. Once this contract for direct tv is up I WILL CEASE doing business with them and if you can get a different service, DO IT.

My husband and I bought a Tivo @ Circuit City Dec.of 2004. That time we had SBC services. We decided to go with Direct TV when we moved to another place in 2006. We went to exchange the Tivo that we bought and got a DVR . It was making loud popping noises. Recently we had to cancel our service due to the apartment having lots of rules and regulations on how to hang the satellite. First we were told the situation was out of our hands that we didn't have to pay a cancellation fee. Called to see how returning the DVR was going to work. During that phone call a lady told us that we would be billed a cancellation fee and that it would be mailed to us.The lady was informed by us on the situation that we talked to a manager and we didn't have to pay anything. We were frustrated because we were told one thing and Direct TV totally the opposite. Nothing was never really settle after talking to her and other agents and a manager. A couple of days later we were charged out of our account $87 without us knowing. We called to see how they got our account number an agent said we had to give bank info when starting out. On the hand, we had a different account when we started with them. Payments were made online through our card so they had to get it that way. The second thing happened to us today we were charged out of our account $216. 50. We called and they told us that we had an extra DVR. We explained to the agent that we had bought one in 2004 and then exchanged it 2006when they just started to lease. They told us that once we exchanged it that it was a lease. But, that is not right we originally bought that one in 2004 before they started to do the leasing thing. I HATE THE FACT THAT YOU CALL AND EXPLAIN THINGS TO AN AGENT AND THINK YOU GOT EVERYTHING TAKING CARE OF AND ONLY TO FIND OUT NOTHING WAS!!! IT SHOULD BE A FRAUD THAT THEY TAKE MONEY OUT WITHOUT TALKING TO SOMEONE!

Sincerely FRUSTRATED

How about this for Direct TV. My son moved out of state to a place that does not have DT. He returned Direct TV equipment on Aug. 28, 2007. (Via Fed EX theirs) On Sept. 13, 2007 his account was debited for $492.00. I immediately tried to resolve it only I was told he would have his refund in 48 hours. I was also told this would be escalated. I called back yesterday Sept. 21, 2007 and was told the same thing 6-8 weeks for a refund. Then I was told that they also charged 222.00 for the equipment and the balance for early termination. When I asked why I then got a bill for $234.75 they couldn't explain. I am going to Action 7 news. Maybe it will do something, maybe it won't but it is time to stop this madness. Also what recourse do I have with the bank? Does anyone know? Advise smb!

I found my contract was extended when I purchased a new HD receiver at Wal Mart. I not only had to pay for canceling the extended contract early but also had to ship the HD receiver to them after I had paid $200.00 for it. I found out after I installed the HD receiver that I could only a few HD channels without upgrading the dish on the roof. The signal would also go out ever time it rained and I had to have a separate antenna if I wanted local stations for weather warnings when it was raining.

I went ahead and paid the charges and got Verizon Fios and have not lost service once since I started. The difference in picture quality was amazing and I have many more channels and features for less monthly costs than Direct TV. I will never use Direct TV again.