[marjen]

This company amazes me sometimes, its like they don't want new business. I've been trying to get confirmation for several days now regarding them adding Hartford ct locals on May 15(tomorrow) and they won't tell me anything. They have already had several press releases saying they will start service, but when you call them they play dumb and say local channels are not offered in this market at this time. I may need to order new equipment and wanted to get the ball rolling and they continue to frustrate me. Sorry I just had to vent.

 

[srauly]

I believe that the problem is that the customer support folks you talk to are disconnected from the goings-on at DirecTV. I've gotten the impression when asking them questions that they end up doing a search on the DirecTV web site, resulting in them having access to the same lack of information as the rest of us. The press release says May 15th and the press release just came out after the new satellite was successfully launched, so I'd say it's a pretty good bet.


Scott

 

[CarZin300]

During the last catastrophic encounter with DirecTV I asked the rep "So, how do you actually keep up with all this information and 'deals'?"


Response:


"We have a few meetings a week which go over new services, deals, and how to input them into the computer and handle the customer's request"

 

[ctsooner]

marjen,


The one thing I have learned about D* is to be prepared and remember that they never talk about futures. When they announced they planned to add Hartford locals, they never gave a date, but they did mention that they would be coming from the 119 bird. So I learned that you don't ask about Hartford locals, you ask about acquiring programming from the 119 bird. Ask this question and they will tell you your options, and what they will do for you. I was able to get a free upgrade to the oval dish by requesting programming I already new was on the 119 bird (NASA). Its strange, they just don't talk about what they can't sell.

 

[marjen]

ctsooner-

How did you get a free upgrade? They started off telling me I could get an upgrade in equipment for 24.95 and then changed there tune and said that was only if i purchased the premier package. So then they said I had to pay $80 for the equipment. It seemed a little fishy

 

[ctsooner]

marjen,


The CSR told me the official package was the Para Todos upgrade. All I had to do was committ to a year of Total Choice and they sent me a Oval Dish and Gaebo Receiver with installation. I paid for shipping and within 1 week I had the upgrade.

 

[restart88]

Quote:

Originally posted by marjen This company amazes me sometimes, its like they don't want new business. I've been trying to get confirmation for several days now regarding them adding Hartford ct locals on May 15(tomorrow) and they won't tell me anything. They have already had several press releases saying they will start service, but when you call them they play dumb and say local channels are not offered in this market at this time. I may need to order new equipment and wanted to get the ball rolling and they continue to frustrate me. Sorry I just had to vent.

You think that's bad, E* scheduled my 2nd antenna for locals in late October!


Granted, they told me to call back in two weeks to see if a sooner date was available. But still - October?

 

[Snopple]

Sometimes I wonder if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing at DircTV. When first learned that D* was going to offer locals in my DMA by midyear, I sent them an E-mail using the feedback form on their web site. Asking if my UTV and DirecTivo were capable of receiving the locals which are going to be broadcast from their new 119 satellite.


A few days later, after not getting any response to my E-mail, I phoned *D at the customer service number that is on my bill. Surprisingly, I got through to an entertainment specialist right away. After putting me on hold two or three times to research my questions, the lady I spoke with assured me that my receivers were just fine, but I would need to replace my round dish with an oval one.


She said if I committed to the "Total Choice Plus with Locals" at $39.99/month for a year, I could have an oval dish for $43 which included instillation. Or I could get a free dish if I committed to "Total Choice Premier with Locals" at $85.99/month. I told her I'd take the $39.99 package and pay for the dish. Trouble was her system was down and she couldn't process my order. But she assured me that as soon as the problem was corrected, she would call me back.


That evening they called while I was at work. They called again the next morning while I was at the library. The following day I was home when they called for the third time. Guess what? The calls had nothing to do with placing an order for the oval dish. It was in response to my E-mail.


The lady who called told me that all I would need is an oval dish. And I should keep an eye on their web site. Because she was sure that as the launch date for my locals approached, they would be probably be offering some kind of upgrade. She didn't seem to know about the upgrade the other csr tried to sell me one the phone. So I decided to play dumb and see if I could get a better deal later on.


I'm not trying too be critical of D*. I've been with them for almost five years. And have been perfectly satisfied with the service. They must value my business to make the effort they did to contact me. I just find it amazing that such a big company doesn't have all their people working from the same play book.

 

[AreBee]

So has anyone received locals in the Hartford area yet?


I checked channel 999 and it sent me to a channel (246 maybe?) which is supposed to be active if locals are available to you. The channel is unavailable when I bring it up, but I wonder if that is beacause I don't have a Sat C LNB yet. DirecTV's website says locals are available per my zip code.

 

[ctsooner]

AreBee,


They are up and coming from 119. You need an IRD that supports multiple LNBs and a dish pointed at 119.

 

[AreBee]

The "professional" installer couldn't get the 119 bird on my dish, so that's probably why I don't see the information.


Thanks!