D* Customer Disservice

[Neutron]

Anyone else get any rude CSRs on the phone?

I called earlier this evening to drop the HD Pak (tired of HD-Lite) and drop our programming package down to TC from TC+ as my way of protesting the recent price increase.

First off when I asked to drop the HD pak I was told my HD receiver would no longer work. I know that was BS and called him on it. Then when I asked to drop down to TC package I was told I would lose all of my channels.

He never asked why I was dropping the HD pak and changing packages, but I told him anyway.

I can live with my locals in HD and the Distant networks in HD that don't cost me anything. That's mainly what we watch anyway.

 

[dragon002]

Anyone else get any rude CSRs on the phone?

I called earlier this evening to drop the HD Pak (tired of HD-Lite) and drop our programming package down to TC from TC+ as my way of protesting the recent price increase.

First off when I asked to drop the HD pak I was told my HD receiver would no longer work. I know that was BS and called him on it. Then when I asked to drop down to TC package I was told I would lose all of my channels.

I THINK HE WAS TELLING YOU THAT HE WAS DISABLING THE HD TUNER, IS THAT CORRECT?

He never asked why I was dropping the HD pak and changing packages, but I told him anyway.

I can live with my locals in HD and the Distant networks in HD that don't cost me anything. That's mainly what we watch anyway.

..

 

[Neutron]

Dude, don't even start. If you don't have anything to post then don't post.

I was just posting my experience I had tonight.

 

[vurbano]

I respect Neutron for putting his money where is mouth is and reducing his programming. I still hold on to some ridiculous hope that PQ will improve.

 

[jalexand69]

I recently placed my account in suspension, but the CSRs were friendly and offered some additional programming at reduced cost. My reasoning was simple: for the past three months I'd been watching less than 6 hours of TV per week.

From what I've read, Directv is behind on HD programming (compared to Time-Warner here in Memphis), but that might be changing in the future if satellite launches go as planned. j c

 

[charper1]

When I left Memphis they were not that great and I know buddies still there are switching because Robert at VE is handling them. What have they added that puts them so far ahead of DirecTV? iNHD the cable exclusive? Their customer service would rank dead last compared to Dish or DirecTV. Where is Universal HD or ESPN2 HD? Wherever is posting (the place you read) that Memphis Time Warner is ahead of DirecTV currently obviously doesn't even have them as their cable co.



Memphis High Definition
Channel Channel Name
WREG-DT CBS Memphis (free local)
WMC-HD NBC Memphis (free local)
WPTY-HD ABC Memphis (free local)
WLMT-DT UPN/WB Memphis (free local)
WKNO-HD PBS Memphis (free local)
WHBQ-HD FOX Memphis (free local)

HBO HD
HBO West HD
TNT HD
Showtime HD
Showtime HD West
Discovery HD Theater
INHD
INHD2
ESPN HD
HD Net
HDNet Movies
HD PPV
on Demand HD

 

[enoree]

14 more days and D* with it's HD lite is history in my house, they can offer me all they want, but it's cancelled on the 14th. I don't pay premium prices for junk-o-vision.

 

[hancox]

Neutron - they're probably tired of New Yawkers like me complaining about SNY

I use the website for anything I can. Saves headaches.

 

[dragon002]

Dude, don't even start. If you don't have anything to post then don't post.

I was just posting my experience I had tonight.

i didnt start at all, i was asking a question.

and ranting to us isnt getting you anywhere.

were you in the same mood when you called directv????????????????

 

[Neutron]

If you read your post all you posted was ..

That isn't a question.

 

[sheridan]

Actually. he DID ask a question. He just buried it inside of the quote. The question was...

I THINK HE WAS TELLING YOU THAT HE WAS DISABLING THE HD TUNER, IS THAT CORRECT?

BTW, you wouldn't be kin to "Mr. Neutron" from a Monty Python skit?

 

[charper1]

When he quoted his reply was encapsulated into the middle of the quote line.

"I THINK HE WAS TELLING YOU THAT HE WAS DISABLING THE HD TUNER, IS THAT CORRECT?"


P.S. sorry sheridan: a failure to refresh made me duplicate you.

 

[sheridan]

No problem, Charper. Thanks for the backup.

 

[dragon002]

charper and sheridan,

thank you .

 

[Neutron]

Next time, don't hide your question inside a quote. Most people, including me, overlook quotes that big.

To answer your question he didn't disable the HD tuner, because I can still get over the air HD channels just fine.

He was hoping I would fall for it and not cancel the HD pak. His exact quote to me was "If you drop the HD pak your receiver will no longer work."

 

[jalexand69]

When I left Memphis they were not that great and I know buddies still there are switching because Robert at VE is handling them. What have they added that puts them so far ahead of DirecTV? iNHD the cable exclusive? Their customer service would rank dead last compared to Dish or DirecTV. Where is Universal HD or ESPN2 HD? Wherever is posting (the place you read) that Memphis Time Warner is ahead of DirecTV currently obviously doesn't even have them as their cable co.

No, I don't have TW Cable, and I have observed that the PQ on HD is not the best in the world. But I have a friend who left Directv for TW Digital Cable (no HD), and he tells me that he will not go back. Believe it or not, my friend claims that TW's picture quality is better than Directv's (hard for me to imagine).

The only advantage that I see having HD cable programming over Directv is the LOCAL HD channels. Most of the new subdivisions here will NOT allow TV antennas of any kind, and due to transmitter locations, you really need two beams to get the local channels in (both in SD and HD). So an off-the-air antenna may not be an option for some. There's also a lot of stubborn homeowners who absolutely do not want a dish mounted on their house (another friend). His father gladly pays more per month for the TW digital package, plus DVR fees.

Right now, TW is bringing numbers in with their combined digital cable, phone service, and cable internet. I have no idea what the churn rate is. If Directv can ever offer a similar package, then Directv will be an attractive choice for those HD owners who want programming from one source.

 

[jawilljr]

No, I don't have TW Cable, and I have observed that the PQ on HD is not the best in the world. But I have a friend who left Directv for TW Digital Cable (no HD), and he tells me that he will not go back. Believe it or not, my friend claims that TW's picture quality is better than Directv's (hard for me to imagine).

The only advantage that I see having HD cable programming over Directv is the LOCAL HD channels. Most of the new subdivisions here will NOT allow TV antennas of any kind, and due to transmitter locations, you really need two beams to get the local channels in (both in SD and HD). So an off-the-air antenna may not be an option for some. There's also a lot of stubborn homeowners who absolutely do not want a dish mounted on their house (another friend). His father gladly pays more per month for the TW digital package, plus DVR fees.

Right now, TW is bringing numbers in with their combined digital cable, phone service, and cable internet. I have no idea what the churn rate is. If Directv can ever offer a similar package, then Directv will be an attractive choice for those HD owners who want programming from one source.

Those subdivisions (HOA's) can NOT stop anybody from erecting an antenna or a small Sat. dish on their exclusive property. If it was me I would put up an antenna anyway. If the HOA complained I would put it in the front yard just to piss them off.

Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule

Jerry

 

[markfp-1]

Well, maybe I'm just lucky, but in the several years I been dealing with DirecTV I've never spoken to anyone who wasn't courteous and helpful. I wish more companies had customer service people like they do. No excuse, but maybe your CSR was just having a bad day.

 

[charper1]

Those subdivisions (HOA's) can NOT stop anybody from erecting an antenna or a small Sat. dish on their exclusive property. If it was me I would put up an antenna anyway. If the HOA complained I would put it in the front yard just to piss them off. Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule J erry

I 1000% agree! There is no HOA in the MEM metro area that will say no dish or OTA antenna, let alone win vs FCC. This is always a convenient excuse people use that just don't want an OTA antenna.

I too since 1996 have only had ONE bad CSR phone experience and that was back in '99 from a CSR not wanting to activate a new receiver because I had no phone line run; she lost.

 

[markd]

Where is Universal HD or ESPN2 HD?

Universal HD is on channel 861. But still no ESPN2 which I don't care for anyway. I'm not a sports fan.

I'm in the process of switching from D* to TWC again. I've only had TWC for a couple of days. What I can tell is TWC HD PQ blows D* HD PQ away. There is no comparison. Supposedly TWC has moved all their analog channels to digital. The verdict is still out on the SD channels. D* has more compression artifacts and softness. But TWC HD-DVR still doesn't a great job of outputting SD. SD channels looks better if hooked directly to the TV.