[Dolly]

I don't really know where to put this, but I'm sure if it's in the wrong place a moderator will be nice enough to move it for me. My rant and I'll try to keep it short :rant: I had my free DVR service taken away from me and was told there was NO WAY it could be restored. Yet other people on the Forum have gotten theirs restored after it was taken away.
Then there is the whole pay for SF or not issue. I'm no longer interested in NFL ST/SF so that doesn't bother me as much, but still it shows D* inconsistancy towards its customers. Which I don't like at all :raspberry

 

[Sirshagg]

Perhaps you could tell us how you had free DVR service (I believe there are a few ways) and i suspect the options to "fix" this depends on which is the case for you.

 

[Drew2k]

I may have had my grandfathered status for the DVR fee included in Premiere taken away today after adding a new receiver to my account, and I'm waiting to hear back from a manager on the status.

At one time I was under the impression I would keep the grandfathered status as long as I kept Premiere, but based on other feedback, it seems more likely that you only retain that status until you make a change to your account. I find it very confusing, and really, truly wish the DVR service fee was still included with Premiere....

 

[Dolly]

Perhaps you could tell us how you had free DVR service (I believe there are a few ways) and i suspect the options to "fix" this depends on which is the case for you.

I have the Premier Package. This Package used to include the free DVR service. Well D* changed the Package so it no longer included the free DVR service. However, those of us that had the service before the Package change were "grandfathered in" and got to keep it. I had it for months after the Package changed. Then I noticed on my account on the website that I was being charged for the DVR Service. I called D* and explained the situation. But I was told in no uncertain terms that I couldn't be reinstated to a Package that no longer existed! I was even transferred to Retention and told the exact same thing by them! They did give me credits, but I was told that was all they could do. So how are other Premier customers getting reinstated to a Package that no longer exists?

 

[veryoldschool]

I have the Premier Package. This Package used to include the free DVR service. Well D* changed the Package so it no longer included the free DVR service. However, those of us that had the service before the Package change were "grandfathered in" and got to keep it. I had it for months after the Package changed. Then I noticed on my account on the website that I was being charged for the DVR Service. I called D* and explained the situation. But I was told in no uncertain terms that I couldn't be reinstated to a Package that no longer existed! I was even transferred to Retention and told the exact same thing by them! They did give me credits, but I was told that was all they could do. So how are other Premier customers getting reinstated to a Package that no longer exists?

paying the $5.99 fee/month/account

 

[mechman]

I have had the Premier package since signing up with DirecTV. I do not pay a DVR fee - i just checked.

:shrug:

mechman

 

[carl6]

I have had premier for several years now.

Recently I made a change to my account which resulted in my deactivating what was the primary receiver on my account and designating another receiver to be the primary. That type of action is typically what results in losing grandfathered status in a package, because they must delete, then re-add your programming package in order to change the primary receiver.

When I called to make this change, I carefully explained the situation to the CSR and emphasized (politely of course) that I would prefer to keep the existing premier package with grandfathered dvr service. The person I spoke with completely understood, and did the change without causing me to lose the grandfathered dvr service.

Realizing that there was a fair chance that I would lose the grandfathered status, I was planning to drop to a lower package and add only one premium package, which would have lowered my monthly bill a fair amount. I would have been okay with either outcome, but am happier with the way it turned out.

The moral of this story is to be particularly careful before deactivating the primary receiver on your account. Most other changes should not result in the loss of a grandfathered package, but that change typically will unless it is done "just right".

Carl

 

[cartrivision]

I may have had my grandfathered status for the DVR fee included in Premiere taken away today after adding a new receiver to my account, and I'm waiting to hear back from a manager on the status.

At one time I was under the impression I would keep the grandfathered status as long as I kept Premiere, but based on other feedback, it seems more likely that you only retain that status until you make a change to your account. I find it very confusing, and really, truly wish the DVR service fee was still included with Premiere....

I have done numerous receiver additions and subtractions to my account, deactivated what used to be designated the primary receiver on my account, done a variety of programming package additions and subtractions (while constantly maintaining the Premier package), and changed my service address, all without causing a loss of the free DVR service that was included with my original Premier subscription.

 

[Dolly]

I have done numerous receiver additions and subtractions to my account, deactivated what used to be designated the primary receiver on my account, done a variety of programming package additions and subtractions (while constantly maintaining the Premier package), and changed my service address, all without causing a loss of the free DVR service that was included with my original Premier subscription.

I don't understand it They got me on the issue of NFL ST/SF. I would call to cancel that and D* would mess up my entire account, but I would still have NFL ST/SF. I had to make 7 and 8 calls to get my account back right after each call to cancel NFL ST/SF. But each time they did get the DVR service back free until the call that finally got my NLF ST/SF actually cancelled. After that call I couldn't get my free DVR service back! What I don't understand is how some people keep it and others get it taken away. And I especially don't understand how some people get it back when I was told I could not be reinstated to a package that no longer exists!

 

[paulman182]

I think some CSRs accidentally deactivate, and then reactivate, your package or service. They don't realize the problems this can cause.

Then, when you try to get the grandfathered DVR service back, some of them don't realize that you legitimately deserve it, and others don't know how to give it back to you.

The CSR took mine away when I signed up for the HD EXtra pack when he inadvertantly turned off my DVR service. I called and got it turned back on, making sure to ask that I was grandfathered into DVR service, but I started being billed for it.

I called three times and was repeatedly told there was nothing they could do. It took a helpful member of this forum, who had ties inside the company, to fix it for me. I have not seen that person post anything in a while, however.

The ironic part of this is, after all that effort, I have since dropped from Premier down to the package that includes DVR service because I never get to watch movies anyway.

All I can say is, good luck.

 

[joed32]

I don't understand it They got me on the issue of NFL ST/SF. I would call to cancel that and D* would mess up my entire account, but I would still have NFL ST/SF. I had to make 7 and 8 calls to get my account back right after each call to cancel NFL ST/SF. But each time they did get the DVR service back free until the call that finally got my NLF ST/SF actually cancelled. After that call I couldn't get my free DVR service back! What I don't understand is how some people keep it and others get it taken away. And I especially don't understand how some people get it back when I was told I could not be reinstated to a package that no longer exists!

Keep trying because you are in the right. Someone there has to know how to do it. Don't stop calling until they fix it.

 

[Dolly]

I think some CSRs accidentally deactivate, and then reactivate, your package or service. They don't realize the problems this can cause.

Then, when you try to get the grandfathered DVR service back, some of them don't realize that you legitimately deserve it, and others don't know how to give it back to you.

The CSR took mine away when I signed up for the HD EXtra pack when he inadvertantly turned off my DVR service. I called and got it turned back on, making sure to ask that I was grandfathered into DVR service, but I started being billed for it.

I called three times and was repeatedly told there was nothing they could do. It took a helpful member of this forum, who had ties inside the company, to fix it for me. I have not seen that person post anything in a while, however.

The ironic part of this is, after all that effort, I have since dropped from Premier down to the package that includes DVR service because I never get to watch movies anyway.

All I can say is, good luck.

We give the CSRs a lot of grief here at times, but I think somehow the system might cause problems at times. Because I had so many different CSRs trying to get NFL ST/SF off and each time they tried it made a real mess of my Account. I can't believe that many CSRs didn't know what they were doing so perhaps it was some kind of glitch in the system? I would never drop Premier on my own, but I'm sure my Account must look like I dropped it many times because of all my Account mess ups

 

[Upstream]

We give the CSRs a lot of grief here at times, but I think somehow the system might cause problems at times.

That's the argument I've been making for months. A lot of people here want to blame problems on "incompetent" CSRs or installers, or poor training. But the problems we see are too widespread and too frequent to be due to incompetence or training issues. Most people who have a job (DirecTV CSRs and installers included) would really like to be able to do their jobs well.

The problems we see can only be due to systemic problems at DirecTV. It doesn't matter who they hire for the job. Unless they fix their systems, processes, and policies, the problems will just get repeated.

 

[Dolly]

That's the argument I've been making for months. A lot of people here want to blame problems on "incompetent" CSRs or installers, or poor training. But the problems we see are too widespread and too frequent to be due to incompetence or training issues. Most people who have a job (DirecTV CSRs and installers included) would really like to be able to do their jobs well.

The problems we see can only be due to systemic problems at DirecTV. It doesn't matter who they hire for the job. Unless they fix their systems, processes, and policies, the problems will just get repeated.

Yes I think we should give some love to the CSRs and the installers also :heart: :goodjob:

 

[Guest]

I may have had my grandfathered status for the DVR fee included in Premiere taken away today after adding a new receiver to my account, and I'm waiting to hear back from a manager on the status.

At one time I was under the impression I would keep the grandfathered status as long as I kept Premiere, but based on other feedback, it seems more likely that you only retain that status until you make a change to your account. I find it very confusing, and really, truly wish the DVR service fee was still included with Premiere....

Drew, I upgraded my second DVR from the HDVR2 Tivo model to an HR20 last weekend. I just checked my account online and it still shows $0.00 for the DVR service.

 

[paulman182]

There could very well be glitches in the system, but the CSRs that I encountered didn't see a problem with dropping me to a lower package and then re-instating Premier. They didn't realize I would lose my grandfathered status.

Then when I did lose it, they either did not understand that it should be turned back on, or did not know how to do it.

Those aren't glitches. I usually give CSRs more praise than most anybody on this forum, but on this issue they really messed up repeatedly.