Way back in 2004, Cameron had DirecTV service. When he moved, he ended his service and turned his equipment back in. At least, he thought he did. It wasn’t until this year that he learned the account had gone zombie back in 2005, charging the debit card of a bank account he didn’t watch closely for two years before going dormant–likely because the debit card expired. The zombie account had been slain, and a collection agency tracked Cameron down earlier this year to make him pay the balance on the account that he had never reactivated in the first place. Never mind that he had paid almost two years’ worth of bills without noticing it or even having a dish at the time. [More]
The Problem With This DirecTV Installation: Trees Grow
By June 19, 2012
Reader Synimatik became a DirecTV customer about a year ago, and the installer bolted the dish to his deck because it would supposedly work better. The problem was that the dish faced some trees, receiving its signal over the tops of those trees. The installer assured him that these trees wouldn’t pose any problem. And trees have this unfortunate tendency to grow. Not if you ask DirecTV, though–they insist that “there [was] no way for the to know the trees would grow.” So Synimatik has to pay to have the dish relocated. [More]
DirecTV: You Can't Cancel $198 NFL Package Until Next Month
By May 23, 2012
It was pretty thoughtful of DirecTV to automatically renew Pete’s $198 NFL Sunday Ticket subscription. You know, in case he forgot. He didn’t forget, actually, and he was planning to discontinue his subscription to the package. He can’t. The auto-renew stands, and he won’t be allowed to cancel the package until a month after the auto-renewal notice. You know, just in case he forgets. [More]
DirecTV Customers With Older HDTVs May Have Trouble Watching HBO
By April 20, 2012
Even if your older HDTV has an HDMI port, you may not be able to connect your DirecTV receiver to your TV — at least not if you want to watch HBO. [More]
Study: Cable Bills Could Reach $200/Month By 2020
By April 11, 2012
Right now, the average monthly cable bill — not including any bundled phone or internet services — is around $86. But industry analysts say the non-stop slap fights between cable companies and content providers is only going to send that price soaring in the years to come. [More]
This Time Warner Cable Letter Epitomizes What's Wrong With Cable Industry
By April 10, 2012
Do you think Ford would ever send you a letter suggesting you give Toyota a try? Or would McDonald’s ever shoot you an e-mail telling you to check out the lovely Burger Kings in your new neighborhood? Of course not. So why would the cable industry not care which company you choose? [More]
DirecTV & Tribune Company Make Nice In Time For Opening Day
By April 5, 2012
Today is the day that most Major League Baseball teams begin the 2012 season. And up until Wednesday afternoon, it looked like DirecTV customers in Philadelphia and Chicago wouldn’t be able to watch their hometown teams because of a protracted contract dispute between the satellite provider and the Tribune Company. [More]
Philadelphians With DirecTV Now Have No Way Of Watching Phillies Baseball On TV
By April 2, 2012
For years, Philadelphia Phillies fans with DirecTV have found themselves unable to watch most of the team’s games because the satellite provider and Comcast refuse to come to a resolution over the channel that carries those contests. Now another annoying slap-fight between DirecTV and a broadcaster has left its Philadelphia-area subscribers completely in the dark for this upcoming baseball season. [More]
Worst Company In America Sweet 16: Comcast Vs. DirecTV
By March 22, 2012
Welcome to Day 2 of Sweet 16 bloodshed! Unfortunately, because of exclusivity deals, those of you who haven’t paid $350 for the deluxe, HD/3D/Smell-o-Vision package will be blacked out from seeing the televised broadcast of these TV titans. [More]
Which Worst Company Contenders Force Customers Into Mandatory Arbitration?
By March 21, 2012
As we sifted through the mountain of nominations for this year’s Worst Company In America tournament, we noticed a trend of readers who cited companies’ mandatory binding arbitration clauses as a reason for nominating. And while it’s businesses like AT&T and Sony that have made all the headlines for effectively banning class action lawsuits, there are a lot of other WCIA contenders who are forcing customers into signing away their rights. [More]
Please Join Us In Welcoming Your Worst Company In America 2012 Sweet 16!
By March 21, 2012
The floor of the Worst Company In America BattleDome is stained with the blood of the vanquished. But only one company can earn the privilege of placing the WCIA Golden Poo in its trophy case, so the violence must continue. [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: DirecTV Vs. Dish Network
By March 15, 2012
Day 3 of competition in the arena suspended high above above the Worst Company In America Sarlacc Pit brings us a pair of pugilists that already spend most of the year trying to dish out some hurt on each other. [More]
Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
By March 12, 2012
Welcome to Consumerist’s 7th Annual Worst Company In America tournament, where the businesses you nominated face off for a title that none of them will publicly admit to wanting — but which all of them try their hardest to earn. So it’s time to fill in the brackets and start another office pool. That is, unless you work at one of the 32 companies competing in the tournament. [More]
Philadelphia Fighting Satellite Providers Over Ugly Dishes
By February 2, 2012
Last fall, the Philadelphia City Council passed a bill that would remove unused satellite dishes and pretty up any new ones that were bolted to the sides and roofs of city buildings. But that law is having some trouble becoming a reality after a group representing satellite TV providers filed a petition with the FCC. [More]
DirecTV Dispute Keeps Viewers From Watching NFL Playoffs
By January 16, 2012
Miami Dolphins fans are used to their team missing the playoffs, but they’re usually still allowed to watch other teams play out the postseason on DirecTV. That wasn’t the case this weekend, though, because a carriage dispute between the satellite provider and the owner of Miami’s Fox affiliate caused the channel to black out throughout the weekend. Two NFL playoff games were the highest-profile casualties of the tiff. [More]
DirecTV Says My Being Out Of Town Is An Explanation For Mystery Porn Charges
By January 5, 2012
We’re sure cable companies constantly get calls from parents complaining about pay-per-view porn charges that no one in their house will own up to. But apparently folks at the satellite provider also thinks people are breaking into empty houses just to watch overpriced T&A. [More]
DirecTV Tells ID Theft Victim To Take Her Complaint Elsewhere
By December 13, 2011
Imagine opening the mail to find a notice from a collections agency that says you owe nearly $700 for a DirecTV account that you never opened at an address you’ve never even been to. Chances are, the first call you’d make would be to DirecTV. But for one person this actually happened to, that was a dead end. [More]
Fox And DirecTV Kiss & Make-Up Hours Before Blackout Deadline
By October 31, 2011
With only a few hours to go until a retransmission fee dispute would have left DirecTV subscribers unable to watch a number of Fox cable channels, the two sides have put away their swords and decided to work out a deal. [More]
