Complaint Review: Directv

DIRECTV billed me for an Early Cancellation Fee of $162.50. I am disputing this charge on the basis of the incredibly poor service I received from DIRECTV since the installation of my HD system in March 2007. DIRECTV has had to send technicians out to my home at least six times since the initial installation appointment to correct installation problems! Additionally, DIRECTV had to send me a new HD receiver because the first one failed!

The first few return visits by their technicians were to correct mounting and wiring problems such as failure to install any dish support arms and failure to properly ground the dish! On one occasion, they had to come back out and remount the dish higher because I lost all my programming after the leaves came out on the trees in the spring! Most recently they had to come out to re-align the dish because I could not receive any programming! This was because the wind had blown the dish out of alignment. The technician commented at that time that he did not think the dish was properly installed! He even took pictures of it to show his boss! Two weeks later, I lost all my programming again for reasons then unknown. I called DIRECTV technical support but they were unable to solve the problem over the phone and said that they would have to send a technician out again! I refused to allow this and canceled the service at that time. Several days later, I was able to receive programming. I determined that I was able to receive programming again because rain had washed all the snow off the trees (none was ever on the dish)! Snow on the trees had blocked the signal from the satellite!

I am fed up with loosing my programming! I live in a condominium where I am restricted to mounting the dish in an area that I have exclusive use. The installer could have mounted the dish anywhere within this exclusive use area. If there was going to be a problem in my receiving the satellite signal, he should have told me before installing the dish! If he had told me this, I would not have had him install the dish! He did not say this. In fact, after doing a "site survey" to check the installation location, he informed me that the location was appropriate! Obviously, that was not the case!

I have contacted the Directv Billing Disputes Department in regard to this matter but they have refused to waive the cancellation fee. They told me today that the account would be sent to a collections agency after March 4, 2007. I have filed a complaint with both the Massachusetts Attorney General and the California Better Business Bureau.

Case Closed
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
U.S.A.