Got a Call from DTV - This for Real?

[vivek9856]

On Saturday, I got a call from a DirecTV rep. that said that he detected that there was a low signal report on one of my HD DVR's (HR20). I said that I didn't notice anything in particular going wrong, but he asked if he could get me to check the signal strength for him and report them to him just to be sure.

I went to the TV, and although I knew how to tell signal strength , he walked me through the steps ensuring I got through each one, and he even checked the software version (It was a CE release - hope that wasn't a problem). Then we checked the signal strengths, and he said that they were just a tad bit low (they were in the 80s to 90s).

He then said that because I answered this phone call and did not call in a problem myself, that I was being a proactive customer or something, that he would send out a tech for free to come and align my dish and replace my HR20 all for free, and in addition, give me $5 of my bill every month for 1 year.

I said sure, but is this a thing that dtv does on a regular basis?

 

[raoul5788]

On Saturday, I got a call from a DirecTV rep. that said that he detected that there was a low signal report on one of my HD DVR's (HR20). I said that I didn't notice anything in particular going wrong, but he asked if he could get me to check the signal strength for him and report them to him just to be sure.

I went to the TV, and although I knew how to tell signal strength , he walked me through the steps ensuring I got through each one, and he even checked the software version (It was a CE release - hope that wasn't a problem). Then we checked the signal strengths, and he said that they were just a tad bit low (they were in the 80s to 90s).

He then said that because I answered this phone call and did not call in a problem myself, that I was being a proactive customer or something, that he would send out a tech for free to come and align my dish and replace my HR20 all for free, and in addition, give me $5 of my bill every month for 1 year.

I said sure, but is this a thing that dtv does on a regular basis?

There have been reports of similar experiences to yours. Signal strengths in the 80's and 90's is fine. I don't know why that would trigger a report.

 

[Bosco10021]

As far as I know Directv cannot detect signal strengths from your receiver.

It is just that, a receiver NOT a transmitter.

This phone call sounds suspicious.

 

[rad]

As far as I know Directv cannot detect signal strengths from your receiver.

It is just that, a receiver NOT a transmitter.

But when it's connected to a phone line or an internet connection via the ethernet port it does report bad signal readings back to D* and people have been getting calls about it.

 

[Bosco10021]

Big Brother is watching...

 

[LordKron]

dish network is th eonly ones that can that i know of

 

[LORETTAH]

I would be extremely careful, this could be a competitor who is sending out one of their people, who could actually instally their equipment and lead you to believe that they are from Directv. If I were you, I would contact Directv either by phone or on the website to verify that you are, indeed, scheduled for a service call from them. Iwould not let anyone else in your home until verification has been made

 

[rad]

dish network is th eonly ones that can that i know of

As I said, DirecTV has been doing this for awhile now, see Have you been called by DIRECTV Customer Service? - DBSTalk.Com for more info on this.

 

[vivek9856]

I would be extremely careful, this could be a competitor who is sending out one of their people, who could actually instally their equipment and lead you to believe that they are from Directv. If I were you, I would contact Directv either by phone or on the website to verify that you are, indeed, scheduled for a service call from them. Iwould not let anyone else in your home until verification has been made

Well I'm not retarded - I know what a DirecTV receiver is and how it looks different from a Dish receiver.

But I did call and confirm that this was DirecTV and not some marketing scam - But in the first place, when the guy called, he knew my name, the title of my DVR (Like the room it was in), and he didn't ask for any of my personal information when asked to schedule an appointment for someone to come by and align the dish, etc. I just think its weird that DiTV is spending money on labor and a new reciever when its completely unnecessary. I could realign the dish myself, but why do that when the sigs are in the 80s to 90s?

Oh well.