Were You Grandfathered With The HD-Pack? If Not Time Has Ran Out

[randyk47]

There's part of me that says worrying about $5 extra a month is a bit cheap of me. I spend more than that on 2 gallons of gas, a gallon of milk, a quick lunch, etc., etc. At the same time I rarely watch any of the included channels so why pay anything, even $5, for something I don't watch. Already have a wide selection of channels that I don't watch on DirecTV no sense in paying $5 for more. For the time being I won't be signing up.

 

[Ronnie-]

I pay $10 a month for the HD package that includes HD Net Movies(chan 78) and UHD (chan 74) and they have now been turned off.

No Notice,No Nothing !!

And they have the nerve to pull this stunt on Christmas week.


Heads are gonna roll for this one !!!

Matt

D* made a very conscious effort to contact people about this. I for one got a mailer, and a phone call. For whatever reason some did not, however MOST of the reasons people were ignorant to this fact is not the fault of D*.

You also act suprised that it was done this week. I have seen you on here for a while. This has been common knowledge for at LEAST 3 months. Surely you knew it was coming

 

[vurbano]

D* made a very conscious effort to contact people about this. I for one got a mailer, and a phone call. For whatever reason some did not, however MOST of the reasons people were ignorant to this fact is not the fault of D*.

You also act suprised that it was done this week. I have seen you on here for a while. This has been common knowledge for at LEAST 3 months. Surely you knew it was coming

If I didnt patrol forums I would not have known. Infact, until a week ago no one knew if they would be cut off or if a charge would just appear for them. This is apparently the way D* thankls its long time HD subs who suffered through the horrendous Picture quality and anemic amount of HD national channels. They cut off your channels without warning and want you to pay even more for crap HDlite PQ.

 

[Jimbo]

D* made a very conscious effort to contact people about this. I for one got a mailer, and a phone call. For whatever reason some did not, however MOST of the reasons people were ignorant to this fact is not the fault of D*.

You also act suprised that it was done this week. I have seen you on here for a while. This has been common knowledge for at LEAST 3 months. Surely you knew it was coming

msmith,
there is a very EASY way for D* to contact EVERYONE for this type of thing, but they refuse to use it.
Don't know how long you've been with D* but, back in the day they use to actually USE the "Messages" feature built into ALL rec's., now for some reason they NEVER use it, I don't know why this is, but I have not rec'd a message from them (upcoming events, anything changeing whatever) in YEARS.

Jimbo

 

[Ronnie-]

msmith,
there is a very EASY way for D* to contact EVERYONE for this type of thing, but they refuse to use it.
Don't know how long you've been with D* but, back in the day they use to actually USE the "Messages" feature built into ALL rec's., now for some reason they NEVER use it, I don't know why this is, but I have not rec'd a message from them (upcoming events, anything changeing whatever) in YEARS.

Jimbo

Thats true, however if I remember correctly, back when they used a similiar feature, they got constant complaints from subs that they didnt want to be bothered this way. I could be wrong, but i am pretty sure that this was a problem for some

 

[Ronnie-]

If I didnt patrol forums I would not have known. Infact, until a week ago no one knew if they would be cut off or if a charge would just appear for them. This is apparently the way D* thankls its long time HD subs who suffered through the horrendous Picture quality and anemic amount of HD national channels. They cut off your channels without warning and want you to pay even more for crap HDlite PQ.

Like I said, there are numerous reasons some people wouldnt have gotten notified, but most of them are not the fault of D*.

 

[Jimbo]

Thats true, however if I remember correctly, back when they used a similiar feature, they got constant complaints from subs that they didnt want to be bothered this way. I could be wrong, but i am pretty sure that this was a problem for some

I did not know this ....
They should have just made it so you could turn messages on and off, that would have fixed that issue and kept the rest of us up to date.

Jimbo

 

[Ronnie-]

I did not know this ....
They should have just made it so you could turn messages on and off, that would have fixed that issue and kept the rest of us up to date.

Jimbo

That would have solved it for sure, and I am not sure why they didnt implement that feature

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It is the fault of DirecTV that folks were not notified. They could have put a notice up on the HD Channel Listing channels that notified them that the change was coming.

While I knew about the HD Extra Package (since I was the one who helped break the news to the world) ss one on autopay, I received NOTHING from DirecTV. In addition all retailers I spoke to did not receive anything about the HD package (until LATE FRIDAY NIGHT)

Reading the forums (including DirecTV's own forum) many people did not know anything about the change until they woke up to find the channels missing, and even calls into DirecTV from many was also useless as the CSR's and Tech support had no clue about the new package eaither.

Sure I have seen a few folks say "well DirecTV did say Programming and Pricing subject to change" and of course they are correct, however those in saying that are the DirecTV lemmings who think that DirecTV could do no wrong.

The rollout of the HD Extra package was not done well at all by DirecTV. Not many of the HD fans out there knew that the 5 channels were in the HD extra package, nor were they told that these 5 channels would cost more money to continue receiving them.

It was the lack of communication from DirecTV (which itself is a COMMUNICATIONS company) that caused many customers to become angry because of these changes. And I believe that the customers have a reason to be angry. Its unfortunate that not everyone reads forums like our to know these changes were coming. DirecTV could have done a much better job of telling customers about the changes coming.

To see some folks getting upset at these folks who are upset at losing these channels is just silly, as I am sure if they didnt read forums like ours and they lost the channels like these folks did they wouold be upset too.

With that said DirecTV needs to learn to communicate better with its customers. They had the power to inform folks better but for some reason they did not use their resources to help get the word out there.

 

[Ronnie-]

Sure I have seen a few folks say "well DirecTV did say Programming and Pricing subject to change" and of course they are correct, however those in saying that are the DirecTV lemmings who think that DirecTV could do no wrong.

.

Scott, I dont see how someone saying that is a D* lemming. I have said it many times, and I dont think D* "does no wrong".

When I say it i am simply stating fact, as you yourself admitted. I guess my main thing is I just dont understand why most of the complaints (maybe not on this thread) are about the optional charge more than the lack of notification

 

[Ronnie-]

It is the fault of DirecTV that folks were not notified. They could have put a notice up on the HD Channel Listing channels that notified them that the change was coming.

.

They could have done alot of things, and there would still be people that wouldnt see it, or wouldnt have paid attention even if they had. It is nearly impossible with the size of the company, and with the way many subs are set up to notify each and every one of them, but they did seem to try. Mailers that many got, phone calls, some say they got emails, and it is on their webpage also.

 

[Jimbo]

They could have done alot of things, and there would still be people that wouldnt see it, or wouldnt have paid attention even if they had. It is nearly impossible with the size of the company, and with the way many subs are set up to notify each and every one of them, but they did seem to try. Mailers that many got, phone calls, some say they got emails, and it is on their webpage also.

They could have done this very easily.
See post 64
Also, they were able to let us all know about the "Winter Update" it came on the TV as soon as you turned it on the next time.
There are plenty of ways to contact people for these type of things.

Jimbo

 

[Ronnie-]

They could have done this very easily.
See post 64
Also, they were able to let us all know about the "Winter Update" it came on the TV as soon as you turned it on the next time.
There are plenty of ways to contact people for these type of things.

Jimbo

Well then I am proof that some people would have missed it. I do not remember that notification

 

[swampman]

You also act suprised that it was done this week. I have seen you on here for a while. This has been common knowledge for at LEAST 3 months. Surely you knew it was coming

How long he has been here is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that some where NEVER contacted in any way...as in my case. It's not Directv's intention to use Satelliteguys to "pass the word."

 

[Ronnie-]

How long he has been here is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that some where NEVER contacted in any way...as in my case. It's not Directv's intention to use Satelliteguys to "pass the word."

I dont dispute that some were missed, but i am not going to say they didnt even try to get the word out.

 

[n4uaj]

When I did go to their website to sign up for the upgrade It took many mouseclicks to get to the screen for the upgrade. Looks to me like they could have put in a link to go straight to it Instead of going through your entire package to get to the last screen and bam there it is. I guess it would be easier to just call and add it but when they got you on hold they always telling you "You CAN do this faster online if you wish."

 

[vurbano]

I dont dispute that some were missed, but i am not going to say they didnt even try to get the word out.

They made a half assed attempt. They should have put it on the last bill! Or the last two bills. Everyone gets a bill, either online or in the mail. There is no excuse. Sorry, you are dead wrong on this.

 

[tds4182]

If I didnt patrol forums I would not have known. Infact, until a week ago no one knew if they would be cut off or if a charge would just appear for them. This is apparently the way D* thankls its long time HD subs who suffered through the horrendous Picture quality and anemic amount of HD national channels. They cut off your channels without warning and want you to pay even more for crap HDlite PQ.

D* does YOU that way because they can.

Just remember, because you're paranoid doesn't mean they (D*) are not out to get you!

 

[Ronnie-]

They made a half assed attempt. They should have put it on the last bill! Or the last two bills. Everyone gets a bill, either online or in the mail. There is no excuse. Sorry, you are dead wrong on this.

Do you read each an every word on the bill? No one does.
Sure, they probably should have done this, the fact remains, people would have bitched regardless, because someone wouldnt have gotten it

 

[NutFlush920]

Well the channels are gone here. I never watched them anyways. I never was notified of the channels going away via call or mail. Only from here. What a crappy thing to do to the customer. I for one won't be paying $5 for 5 extra channels.