Respected sir/madam,
For about a 7 month period of time our Direct TV receivers and HD antenna repeatedly broke or failed to receive service and the systems rebooted without any plausible reason several times a day until the receivers stopped working altogeather. We went through 3 receivers during this time frame for the same reason. After several hours either trying to get assistance from their tech support or trying to get them to understand the problems they eventually replaced each receiver over this time frame. After each incident I called their customer service and specifically asked when my existing contract was scheduled to end. Each time I was advised that it would end in October 2009. I wanted to know the date because after the second incident we were going to find another provider. Two months ago we had another incident that I escalated to the highest level in the tech support chain. They sent the most highly qualified technician to handle the problem. This is what he told us: 1. the system installed was done so in the most incompetent manner he had ever seen in his time with Direct TV. 2. Every case that we had to get a replacement was as a direct result of the Antenna being installed incorrectly. 3. The antenna was not grounded. 4. The cables were loose and incorrectly installed. 5. The antenna could be moved around by simply touching it which explained why the slightest breeze would cause the antenna to move and lose reception. 6. Bad and improperly installed cable connectors. Yesterday I called Direct TV and after an hour of getting the run around I was connected to the billing department. I advised them that I wanted to schedule a disconnect for October because I was going to find another service. They told me that my contract did not end until 4/14/2011 and I tld them that was impossible. I was then told that since I had my equipment replaced (not repaired) that I had signed a contract that automatically extended my contract for two years. I demanded to speak to a supervisor and was told by the billing person that he did not want to talk to me and that he did not intend to change the contract end date under any circumstance because I signed a new contract. He finally got on the phone and told me that he had made up his mind and that he was not going to change it and that if I wanted to cancel the contract I would have to pay them $360.00 for the remaining part of the contract. He would not be reasonable at all and was extremely impolite and rude. I asked him directly if he did not understand that this was a case of unethical business practices? He inored me and agan told me that he was not going to reverse his decision. As a technical service operations center director it is my role to at the very least work with, accommodate, or negotiate in good faith with unhappy customers. Direct TV does not care, conducts unethical and unfair business practices and should be investigated by the TX Attorney General and reported to the BBB. I intend to submit this same inormation to both. If you are even considering going to Direct TV please find another provider. If I had $360.00 to burn I would pay them but unfortunately in this economy I am stuck with these unethical bastards.