[empireman]

I have been a customer of DTV for over 10 years. I am a person who doesn't really like change, so I stayed with them because I didn't want the "hassle" of changing. After all this time - I just couldn't handle the terrible customer service and bad quality of the picture. Don't get me wrong - when it worked - it was great - but I couldn't get through a 60 minute broadcast without freezing, or loss of audio. DTV is also NOT cheap. I have six - yes six - tv's - each which needed a box or DVR. I choose to buy my boxes to save on the monthy rental. I purchased them from Best buy and upgraded to HD dvr's this last year. After being fed up for the LAST time - I had direct tv ripped out and switched to Time Warner. I got a call yesterday from DTV stating that they OWN the boxes that I purchased from Best Buy and that they were sending boxes out for them to be mailed back. They told me that if I did NOT send them to them - that they would bill/charge me 400 per box. Furthermore - they told me that even though I was a customer for 10 years, that when I added a new box 5 months ago, that I automatically entered a NEW TWO YEAR"contract" with them, and I would have to pay them for the remainder of the 18 months service to cancel the contract. They said they would take it out of my bank account, and if they didn't recieve MY DVR's - that I paid for - that more money would be deducted from my account.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? HOW CAN THIS COMPANY GET AWAY WITH THIS????

PLEASE HELP - I NEED ADVICE AND I NEED IT NOW!

So before you plunk down money to buy your own boxes - know this. I paid up front to own my own boxes - I still got billed 99.00 a month for JUST THE LOCAL CHANNELS because EACH box had a "connection" charge of 10.00 for HD & DVR - and NOW I find out - that they say I only "leased" the DVR's from Best Buy.

WHAT A FREAKIN RIPPOFF!

 

[AirRocker]

First off, :welcome_s to DBSTalk!

Unfortunately, everything seems correct. The boxes that Best Buy 'sells' are still leased units. You are just paying the upfront equipment cost, and then pay a monthly leasing fee on top of that. It's a shame that everything was not made clear to you in the beginning. There are plenty of people in the same situation as you are.

 

[mobandit]

I have been a customer of DTV for over 10 years. I am a person who doesn't really like change, so I stayed with them because I didn't want the "hassle" of changing. After all this time - I just couldn't handle the terrible customer service and bad quality of the picture. Don't get me wrong - when it worked - it was great - but I couldn't get through a 60 minute broadcast without freezing, or loss of audio. DTV is also NOT cheap. I have six - yes six - tv's - each which needed a box or DVR. I choose to buy my boxes to save on the monthy rental. I purchased them from Best buy and upgraded to HD dvr's this last year. After being fed up for the LAST time - I had direct tv ripped out and switched to Time Warner. I got a call yesterday from DTV stating that they OWN the boxes that I purchased from Best Buy and that they were sending boxes out for them to be mailed back. They told me that if I did NOT send them to them - that they would bill/charge me 400 per box. Furthermore - they told me that even though I was a customer for 10 years, that when I added a new box 5 months ago, that I automatically entered a NEW TWO YEAR"contract" with them, and I would have to pay them for the remainder of the 18 months service to cancel the contract. They said they would take it out of my bank account, and if they didn't recieve MY DVR's - that I paid for - that more money would be deducted from my account.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? HOW CAN THIS COMPANY GET AWAY WITH THIS????

PLEASE HELP - I NEED ADVICE AND I NEED IT NOW!

So before you plunk down money to buy your own boxes - know this. I paid up front to own my own boxes - I still got billed 99.00 a month for JUST THE LOCAL CHANNELS because EACH box had a "connection" charge of 10.00 for HD & DVR - and NOW I find out - that they say I only "leased" the DVR's from Best Buy.

WHAT A FREAKIN RIPPOFF!

It has been this way for the last several years. I know the two DVR's I paid for at Best Buy and Circuit City both had large labels telling me I was not purchasing these items, I was paying a lease fee. Also, when I activated them the CSR made it clear that I was agreeing to a two-year commitment for service. There's nothing that they are "getting away with." Buyer beware...read the fine print. Sorry if I sound a little unsympathetic, but the information has been out there for some time concerning these changes.

As far as advice, pay the bill...you owe it, rightfully.

 

[MIAMI1683]

first you didn't "buy those IRD's! They were all lease's and you obviously didn't rea the papers you signed when you got them. It was a contract renewel as found on thier website. You must return thier equipment. Sorry. If you don't they will charge you. You can dispute the contract fee if you want. I know it states clearly that you renew when you activate new recivers. Even if you went to BB to get them. They are still lease's. You pay $199 to lease no to buy.

Also each box didn't get billed $99.00 for HD or DVR. HD access is $9.99, and DVR is $5.99. Those charges are per acct. not per reciver. Now for your problems. You may have had ways to fix them, but you got "upset" or something and took it all out. well enjoy cable and all itr has to offer. D* will get thier equipment or you will pay for. Also you should know that if you don't return them. They will be renderd useless by D* so you can't sell them.

 

[tcusta00]

Sounds like you needed a dish alignment or some other installation issue resolved. If you recently upgraded to HD boxes you likely had a new dish installed as well. Before jumping the gun and "ripping out" the DirecTV installation maybe you should have come here or called DirecTV to correct your issues - who knows, maybe you did that, but it could have been fixed.

What the other guys said above about the boxes being leased is exactly right. Sorry man, maybe next time you won't be so hasty in your decision.

 

[Carl Spock]

Reread his post, tcusta00. He's already switched to Time Warner.

This will not end well. :nono2:

 

[sore_bluto]

Read the OP carefully and it makes no sense. Don't feed the troll.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

As the original poster has already moved on, we wish him well, and appreciate his warning about leased equipment.