DirecTV Wants Me Back

[Steve Mehs]

Got a phone call from DirecTV retention wanting me back this afternoon. Here's what they offered me.

Total Choice Premier w/Locals and HD Pak $20 off for 6 months
HD DTiVo $499

I laughed and said try again, but that was the best they could do. The retention dept was clueless, I was transfered 4 times, when I mentioned Buffalo locals in HD, I got a lot of questions when I mentioned InHD. When they last guy said what can we do to get you back I said

1) Provide me with Buffalo locals in HD
2) Give me InHD 1 and InHD 2
3) Free HD DVR
4) The guarantee that at if anytime the DVR dies or a when an MPEG 4 DVR comes out I can replace it for free
5) HBO Comedy, along with every premium movie channel in existence
6) Give me another $15 off my bill to make up for the $15 increase I'd have with Road Runner Premium
7) I already have XM, Give me Music Choice back

He said sorry we can't do that for you then he asked why I chose cable and started the typical crap about rate hikes, not being 100% digital, taxes, franchise fees.

When I said in many situations (even with no promos) cable does come out a buck or two cheaper, with franchise fees included, or a few bucks more, but I get more channels, there is no tax charged on any cable related service in NY state, with 3 channels a week in the analog line up going digital, we should be 100% digital by summer. As for rate hikes, rates went up 4% this year on the main packages, the Sports Tier and HD Tiers both went down, in the end it would have either been a wash or a buck increase for me, if I was paying full price. Then he started about getting free XM. I said I've been an XM subscriber for nearly 3 years and love it, but I'm all about variety, I'd rather have 42 different music channels available to me then a repeat of what I already pay for.

When he realized there was nothing he could do to get me back he said good luck with Time Warner and hung up. I didn't even get into HD lite, how less compressed Time Warner's PQ is, the stupidity of dropping TiVo and lack of HD direction.

While most of the people I talked to were clueless and tried to get me HD distants, which I don't qualify for, saying the Sports Pak is equivalent in the InHDs, confusing the InHDs with the HD Nets, at least they made an attempt to get me back, unlike Dish when they told me WHEN you decided to come back they'll be a $25 reconnect charge, or when we first canceled Time Warner in '98.

[CCarncross]

WHy are you even here posting then?

[Steve Mehs]

To show DirecTV will do everything they can to get you back and they do want your business back more then any other provider and likewise to show the complete incompetence of the DirecTV retention department on not knowing what services they offer or don't offer.

[Nick]

As many of the cablecos catch up with and, in some cases, surpass DBS, that story is being repeated around the country, I'm sure. When I switched from E* to my local Adelphia cable, I did so only after doing a careful comparison of all three primary MCVPs. By switching to cable, my net monthly savings was $25, and I got a ton more premium movie channels for less money.

But because, as a previous E* sub, I also had basic cable, my total savings after switching to full-package HD/DVR cable tv and broadband and dropping E* is $75 per month, or a whopping $900/year that now stays in my pocket!

Like many of you, my previous cable service was less than satisfactory and I quickly became a DBS fanatic for several years, and was loyal to Dish. At one time I had 3 dishes looking at 4 orbital slots. But last fall when I compared the programming, PQ and service of Adelphia cable in my new location, and put a pencil to the numbers, it just made more sense (and cents) for me to switch -- after all, my first loyalty has got to be to myself, and I got an HD DVR in the deal without having to lay out a bundle up front.

Yes, after I cancelled Dish I got the expected call from their customer rentention dept., but they had nothing new to offer.

Sorry, Charlie! :p

[KyL416]

Blame iNDemand for the iNHD thing, they want to charge D* for every single digital customer they have for the channel, not just every HD customer. Since D* is digital 100% that means that every customer pays, unlike with cable where they still have many analog only subscribers that they don't charge for.

[Steve Mehs]

As a consumer, It doesn't matter who's to blame, the fact is I can't get what I want on DirecTV, but I can get it else ware. Just like YES and Dish, and CCSN Philly on Comcast.

Discovery Networks must be charging all TW digital subs for Discovery HD Theater since Discovery HD is included in basic digital cable not the extra HD Tier. Same deal with TNT HD, but I'm sure that's a bit different since TW owns TNT.

[mikec73]

What good is a couple extra channels if the service as a whole does not work. Where I am, TW is the local provider, we are in a new subdivision and most the cable lines that are supposed to be buried are not. They tuck them in the ground, the dog watches and quickly digs digs it up (usually only a inch deep) chews and the cable is back out as soon as the guy drives away. I had roadrunner for a month (still had sat. for tv) The line was replaced weekly. A neighbor has tw for phone, tv, and internet. The repairman visits them daily and they are thinking the bundle is not such a good deal. The last guy stapled the line to the top of the fence promising to send someone to bury it later. 3 months later still not buried. I called a month ago to remind them to get it off my fence and was told theyre coming. Still nothing. Another neighbor works for tw and their line is draped not even stapled. Most of our friends have or are planning to switch to sat. The cable always goes out for one reason or another. static on a lot of channels. most are actually not digital. Although they like to sell it that way.
I regularly check prices and promos to see if anything ever gets better and usually the cable just keeps climbing in price. For what I have tw is about double and that is not even getting into hd. Just look at all the small fees. Lately our friends have decided to come over here when it rains because the cable is out not the satellite!
I recently dumped D* for E* and the retention people havent called me yet!

[Steve Mehs]

My service has been rock solid in the 18 months I've had Road Runner and 3 months I've had Digital Cable. Had some problems with Road Runner dropping out last year this time due to a problem on my end. The original cable line from the pole was burred underneath our stone driveway, a few years ago we had a concrete driveway put in and due to the settling the cable got squished. Nobody's fault really, just a matter of circumstance but they ran a new cable and it's been fine ever since.

The analog channels do suck with the static and ghosting, but like I said three channels get converted every week so shortly that won't be an issue. I have an episoide of The Shield on my DVR from when FX was analog and an episode from when FX went digital no comparison.

[Earl Bonovich]

The fundemental flaw in this argument, is that the merits of the argument change for each person.

Unless I pack up ship and go to Marilla, NY... the "exact" same criteria doesn't apply to me.

Here in the SouthBurbs of Chicago, if I attempted to get a similar package on Comcast... I am looking at least $20 more a month... minimum.

And then it doesn't even match the one you are asking for above....

That is one of the "problems" with comparing Cable to DBS.... There is no "common" cable and too many well if you are with this company then this, this company then this...

With DirecTV/DishNetwork the only real differences are if you have Locals SD/HD other then that, the playing field is pretty much the same for everyone, with regards to programming and features.


So Steve... Good for you, glad you found something you are happy with.
Considering you asked for 4 things in your list that DirecTV couldn't not even supply you with right now.... what where you expecting to say... ?

[Mark Holtz]

WHy are you even here posting then?Executive privledge. :D Both Steve and I are both retired moderators of this board. Of course, I would have rejected the same offer.

[sheridan1952]

And down here in Houston, TWC is a joke! They are completely unreliable and the management is completely brain-dead and does not give a damn about proper customer service.