Direct TV

"That's not a problem sir, you can cancel your account for free, if you're moving to an area we do not service"

...Direct TV's response to my concern around signing a 2 year commitment with them, as I knew we would be moving to the UK within that term.

So I thought we were safe, I thought we would be able to have decent satellite service until our departure.....I thought they were telling the truth.

That was about 8 months ago. Since then we canceled our High Definition (HD) service, and in the process of unplugging the HD box (and sitting it to one side to await Direct TV's shipping return box), none of it works anymore. Calling Direct TV reveals that although we lease the receivers, we in actual fact own...yes own...the satellite and all the cabling.

Which means that providing that the receiver powers on, the problem must lie elsewhere (and thus with our equipment), so an engineer to come fix my now defunct satellite would be $99. I can of course reduce this fee by signing up for their protection plan (quel surprise) which would then cost me $20 for the engineer and $5 a month for the continued protection.

Now at this time, I explain (yet again) to the customer 'service' (and I use the term loosely) representative that I'm moving in June, and I may as well just cancel it at that time as I can do so for free.

"Well, there's not a lot of places we don't service...all you
need is a view of the Southern sky"

I'm told in a disdainful tone

"Would that be the Southern sky viewable from the United
Kingdom?"

I thought not.

So, I resolve to the fact that I will indeed not have decent satellite service until our departure, but frankly am not willing to spend a single penny on having this problem resolved when it is so very clearly their fault (yes, I really am that stubborn).

So, it's getting kind of close to the move date and I think it's about time to start getting our ducks in a row; so I call Direct TV and ask...

"What exactly do you need from me, for us to cancel our
service?"

I of course have to explain the whole story yet again (as, heaven forbid they should actually write any of this down) to 3 different people; and then...then I find out what they need from me to cancel my service...

"$212"

I won't include the entirety of the story, but you can probably imagine roughly how it went. Bottom line; it's not true. Direct TV has no option to cancel your service for free (with the exception of military overseas deployment). I am told repeatedly, that there is nothing they can do, and there is nothing I can do.

This is not a new policy, it has always been the policy; I WAS LIED TO...TWICE!

Now, here's the little cherry for the top of this crap-sundae. The HD receiver that was put to one side to await Direct TV's return shipping box...it's still there. We never received the box; so Direct TV have now charged us $240 for the receiver having not been returned.

So another query to our friends at customer [dis]service reveals that the box was indeed shipped to us, minus our apartment number, so it was rejected. They knew this, it was recorded in there web-of-lies...I mean their logging system...but they did nothing (except wait until the time had elapsed and then charge $240).

So, trying to be as patient as possible, a now frustrated Ashley attempts to have the charge removed as this is so very obviously their mistake.

"The only way to have the charge removed, is to return the
equipment to us"

So, bottom line...we have to pay the $240, and they'll return it when we return the box. No real act of remorse, or attempt to rectify the situation, all we're told, over and over again, quite frankly, in the same disdainful tone...

"Well, I'm sorry about that, but there's nothing I can
do"

Which roughly translates as something a long the lines of...

"Look, it's not my fault, and if you'd bothered to read the
plethora of posts, blogs and forums about Direct TV on the Internet you would
have been expecting this"

I can't honestly find the words to describe how disappointed, offended and annoyed I am at the abundance of poor service and misrepresentation Direct TV have thrown upon Ashley and me; my mind is restored only by Ashley's calming influence and the overwhelming excitement (and growing daily) of returning to a country that has a better understanding of customer service...and no Direct TV.

I would implore anyone thinking of going with Direct TV to think long and hard. Please, do your research, read up on them (good and bad)...(the latter is surprisingly easier)...but if you want this humble guy's opinion...run...run away....run away now.

Buyer beware.

James