Does anyone have DirectTV instead of Comcast?

[thetreble 19]

I'm thinking about switching to DirectTV instead of comcast. I have only had comcast since I've been here and my bills are pretty outrageous.

I'm a big TV lover (I watch lots of sports on tv) so I'm just wondering if any one has the service and how affordable/reliable they find it?

[KarenCee 3]

DirecTV starts out cheap but only for a limited time. Their customer service svcks big time, at least this has been our experience. Joel applied for DirecTV for us and he bought the equipment. They lost the record of it and our record wasn't "applicable" because they had nothing to reference to...nothing in their computer to validate it...no record at all. They kept going up on us quite regulary...$5 to $10 a month for almost a year. After our two years were up (they required a two year contract) we switched to Dish Network. They offered a bigger package for the same amount and we've been with them for a year now and the price has not increased yet. We're pretty happy with Dish. The important thing is we get the channels we wanted AND the sports channels we wanted (big hockey fans here) and the service has been very reliable. As with any satellite service storms can disrupt the signal but the few times that's happened it didn't last but a moment or two.

Bear in mind, this is just our experience. I'm sure DirecTV isn't like this everywhere.

[thetreble 19]

Interesting, Bertie. Maybe I will check out the dish network.

[SapphireDreams 71]

We have DirectTV because my in-laws want Filipino channels and that's the only service that offers them. It's decent, they don't have any troubles with price or customer service.

The only thing that sucks is that when it rains hard or storms, you lose the signal.

[KarenCee 3]

That's pretty much what happens with all satellite dish service when there's a storm. It would happen with DTV and it happens with Dish. Usually doesn't last long...at least for us only a moment or two.

[J&K 0]

Just curious as to what you're paying for what service with Comcast. I'm with them and have no motivation to switch....yet

I originally went with Comcast because with DirectTV they pull your credit during the application, and at the time John's credit was horrible, and I didn't have any history, so I didn't want to have to pay an outrageous down payment.

Comcast offered a "Double Play" of Cable and High Speed Internet for $66/month which was only their digital classic channels. Then we got more channels and I think it brought it to $85/month then we got a HDTV and had to upgrade the digital box to an HD box, then Hubby wanted more channels...soon we were paying $105/month.

So one day I called to see about downgrading...and the lady on the phone actually figured out that we could get a different promotion, get Showtime, Starz, HBO, etc for the exact same price that we were already paying!

I went for it!

Try calling Comcast to see if there are any promotions going on and if they can reduce your monthly bill in any way.

They don't want to lose you as a customer, so if you ask you might just be surprised at what might happen

[Flames9_RN 358]

http://forums.slickdeals.net/forumdisplay....sduid=0&f=9 check out slickdeals.net, type in "comcast" "dish" etc etc --whatever ur providers nam i s, can find some very good promotions

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I recently (a month or two ago) signed up for Directv when we moved to our new house...Not because we want to, but because we "have to" for local channels for the football games (yes, my husband is a Buffalo Bills football fan)...lol...

You see, we live in a very rural/country area...and cannot have cable or basic tv because they just don't service where we are...(heck, we don't even have town garbage collection, town snow shoveling, cell phone reception, or a mailbox that's less than a mile away...but that's another story...)

So in order to have television (lol..husband's preferance, not me..I'm happy with the internet and the baby as my entertainment, no need for tv for me), we have to have satelite tv, or not have any tv at all...

We decided t go with directv, as there was a local installer in the area, had free installation, and they had an overall better channel package.

The only catch with directv: If you decide to cancel with them...then there is a high cancellation fee..lol..so you're stuck with them for awhile.

Also in our situation, because of the very tall trees in our yard (no, we are not cutting those down), we had to get a bigger dish for reception, which meant we had to upgrade to the HD package even though we don't even have an HD tv..lol...So basically, we're paying a lot more...just beacause we only wanted basic channels in the first place...It's like wanting only 10 channels, but having to pay for 100 instead....

Oh well..whatever makes my husband happy for now...We'll see after our contract is up, if we decide to renew....

We'll see what happens too in the winter, if our dish will last through the heavy snow, wind, and whatever else mother nature has to throw at us....

Hope this helps. Happy tv watching!

Ant

[beans 7]

Yeah..dish network is better. lol

[wowswift 3]

Yeah..dish network is better. lol

[SomberCat 0]

I've had DIRECTV for 14 years with no complaints. I noticed that several people have mentioned contracts and price increases which confuse me. Maybe it's because I've been a customer for so long, but I've never had a contract and we've had two minor price increases during that time. At the time, we changed to DIRECTV because it was so vastly cheaper than Comcast, but like I said, that was 14 years ago, so I'm sure that's not completely true anymore. I've always been happy with their service, minus the occasional weather issue that others have mentioned. Their customer service has always been excellent for us also. I have had two instances where I needed major help and both times, they spent over an hour on the phone with me. They've always been polite and serviced our account well.

My parents have Dish network because they could get a smaller package than what DIRECTV offers and it was cheaper. They've never had a problem with Dish and love them as much as I love DIRECTV, so I'm sure both are good. They do offer different things, so make sure you're comparing apples to apples when you look at packages.

[thetreble 19]

Well one thing I did notice was that the dish network gives you the option to either go on a contract or not. Which, obviously, we would not!

J & K, I already called Comcast actually to get a price reduction a few months ago which we did. All of our promotions had ended and I got a bill for $260.00. Come one..for two tvs, the internet and the phone?? The phone and the internet are only 30 bucks combined. It's the TV that is horrible.

I got her down to about $160.00/month, but that was getting rid of my DVR and all the special channels except for HBO and the Fox Soccer Channel.

But, I can't live without the DVR..I tried over the summer, and it was easy because there is nothing to watch, but now that all the shows have come back my husband and I like to watch quite a few of them certain nights of the week that are on at the same time.

So, I got my DVR back.

They just nickel and dime you at comcast. I mean I know most companies do that, but I find them equatable to Rogers or Bell. They charge me 6 bucks a month on top of the $9.99 for the regular HD Box, and $14.99 for the HD DVR box, for an "HD Conversion Charge". I mean, come on... between the phone/internet modem and the boxes, they cost me like $40.00 a month!

I don't know..

[JillA 2]

I'm kinda glad you posted the above about Comcast.... Right now we're with Verizon Triple Play, so for the TV/Internet/Phone it was $99 for the first year, and free DVR for one year.... that is up in November, so it's going up 10 bucks for the triple play package and DVR will be $15.99.... so the bill will be going up by 26 bucks basically.... It's definitely cheaper than Comcast though. Would you consider Verizon, or maybe they're not available in your area? Right now they have a deal for triple play which is $79.99 a month for 1 year.... I know it's extra for all the sports packages though

I know what you mean about the DVR... I so couldn't live without it! I tape everything

[Flames9_RN 358]

Love my HD Tivo!! Think we paid $500 and that included LIFTEIME service! Then spent like another $150 on an external 1 TB harddrive. We have verizon Fios, with the fastest speed interent, unlimited calling in N.America and HD Extreme TV package, and we pay around $130 a month

[J&K 0]

Well one thing I did notice was that the dish network gives you the option to either go on a contract or not. Which, obviously, we would not!

J & K, I already called Comcast actually to get a price reduction a few months ago which we did. All of our promotions had ended and I got a bill for $260.00. Come one..for two tvs, the internet and the phone?? The phone and the internet are only 30 bucks combined. It's the TV that is horrible.

I got her down to about $160.00/month, but that was getting rid of my DVR and all the special channels except for HBO and the Fox Soccer Channel.

But, I can't live without the DVR..I tried over the summer, and it was easy because there is nothing to watch, but now that all the shows have come back my husband and I like to watch quite a few of them certain nights of the week that are on at the same time.

So, I got my DVR back.

They just nickel and dime you at comcast. I mean I know most companies do that, but I find them equatable to Rogers or Bell. They charge me 6 bucks a month on top of the $9.99 for the regular HD Box, and $14.99 for the HD DVR box, for an "HD Conversion Charge". I mean, come on... between the phone/internet modem and the boxes, they cost me like $40.00 a month!

I don't know..

Holy #######!

I have 2 HDTVs and internet and I have all of the specialty channels, plus HBO, Showtime, Starz, DVR Service and 2 HD/DVR boxes and all I'm paying is $107/month! Now granted...I have my own Modem so I don't pay for the modem charge, and I have vonage which is only $33 a month...so all together I'm paying $140/month for all three.

Why the heck are they charging you for an HD Conversion???? I don't have that charge at all!

Maybe because it's a difference area of Comcast...I know that they have different promotions for different things.

I know that when our promotion ends (which I have had extended twice now) I always threaten to cancel the service and go with another company, but I've been happy with Comcast and really don't want to do it, but if it's going to save me money, yadda yadda yadda the service rep usually gives in and gives me a really good deal

I would try calling them now anyway, and see if they can do any better, or you're going to switch to DirectTV...see if that will light a fire up their butt to keep you as a customer!