Cost of keeping Directv

AT&T's CEO stated late last year that discounts are to be reduced/eliminated and he would rather lose customers then carry the ones needing discounts.

@CCTEX

The "loyalty" and "disconnect" departments are the same one, also know as retention and cancellation. They are to do what they can (within reason) to retain your business, keeping your loyalty, but if that fails they are the ones to cancel/disconnect your account.

Because of some customers surviving on discount to afford the service, such as calling every couple of weeks for discounts as you suggest, their CEO announced that discounts would be reeled in. They are trying to weed out problem customers who are operating at a loss. It is hoped after that is resolved that discounts will be back, but expected to be at moderation. Discounts that are in the amount of some of the lower packages (such as the $60 you mention) probably will not return (except maybe for very unique situations, not available en masse).

So it is wise for all of us to review our services and chose the package and optional service levels within our budget. Certainly ask if any discounts are available, for if so take the bonus. But never rely on discounts to afford the service. Comes down to if you cannot afford the service without discounts, then the reality is you cannot afford it and should make the decisions and changes that meet your financial needs.

I understand that but there is all sort of help out there for lower income families, mothers with children (even the government assists people for food) so if a profitable company does not feel they can offer some loyalty incentives for those (like myself who worked for many years and then got ill) that are on limited income, then they are of course free to decline, and people like me would not come back, because I am on the lowest package now anyway and could not it. I would think that ANY company especially one that is as profitable as Directtv now partners with another huge company can easily manage these. First of all, if they do not have a department that is an expert in these things, they need one. I say that because it sounded like you were saying they are complaining a bit about it...and Second most of the services are not costing them much at all and you can believe they would stop it all, if they were suffering from it. I do not get aid from anywhere else but surely ask every place I do business with for incentives including credit card companies. And 95% of them always have something available. So sorry but I will continue to ask, and I hope others that need it, will as well.

@shannon02 And that is completely their choice.

There is help out their for low income families. However such help is usually for actual necessities (phone and internet for communication in job searching, electric for heating, water, etc.).

Pay TV on the other hand is a luxury entertainment service and. As such, DirecTV does not have programs for people who cannot afford it.

To be sure, you are on the Family package then? I simply ask as I often see people who claim to be on the lowest package and are actually on Choice (or close to it), not realizing there are a few packages lower. If you are then fair enough, but if not I would check the channel lineups to see if it would be worth the lower cost.

Asking for discounts every couple of weeks seems more like unnecessary begging, and for an entertainment service no less. At that point, I would suggest a different provider, or none at all and just using free locals by regular antenna. Networks charge TV providers a lot of money to carry them, so the services are priced as such. If you don't believe channels are worth that much, then complain to the networks that keep raising the prices to the TV providers where in turn they have to keep our bills at this level.

Keeping intro rate (or close to it) for DirecTV is not a thing. Price goes to normal cost during second year. In uncommon cases a small discount might be obtained at that time, but that is even less likely now since the CEO has pulled back discounts as explained above. Be prepared to reduce package, or other such changes, to lower the cost at that time.

@soozee13

You dealt with 3rd party authorized retailer that sells new service to other companies. They commonly operate within big stores. Smart Circle is the retailer that normally operates in places like Costco and Sam's Club.

Regardless of the letter you are writing, it does not stop your DirecTV bill. You would have to call DirecTV to cancel the account (including returning boxes as needed) and pay off your final balance to no longer have a DirecTV bill.

@CCTEX i jump from provider to get the best rate!!! i left my cable co for a month and they were e-mailing me and snail mailing me like a desperate ex with comeback offers. directv is the worst company i delt with since att took em over so i jumped on the cable companys offer