DirecTV customers - Free offers to stay with DirecTV

Quote from slinx : I've been with Directv since 96 and would like to upgrade to HD (I have Verizon Fios for internet, so that's an option as well). The problem is that I really like the Sunday Ticket. If they call my bluff and I cancel, would they let me sign up as a "new customer" in, say, August, and get all of the free stuff that way? I want to have this figured out before I call. Thanks in advance.

If you actually do cancel and you wait till August to sign up again then yes you will be able to sign up as a new customer and get all the perks that new customers get. It is something like you could't have an account within the past 60 or 90 days I can't remember which.

Quote from devastor : If you actually do cancel and you wait till August to sign up again then yes you will be able to sign up as a new customer and get all the perks that new customers get. It is something like you could't have an account within the past 60 or 90 days I can't remember which.

Actually, no he/she wouldn't be a "new" customer. The accounts are tied to SS#'s, would have to sign up with significant other's # to be able to take advantage of offers.

I renewed my contract today with DTV after giving them a story about switching to Uverse to save money on my monthly expenses and wishing to cancel my satellite service . CSR was very nice about it and after some talking gave me:

1 X HD DVR
$10 Credit for 12 months
Free Starz/Showtime for 3 months
Free installation

I'm a happy camper....

-K

Didn't have such great luck on this this weekend...

I made about 5 calls over the weekend with different approaches and none would give me better than $10 credit/12 months, free HD receiver, free HD installation, but I would pay the standard $10 for HD - essentially free HD but full price on everything else. I'm also having them move me (that's free anyway). They all refused to admit that they could do better than that. I knew what they gave me was pretty standard. My first year w/ them just ended and I was reluctant to pull the trigger as all my promotions ended and I was going up to regular price. I also downgraded from Choice Extra to Choice so I could afford it. A couple of the CSRs had a "this is the best we'll do for you, take it or leave it" attitude, and said that they're not allowed to give a customer more than $10/12 months (one "manager" wasn't allowed to do better than $10/6 months) even telling me to go down to the family package and skip HD if I really want to save money. They also told me that I've only been a cust for 1 year so I shouldn't get any discounts... I said I've only been out of college 1 year and money is kinda tight - they didn't budge on that either. I originally tried bluffing that cable would give me HD and the channels I want for $35/mo and they tried to compare the # of channels. That would be a great argument if I had reason to watch more than 10 of the channels I have now. If only there was a comparable service here - or at least one that wasn't run by liars. Anybody else somehow magically get signed up for paperless billing at some point and have your CC charged before your promo discounts were applied? What about suddenly getting charged $5 or so for their newsletter?

Good luck to anybody on getting better than I did. I do hope that HDPC-20 comes out soon....

I had a lil' bit of drama earlier today wit CS but i did manage to pull out a

1 HD DVR
$10 Credit for 12 months
Free Showtime/Starz for 3 months
& Free installation

All in all, nice

Are you guys getting the HD DVR's FREE PLUS the 12 month credits, or are they using the 12 month credit to make up for having to pay for the HD DVRs?

O/T a bit, but wasnt sure if there was a better place for this question:

I have DirectTV, had them for almost a year now, cant really remember. Anyways... Since I have gone to the dish, I have had nothing but problems with my receiving my local channels thru the dish. All the other channels are clear as day. I have called them numerous times, had them come out a bunch of times as well.

The issue is where the dish is mounted, there is a giant tree in the way. If its a calm day, I dont have a problem, same in the winter (no leaves on the tree). But the rest of the year I am constantly losing my signal. My wife has had it, so needless to say I need to do something about it.

I have had them out a couple of times, and we looked at moving the dish. But there isnt any better options. I could care less about the local news, but I need my basic CBS, ABC, NBC, etc... Is there any way to get those channels thru the dish but not thru the local channel? The only other option is to add basic cable & keep the dish. Or cancel the dish period.

Mods - If this belongs somewhere else, please move it. Just figured this might be the best spot for it.

Thanks

Well you need line of sight to the satellites, so if there is a tree in the way, you need to cut it or move the dish. The alternative that you want is that some of the DTV boxes allow you hook up a standard rooftop antenna so that for your locals, you can watch them via the antenna rather than from satellite. Not sure if that's only for the HD boxes though or all of them.

Quote from Coyotezeye : O/T a bit, but wasnt sure if there was a better place for this question: I have DirectTV, had them for almost a year now, cant really remember. Anyways... Since I have gone to the dish, I have had nothing but problems with my receiving my local channels thru the dish. All the other channels are clear as day. I have called them numerous times, had them come out a bunch of times as well. The issue is where the dish is mounted, there is a giant tree in the way. If its a calm day, I dont have a problem, same in the winter (no leaves on the tree). But the rest of the year I am constantly losing my signal. My wife has had it, so needless to say I need to do something about it. I have had them out a couple of times, and we looked at moving the dish. But there isnt any better options. I could care less about the local news, but I need my basic CBS, ABC, NBC, etc... Is there any way to get those channels thru the dish but not thru the local channel? The only other option is to add basic cable & keep the dish. Or cancel the dish period. Mods - If this belongs somewhere else, please move it. Just figured this might be the best spot for it. Thanks

Quote from Coyotezeye : I have had them out a couple of times, and we looked at moving the dish. But there isnt any better options. I could care less about the local news, but I need my basic CBS, ABC, NBC, etc... Is there any way to get those channels thru the dish but not thru the local channel? The only other option is to add basic cable & keep the dish. Or cancel the dish period.

I don't quite understand--that tree gives you problems only with local channels? I would think that it would give you problems with other channels as well if it's causing issues w/ your locals, but what do I know--I'm no satellite dish expert. Are your local channels coming in directly via the dish, or do you have some other antenna attached to it? Like I said, I'm confused as to how your dish apparently has no problems picking up any of the non-local channels, yet has problems locking onto local channels when the tree comes into play.

In any case--to answer your question, D* does carry the national East/West Coast feeds of ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX but you can only get them if you can prove you live in an area where it is not possible to receive the network feeds via OTA (e.g., rabbit ear or outdoor antenna)--say, you live way too far from the transmission towers...and even then, you have to request a waiver from your local network station.

Quote from robr : Well you need line of sight to the satellites, so if there is a tree in the way, you need to cut it or move the dish. The alternative that you want is that some of the DTV boxes allow you hook up a standard rooftop antenna so that for your locals, you can watch them via the antenna rather than from satellite. Not sure if that's only for the HD boxes though or all of them.

Thanks for the response.

I was aware of the line of site, went over that with one of the installers. I had them out a couple of times. Pretty much where the dish is now, is the best I am going to get. As to the tree, well I cant have it cut down

I did find something on the DirectTV site that I think is what I am looking for. They have something called Distant Broadcast Network Feeds. Its to get the ABC, CBS, etc.. for those that cant get their local channels.

Now if I can convince them to allow me to have it. If not... well once contract is up I will go back to cable then if I must. Might as well see what they offer me to stay with them as well. But if I cant get the local channels, wont matter what they offer.

Quote from unicornpegasus : Are you guys getting the HD DVR's FREE PLUS the 12 month credits, or are they using the 12 month credit to make up for having to pay for the HD DVRs?

I agree there too. Are your contracts up at the time you get these deals and are you talking to a regular CS or retention?

do these offers work if you have a triple play with verizon, like internet, telephone and tv, cause my plan expires in october, 2 yrs are up

Quote from Coyotezeye : O/T a bit, but wasnt sure if there was a better place for this question: I have DirectTV, had them for almost a year now, cant really remember. Anyways... Since I have gone to the dish, I have had nothing but problems with my receiving my local channels thru the dish. All the other channels are clear as day. I have called them numerous times, had them come out a bunch of times as well. The issue is where the dish is mounted, there is a giant tree in the way. If its a calm day, I dont have a problem, same in the winter (no leaves on the tree). But the rest of the year I am constantly losing my signal. My wife has had it, so needless to say I need to do something about it. I have had them out a couple of times, and we looked at moving the dish. But there isnt any better options. I could care less about the local news, but I need my basic CBS, ABC, NBC, etc... Is there any way to get those channels thru the dish but not thru the local channel? The only other option is to add basic cable & keep the dish. Or cancel the dish period. Mods - If this belongs somewhere else, please move it. Just figured this might be the best spot for it. Thanks

I'm in the process of dealing with this right now. For me, it was only the HD local channels that were giving me problems. I've taken probably 15-20 phone calls, and had probably 5 or 6 people come out to my house. First, they tried some BS with changing something on my box, that didn't work. Next, they moved my satelite to a different spot. That fixed all my HD local channels, they all come in great now, BUT, now ESPN, TNT, ESPN2 HD all have the same problem. Another guy came out yesterday and said he was going to research the problem, and get back to me today. Hopefully, today I'll get some good news, but I'm not holding my breath.

Quote from sean10780 : I agree there too. Are your contracts up at the time you get these deals and are you talking to a regular CS or retention?

ALWAYS talk to retention...
free hddvr in addition to monthly credit