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I was a little frustrated with E* because they seem to have a bad compression ratio. I can tell a huge difference in the local cable company's picture and the E* HD picture. Although I have read the DTV picture is not really any better, I decided to give them a try just to see it for myself.
So I call DTV to check on prices. The rep takes my social and tells me that I not only qualify for the $31 off for the 1st 12 months, but also an additional $16 off for the second 12 months. I tell the gentleman, who happens to be in India, I will take that into conservation.
I call back two days later and talk to another rep. I told her that I had already spoken with a rep and the promotion I wanted.
I give her all of my information and set up the installation date. She does say that I do qualify for the 2nd year of credits. The rep was very polite and tells me that she will be sending me all the info we discussed to my email. She also said that I needed to set up the account online in order to receive the credits. She verified my email, gave me my account number, the number to call if I needed to make any changes, and welcomed me as a new customer.
I check my email, no message.
I call DTV back to inquire as to why I did not receive an email; the rep told me that the previous rep had not put the email address on the account. She told me where to go on the Internet in order to register for the rebates.
When I login to view the rebates, I notice that I only have credits for the 1st year; the rep tells me that if they are not listed, then I do not qualify for the $16 for the 2nd year.
At this point I decide if they cannot offer me what was promised, I would prefer just to stay with E*. The current rep tells me that I would have to call the people who set accounts at a different number. When I call the number given, the rep, who happens to be Indian, tells me that she cannot even see the information I was inquiring about in her screen. She did ask about which rep told me that I would get the credits because misinformation would not be tolerated at DTV. I told her that I just wanted to cancel the order and stay with E*. She told me to hold for a supervisor. I hang up and call the regular #.
The rep tells me that he will cancel my account. He was very nice and says that he wishes that I had gotten him from the beginning and my experience with DTV would have been much better.
After cooling down and recharging my phone, I decide to call DTV back and be patient because I know, from working customer service myself, that anytime you have different departments involved, there is always some confusion.
The new rep walks me through the process and tells me that the 2nd year of rebates is based on both zip code and credit score. He said that my zip code did not qualify for the $16 off for the second year.
WOW! This is actually the 3rd time I have tried to get DTV and they had misinformed me. 1st was around 1999. I told them that I, at the time, had no local WB, now CW, channel and that E* was selling me the WB from New York. They said that they could sell me the same channel being that there was no WB in my channel market.
I go to Radio Shack and buy the equipment. I install the dish, call to start service, and then I am told that they cannot sell me the WB from another region. They tell me I have to use my local channel. I explained there was no local WB to view. I called E* back and restarted my service.
The 2nd time was back in 2007. I was told by the rep that "our DVR will do everything that Dish DVR will do." The tech came out, the very first thing he does is pull my E* dish off the house and installs the DTV dish.
I ask him where the off air antenna port was. He said that DTV had stopped putting the off air tuners in the receivers. I told him that I had been told they the DTV DVR would do everything the E* DVR would do and that, since DTV did not currently have my locals in HD, that I was going to stay with E*.
This is what would have sucked for your average consumer. The tech goes and pulls the DTV dish, but says that he does not have to put my E* dish back up. I put it up later that day myself.
So this is my conclusion, why in the world would anyone want DTV who is not a Sunday Ticket subscriber, happen to be in an area where E* does not have the HD locals, or getting a reduced rate because of bundling with another service? So many people say that they love DTV, but I just have never had a good experience with them. Maybe, since they were the 1st, people simply do not know that DTV is the more expensive option with worse customer service.

Or does DTV no longer use HD Lite, meaning they have better picture quality?