# Installer came today. Wow.



## myph (Jul 21, 2005)

The worst service of my life.

The installer came and I told him I wanted to have two cables ran into our living room because we bought a Tivo (not even used yet, bought prevously at best buy). And we wanted two cables ran into the den down stairs because we are going to buy another tivo as soon as we can afford it.

Well, the installer was making a HUGE deal about running two cables per room. I told him not to worry about it then and run just the one cable in each room. Then he was making a huge deal about having a Tivo to begin with. He had two recievers and he wanted to install one in each room and he wanted nothing to do with the Tivo.

Well, 3 days ago Comcast came and installed new cables for our internet. The directv installer actually cut off the one going into the house to our modem and put a new end one one end of the cable to use for himself, then took a coupler that was being used for our internet connection too to use for himself. I had to dig around for an old cable that is too short and use the coupler that was on there just to get back on the internet to type this.

I have been on hold with directv for the last 30 minutes, still havin't talked to any body.

I don't even hardly know what to tell them. I am so upset I am seeing red.


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## texas arsenal (Feb 3, 2005)

Sorry you are having a bad time. Dont let this be indicitive of Directv as a whole. Of all of my service providers, I think Dtv is the best.


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## myph (Jul 21, 2005)

Well, I finally got off the phone with them (hung up on them actually).

After being on hold for about 30 minutes I talked with a lady and told her what happened. She filled out a complaint form and then transferred me to installation to have them come out and repair my internet line and add a second line for the Tivo.

Talking to the installation guy on the phone I was asking him about the lines and he said they can't install a second line in the den downstairs yet since we don't have the Tivo, but once we get a Tivo they can install the line for free if we order it through them.

I asked him how much it would cost if we were to order the TIvo through them and he said it was 99.99, 49.00 installation fee, 100 rebate and it seems he mentioned some other fee, but I stopped paying attention after he said 49.00 installation fee.

I asked him what the installation fee was for and told him he just said they would install the second line for free if we bought the Tivo from them. I eventually got tired of arguing with him because I was/am so emotionally drained from this whole experience and I just hung up with him.

I am at a loss of what to do, this whole experience has been horrible. I think I want to call them up and cancel our contract. We got the Tivo for 50.00 at best buy with a 1 year programming agreement. I guess I will just offer to pay another 50.00 to get out of the contract, or return it to best buy (but I already activated it at my parents house because we have no phone line here).

And another thing... When the original installer came he didn't even install the right dish so we can hook up the Tivo. Probably why he was being such an ass about the whole thing to begin with because he didn't have the right dish.


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

myph said:


> Well, I finally got off the phone with them (hung up on them actually).
> 
> After being on hold for about 30 minutes I talked with a lady and told her what happened. She filled out a complaint form and then transferred me to installation to have them come out and repair my internet line and add a second line for the Tivo.
> 
> ...


you should call customer retention at 800-600-8977


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## kturcotte (Dec 9, 2002)

lee espinoza said:


> you should call customer retention at 800-600-8977


I agree-I'd call customer retention. They have a LOT more power than regular CSRs. No, they won't install the additional lines for a receiver you'll purchase in the future, they'll only deal with current receivers. However, running that second line for the Tivo you already have shouldn't be a problem, and in fact, is standard.
First thing I would ask for is a credit for the time you're paying for your internet that you can't use it (I'd assume Comcast is still charging you). Or see if you can get Comcast out there quicker, and if you can, ask for a credit from Directv to cover the charge of Comcast coming out there. 
I'd then ask for some other sort of credits because of the lousy job the installer did. You may be able to get that second Tivo for free. Also, make sure they're coming out to install the correct dish.
If they don't want to offer anything, you can always threaten to cancel. That usually helps things some. I know some people here don't like that tactic, (Threatening to cancel when you really have no intention of doing so), but in this case, I certainly don't see a problem with it!!


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## tonypitt (May 9, 2004)

I find it weird that the installer made a big deal about running "2" cables. When I had my install done recently I was surprised to see that the rep actually had a single cable that was actually 2 coax lines bound together. I'd never seen that before. 

Although I'm sure the cable itself costs more, the labor to run it would be the same as the labor to run a single cable.


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## Want1394 (Oct 4, 2001)

myph said:


> Well, I finally got off the phone with them (hung up on them actually). .....
> .......... I am at a loss of what to do, this whole experience has been horrible. I think I want to call them up and cancel our contract. We got the Tivo for 50.00 at best buy with a 1 year programming agreement. I guess I will just offer to pay another 50.00 to get out of the contract, or return it to best buy (but I already activated it at my parents house because we have no phone line here).
> 
> And another thing... When the original installer came he didn't even install the right dish so we can hook up the Tivo. Probably why he was being such an ass about the whole thing to begin with because he didn't have the right dish.


I'm not sure what advice you want here, but I'll offer some anyway.

Call customer retention, as suggested above. Clearly outline all the problems you've had that the DirecTV installer should have done differently. Tell them you are cancelling all service (yes, you can return to Best Buy for 30 days from purchase, activated or not.)

If they offer you enough (both good install service and a couple months credit of all subscription fees for your trouble) then consider if that is enough to become happy and stay with them. Otherwise follow-through, cancel, and go with cable or Dish. DirecTV needs to spend more effort on using installers that are trained, both technically and in customer relations.

Good luck.


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## myph (Jul 21, 2005)

tonypitt said:


> I find it weird that the installer made a big deal about running "2" cables. When I had my install done recently I was surprised to see that the rep actually had a single cable that was actually 2 coax lines bound together. I'd never seen that before.
> 
> Although I'm sure the cable itself costs more, the labor to run it would be the same as the labor to run a single cable.


I think he may have been making a big deal aobut it because he didn't have a dual whacha macallit dish output for the Tivo.

Sad thing is, he didn't run a single damn wire except from the roof, then chopped my internet cable so he could couple with an existing cable, which I didn't want to use anyway, it's on the wrong side of the room. He also used I believe an existing cable into the den, but he may have actually ran it seperately.


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## Demosthenes (Sep 1, 2005)

As a former cable field tech (I worked for Cox and Time-Warner as a contractor), I know that DirecTV primarily use contractors. Whether their contracts are renewed by the Satellite/Cable companies depends upon the track record they've accumulated over the past contract period.

You should find out what the Contracting Company is and then call them. 99% of the time, they'll bend over backwards to make certain you don't call DirecTV and complain about the service. If your tech was an actual DirecTV employee, then I agree with the one who suggested calling Customer Rentention.

My first 3 months were free because of the stink I raised over the contractor that came out to set mine up. Since I've ran miles of cable in my life, I wired my own home. I told the tech where I wanted the dish and where I wanted the receivers. 

He said that he needed to run new cables because he was not allowed to use existing cables. We argued for several minutes until I told him to get the hell out of my house. By the way, the places I told the tech to set everything up at had the cables sitting there ready for him to simply plug in, align the dish and activate my service.

Good luck!


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## urnote96 (Apr 21, 2004)

I cant believe that Installers wont install the second line. DTV pays us for installing them so why do they had doing it? I dont mind installing the second line....WTF


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## myph (Jul 21, 2005)

Some good news. Thanks for all your guys advice.

I called the retention department and explained what happened and after discussing what my options are, I am going to get the 30.00 a month promotion from last month, but for premier package for two months. Then when I call back in after that two months expires, they will give me a 20.00 discount on the premier package for 6 months. 

Also, they are sending me a Tivo for 99.99 with the 100.00 rebate and waiving the installation fee which is 50.00.

I am not totally satisfied with the way things have gone, but it could have been worse I suppose.


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## Rax (Jun 11, 2002)

DirecTV has good service but the people hired by the installation companies, yeesh. 
They don't want to do anything but then stand there after they're "done" holding their hand out expecting more money.


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

Rax said:


> DirecTV has good service but the people hired by the installation companies, yeesh.
> They don't want to do anything but then stand there after they're "done" holding their hand out expecting more money.


I have had 5 install's over the past 4 years with DIRECTV and all of mine have been GREAT so please do not generalize hired DIRECTV installers


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## jfischer (Oct 14, 1999)

myph said:


> I am at a loss of what to do, this whole experience has been horrible. I think I want to call them up and cancel our contract. We got the Tivo for 50.00 at best buy with a 1 year programming agreement. I guess I will just offer to pay another 50.00 to get out of the contract, or return it to best buy (but I already activated it at my parents house because we have no phone line here).


If things don't work out, I'm pretty sure you can return it to Best Buy (assuming you haven't cut out any UPC codes - they're anal about that). The contract with DirecTV will be voided as well if you return it.

But hopefully they'll get someone other than a trained chimp to come out and do the install correctly before it comes to that.


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## jckm78 (Apr 2, 2006)

Contract installers will not install a 2nd line for your room because they don't pay by the hour and have to pay for their cables and other comsumables. However, if they are installing a tivo for you, they get pay to install two lines for you and is part of the installation. All current directv dishes work with non-hd tivo.


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## Jolt (Jan 9, 2006)

A few years ago I had a really bad experience with a Dtv Installer. He was rude, broke something on a coffee table and than called my than wife a name. Needless to say i got irate when he threatened to kick my a$$ I picked up the pipe from the tripod and forced him to leave. I totally thought i was gonna have to fight the guy. I still don't see where that install went bad all he had to do was run one cable from right outside the door 8 ft to the tv. No ladder, no drilling, nothing hard at all. I called customer service and got like 6 months free. I think that was my worst exp with anyone coming to the house ever. The next guy they sent out was awesome and even hooked us up in the bedroom which we didn't originally want but he had an extra receiver.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Demosthenes said:


> As a former cable field tech (I worked for Cox and Time-Warner as a contractor), I know that DirecTV primarily use contractors. Whether their contracts are renewed by the Satellite/Cable companies depends upon the track record they've accumulated over the past contract period.
> 
> You should find out what the Contracting Company is and then call them. 99% of the time, they'll bend over backwards to make certain you don't call DirecTV and complain about the service. If your tech was an actual DirecTV employee, then I agree with the one who suggested calling Customer Rentention.
> 
> ...


I had a very similar experience. They TOO screwed up my cable connection the first install they did, tried to share wiring. I ended up having the Cablevision folks come and give me a direct run, which fixed the problems. Out of the 4 or 5 installs I have had with D* over the years, I think ONE has gone smoothly, and I thought I had a good contractor so I requested the same one for the next install, and the tech THEY sent was horrible the second time. SO not only do you need to use a good contractor, but you need to get the SAME installer. Being it's transient, the odds of that happening are slim. I actually had one install where they ended up putting a hole in my attic floor and didn't even mention it to us until they took off. I had to call customer retention and get them to pay for the repair. To me, it's like any other outsource situation. SInce they don't have pride in the company that contracted them, they just don't care. ANd they don't get paid enough to give them the incentive to care.

I shudder every time I need to have something installed, because of the hassles. I think D* needs to hire their own folks and standardize what these folks will or won't do.


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## scimini (Jan 10, 2006)

BTW, it would have be $300 to break the contract not $50.


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## Guindalf (Jun 13, 2001)

scimini said:


> BTW, it would have be $300 to break the contract not $50.


Not if you return the equipment.


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## scimini (Jan 10, 2006)

True, I thought you had already activated the service. They are sticklers for breaking their contracts from what I hear.


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## Directvlover (Apr 12, 2004)

I've had 2 installs...(one of which was just last Saturday since we just came back to directv from a 6 month trial of cable) and both installs were great. Very neat cable runs, very professional.. In fact the one i just had even installed the dish on a pole and burried the cable for me.


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## Tekki (Apr 26, 2004)

its really a pot luck shot when you ask for an installation to be completed by directv's network of installers.

some are very professional have been doing this a long time and have some respect for what they do,

others are guys that started to install these dishes because they saw how easy it was, and figured they could make a quick buck, they only get paid 65.00 for a single install. 80.00 for a dual. and they must pay for all materials used on the job.
thats why you see so many SHABBY installations, wires hanging accross roofs or down the outside of your house. installers using existing cable lines. the faster they are in and out of your house, the faster they move to the next one, the faster they make another few bucks.

then again, you could get a guy who will do it right.

Directv shot themselves in the foot when they started letting any joe installs the dishes, Quality of the install went right out the door then, and MASSES of Subscribers was up. 

i had an installer come install the New a9 dish with the Mpeg 4 receiver because i go them free from Directv, they wouldnt let me install them myself even though i have an installer number since the very beginning of Directv and the TCE network.

the guy screwed the dish to my roof, never hitting a single beam, nor used any silicone, disconnected my TV antnenna line and hooked that up to the dish,

when he came of the roof i went up and looked at the install, asked him to come up and explain how this install was complete. no ground, no silicone, and no beam.

he tried to tell me there was silicone under the mount, . i took a picture of the install. and wouldnt sign his documentation that he completed the install. when he went outside i called directv to inform them and i was taken care of, even with 1 year of showtime for free.

its really the luck of the draw who you get,
but you should always check your install before you sign anything, make sure it is grounded " PROPERLY" and everything is to your liking.


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## Barryrod (Mar 17, 2006)

When I installed my D** myself, I used the original coax cables and had pixelation on certain channels, and others would not come in at all. This was on 2 recievers that had kinda long runs. I then re-ran all brand new RG/6U and have had no problems since. 

Re using old cables instead of running new ones is just shabby workmanship from a "Professional" Installer


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## marcello696 (Jun 18, 2004)

I did the movers program last Saturday and the installer did a really good job with my Dish install but he flat out refused to install my OTA and this was an antenna that D* provided me (CM 4228 with preamp). So once he left I called D* and they will be sending out a "Senior Tech" on Sunday to mount my OTA. My only worry is that the tech will try and be lazy and use a diplexer. I want a line run directly from the antenna to the preamp but to do that he will have to go through the attic, into the garage and then through two walls so that the wire comes through my pantry and into the back of the wall where the rest of my cables are. Would this be considered outside of what D* considers standard professional installation?


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## BillyBob_jcv (Feb 21, 2006)

Any attic work is usually outside the "free" boundaries. They will run it along the eaves or over the top of the roof.


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