DirecTV

[StoopTroup]

We have had our equipment for around 4 or 5 years now.

At one point I remember one of our Directv boxes going bad and they sent us another box to get us back on-air.

The box they sent us wasn't chocked full of the connections I bought with the first purchase and I asked them about it. They told me they didn't have to replace it with what I purchased...that their obligation was only to provide a replacement.

I then quit paying for a service plan and took a chance with one of them just going bad.

This year...the ice storm hit us and 2 of the lines and the dish went bad. We were going to just drop service but when we called Directv to drop...they offered to send someone out if we would buy into the service plan. We did and then we still had trouble. The 4-5 times a week that our boxes would reset became a nuisance. They never really got that worked out. Since we weren't watching TV as much during the summer I then lowered our service down to just local channels and the cheapest pkg I could get. We still had to pay for 2 boxes and a DVR ( $15 per month extra). :eek: That was hard to swallow once we started having all the trouble. Also Fox Sports Channels were a $12 per month pkg and since football season is upon us...I would need to subscribe to that in September.

I decided to switch to another service. We saw AT&T commercials that looked enticing. WE called them and our area in Tulsa wasn't covered. We hesitantly called COX Cable and finally agreed that since we need service before football season started and the High School coverage for our State is a very nice extra with COX...well....we let them hook us back up.

We have digital Cable in 3 rooms and DVR in the living room.

Service is cheaper and I don't have to subscribe to the FOX Channels.

Here's where thing get freaky.

The other day I came home and found a guy talking to the Wife on the front porch. He was from AT&T. They now (After less than 30 days with COX) have service in our area.

Here's what they offered us.

AT&T Uverse

100 percent digital TV

One free month TV

Upgrade to fiber optics for our computer - Internet speed is up'd from 3 MBPS to MBPS.

DVR capabilty in all 3 rooms.

Individually select each channel we want to watch up to 320 channels total.

The Sports Pkg. (Including Fox College Sports, Horse Racing TV and more)

One free month of all Premium Movie Channels available.

Unlimited digital calling on our home phone.

Plus $200 cash back on our Visa Card.

Service with Directv was costing $80 to as high as $120 at one time.

Service with COX cost me $161.00 last month to get it all turned on.

This AT&T service will cost us Zero to install and $139.00 per month and will include my TV service, Internet and phone.

Our Phone bill previously was around $50 per month and the Internet was $45...so around $100 total.

The AT&T DVR will record from the internet and I can access the internet on my cell phone to record a program even if we aren't at home.

We'll see how this all goes.

So far I think COX and Directv have lost a customer.

[Rogue]

I've been fairly loyal to AT&T, when it's been an option, since 1991 when they set up free phone tents in Saudi Arabia for us. I suffer through their cell service for the Unplan (the old one that is still good) even though my reception out here in the country is worse than Verizon since the switch from analog to digital. I'll never understand that since I'm hitting the same cell towers.

Anyhoo, my wife is like you...works with the lowest bidder that gives the best service. She calls Comcast every couple of months to ask about deals and usually gets one.

[Rogue]

Incidentally, if you don't have cable as an option, what would be the best way to get high speed internet? I'm thinking of a vacation cabin or some such when I hit the megabux lotto.

[StoopTroup]

No idea.

I just couldn't believe AT&T showed up with all of this.

No telling how long we'll keep it all but for now...at least someone is trying to compete for our business.

That's a huge thing for me.

[olevetonahill]

Incidentally, if you don't have cable as an option, what would be the best way to get high speed internet? I'm thinking of a vacation cabin or some such when I hit the megabux lotto.

If No Cable , Or DSL then satilite is the only option that I know of

[StoopTroup]

I think I heard some guys at work who live in a rural area say there was a service that could be had via a tower at your place but you had to have someone come out and check to see if your place could reach a cell tower from the tower you'd need at your place.

No idea if they supply the tower or equipment either.

[r5TPsooner]

We have had our equipment for around 4 or 5 years now.

At one point I remember one of our Directv boxes going bad and they sent us another box to get us back on-air.

The box they sent us wasn't chocked full of the connections I bought with the first purchase and I asked them about it. They told me they didn't have to replace it with what I purchased...that their obligation was only to provide a replacement.

I then quit paying for a service plan and took a chance with one of them just going bad.

This year...the ice storm hit us and 2 of the lines and the dish went bad. We were going to just drop service but when we called Directv to drop...they offered to send someone out if we would buy into the service plan. We did and then we still had trouble. The 4-5 times a week that our boxes would reset became a nuisance. They never really got that worked out. Since we weren't watching TV as much during the summer I then lowered our service down to just local channels and the cheapest pkg I could get. We still had to pay for 2 boxes and a DVR ( $15 per month extra). :eek: That was hard to swallow once we started having all the trouble. Also Fox Sports Channels were a $12 per month pkg and since football season is upon us...I would need to subscribe to that in September.

I decided to switch to another service. We saw AT&T commercials that looked enticing. WE called them and our area in Tulsa wasn't covered. We hesitantly called COX Cable and finally agreed that since we need service before football season started and the High School coverage for our State is a very nice extra with COX...well....we let them hook us back up.

We have digital Cable in 3 rooms and DVR in the living room.

Service is cheaper and I don't have to subscribe to the FOX Channels.

Here's where thing get freaky.

The other day I came home and found a guy talking to the Wife on the front porch. He was from AT&T. They now (After less than 30 days with COX) have service in our area.

Here's what they offered us.

AT&T Uverse

100 percent digital TV

One free month TV

Upgrade to fiber optics for our computer - Internet speed is up'd from 3 MBPS to MBPS.

DVR capabilty in all 3 rooms.

Individually select each channel we want to watch up to 320 channels total.

The Sports Pkg. (Including Fox College Sports, Horse Racing TV and more)

One free month of all Premium Movie Channels available.

Unlimited digital calling on our home phone.

Plus $200 cash back on our Visa Card.

Service with Directv was costing $80 to as high as $120 at one time.

Service with COX cost me $161.00 last month to get it all turned on.

This AT&T service will cost us Zero to install and $139.00 per month and will include my TV service, Internet and phone.

Our Phone bill previously was around $50 per month and the Internet was $45...so around $100 total.

The AT&T DVR will record from the internet and I can access the internet on my cell phone to record a program even if we aren't at home.

We'll see how this all goes.

So far I think COX and Directv have lost a customer.



Your DirecTv issues seem eerily similar except for the ice storm bit. Our receivers have never worked properly 100% and ordering a PPV movie is riddled with audio problems 30% of the time. Now that DirecTV makes you watch the PPV movie within 24 hours sucks as well! We never had any issues with DirecTV until we moved to OK and got all of the HD stuff. Now, I'm thinking about leaving them as well and I never thought I'd be saying that.

My neighbor who does mortgages and works at home took the plunge to AT&T Universe. He dumped them 45 days later because of major issues with the internet.

Good luck.

[StoopTroup]

We've had AT&T internet for a few years now.

I hope it gets even better than what we have now...but...if it just stays as good...We'll be OK with that too.

At least...unless technology changes drastically.

[Turd_Ferguson]

I think I heard some guys at work who live in a rural area say there was a service that could be had via a tower at your place but you had to have someone come out and check to see if your place could reach a cell tower from the tower you'd need at your place.

No idea if they supply the tower or equipment either.I have @link wireless. Just a little antenna on my roof and it works great.

[Blue]

I love D-TV. NFL Sunday Ticket is a must-have.

[Sooner Eclipse]

Your DirecTv issues seem eerily similar except for the ice storm bit. Our receivers have never worked properly 100% and ordering a PPV movie is riddled with audio problems 30% of the time. Now that DirecTV makes you watch the PPV movie within 24 hours sucks as well! We never had any issues with DirecTV until we moved to OK and got all of the HD stuff. Now, I'm thinking about leaving them as well and I never thought I'd be saying that.

My neighbor who does mortgages and works at home took the plunge to AT&T Universe. He dumped them 45 days later because of major issues with the internet.

Good luck.

You're right about the audio problems with DirTV. After I traded in my MPEG2 hardware for the latest MPEG 4 hardware, I have the same problem with items (particularily recorded items) that I think are broadcasting in latest version of Dolby. It seems at times, particularily during music tracks, the sound gets all digitized, Max Headroom like. I think the extreme compression rate for the MPEG 4 stuff screws up the audio.

[goingoneight]

Does DirecTV still suck when it rains, wind blows or people sneeze within a mile radius of your dish?

Cuz mine did... but that was like two years ago before I got on Cox, and I know lots has changed in the technology world. Hell, my entire apt is a lot different electronic-wise than the house was 2 years ago.

[Sooner Eclipse]

Does DirecTV still suck when it rains, wind blows or people sneeze within a mile radius of your dish?

Cuz mine did... but that was like two years ago before I got on Cox, and I know lots has changed in the technology world. Hell, my entire apt is a lot different electronic-wise than the house was 2 years ago.

No, but it sounds like your dish wasn't aimed properly. I only lose signal during very heavy t-storms, really dark cloud types. Usually only for 5 minutes or less.

[OUHOMER]

We, have DISH for the TV. I was need to add a room when my mom moved in. So i checked out Directv, because the equipment i had with dish was gettting old. They were a lot higher than Dish. Anyway I call Dish and said I need to cancel my service, i was going with somebody else. I told them that the new company was going to give me all new equipment.

They said, you have been a great customer , we will give you the new DVR 2 tv setup. All you have to do is sign up for 2 year contract. So i did they brought out the new equipment, installed it. :D no cost to me, plus i dropped HBO, we got to where we never watched it. I have all the FOX SW stations plus local channel's. I think we pay $49 a month

[r5TPsooner]

We, have DISH for the TV. I was need to add a room when my mom moved in. So i checked out Directv, because the equipment i had with dish was gettting old. They were a lot higher than Dish. Anyway I call Dish and said I need to cancel my service, i was going with somebody else. I told them that the new company was going to give me all new equipment.

They said, you have been a great customer , we will give you the new DVR 2 tv setup. All you have to do is sign up for 2 year contract. So i did they brought out the new equipment, installed it. :D no cost to me, plus i dropped HBO, we got to where we never watched it. I have all the FOX SW stations plus local channel's. I think we pay $49 a month

Is that the HD package? I tried FOUR Different times to get Dish installed and the installer could never figure out how to do it correctly. Every installer that they sent out was a moron. It took the DirecTV guy 4-5 hours but he got er done.

I finally went with DTV. If Cox didn't blow so bad, I'd go back to them.

[BudSooner]

Ok, i'm a Cox employee but honestly it's whatever you feel comfortable with..my aunt has had Dish since 2002 and has had only 1..yes 1 outage and that was during that freak blizzard(to us okies)December 23rd 2002.
I've had Directv, and it's cool with certain features like the Sunday ticket, but i'm not sold on Uverse, due to the issues that need to be ironed out, problem is people jump on the bandwagon with technology like this as soon as it is turned out....it needs time to get all the bugs out.
Sure, down the road maybe months...years Uverse will be a great product but everything takes time.

Edit to add, to me there are two kinds of tv people....those who want to just switch on the tube and enjoy..then there are those who want ot play with gadgets...like me who like setting up my own dish(had it years ago)to keep from having the tech out to align my dish.

Competition is good for business, no?

[OUHOMER]

Is that the HD package? I tried FOUR Different times to get Dish installed and the installer could never figure out how to do it correctly. Every installer that they sent out was a moron. It took the DirecTV guy 4-5 hours but he got er done.

I finally went with DTV. If Cox didn't blow so bad, I'd go back to them.

No HD, I dont have an HD TV YET, I am waiting for this tv to break, may be a while:mad:
But how big a moron do you have to be? Hell set the dish, they have a meter to line the damn thing up with, run the cables, hook them up. Man that is sad.

[Widescreen]

Upgrade to fiber optics for our computer - Internet speed is up'd from 3 MBPS to MBPS.

Doesn't sound like much of an upgrade. 3Mbps to 0Mbps? I think I'd pass.

[StoopTroup]

Doesn't sound like much of an upgrade. 3Mbps to 0Mbps? I think I'd pass.

My 6 key above the letters is bad sorry.

Thank goodness I still have my keypad.

[BudSooner]

One downside to having a tech install Dish or Directv, unless your standing over his shoulder..those cable runs they put up make your house look like uber ****, i've seen it, it ain't pretty. And these are supposed to be professionals.

I had a customer who has Direct, I asked her if she was keeping them...i'm not ****ting you, she said yes they want to keep Direct in the living room.
She has a dual tuner dvr(needing two cables for both tuners)and now i'm adding an additional cable for her Cox dvr...WTF????

She now gets duplicates of most her channels, I don't get it. srsly.

[StormySooner-IN]

Very long story short. I had DirecTV for 8 years.


Then I bought a DVR from Best Buy for $90.

Then it broke 5 months later. So I called DirecTV. They said it was a rented receiver from them. They sent a box for a us to send it back to them, or they would charge us $300. So I idd that.

We had bought an HD receiver a year before this....but it wad the old kind. We could no longert watch any HD stations. So they said we'd have to pay the whole price of a new one. So we cancelled them. Then they charged us $200+ for cancelling. Sent another box for a different recevier...all which we owned.


So, comes down to it, they stole and robbed from us:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:




Now, we have AT&T. It is much better quality, more relabile, better HD service, cheaper, more channels, more awesomeness....less ghey.

[Animal Mother]

One downside to having a tech install Dish or Directv, unless your standing over his shoulder..those cable runs they put up make your house look like uber ****, i've seen it, it ain't pretty. And these are supposed to be professionals.

I had a customer who has Direct, I asked her if she was keeping them...i'm not ****ting you, she said yes they want to keep Direct in the living room.
She has a dual tuner dvr(needing two cables for both tuners)and now i'm adding an additional cable for her Cox dvr...WTF????

She now gets duplicates of most her channels, I don't get it. srsly.

I'm going with it's your customer that doesn't get it.

[Beef]

I had U-Verse for a year until I moved recently. I loved it, but it's not available in the area of Dallas I moved to. I went back to DirecTV, but miss my U-verse.

[r5TPsooner]

I had U-Verse for a year until I moved recently. I loved it, but it's not available in the area of Dallas I moved to. I went back to DirecTV, but miss my U-verse.

What are the advantages of U-Verse over DirecTV?

[StoopTroup]

Very long story short. I had DirecTV for 8 years.


Then I bought a DVR from Best Buy for $90.

Then it broke 5 months later. So I called DirecTV. They said it was a rented receiver from them. They sent a box for a us to send it back to them, or they would charge us $300. So I idd that.

We had bought an HD receiver a year before this....but it wad the old kind. We could no longert watch any HD stations. So they said we'd have to pay the whole price of a new one. So we cancelled them. Then they charged us $200+ for cancelling. Sent another box for a different recevier...all which we owned.


So, comes down to it, they stole and robbed from us:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:




Now, we have AT&T. It is much better quality, more relabile, better HD service, cheaper, more channels, more awesomeness....less ghey.


They are trying to do that to us with one receiver. Probably the one they replaced for the one of mine that broke.

I told em to f-off.

[r5TPsooner]

Very long story short. I had DirecTV for 8 years.


Then I bought a DVR from Best Buy for $90.

Then it broke 5 months later. So I called DirecTV. They said it was a rented receiver from them. They sent a box for a us to send it back to them, or they would charge us $300. So I idd that.

We had bought an HD receiver a year before this....but it wad the old kind. We could no longert watch any HD stations. So they said we'd have to pay the whole price of a new one. So we cancelled them. Then they charged us $200+ for cancelling. Sent another box for a different recevier...all which we owned.


So, comes down to it, they stole and robbed from us:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:




Now, we have AT&T. It is much better quality, more relabile, better HD service, cheaper, more channels, more awesomeness....less ghey.



I wasn't very happy when I purchased a new DirecTV HD DVR from Best Buy last year for $200 or $300 bucks only to find out that it wasn't mine. If I ever cancel DTV, they get the box that I paid full boat for and it probably goes to someone else.

Wonderful business structure if you want to run off customers. Quite frankly, over the past year, DTV has made it clear to me that there #1 priority is there NFL Sunday Ticket customers.

DTV, has really gone down in quality over the last year or so.

[StoopTroup]

DTV has made it clear to me that there #1 priority is there NFL Sunday Ticket customers.

I got a call from them once surveying me about the service.

I told her I'd like them to take the LOGO Channel off as a regular channel as I have kids and don't want them accidently tuning it to it.

I told her they could add it as a premium channel for say a .25 monthly fee and then it would be easy for me to lock them out...hell...make it .01 per month for that matter. I'm sure any old rug muncher or poll smoker wouldn't care about the extra .01 per month for quality programming like the LOGO Channel is offering.

Maybe we could even get channels like Oprah's moved to .01 per month so we can tune those off too.