# there IS a 24 hour cancel period for DTV without paying fee



## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

you can avoid the prorated cancel fee!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/358990_consumer15.html

What the Strucks may not have known is there is only a 24-hour grace period to cancel when you install DirecTV, Robert Mercer, public relations director for DirecTV Inc., said in an e-mail. That applies to customers who lease equipment from the company, which the vast majority of customers do, he said.

Customers can cancel within 24 hours without paying the fee, but they won't get a refund on any equipment charges, Mercer said.


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## Da Goon (Oct 22, 2006)

This was once 15 days, then 7 days, then 3. It was reduced to 24 hours about 2 months ago.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

actually it was once 30 days, i remember the ads very well.  too bad they arent that confident anymore


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## RS4 (Sep 2, 2001)

The even funnier statement in the article was "Dyksterhuis said Qwest customers need to cancel before activation to avoid termination fees with DirecTV." So, essentially the customer would have to call Direct right after the installer shows up to cancel the service to avoid the fee

Yet another sign of how Direct has lost touch with the customer:down::down: We all know why they are doing this... if they had decent products, they wouldn't feel the need to squeeze the customer so much.


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## Mark Lopez (Jan 1, 2000)

RS4 said:


> ....f they had decent products, they wouldn't feel the need to squeeze the customer so much.


And of coures you know that they don't becuse you tried them. Oh wait... that's right you never did.


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## rickmeoff (Aug 25, 2006)

Mark Lopez said:


> And of coures you know that they don't becuse you tried them. Oh wait... that's right you never did.


im pretty sure he 'messed with one in a store' once. that should qualify.


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## Mark Lopez (Jan 1, 2000)

rickmeoff said:


> im pretty sure he 'messed with one in a store' once. that should qualify.


Ya know, I usually have pretty thick skin when people say negative things about my opinions etc. But the one thing that really gets under my skin is when people fabricate outright lies in an effort to discredit someone. Now go right ahead and flame me for having stated my opinion about the HR20 before owning/leasing it although I had used one quite a bit. But the 'messed with one in a store' fabricated lie that keeps cropping up goes over the line. So, flame away, but at least get your facts straight, and perhaps *your* credibility will go up.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

i wish there was a sandbox nearby


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

I'm sure that most will agree that a 24 hr "grace Period" is not really a great indicator that the company has the best interests of the consumer in mind. I am having DTV installed tomorrow and I was not aware of this so I have definitely learned something from this thread. Unfortunately my move to HD requires my getting DTV since my apt complex does not have any cable options besides their one provider (who does not have an HD option). 24 hrs is not enough time to determine if you want to keep a service - JMHO


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## coachO (Nov 26, 2004)

I received a HR20 unrequested, let it sit in the box for 2 weeks, got an letter saying they were going to charge me $150 if I did not install it. I connected it and called D* and said I did not want it if it required a 2 year extension. The CSR said that he just activated it and that I now had a 2 year extension and that neither he nor I could cancel it.


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## 20TIL6 (Sep 7, 2006)

catcard said:


> I'm sure that most will agree that a 24 hr "grace Period" is not really a great indicator that the company has the best interests of the consumer in mind. I am having DTV installed tomorrow and I was not aware of this so I have definitely learned something from this thread. Unfortunately my move to HD requires my getting DTV since my apt complex does not have any cable options besides their one provider (who does not have an HD option). 24 hrs is not enough time to determine if you want to keep a service - JMHO


Can your complex distribute OTA antenna to the units? That would give you the locals in HD. You could go with a TiVo HD, with OTA and analog cable hooked up, that might work for you.

I avoid committments entirely. They definitely offer too much leverage for a services company.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

Mark Lopez said:


> And of coures you know that they don't becuse you tried them. Oh wait... that's right you never did.


And getting back to the point of this thread, how would one go about 'trying' directv's new receivers? Trying it means using it for 2 years.

I was willing to 'try' the HR20, but DirecTV didn't give me that option. Pay them money up front and agree to stay with them for two years, or lose channels.

TiVo on the other hand has a 30 day return policy. My only commitment was the $12.95/mo, and my cable company requires no commitment. That made the decision for me... <Shrug>


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

20TIL6 said:


> Can your complex distribute OTA antenna to the units?


Not an option - they have the one cable provider or residents can get DTV or Dish.


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## 20TIL6 (Sep 7, 2006)

catcard said:


> Not an option - they have the one cable provider or residents can get DTV or Dish.


That's too bad. Just to further build on that suggestion, and I'm not offended if this would not work either, but....

The OTA tuner on the TiVo HD is very good, and the digital signals sent over UHF are very solid in most cases. For example, before I put up an OTA antenna (external to my home), I picked up a cheap (inside the home) OTA antenna at Walmart, or Home Depot, I can't remember. Anyway, an antenna like rabbit ears, but much less ugly.

I placed this antenna in an internal closet in my home and distributed its signal throughout the house. I am over 30 miles from the transmission towers. I got a good signal. Not the strongest, but it came in. It only broke up for one of the stations, and I never could get that one (CBS) to come in like I wanted. So, I ended up installing the outside antenna that I have now. And its getting high 90's to 100 in signal strength for all my locals.

So you could drop $20 or so on an indoor antenna, hook it up to the antenna input of your HDTV, and see what you get in. If your locals come in with even just sufficient strength, I would bet that the OTA tuner in the TiVo HD will suprise you.

If it does not, just return the indoor OTA. No harm.

Just a suggestion before you lock yourself into that 2 year agreement with DirecTV. You may end up doing so anyway.


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## Scott D (Jun 17, 2001)

Mark Lopez said:


> Ya know, I usually have pretty thick skin when people say negative things about my opinions etc. But the one thing that really gets under my skin is when people fabricate outright lies in an effort to discredit someone. Now go right ahead and flame me for having stated my opinion about the HR20 before owning/leasing it although I had used one quite a bit. But the 'messed with one in a store' fabricated lie that keeps cropping up goes over the line. So, flame away, but at least get your facts straight, and perhaps *your* credibility will go up.


It happens to me all the time. Doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong. What does matter is if I agree with the whole or not. In short, our opinions aren't worth a hill of beans.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

Mark Lopez said:


> And of coures you know that they don't becuse you tried them. Oh wait... that's right you never did.


I never used a HR20, no reason to try one. Numerous posters on TCF and dbstalk reported only the first half of the season premier of Grey's Anatomy show got recorded. No problem with tivos.

People are entitled to base buying decisions on the reports of others, particularly when DTV has a try it for 2 year or else rule.


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