Tired of playing the DirecTV Cancellation Game

[jaelae]

I've been a - not so loyal - customer since 2002 with DirecTV. Ever since getting my first apartment I wanted to see what it was all about and for the most part, I have found the service and their equipment to be excellent. More recently their OnDemand has been much easier to access and I've been quite happy.

However, I play the same game every time football season is coming up. I end up cancelling my service to switch to cable who will then pay the cancellation fee if I wasn't a member for a year. Then I resub when the promos are going on to get service again. Rinse and repeat. I am not doing this because I am cheap but I pay $129 per month for the highest package and refuse to pay extra for the NFL Sunday Ticket Max.

Is anyone else on the same boat where they think it is a hassle to jump through hoops to get these discounts as a way of retaining your service? I also know I can just badger them until they offer it to me but I hate that I have to go through that.

 

[Jimbo]

I've been a - not so loyal - customer since 2002 with DirecTV. Ever since getting my first apartment I wanted to see what it was all about and for the most part, I have found the service and their equipment to be excellent. More recently their OnDemand has been much easier to access and I've been quite happy.

However, I play the same game every time football season is coming up. I end up cancelling my service to switch to cable who will then pay the cancellation fee if I wasn't a member for a year. Then I resub when the promos are going on to get service again. Rinse and repeat. I am not doing this because I am cheap but I pay $129 per month for the highest package and refuse to pay extra for the NFL Sunday Ticket Max.

Is anyone else on the same boat where they think it is a hassle to jump through hoops to get these discounts as a way of retaining your service? I also know I can just badger them until they offer it to me but I hate that I have to go through that.

Your the only one I know of that LEAVES to come back for a ST deal.

 

[robjlevin]

Do you know how much DTV pays for the rights to Sunday Ticket? Yes, they'll use it to entice new customers and reward long time subs willing to extend their contracts but they are entitled to a return on their investment. If they gave it away everyone would be paying substantially more for their programming.

 

[Tampa8]

I am not doing this because I am cheap but I pay $129 per month for the highest package and refuse to pay extra for the NFL Sunday Ticket Max.

I'm sorry you have to maneuver to get for free what is supposed to be paid for. You apparently have found a way to get it for free, but that's not good enough. I guess it would be better for Direct to simply put you on a list that says you get it for free. Are you serious? This in general, not just you or this example is why I pay so much for things. Everyone finds way to play the system including with the Government. But that isn't exactly the problem. The problem is then complaining it isn't easier to get around paying for something you are supposed to.

 

[joed32]

I think it's a hassle to jump through hoops as well so I just pay for it.

 

[Tampa8]

And that's the choice. If there are ways to get it for free, I can't blame anyone for trying that.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

I don't care for the NFL, so I don't subscribe to ST. But I do object to the game of call for discounts to keep my bill reasonable, which I have to play every three months or so when sticker shock sets in. Why don't they just price their packages at a level we can all be happy with?

I would be happy to pay a constant $120 or so a month for the programming and services I receive instead of seeing the bill spike to $160, calling to protest, and the CSR giving me a discount for the next X months or so.

 

[rsmithwi]

This is a good example of abusing the system. If it's too much, then don't subscribe or cut down on the programming package. There is always someone out there that believes everything should be free. The rest of us budgets and pays for the service. Eventually the sat and cable companies will cut down on the number of promotional prices for customers that threaten to leave. Programming and technical costs are rising and somebody has to pay for it.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Eventually the sat and cable companies will cut down on the number of promotional prices for customers that threaten to leave.

I would be happy if they simply cut out the promotional price entirely. "This is what it costs this year and next year."

 

[acostapimps]

Luckily I have renters in this house each with a receiver, That helps with the bill, $15 for each box for one person, There's only 2 downstairs 1 HD only and standard SD receiver, plus $26 for a couple with 1 DVR and a mini client.

 

[az99]

I think it's a hassle to jump through hoops as well so I just pay for it.

And thanx to people like you the prices go up and up. And you just keep paying with no objection. The companies know they have 95% sheep as customers.

 

[joed32]

And thanx to people like you the prices go up and up. And you just keep paying with no objection. The companies know they have 95% sheep as customers.

Baa!

 

[jaelae]

It's quite simple. If I do nothing then after 1 y ear my $120 monthly rate starts going up and I have to pay $329 for the NFL Sunday Ticket on top of that. Or if I wait until August and call to cancel they give me the entire Sunday ticket for $100 or less (sometimes free) and give me the $120 rate again for a year.

If I didn't do this then I would consider myself stupid for not wanting to save some money. But IMO I feel companies should start looking into rewarding those who don't call in for being long term customers but obviously that is not going to happen.

 

[Jimbo]

It's quite simple. If I do nothing then after 1 y ear my $120 monthly rate starts going up and I have to pay $329 for the NFL Sunday Ticket on top of that. Or if I wait until August and call to cancel they give me the entire Sunday ticket for $100 or less (sometimes free) and give me the $120 rate again for a year.

If I didn't do this then I would consider myself stupid for not wanting to save some money. But IMO I feel companies should start looking into rewarding those who don't call in for being long term customers but obviously that is not going to happen.

What would be nice is if they would offer the long term customer better deals, maybe this would stop the constant changing of providers every year.

The NEW Sub gets everything, but the guy thats been with them for 4+ years has to call in to see whats available.
Thats not right.

 

[jdspencer]

What would be nice is if they would offer the long term customer better deals, maybe this would stop the constant changing of providers every year.

The NEW Sub gets everything, but the guy thats been with them for 4+ years has to call in to see whats available.
Thats not right.

It would be nice if DirecTV would give long time (16yrs) loyal customers a break.
There was a time that on your anniversary date you'ld get some, usually 3 months free of some premium channel.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

It would be nice if DirecTV would give long time (16yrs) loyal customers a break.
There was a time that on your anniversary date you'ld get some, usually 3 months free of some premium channel.

Nah. Hurts the NOI and ROI. We're just SOL.

 

[Jimbo]

It would be nice if DirecTV would give long time (16yrs) loyal customers a break.
There was a time that on your anniversary date you'ld get some, usually 3 months free of some premium channel.

However 3 months worth of Showtime (example) is nothing.

 

[Jimbo]

It would be nice if DirecTV would give long time (16yrs) loyal customers a break.
There was a time that on your anniversary date you'ld get some, usually 3 months free of some premium channel.

Your at 16 years ? Wow ...

I'm officially in year 9 or 10, can't remember.

 

[ChadT41]

Didn't directv pay $1B for ST? They should give it to everyone for free, and take a $1B loss. That's what seems fair.