Dealing with DirecTV was never fun, but post AT&T merger...

[rbstern]

...it's like getting hit with a mallet in the forehead every time you call. Not just bad, but Monty Python meets Brazil bad. Trips to the dentist are preferable to interacting with AT&T.

They wasted about 10 hours of my time over the last week. Each attempt to solve "my" problem, which was entirely AT&T system issues and policy changes causing service nightmares, made the situation worse. Their last (slapstick comedy) attempt to help me knocked out my receivers entirely, until the next available tech can be here: Five days from now! They literally couldn't send a "wake up/refresh" signal to my receivers, which were working fine this morning, before the idiots in customer service screwed up. It's not that they can't fix it because it's technically impossible, but because of AT&T "system policy" issues.

After 20+ years (!), I finally fired them. DISH will be here Sunday morning for a new install.

Will miss NFL Sunday Ticket (only reason I endured the abuse for so long).

 

[timbgtm]

They're relentless in trying to keep you! I get calls, emails, constantly wanting me to come back.

 

[mcdougmd]

I hate anything AT&T. They will just flat out lie to you. Dish service is better but watch their price creep over time.

 

[SMLEshooter]

I've noticed the negative change as well.

Been considering switching to Dish also.

My current Genie allows me to skip commercials by hitting the skip 30 seconds button a few times.

Anybody know if the Dish system have a similar feature? I've read in a couple of I.T. forums that Dish's skip feature doesn't work too well...

 

[StuP]

Dish skip works fine for me, 30 sec forward steps, 10 sec back. Same way for many years.

 

[palmettomoon]

You think AT&T sucks where you live? LOL! Try Macongo. 1980 infrastructure, no plans to upgrade it either. Sweaty balls suckage.

 

[The Old Jaybird]

I dropped DirecTV like a hot rock after they screwed me one too many times. Kept creeping the price up on me, never paid he same amount 2 months in a row. Had them for over 10 years. Now got Xfinity/Comcast, not much better, but I can go to the office in Snellville and give them the stank eye face to face and ask for a better deal. Got to do this about twice a year to keep them in line. At least I can watch TV during a thunderstorm now.

Direct pestered me for months after I left, all sorts of "come back please" deals, some very good. Whenever they called and asked what they could do for me I would say, "come get your damn dish off my roof", their tone chilled after that. They gave up after about a year.

Did the same thing with Verizon after about 15 years and over $50K in payments for damn cell phones and service. They were lying bastards too, so I told them to take a flying leap at a rolling donut and switched to MetroPCS. Poorer service, but good enough for my needs....no longer traveling, don't need Verizon's nationwide network.
My monthly bill for 4 lines of family plan went from about $230 to $90. Should have done it much sooner. Bastards!!!

 

[mcdougmd]

Let’s face it, all telecom and cable/tv providers are liars and thieves. Mediacom still does not have all service restored to Bainbridge GA after the hurricane.

All the sorry ass companies charge way to much but that’s what it takes to own all those politicians and lobbyist. They get the goldmine and we get the shaft.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I work for a "major telecom" company in metro Atlanta. They are not customer friendly at all. Big data and cellular pay the bills. Your residential DSL service doesn't mean crap to the company. Now if you have fiber and we can get all your services, you become valuable. If you are cellular, video and wifi infrastructure based from your home, you are valuable
All consuming is what all telecoms are after. I have PLENTY of gripes as a 18 year employee, but if you think buying, permitting, installing and maintaining the fiber infrastructure and network equipment should be sold at pennies on the dollar you're crazy. I wouldn't do that if it was my company. For profit means I make money, not just cover cost.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Now customer no service, that's a different story. That's industry wide, not exclusive to any provider.