Equipment and customer service

Thanks for your feedback @carsonwarpigs. 

We apologize for your recent customer service experience and would like the opportunity to turn this around. If you decide to return know that you can watch TV the way you want.

Let us know if we can do anything to help and thank you for being the best part of AT&T.

Kanesha, AT&T Community Specialist

DTV sends replacement receivers for $20 shipping, a tech call has always had a service fee as you own everything but the receivers.

I probably only called DirecTV four times in 14 years the first three times is before AT&t you call they came out fixed whatever and left once ATT got involved they charge for everything. THEY DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH MESSED UP ALL THREE RECEIVERS AND THEN WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT and one of the little thing if you're in one week in the pay cycle you pay for the whole month because AT&t does not prorate unless you're getting something from them and then they'll prorate it part month I am formed the loyalty customer representative that it was a scam if it suits them they'll prorate but if it doesn't they won't and I thought AT&t was better than that what a joke

Everything but the boxes you own upon install. That is why DirecTV head always charged for sending a tech out. If it were just the box that was the problem, then they ship a replacement.

The Equipment Protection Plan is optional. Personally I wouldn't reccomend it. You pay more over time then you would for the one time cost of a service call as needed.

As they move forward with new setups, older models become non returnable even if they are still good equipment. To be sure of the return status, what are the models of your boxes?

Also free upgrade is available even without the protection plan. That plan just gives an exact date for the agent to check. But you may have qualified already depending how long it was since your last upgrade.

Thanks for your feedback @carsonwarpigs. 

We understand your frustration, and apologize for the inconvenience 

we would like the chance to offer you a better experience with MY AT&T

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you.

Cowen, AT&T Community Specialist

I appreciate the gesture but nobody would help me back then so why would I trust anybody now.

I was paying roughly $8 a day prorated give me the 10 days back and I'll call up charter tomorrow.

I really and truly enjoyed DirecTV I don't care much of a spectrum fan so show me the DirecTV of old and not the new AT&t that cares nothing about its customers

The charging for the service call is the same as it was before AT&T acquired DirecTV. You pay for them to come out unless you have the protection plan. That is how it has worked for years. This is because they are having people work on equipment you own. If it were only the box (nothing else), the only part they still own upon install, then shipping a warranty replacement would have been the correct action.

Since AT&T, yes they no longer prorate service upon cancellation. However that is pretty much standard in the industry now, so is not just AT&T/DirecTV. You are held to the Terms of Service like everybody else. Here is the notice from over 2 year ago (the internet link itself ignore as out of date, but ToS have been updated accordingly).

Please read this if you receive DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse® TV, AT&T Internet, AT&T Phone, and/or AT&T Fixed Wireless service(s). We want to remind you that you’re billed in advance for recurring service(s) and/or programming charges and applicable fees based on the terms of your current service agreement(s) with us. Starting January 14, 2019, subject to applicable laws, we’re updating your agreement(s) to include your recurring service(s)/programming charges and fees won’t be prorated if you cancel the above service(s) on any day other than the last day of your billing cycle. Your service(s) will continue until the end of your billing cycle but you won’t get a refund (prorated credits) for any remaining days left in your billing cycle. For products not listed above, refer to their terms of service for more information.

Questions about this change? Go to att.com/ProrationPolicy for more information and to see the revised section of your service agreement(s).

About the prorate AT&t pro rates what they want they won't prorate a customer because it'll cost the money. On my third call to DirecTV I was informed that I had I had two choices pay the $9 a month or pay $90 to get somebody to come out I signed up for the $9 a month nothing got fixed wouldn't do anything so you don't have much choice then I talked to the loyalty people she said everybody knew about them well I didn't and she told me to throw the equipment away because it was junk made me feel a lot better about leaving.I complain to DirecTV over 6 weeks numerous times about problems they wouldn't fix it so you have to leave

Dealing with refunds, people calling because they lost/forgot their refund, customers who cannot (or will not) understand prorated billing, etc. was more cost and customer support time on the phone (which said time is an accountable resource), so yes they pretty much made the change to simplify billing as was easier and less cost for the business. That is the main reason why other companies before and after them changed to flat billing and has become the industry standard.

It is not a matter of choosing when to prorate and not. Bottom line they don't prorate, holding all customers to the same standard. Sorry but they are not a small mom/pop shop that can just choose on a whim what they do. They have this built into their billing account system that proration doesn't happen anymore.

Protection plan is $8.99 a month. That comes out to $107.88 a year regardless if you use it or not. Without it the one-time costs are: Service Call $99; Shipping a replacement box $19.95; Remote Control $15. Since you shouldn't need those services very often, and remotes are cheaper through retailers (such as Amazon), the one-time costs are cheaper in the long run. Plus you get free upgrades of equipment without that plan, just has to be over 2 years since your last upgrade. All the plan does is verify an exact date, but they aren't producing new advanced tech every year as satellite equipment doesn't improve as quickly as parts for a home computer.

Just because a box is no longer returnable, doesn't make it junk. Simply they prefer to keep closer to their newest models even if prior ones are just fine (or in certain cases better based on your individual setup). But for any non-returnable ones, you remove access card (disposing of securely like a credit card) and recycle the boxes themselves. Agents who call equipment junk are just going to the quick answer to avoid pushback or questions that take up call time.

That's funny after 14 years I never got an upgrade I told her equipment was faulty paid the money for them to come out and they left without doing anything called him back again still nothing. And I've learned quite a bit from the site when they first hooked it up they said everything was theirs except for the remote now the only thing that's theirs is the receiver. And personally I'm going to get some LED lights face the dish towards the street and do something special with it since it's mine

Just because you qualify for free upgrades without the protection plan, doesn't mean there is something that would be better for your exact setup. They are not fast producing new lines of equipment. If it is like for like, such as HR22 and HR24 (both HDDVR) then it is not an upgrade. A warranty replacement is like for like, so gets same model or newer depending on stock. Now going between different lines (HDDVR; HD non-DVR; Genie; Mini Genie Client, etc.), or even adding an additional TV, are upgrades.

If the problem were just the box, then the agent scheduling a service call would be in the wrong. Boxes are replaced for $19.95 delivery as opposed to sending a tech out for $99. Tech should only be scheduled if there is an issue beyond the boxes (cabling, receiving dish, etc.) as that would be with the equipment you own.

As long as you are not causing issues for those around you, do whatever you want with the dish. If you ever decide to remove it, make sure to leave the mounting plate to avoid leaks. Most of dish just goes with metal recycle, but the LNB (the "eye") would be electronics.

well my issue is worst because I've been with DTV well over 20 years and also open a 2nd accounts in a different state 6 years ago they sent one of my account to collection and that was my fault in a way but they charge me for equipment that didnt belong to them but because I still wanted the service I went ahead and pay but the added punishment is that I have to wait 2 moths before they can re-activate my service. BTW I was paying premier on both accounts. I see now even thought they say they care they dont really so I will look for alternate service for both location because this is a slap in the face how I've been treated. 

@Almostformeraccountholder 

Receiver/client boxes are 'leased', you don't own them. Even if you paid through a 3rd party retailer for them, it is still DirecTV owned. Purchase to own options went away many years ago upon launch of the 1st Genie. So 6 years ago would be lease-only equipment that is returned upon deactivation (provided still returnable models at that time of course).

Remember they like others are a business, not a personal friend. So "cares" is more a buzzword for company intention, not solid feelings. In the end they have rules and policies to follow, so cannot always provide you the answer or situation you want.

Questions all you out there if AT&t does not prorate why did they prorate my service agreement.

Also they give you your bill date every month but it's almost impossible for you to find out when your service contract ends. Most people believe it's the same day well not.

and if they care about their customers so much why did they lose me over 14-year-old outdated equipment that they never wanted back anyway

And only after I informed them that they were losing the TV home phone and two cell phones then they were willing to do something.

This is why they're losing millions and millions of customers because they treat them like a number and not people

Your monthly services are not prorated. The early cancellation fee (ECF) for DirecTV is valued at $20 for each month remaining. You pay the full $20 per month, not $12.50 or some other prorated amount for canceling partway through a billing cycle.

Historically the only way to find the service agreement was to call. This is standard for most companies as the most common reason to want that info is considering cancelling. So they want a live agent to discuss the situation and see if they have an option to retain your business. Having the service agreement info accessible another way would deny them that opportunity before you might have another provider started up. However, they have since changed that. It is now listed on the monthly bill and should be found if you log into your account online. You still must talk to them to close the account, so the opportunity is still there though you lose out if options would have worked out for you but are now locked into another provider if you made a hasty change.

As for "willing to do something", it depends on what you are canceling and what your account qualifies for on what is available. Agents aren't making up offers themselves, they discuss offers the system shows for your account. In the end specials and discounts are temporary. If you want a lower bill consistently, you reduce service or go elsewhere. Networks charge a lot for their content so they have to price the bill accordingly.

I agree that customer support recently has a lot of improvement to make. But in the end for pretty much any business, we are just a number. They are not our family or personal friend. It is business to customer. So they will not give us breaks or the like if it means not staying profitable. They are a business, not a charity, and I think some people forget their purpose is to make money.