From start to end this was by far the worst experience I have EVER had with a company. Long story short, every bill was incorrect and we had to call in and hassle with them for hours to get it fixed. Our equipment was faulty and it took nearly a month and 5-6 tries to get the correct (and original) equipment model we had. We were hung up on multiple times. We were told even though their equipment gave out, if we wanted that same model (or even one equivalent) that we would just have to go purchase one from somewhere like best buy. We filed complaints with the BBB, the AG in Denver (their headquarters), and my wife did with some other business agency. Overall, I would say we probably spent roughly 24-30 hours on the phone with these people. They either have no sense of business, or are complete morons. Even the supervisors basically had the "well that's just tough luck attitude". The final straw was when they missed a scheduled move of equipment date (as we bought a new house) and "could not get a hold of their contractors to see where they were because they didn't have their telephone number, only their e-mail address". They then told us we would have to wait for the next available install date, which was 2 weeks out, and we would still have to pay for service because until the equipment was transferred, we still had service at our old residence (which we no longer had access to as it was sold). We then canceled our service because we had finally had enough. They charged us the cancellation fee without notification (we knew we would have to pay one, but didn't know when) and caused our books to be off and go negative. We now are getting a lawyer involved just to show them how much of a pain they were to us. THIS COMPANY IS THE WORST EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE, CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.

direct tv's collections people harrassed us until may 16 (today. who knows. maybe it's not over) for equipment that direct tv admitted was received on march 1. during our many hours on the phone with direct tv, they admitted that they had received the nearly $600 worth of equipment, but were not able to contact their collection agency and stop the harrassment. Time after time, we were told "It's fixed". Then we'd get another call from collections. Direct TV is a NIGHTMARE. The one humorous moment was when an agent asked me if I would ever like to be a direct tv again.

A few years back I purchased the brand new high definition TIVO Direct TV receiver - state of the art for around $1, 200.00. Worked perfectly and then late last year started getting automated messages to upgrade my receiver. Called them and told them it worked fine and I had no need to upgrade. After discussing a bit more they talked me into "swapping" my expensive working reciever with a new one that they told me would provide many additional features. I asked about TIVO and told them the reason I wouldnt switch to Cable is because they have their own DVR and the call center rep assured me TIVO would be on the new received. Also said I was swapping the box so I would not do this if I had to purchase another unit or sign up for any extended plan

1. Problem one - i get the thing and guess what no TIVO - Absolute lie from the person on the phone

2. After the box is installed I go to sign the papers and what do you know there is a paper in their signing me up for a 2 year committment. After an argument with the installer where I told him to swap the box back and leave, he finally walked out without my signature

3. It has been 5 months and the new receiver is ok although I hate the DVR and done use any of the "new" features. This weekend the box freezes up. After multilpe calls to tech support they finally send out a guy to replace. The moron shows up without the box (another lie from the rep) tells me the box is fried (no kidding) and he has to ship me a new one. Charges my account $49 for the visit and $20 to ship me a new box. Also tells me that I need to sign up for two years to get it for free

So now I am upset and call the MORONS that answer the phone there. After 30 minutes of not being able to explain why I am upset and giving them a $1200 unit I paid for in exchange for a unit that I didnt own without a committment she transfers me to a supervisor. Had to fight with her to remove the $49 and the $20 and get a new box without a committment.

Best part is everyone who answered the phone started with "wow you are a longtime and loyal customer"

PLEASE FIOS COME TO MY AREA

CATCH
Watch out the latest Direct TV offer. The current catch is that you will be locked into 2 year contract where as the advertised rates are only valid for 12 months. The direct TV reps will not tell you this and you will be stuck with either paying more or forced to cancel HDTV service, return the DVR and down grading your channel line up to keep the costs the same. Also DO NOT pay the 21 dollar fee that every new customer needs to pay, you don't have to, just tell them there is no deal unless that fee is waived. The guy who signed me up was "shady".

Now to the installation. If you live in North-West Austin, TX or probably anywhere else DO NOT order Direct TV directly from Direct TV, you will have to deal with the worst installation team in the business. Instead go thru reseller, they use their own installers which hopefully are better.

PRECAUTION
Well, first of all, the installers do not speak English, they will not show up on time, they are not trained properly and you will have this "manager" calling you several times to check on how to installation is going. Why isn't the manager talking to the installer directly? I have to tell you the managers don't speak good english either or have hard to understand accent. The 2 managers I dealt with were both absolute retarded folks just reading a script to me. The language they used was totally incompetent and somewhat rude. For example, the manager called twice about 10 minutes apart to ask if I have a local line phone line... this person didn't even know that he already called me and asked the same question.

FIRST INSTALLATION
I get a call from some one at 9am, I can barely hear words "Direct TV". This was the installer, I spent about 5 minutes on the phone asking him to say "yes" or "no" when I repeat back to him what I think I heard him to say. Finally I figure out that he will be at my house at 10.30am... Well soon after I get another call from a person who introduces himself as the Installation Manager. This person speaks with a heavy Indian accent is hard to understand as well (but better, yeah!). He called to tell me that he will be supervising the installation and that I can call him if anything goes wrong. He was reading a script for me... odd I thought, managers usually don't read scripts and you wouldn't hire a manager that cannot communicate properly.

Around 11.15am the manager calls me again asking if the installer had arrived... I am annoyed by him, don't you know where your installer is? Why do you call me? I told him he has not arrived and that the time is running out... and I need him to show up now! He tells me to call back if the installer hasn't arrived by 1pm... I tell him the installation needs to be done by 1pm at the latest, I need to go to work! Hi tells me he will check where the installer is... he never calls back.

Well time goes by the installation time line is from 8am to 12pm... I hit the lunch after 12 thinking the installer didn't make it. While I am eating the installer calls me at 12.35pm that he will at the house in 5 min... Well, I told him he is late and it is not 10.30am as he told me when he called me in the morning and that I have to go to work now and I have wasted entire morning waiting on him for no reason. He asked to call back when I have checked my calendar to reschedule... I told him I am not calling you back, I am calling your manager... (I was thinking that will do something... so was I wrong!)

At 7pm after I get home I call the manager, he answers the phone just by saying "Hello"... I can hear other people on the back ground "hanging out". There is bad noise on the line so I tell him I will call him again, may be we will get a better line. The second time I call he answers with his name and adds Direct TV at the end of his greeting. I complain to him that his installer was late and I need to reschedule. I wait several minutes on the phone while he boots up a computer and gets online.. He tells me my installation has been rescheduled on the next day. I tell him that will not work for me... he tells me he cannot reschedule it and instructs me to call the 1800 number...

RESCHEDULE WITH THE CORPORATE
Professional people (finally), bad English is gone and i get my re-installation rescheduled in no time. I complain about my experience and dealing with the incompetent local installers and about this completely clueless guy "acting" as a installation manager. I still don't know what his role is suppose to be? It cannot be just to call the customers to annoy them... Well I requested an installer that speaks English so that we can coordinate on the installation time a bit better. The reps notes my account with this.

SECOND INSTALLATION
I get a call early at 8am, the installer tells me that he will be at my house in 3o minutes. The installer arrives on time this time. This installer speaks even worse English than the first one and I am struggling to follow him..

After a few minutes the installer tells me that he needs to install 3 wires that go thru the attic each costing $50. I am thinking there goes the "Free installation" (My house is as standard as typical cookie cutter home in the suburb, absolutely nothing special in this house). I couldn't understand what the reason for extra charge exactly is - I didn't care - I knew I am canceling the installation now. I told the installer I don't want to proceed with the install and that the fee was ridiculous.

The installer leaves but calls me an hour later and tells me that he only needs to install one wire and that is going to free, BUT I have to schedule a third installation... I tell him that will never happen...

SECOND CALL TO THE CORPORATE
Again once I get back home from work I call Direct TV and complain about the second installation ending in a worse disaster than the first one. I also complain about the totally incompetent installers, problem of communicating with the installer and the manager, the catch in the offer, $150 wire install fee which an hour later is no longer necessary and free, I need to schedule 3rd installation, the fact I've taken full day off from work and installation is still not done along other things... I got offered another extra $10 dollars off a month... I was so exhausted from the experience and just wanted to cancel the whole deal. I couldn't take another hours dealing with the installers.

SUMMARY
The direct TV corporate installers are the biggest joke I have come across with any company this far in my life! It is apparent that Direct TV is out sourcing the installation to some totally incompetent local company which again uses probably illegal immigrants for the job. Non of the people are trained properly, have serious problems communicating in English and I GUARANTEED THAT YOU WILL BE disappointed dealing with them. WARNING, if Direct TV is managing the installers on their own, this could be a country wide phenomenon!!! And I can only guess what kind DAMAGE can be done to your house if you let these folks to do the installation that involves letting these people to the attic to drill holes and route cables.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Before even calling Direct TV, check your local cable provider, you will probably get no contract no hidden fee deal that you can cancel at any time. Time Warner (my local provider) doesn't match the HD channel line up and is pricier. I am going out with U-verse from AT&T as soon as it becomes available in my area.

I had Direct TV for almost 9 years and decided to choose another provider due to cost. When I called today to cancel my service with Direct TV they gave me a hard time to cancel and then told me I would have a $250.00 cancellation fee. They state I am under contract for 18 months. Funny been with them for almost 9 years and I am still under contract. So now they (stated by phone) are charging my bank card I have on file and couldn't supply me with the exact amount for charges. I looked at my account today and noticed that I have over $500.oo of charges pending on my checking account. Who has the right to authorize that much money from my bank account with out my permission. I called Direct TV's customer service 2 more times for an explanation. The second phone call I was put on hold for a long period of time and hung up on. The third time I was told someone else would have to help me and call me back (They still has yet to call back.) So now I emailed them through their contact site. Now it even upsets me more as now they are telling me the cancellation fee is $260.00, ten dollars more than when I originally cancelled this morning. I asked why I still have not received an email as promised showing my cancellation and charges. They couldn't give me a reason. I doubt I will get the email as they still don't seem concerned. But now I am givin a reason why I am getting cancellation fees after being a loyal customer for almost 9 years. They state in December when my old receiver I paid for not leased went out started my new contract for 18 months. The lady I spoke to to order a new receiver that cost around $70.00 stated that since my were old she would send me receivers to replace my old ones. I only needed one receiver but she sent two. I wasn't charged the $70.00 for each receiver but only around $25.00. I thought she was being nice since I was a long time customer. But I was wrong, this is where I was being ripped off and I didn't realize it. Since she did not charge me I was put on contract for 18 months. Funny how I didn't know until I went to cancel. So I could have paid $70.00 for one receiver that I needed at the time or now pay $250.00 which a few hours later increased to $260.00 to cancel my long time service. She should have explained this to me and the fact that I was going to be put on contract again. I had already planned at the time to cancel in April when my internet expired with another company. I wanted to bundle my services to make them cheaper but I am finding out that you have to pay to cancel even after being with the company for almost 9 years. I am still waiting for a response to find out how much more my charges will be after I seen that pending charge over $500.00 on my bank account. Funny as I am not even behind on my payment to them and my bill is around $75.00 a month. What else can they be charging me? As for their customer service, it sucks! I was put on hold and disconnected and another time told someone else would call me back. Only time I could get some answers were when I emailed. Guess they can't handle customers on the phone. I guess they assume I wouldn't come back as a customer so they need to get all the money out of me now while have a chance! Sad as now after treating me this way, I will never go back to them!