[coolac]

Can anyone help me out here or give me some guidance as to what direction I can pursue?

I am a new subscriber (signed up 8/8/08) and am still unable to get an installation date through Directv (as of 8/19/08). Through many phone calls i won't bore you with, it comes down to this.

I guess they are rolling out a new type of dish and there are no installers in my area (Seattle) that are certified to install it.

I was given the direct line to Connect tv who is the contracted installer, and I spoke with them and then have no dates available for install because no one around here is certified to do it.

I asked if she had any idea when they would have these people certified and the CSR said she did not know. I said "is it going to be 4 days or 4 months, I just want an idea of how long it may be" to which her reply was, "definitely not 4 days, probably closer to 4 months before we have certified people in the area"

I called Directv back and asked if there is any other options and was told No because the "new dish" is the only one that they will allow to be installed on new customer installations.

I was blown away that Directv would willingly sign me up, charge me the $350 for the HD DVR's and all, and then not having the ability to install the product that they just sold me.

Does anyone have any advice and recommendations?

 

[tkrandall]

That sounds odd. I would call back and ask to cancel the order. That may get you to someone who can get things going for you.

There is a new "slimline 3" dish coming out that does not need line of sight to 110w and 119, but I know of no reason why they would not just install a regular Slimline 5 dish.

The SL3 sidsh should not even require special traing IMO, maybe a flyer for the techs to explain the difference, that is all.

 

[SEAKevin]

Yes that is very strange. Each time I've had an installer come out in Seattle it's always been Ironwood Communications (which was recently acquired by DirecTV). My one piece of advice, which may be useless, is to login to the website and schedule your appointment there. But then again since you're a new customer you probably are not able to create an online account until after your new install is completed.

In early January I called to have my system upgraded to a Slimline 5 dish and over the phone they gave me an appointment nearly a month later... but then the next day I logged in and went to the "change appointment" section and discovered a time was available the very next day and I grabbed it.

 

[shovelhd]

+1 on the strange.

I am a brand new D* customer. My dish was installed last Saturday. The contractor (Halsted Communications) did not have the SWM setup available, even though I requested it. Since I had run fresh RG6Q to each receiver location in advance, the standard multiswitch installation was fine with me. He used the 3 LNB Slimline dish.

 

[BattleZone]

Connect is not exactly in DirecTV's good graces, and given that DirecTV has been buying out HSPs and/or canceling their contracts, the truth may have little to do with any new dish. If DirecTV has closed Connect's scheduling calander in that area, then there's nothing that can be done until a replacement company (either DirecTV directly, or another contractor) is in place.

You could always contact a local retailer, who could probably get you installed in a couple of days. If you have some super-duper deal, though, the retailer may not be able to match it.

 

[thhrash]

I just signed up on Thursday and there was no problem scheduling me in Portland with Ironwood other than they said they would schedule it on 8/25 and when I checked the website it did not show. A phone call later and they resolved the issue and I again got a Monday morning install upcoming. The CSR even gave me the local number for Ironwood and suggested I call the day before to verify.

 

[kevred9]

Our region was actually recently acquired by connectTV. They kept missing appointments due to "no equipment". They would happily keep rescheduling for the next day or so, but the CSR (and the "master scheduler") had no idea when (or even if) they would get the missing equipment. It was just a slimline 5 with 1 HD receiver and 1 SD recevier. Nothing special. I'm guessing that was their excuse for over booking their workers.

I finally had to contact the CEOs office at DirecTv. Very nice, and somehow the equipment magically was available for the next appointment.

The poor installer (with 1 months experience) said they were working 18 hrs/day 7 days/week. I feel for them, after having to deal with their employer as a customer, I can only imagine how bad it is as an employee.