My complaint is not as bad as some the others are but I was severally disappointed with Direct TV. For about four years we have been customers of Millenium Digital Cable (now called Broadstripe) and they recently jacked up our prices and even took away a bunch of channels. So much for getting 'More for Less.' More like PAYING more for less.

Any ways, back to Direct TV. Deciding we wanted to try someone else, we called up Verizon. No FIOS available in our area so they made us an offer with Direct TV. We already had Verizon Phone, DSL and Wireless so they were going to bundle it all together for a really good price. My wife and I were quite pleased with this. They told us that since we have a balcony we can have the dish installed on that. Great. We call up Millenium, tell them basically go to hell and wait for the Direct TV technician to arrive the next day. He actually arrives early. How often does that happen? From what I read here, almost never. He goes out to the balcony, looks around with his little line-of-sight tool and gives us the bad news. Apparently, Direct TV's signal only comes from the SW direction. Only one? Our building is blocking any signal from that way. Mother-BEEP! Our apartment management won't let us put anything on the roof so we're SOL. Wonderful. Since there's nobody else who's going to give that good of a deal we now have to make peace with Millenium.

What gets me is that Direct TV only has one satellite from the SW direction? Effectively cutting off any potential revenue from the thousands of people who have obstructions facing SW. This doesn't sound so direct to me. Oh well, it's their loss.

I returned the equipment I had rented on April 21st and had FedEx tracking numbers to prove that the equipment was received at the Direct TV warehouse. They could not find one of the receivers and it took until July 23rd to get the credit placed on my account for the 2nd receiver. I was told that they would expedite the 2nd payment but that was apparently a lie as I have now been told that it would take 4-8 weeks for a refund check to be issued. I did not receive the refund check for the receiver they could locate until July28th, 3 months after I returned the equipment.

Directtv tryed to cheat me too! And I never got Directtv because my apt was facing the wronge way. But they charged my credit card anyways the activation fees and a deposit fee and charged me for a months service. Again I never got there service because the guy who came out to my apt. said My bld. was facing the wronge way and there was no signal. Needless to say when I got my bill and statement from my credit card company I was Pist! I got my money back but not soon enuf. It should of never happend in the first place. I wonder how many people don't look at there statement and just pay there bill. I really don't think Directtv would of gave it back unless cought.

I called in April to have my service turned off on May 19, 2009. They gave me an early termination fee of 300.00. I got upset, because I was not told that I had a two year term. When I check back in July, they were still taking money out of my account. So I called again, I was told that we did not complete the call, so they took out two more months.

My DirectTV Nightmare!!!


My name is Dave Conaway and I signed up for DirectTV for the first time 3 months ago after rave reviews from my dad.I was told that my monthly bill would be $49.99 and that I would receive 3 months of Showtime and HBO at no cost.

I got my first bill and it was $85 so I called up DirectTV. They said that the $49.99 was after a online rebate that would take 6-8 weeks to process. So I was pissed but went online and signed up for the rebate.

A couple of weeks went by and no problems until the North Carolina summer storms starting rolling in. I lose the signal at the first threat of rain or the picture pixelates so bad programs are unwatchable. Then the DVR box starts shutting off when I turn on the TV and reboots which takes upwards of 10 to 15 minutes.

So once again I call DirectTV. They tell me they can replace the box at no charge but I will lose all of my recorded programs. So once again I am pissed and forgo having the box replaced until I can watch all of my recorded programs so I can then get a new box.

Then this week I get my bill and DirectTV is charging me like $30 some dollars for HBO and Showtime. I never ordered them. If my 3 months is up of free service fine but don't just start charging me for something I don't want.

At this point I am over the whole damn DirectTV bullshit and feel that not only have they not provided me with the service I was promised and expected but that they have tried to pull one over on me.

So today I call DirectTV and am very nice and professional and tell they guy I want to cancel my service. He is very polite and tries to troubleshoot the situation and save the account but I wasn't having it. Then he proceeds to tell me that DirectTV will be charging me $420 for breaking my contract.

ARE YOU SERIOUS!! DIRECTTV HAS NOT PROVIDED ME WITH THE SERVICE I WAS PAYING FOR AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY THEM $420 FOR NOTHING!!

So I politely ask to speak to his manager. The manager keeps assuring me he can rectify the situation and have a technician come out and fix everything and he would review my bill.I understand that his job is probably retention so I politely explain to him that there is nothing to rectify except the cancellation fee. After 10 minutes of him jabbering I finally say look are you going to remove the cancellation fee or what.

NO was his response.

Well DirectTV beware because if I have to pay ANY cancellation fee I will be screaming from the mountain tops. I will tell everyone I know not to do business with you. I will be filing complaints, writing letters, making phone calls, whatever it takes.Hope the money was worth it.