Banana Republic Award 2023 my FCC Complaint on DIRECT TV Worked

This is my live fluid complaint about what these guys do.

I have been a citizen of this country back decades. Oh it wasn't great back then either. At issue is those organizations in 2023 that can perpetuate fraud via electronic means and then leave enough doubt that the FEDS don't pursue them.

We have been DIRECT TV customers since 2009. Were no fans of it but we wanted the NFL Sunday Ticket and until recently they were the only game in town. Back in 2021 I cut back on the minimum package that would afford us access to the NFL Sunday Ticket. In 2022 I wanted to add ESPN but to do so my monthly package went from $79.99 month for Choice XTRA to $179 / month. They also said that I would have to sign a two year contract commitment. In 2023 I read that DIRECT lost the NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube. I contacted ATT as they sill have some connection to DIRECT and their billing. ATT looked at my account and said that NO contract exists so I can cancel immediately. I did back in June.

I was told that I would be sent a return package for the DVR. After 10 days I never received anything so I called them. They told me that they don't want it back.

Being a wily old goat as they attempted to bone us previously I kept the equipment.

Last week we get a bill for $144 for lack of equipment return.

So I file an online complaint with the FCC. The FCC went wild and notified DIRECT TV office of the President. So I get a text, email and phone call from a Mari from that office. I never spoke with her so I left an email stating the above. A return box arrived today. Mari responded to the FCC in writing as she copied me by email stating to the FCC Return Box was sent to me on September 8, 2023. All true. However, NO mention that I cancelled back in June. Hmmm.

So I still have one Genie, 2 remotes and one Genie Power Source and a DIRECT Swim. I will toss those in a box for a year as who knows just what Plan B is.

I since bought a Roku stick for $49 one time cost and HULU. We also have Netflix. Our picture on our 65" plasma looks new again and we have so much for so little. But they also have their gimmicks and simple ongoing annoyance. At what point will we surrender and just get rid of all non needed services

Progress

I keep my $144.

a reply to: Waterglass

I dropped satellite/cable years ago. The prices kept going up and up and if you wanted say NatGeo, you had to take a whole package that had other channels you'd never watch. I still get offers from Dish Network and others, but I am never going back.

a reply to: DAVID64

Were never going back either. What is nice today is that many streaming services without contacts and cancel any time

a reply to: Waterglass

I've got Netflix,Hulu and Amazon.
With Amazon you can get all kinds of free channels like FreeVee, BritBox and quite a few others.

The only reason I still have Netflix is for my daughter.

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: Waterglass

I dropped satellite/cable years ago. The prices kept going up and up and if you wanted say NatGeo, you had to take a whole package that had other channels you'd never watch. I still get offers from Dish Network and others, but I am never going back.

netflix and hulu are starting the same upward creep

a reply to: Waterglass

In this day and age, if you're still playing the pick a plan game with any of your "devices", you are doing it wrong.

There's no way in hell I'm paying for content I already own whilst paying for a service to watch what I already own and be charged for watching what I already own!!

The newest shows can always be downloaded or seen elsewhere. You are really a sucker if you're paying for every channel. It's almost pathetic to be honest.

a reply to: EternalShadow
If only there was a way to modify Amazon FireTV sticks and a group of people to hook it up to, giving you netflix, disney+, amazon (and probably every other service) for like 6€/month in crypto.

That would be nice.

a reply to: Waterglass

No way would I ever pay for the Sunday Ticket.

I pay $50 a month for wifi and just stream any games I want to watch.

These "cable" companies rely on nickel and dimming their customers to hit their revenue numbers. They make it difficult on purpose so you always wind up paying more than you ever expected.

Had a local cable company as my ISP years ago; no contant package just internet; we had "cut the cord" years earlier. At some point we started having issues with our internet connection and after several rounds of technicians coming out to do a power cycle on our equipment (as if I hadn't already tried that) the last tech gave us new equipment and the problem went away.

A year or more passed and we moved to an area that had ISP competition and I took the opportunity to switch providers. Not wanting to deal with what the OP is discribing I went down to the local store with the equipment to cancel. Turns out the last tech never logged the equipment swap and now they are telling me I need to replace the first set of equipment, even though I was there with a whole set to equipment for them.

After some back and forth; they would only cancel my account if I paid for the original set of equipment; I could leave the second set with them and they would check their records and credit me back if they found they had made the mistake.

Just to end my relationship with them I decided to pay and take the second set of equipment with me. They tried to make a stink about it, saying even the second set was their property and that I couldn't have it back; they had already processed it as returned during our conversation.

At that point, I was already taking up too much of their time and a disgruntled line was forming behind me. They let me leave with the second set of equipment when I made it clear I wasn't leaving with out the equipment or the credit for returning the equipment.

Glad I moved and got away from that cable company. Dumped the equipment in a box; recently dumped in the trash.

a reply to: Waterglass

I had SKY for a while and went through similar trouble with the return box never arriving but a bill four weeks later.

My ISP in my old hometown tried the same. Back then when they propped up their services, the router was for free. After like ten years, the router broke and I called for a new one. They said I need to pay 249€ for the new router.

My contract said router is for free, also replacement. But then tech support, their last try to make it work again, they told me the device is not supported and they can only give out new routers if I make a new contract but then I would get the router for free, because long term customer. My uncle originally started the contract when they propped up service here.

I asked what is different and then they told me, there will be a throttling after 10GB. But I will get 1gbit/s until that, so "no worries".

A week later I got a letter that they canceled the contract due to technical impossibilities and that I have 14 days time to secure the land line number or it would be gone forever.

Nice customer service! You can really feel how they care about their long term customers that never missed one payment.

a reply to: TDDAgain

Same here since 2009 and NO missed payments

a reply to: watchitburn

I pay $50 a month for wifi and just stream any games I want to watch

If I could do that with regularity I would do same .

a reply to: EternalShadow

You need a full time manager to figure it out

a reply to: DAVID64

I like Blacklist, Peaky Blinders and Spycraft among others. To us its worth it so far

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: DAVID64

I like Blacklist, Peaky Blinders and Spycraft among others. To us its worth it so far

peacock is free i tink,Freevee is as well. We have a ROKU tv and havent paid for noting but BASIC dish. we get Internet at half off since the Gov subsidy for poor americans.

I live in a RV park, and we get basic cable as part of our space rent.
Problem is, if you want to go beyond basic cable, you have to pay for the basic cable again plus any new services you want.

a reply to: yuppa

ROKU tv

I paid $49 for the ROKU USB stick that connects into the TV. The stick has Superior WIFI connectivity and I access HULU and YouTube TV through. We watched live NFL games yesterday and had NO feed disruptions like we had on DIRECT TV. The picture is also clearer, brighter and more HD. NO months recurring charges unless you opt in one one of their TV packages. were good with what they offer as free

a reply to: Waterglass

Thats why i DIRECT wired my into the internet for connection speed. Il have to check out youtube premium myself. i watch ALOT of youtube.