DirecTV Really Sucks!

My sad saga with DirecTV continues. A few weeks ago one of the cables from the satellite dish went kaput. No signal on both the original receiver that was attached AND one I brought in from another room. Two technicians were sent to work on the problem, but when they learned that we had Jade World, the Chinese channels, they declared they weren't licensed to do it. So a week later, another guy arrived to tackle the problem. This time this guy was supposedly licensed to handle dishes that had international programming, but alas, he, and then his supervisor, deemed our slanted roof unsafe for him to get to the satellite dish. But isn't it very normal for these satellite dishes to be placed high up? Such that any technicians assigned to the task should be qualified to do whatever required of them? Apparently not. To make matters worse, when I called to re-arrange for yet another visit, hopefully by someone capable of crawling on the roof to get to the dish, I was told they had no idea who did the original work, i.e. who originally put the dish that high on the roof. I had to be transferred to someone else who would have the info, to arrange for those same guys to come back. Totally unacceptable!

Besides the signaling problems that come with any inclement weather, my DirecTV experienced was marred from the very beginning. When I called up to open my new account, I specifically asked for the additional package of Jade World. The three guys that came to do the work were nice and friendly, but alas they didn't know about the Jade World addition and put in a plain vanilla dish. I had to have another groups of technicians. This second group ran late one evening and had to come the next day. Again they were late and the lead guy was upset that I blew their cover by calling their office to check their whereabouts. The day of the first scheduled visit by the second group, I had my own ladder out ready for their use but since they didn't come, I put it back in my shack and didn't take it out for the second visit. When I told him to use his own ladder, which he had on the roof of his van, he refused and asked if I really wanted to have the job done or not. Then he proceeded to climb on my neighbor's water sprout to get to her fire escape, and so on to get to the dish on my roof. Today, I specifically asked DirecTV not to send those rude techs again. Speaking of which, the two guys that weren't qualified to handle international dish look like some gang members, with bandana, tattoo, and sleeveless shirt. Call me old-fashioned, but those kinds of people I'd rather not have in my house.

I've heard of web sites to post complains and definitely would check them out to vent my frustration with DirecTV. I'll also see what the Bureau of Better Business has out there on DirecTV and add my two cents to the fray. My brother has already talked about going back to cable TV, just for himself. We will still keep two DirecTV receivers and between he and I we will pay more money for both, but maybe at least I'll shave off $5 x 2 for the two receivers to be returned to DirecTV. That's $10 less every month for them @!$#* DirecTV.