# DTV shot themselves in the foot this time.



## D Killeen (Nov 16, 2003)

Starting sometime in November the "Charge to my account" option was missing from my online PPV ordering page. I could either pay by credit card or by check. Finally 2 weeks ago I found out that if you do not have ALL of your receivers plugged in to a phone line they will not let you order online and charge to your account. This policy apparently started in November. Here is the relevant part of the email I got from Customer service:

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Dear Mr. Killeen,

Thanks for writing. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to order pay per view online. During a recent web site update, we made a change requiring that customers without a permanent land-based phone connection to the receivers to pay for pay per view movies and events ordered online.

If at some point you connect a phone line to your receivers, please contact us either email or by phone at 1-800-531-5000 and we will be happy to update your information. Please continue to visit DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information.

Sincerely,

Aaron H
DIRECTV Customer Service

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Why they did that is a mystery to me. In the 3 years that I've been a DTV customer I have NEVER used my remote to buy a movie. I always used the web site. You'd think that they would suspend the ability to order by remote if they were that worried about it. Rather than put up with this, I opened an account with Netflix. There are some drawbacks, sure. But I'll save money in the long run. I USED to buy at least 2, and usually 3 PPV every month. That won't happen now. My money will go elsewhere.


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

I still see the Charge to my account when ordering a PPV 


Select payment method:
Bill to DIRECTV Account
Pay Via Credit Card
Pay Via Checking Account


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## Lori (Feb 20, 2000)

I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

Lori said:


> I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.


There is downside to ordering by remote if you don't have landline, only a Cellular or VOIP connection. Then you run into the card PPV event recording capacity and no billing problem. The only option really available for non-landline customers has been ordering online.

And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS. You would think that they would forbid ordering via remote, not online. In fact, I have always viewed the non-connected ordering by remote to be a huge hole in their process.


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## john-duncan-yoyo (Oct 13, 2004)

Lori said:


> I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.


If you order online it shows up on all your recievers but if you use the remote it only shows up on that box.


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## SeattleCarl (Nov 11, 2005)

And if one or more of your receivers don't happen to be at the location they are supposed to be at (and that is only verifiable by having a phone line connected), then D* doesn't want you ordering ppv that goes to those receivers.
-
Carl


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## farleyruskz (Nov 13, 2000)

tbeckner said:


> And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS.


Seems to me the only thing DIRECTV is "forbidding" is billing PPV purchases directly to your account. You should still be able to pay for an online PPV purchase via credit card or checking account debit.


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

Lori said:


> I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.


I suppose it depends on the type of PPV you are ordering.


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

farleyruskz said:


> Seems to me the only thing DIRECTV is "forbidding" is billing PPV purchases directly to your account. You should still be able to pay for an online PPV purchase via credit card or checking account debit.


Directv is NOT "forbidding" it the option is still there to bill to your account if you go look your self.


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## farleyruskz (Nov 13, 2000)

lee espinoza said:


> Directv is NOT "forbidding" it the option is still there to bill to your account if you go look your self.


Are all of your receivers connected to a phone line?


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

farleyruskz said:


> Are all of your receivers connected to a phone line?


No not even one and it has been like that for over a year.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

None of my receivers are connected via phone line nor have they been for over a year, and I ordered a PPV online and had it billed to my account just yesterday.


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## Rax (Jun 11, 2002)

DirecTV specifically states that each reciever must be continuously connected to the same phone line. By not having the receiver connected it is you that shot yourself in the foot.


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## mgmrick (Aug 28, 2002)

Just ordered 4 movies online and billed to my account.

All this with no phone lines connected 7 different tivos


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## Jotas (Mar 19, 2005)

tbeckner said:


> There is downside to ordering by remote if you don't have landline, only a Cellular or VOIP connection. Then you run into the card PPV event recording capacity and no billing problem. The only option really available for non-landline customers has been ordering online.
> 
> And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS. You would think that they would forbid ordering via remote, not online. In fact, I have always viewed the non-connected ordering by remote to be a huge hole in their process.


I use VOIP and I am able to order via my phone connection. I also see all the options for paying for PPV on-line.


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## whitegold (May 26, 2004)

Im having the same problem, they no longer let me charge PPV to my account.. It sucks having to get a credit card EVERYTIME i want to make a PPV purchase. They already autobill me every month.


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## SpacemanSpiff (Jan 31, 2004)

There's an easy solution. Don't buy PPV's from them. The more difficult they make it, the fewer people who do it, it makes an economic impact.


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## cktb2793 (Jun 23, 2004)

D Killeen said:


> Starting sometime in November the "Charge to my account" option was missing from my online PPV ordering page. I could either pay by credit card or by check. Finally 2 weeks ago I found out that if you do not have ALL of your receivers plugged in to a phone line they will not let you order online and charge to your account. This policy apparently started in November. Here is the relevant part of the email I got from Customer service:
> 
> -------------------
> 
> ...


Have you ever been on the phone with DTV and TOLD them you don't have all receivers connected to a phone line?

Maybe that's why they disconnected you from charging to your account. Whenever I call them and they ask me if ALL receivers are connected I ALWAYS say YES.......yet NONE of them are.....and I can still charge to my account online.

Call them and tell them all your boxes are connected to the phone and I bet you'll have it back.


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## bnm81002 (Oct 3, 2004)

john-duncan-yoyo said:


> If you order online it shows up on all your recievers but if you use the remote it only shows up on that box.


is this true? I've never ordered PPV before, since eventually it'll all be on the movie channels(HBO, Showtime, etc) which I have because I have the $93.99 service plan, but I would like to know in cause I would like to order PPV in the future, thanks


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

Jotas said:


> I use VOIP and I am able to order via my phone connection.


A VOIP connection is dependent upon many factors and based upon feedback about 75% of Series 2 DirecTiVos cannot make a connection via their VOIP connection.

Again, there are exceptions, and there are ways to get around the VOIP problems, but for most users, a VOIP connection is PAINFUL, TIME CONSUMMING, and SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE.


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

Jotas said:


> I also see all the options for paying for PPV on-line.


I cannot verify the PPV Online ordering options, because I quit ordering all PPV movies many years ago, when I switched to NETFLIX.

In the early years, 1994 through 2001, I ordered PPV from time to time, but quit ordering large numbers of PPV movies when DirecTV increased the PPV price from $2.99.


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## marrone (Oct 11, 2001)

farleyruskz said:


> Seems to me the only thing DIRECTV is "forbidding" is billing PPV purchases directly to your account. You should still be able to pay for an online PPV purchase via credit card or checking account debit.


Seems to me that by forcing a direct charge to the CC for a $4 PPV (or whatever they charge these days; I have yet to order one in the 7 years I've had DirecTV) woudl eat up any profit. There's a minimum merchant charge they have to pay for a credit card charge...that's why you see lots of places saying "Minimum $10 credit card charge" (even though they aren't supposed to). I would see this as a loss to them.

-Mike


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## Jotas (Mar 19, 2005)

tbeckner said:


> A VOIP connection is dependent upon many factors and based upon feedback about 75% of Series 2 DirecTiVos cannot make a connection via their VOIP connection.
> 
> Again, there are exceptions, and there are ways to get around the VOIP problems, but for most users, a VOIP connection is PAINFUL, TIME CONSUMMING, and SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE.


I guess I'm of the lucky few.


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## bnm81002 (Oct 3, 2004)

can anybody verify POST # 5? is that true?


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## whalerfan (Nov 9, 2004)

I can. I ordered a ppv last month with my computer and it was on both of my receivers.

However, this month's $1.99 movie is Monster in Law. No way i'm watching that one.


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## bnm81002 (Oct 3, 2004)

whalerfan said:


> I can. I ordered a ppv last month with my computer and it was on both of my receivers.
> 
> However, this month's $1.99 movie is Monster in Law. No way i'm watching that one.


so if a PPV is ordered through the remote ONLY THAT RECEIVER GETS THE PPV?


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## whalerfan (Nov 9, 2004)

Correct. I use Vonage and haven't made a successful call in over 400 days. However, when I order ppv via the website, the movies go to both of my receivers. I hadn't done this before last month (because there really wasn't anything worth seeing). After watching the movie on my Tivo receiver, I went to my bedroom and checked there. Voila! There the movie was.


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## bnm81002 (Oct 3, 2004)

whalerfan said:


> Correct. I use Vonage and haven't made a successful call in over 400 days. However, when I order ppv via the website, the movies go to both of my receivers. I hadn't done this before last month (because there really wasn't anything worth seeing). After watching the movie on my Tivo receiver, I went to my bedroom and checked there. Voila! There the movie was.


thanks very much


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