Chuck from Brooklyn, “one of the lemmings who bought a HD TV recently” writes that he’s “puzzled by the nonchalance with which [DirectTV] let me switch over to their mortal enemy [TimeWarner].”

Seems he didn’t feel like paying $600, $500 for a “new receiver with DVR, off-air antenna and other assorted stuff to wallow in high-definition” and $99 for installation…

After the jump, DirecTV breakup surprisingly facile, almost disenchantingly so…

When he called TimeWarner, they said they had free installation and no new equipment to buy.

Chuck tried to play both sides against the middle but the only thing DirecTV would knock off was the installation cost. So, a long and loyal DirecTV customer signed on with TimeWarner and had his HD installed, “painlessly.” When he called DirecTV to cancel, they made no attempts to retain him.

Writes Chuck, “the whole conversation lasted about 90 seconds.”

A disconcerting array of HD TVs representing the vertiginous state of Chuck’s heart.

“Why in the world would DirecTV not try harder to keep its customers? I had multiple premium channels, I ordered PPV periodically and I even subscribed to the NFL Sunday Ticket a few years. I hope this doesn’t sound arrogant, but if I’m not a valuable customer to them, who is? …I guess I’m not an unhappy former DirecTV customer, just a puzzled and disappointed one.”

Don’t worry, Chuck, every relationship has its course to run. DirecTV was just using you. You can do better than her. As you’ve already done. Just hope you got your black T-shirt back first! [photo]

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