Question: DirecTV question...

CHATTBRIT

Hall of Fame
Dec 3, 2003
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Falling Water, TN
Earle, I have had Direct TV for 10 years now -- once they included my local channels I left Comcast. I have been nothing but pleased with the programming and service. I have the sports package so it adds a lot of sports channels in the 600's. Unfortunately, they do not carry CSS in my area. 613 is CBS Sports and ESPN Classic is on 614. My particular favorite in the 600's is 619 which is the Fox Soccer Channel and shows my soccer team, Manchester City, practically every week.

Yes, the service does go down where there is very heavy rain but it never lasts long and comes back quickly. I live in an area surrounded by trees and I am in the lea of Signal Mountain, but I get great reception.

All in all I would certainly recommend Direct TV and if you PM me I will give you my account # so you get $100 off and I will too.
 

TrampLineman

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Jul 21, 2010
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Hate to sidetrack somewhat but figured some here would see it more as I have a quick need question...

My Aunt is in Gulf Shores and they are looking for a tripod mount w/dish in the area, where should they look? Gulf Coast people help me out please!
 

RJ YellowHammer

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Sep 1, 2009
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You may have a point. We're paying, I think, about $51 for internet, but the middle package TV bumps the total bill up to $180+. And we don't even watch movies!!!
That's what my total bill is now too and RedStar's point about the jump in price for just internet service is why I haven't switched already. Without an introductory or bundle rate, the best broadband service Comcast offers is going to run you between $60-$70 a month before taxes and fees; it's more like $85 total.
 
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ValuJet

Moderator
Sep 28, 2000
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We've been with DirecTV for less than two years, and I expect we will renew. Their HD is very good. They had NFL Network when we signed up, and the local cable providers (AT&T, Time Warner) did not.

Friday night after midnight we had thunderstorms roll through and it went out for about 15-20 minutes. Wind, rain and lightning. I screwed up the settings on the remote trying to get the reception back, got on the phone with DirecTV and by 1:30 we were back in business.

Earle, don't over do it with those trees.

 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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Huntsville, AL,USA
That's what my total bill is now too and RedStar's point about the jump in price for just internet service is why I haven't switched already. Without an introductory or bundle rate, the best broadband service Comcast offers is going to run you between $60-$70 a month before taxes and fees; it's more like $85 total.
Something to consider. My problem and, TBF, even more my wife's problem, with Comcast is that we only utilize a tiny % of what we're paying for. A lot of that is their designed packages, where they try to bump you up to get the more desirable programming. The packages with Direct seem to be more tailored to our use than Comcast's are presently. One particular irritant is that the few movies we watch - maybe three over the last two years - carry a fee, so we're paying a chunk every month just to have the chance to pay them a fee. BTW, Comcast's picture - and even more their internet - is not that great in my particular neighborhood - mountain top by HSV. We still have cabling from the 60s. Of the dozens of service calls I've had over the last 25 years or so, one tech told it like it really is a couple of years ago. He told me that, until Comcast decided invest in some infrastructure and get decent new cable wire into our area, there wasn't much he could do. They've rewired our whole house - twice - one guy didn't like the way the other did it - and it's still crappy TV and it's crappy internet. And it's expensive...
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
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Oct 13, 1999
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We've been with DirecTV for less than two years, and I expect we will renew. Their HD is very good. They had NFL Network when we signed up, and the local cable providers (AT&T, Time Warner) did not.

Friday night after midnight we had thunderstorms roll through and it went out for about 15-20 minutes. Wind, rain and lightning. I screwed up the settings on the remote trying to get the reception back, got on the phone with DirecTV and by 1:30 we were back in business.

Earle, don't over do it with those trees.

Randy, you have no earthly idea what tree work I've done. The most creative was when we had 50 down after the Xmas '98 ice storm. One tree company man I had out surveyed our 3 acres (after they'd cut the one that ended up in the living room), and proclaimed that we still had $20K of work to do. I never had him back. I did the rest. I have several chain saws, climbing gear, etc. BTW, would you like to just have a stone ax to do that pine, so you can go completely retro? That gash couldn't get much uglier... :D
 

jellisor3

New Member
Jul 9, 2009
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I have had DirecTv since 1994 and never had an issue other than severe rain storms.
The HD is great. I still use comcast for my internet which has been much better over the last 5 years.
 

Florida Tom

All-American
Aug 15, 2011
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Tampa, FL
I have NOT been impressed with DirecTV's customer service. I recently had a CSR call me, indicating that my Choice Plus package was no longer an "offered package." But for being a loyal customer, they would like to give me NFL Sunday Ticket for free along with HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz for 3 months. He also said he would change my Choice Plus package to Choice Ultra and my bill would be $5 less per month. I crossed my "t's" and dotted my "i's..." I took the CSR's name, date and time we talked because it seemed too good to be true.

Well, sure enough, I got my bill and it jumped from $85 per month to $121. After calling to inquire, they said they would refund me for the "Free" HBO package AFTER my 3 month trial was up, but I had to pay for it monthly until then. After explaining the situation, they gave me an extra two months "free" on the HBO package. Come to find out. I would end up getting my refund after FIVE months now.

So beware... their "free" customer service packages aren't consistently free. They are for some people, and they rake others over the coals. Likewise, they don't give all of their customers the same "deals." Take for instance Staci and Robert. They've been with DirecTV for 12 years and had to haggle for a $20/month NFL Sunday Ticket while they called me and offered it for free. Is that fair? No.

Additionally, a co-worker of mine just signed up and he got 3 HD DVR receivers for free and when I signed up, I only got 1. I am paying a $6/month for each additional SD receiver for the other bedrooms. When I called, they want to charge me $199 EACH for the hardware (which I would lease) + installation. Then I would STILL pay a monthly lease fee for the receivers after paying the $400 to swap from SD to HD.

Bottom line is all satellite and cable companies bend you over. Consistency and fairness are a big things with me. DirecTV's picture is GREAT, but when my contract expires with them in the middle of November, I'm not sure that I will continue my service.

Oligarchies suck. And there's not much we can do about it.
They are thieves and no one with any common sense works there, ask some of the folks hit by the storms how well DTV worked with them. My mother passed last year & I got stuck with her bill from them, guy that is ceo acts like he is all godly, but they are absolute thieves, oh when you do drop them check your bank account they will draw for months & you will have to fight to get your money back even if you pay them by check, they save your info & steal $ out of your bank account. Anything would be better than these crooks.
 

Jessica4Bama

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Nov 7, 2009
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I love Directv. The only problem we have had is it going out when it storms. That gets annoying but I would never have anything else. NFL Sunday ticket is awesome.
 

CHATTBRIT

Hall of Fame
Dec 3, 2003
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Falling Water, TN
I should also add that with the Sports Package, the in-car-camera with Nascar is great.

With regard to the negative vibes re payments, I do not use automatic payments. I pay them using my debit card each month but I initiate the payment.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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Huntsville, AL,USA
Looking a little further, I see that our neighborhood (no surprise) doesn't have U-verse yet. However, to my surprise, AT&T has a bundle deal with their phone and internet and DirecTV. I'm going to look into that...
 

TrampLineman

Hall of Fame
Jul 21, 2010
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Yes we used to bundle through AT&T with the home phone and DTV. If you can get their internet (which my brother has their DSL and to me its as fast as my Cable when browsing, big difference in HUGE downloads like shows and movies that I bootleg) its well worth it to get though. I would gladly swap to DSL here if they offered it. Charter has the monopoly here..
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,532
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Huntsville, AL,USA
Yes we used to bundle through AT&T with the home phone and DTV. If you can get their internet (which my brother has their DSL and to me its as fast as my Cable when browsing, big difference in HUGE downloads like shows and movies that I bootleg) its well worth it to get though. I would gladly swap to DSL here if they offered it. Charter has the monopoly here..
It won't be as fast (have AT&T DSL at the office) as Comcast (when Comcast is working), but it will be a lot cheaper...
 

CrimsonSEC

Hall of Fame
Jan 8, 2007
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We have been customers of DirecTV for 12 years and it has become far more reliable in terms of signal strength. Even with the recent tropical storm we only lost signal a few times and for only about 15 minutes at a time, during the heaviest bands. Twelve years ago, we would lose signal if a small rain shower passed through the southern skies!

We used to purchase College Game Plan when we lived in NC and IL, but we haven't needed it since moving to MS. We finally got local channels a few years ago, and that was nice, so make sure you get your local stations where you are or you will miss some games you don't want to miss.

When we saw the advertisements recently for Sunday Ticket for new customers, Robert called up and asked what they could give us for our 12 years of loyalty. After a little back and forth, we got Sunday Ticket this season for $20/month for 5 months (it's normally around $70/month for 5 months). So, as a company, we've been pleased overall with their customer service. I think the only time we had a beef with them was with one of our moves when the installation guy jerked us around in terms of scheduling and rescheduling. Other than that, it has been a good company to deal with.

So, as for football viewing, so long as you get local stations, DirecTV will give you lots of options and excellent picture quality.
Cool. I'm about to become a squeaky wheel.:)
 

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