New Member
•
1 Message
Frustrated , overwhelmed and feeling bullied to upgrade
This I s long but please bear with me:
Three days ago now we replaced our receiver. Called and was walked through the process. TV working fine. Then programmed our usual shows. When trying to watch certain channels couldn’t get them error 721. But he had gotten these all along for years before. Restarted the receiver several times. No change. So through chat tried to get it resolved. An hour later had been “ talking” to three different departments. First two said the channel weren’t in the package. Tech fixed it. Went to watch recorded shows. Back to not allowing error 721. Next day called again after no change. This time I was told only option to getting them was to upgrade the package. Ridiculous . We hadn’t had a problem till we switched to a newer receiver . After another hour of back and forth…. I was done. I thought I would try again this morning. But first thought okay maybe with the new receiver I needed to switch in order to get certain channels that we had before. In the process of switching program package a notice came on that deleting this package you may not get it back as it is no longer a package offered. 155+ channels. Not the select package they told me I had. Not getting anything from att. I decided feeling bullied into ordering the choice package. Then I see that still 230 and 283 are not included and no where is it possible to order that channel… that was included in the past package155+. I feel very frustrated. On a limited income but tv is important because of mobility issues coming up. I feel bullied and forced to upgrade my package. Which now have lost the other package.Then was sent a billing of the change and it had me going from select to Ultimate . If that is the case why does it say choice as my package. And if I’m going to pay for Ultimate that included 230 and 283 among others that I am missing. I need an explanation ! We were with prime star , directv for over 25 years. I don’t understand. And it was so easy once I got the tech department the day before but didn’t stay and yesterday they just gave me a number and said call them but they are not included in your package. Yes they were but not now that I upgraded? This is not helping my frame of mind. No senior rates ….. poor customer service. Tech department have always addressed our issues and resolved them in the past…… before Att! This is not because of error 721 any longer. It is that I have lost my programming that I had up until the receiver was changed to a newer one and can not get it back after “ upgrading to another package and am still without certain channels unless I get the most expensive packaging which is not worth it for 2 channels more that I had a week ago . It seems so forced upon me. All they want is the money and not product and customer satisfaction..
nabukl
ACE - Professor
•
2.4K Messages
4 years ago
Simply activating a new receiver should have NEVER changed your programming as long as it was properly activated which it more than likely wasn't, also any expired package should be "reinstatable" within 30 days. Reinstating is different than adding or removing a package there were a lot of csrs that didn't know the difference when I worked for directv.
0
0
shannon02
ACE - Expert
•
21.3K Messages
4 years ago
The Select package has been grandfathered so it is no longer available. AFAIK once you change your package you can't go back to it.
0
0
nabukl
ACE - Professor
•
2.4K Messages
4 years ago
@shannon02 yes you can go back by reinstating it unless ATT took that option away when migrating to their "system" (rc1) in the legacy system (Rio 3) the option is there for the csr , at least it used to be
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
23.4K Messages
4 years ago
Upgrading or warranty replacing equipment does not change what programming package you have. So concerned about what actually was done.
What are the models of the old box and the new one and why the replacement in the first place?
Your programming package was Select and is now changed to Choice? If so, that may be an issue as Select may now be grandfathered.
Used to be you had 30 days to reinstate a grandfathered plan. But since the acquisition by AT&T, from other conversations I have had it seems that safety net has been removed.
230 is DIY and 283 is Nat Geo Wild, neither of which should have been in Select. Very likely what happened is a long time ago when DirecTV had a free preview week of Xtra, upon ending of the national freeview the additional channels didn't turn off as they were supposed to. This has happened to a few people over the years.
A change in package that refreshes the channel authorizations, or new equipment that must acquire those authorizations for the first time, ends up fixing the issue. This means even if you got your old package back, you would not get the additional channels as they weren't supposed to be there in the first place.
You don't need the most expensive package (Premier). But you would need at least Xtra, which is 3 tiers above what you had. I wouldn't suggest it for just 2 channels.
Family, Select, Entertainment, Choice, Xtra (or Preferred Xtra if still available and you don't watch sports), Ultimate, Premier.
DIRECTV_ChannelPackageLineUp_AllPackages.pdf (att.com)
If you cannot get Select back, are on Choice now and don't watch sports, then I would ask if Preferred Xtra is still available. The end cost is very similar as Preferred Xtra does not have the RSN fee since it doesn't have the RSNs. Just an option to consider to minimize the impact of what happened.
(edited)
0
0