DirecTV becoming even more unfriendly to some.

[blujay40]

Originally Posted by edatlanta

I am a 23 year non-stop DTV customer and very happy with the service, but never call customer no-service unless absolutely necessary. I full time and have an RV account with DNS. The DNS is well worth it for me because I program my weekly favorite programs and whenever I set up in a different location they are there and record as normal with zero new programming. In two weeks I will be boondocking at Talladega for 6 days volunteering and all I have to do after setting up my dish (which takes me just minutes) I just have to make sure I run my generator in the evenings during the time my selected programs will broadcast. Piece of cake.

Yeah Ed, I get DNS works well in such instances however, since DNS isn't an option on a residential accountm I would have to open a second "RV" account to get it.

But then that introduces another issue because an account can only be suspended for up to 6 months/yr. That means there would be a month or two a year where I would be paying both accounts. That gets expensive rather quickly. So for those of us extended stay folks that used this other option of changing service addresses, it was by far the best AND cheapest alternative. And even though you had to call, it used to take no longer than 5 minutes and you had locals in the area you were staying up and running.

Now if DirecTV would also allow RV accounts to either be suspended longer than 6 months/yr. or made them into a monthly "pay as you go" account like Dish offers, it then becomes a no brainer for all RV users and I would gladly open a second DirecTV RV account with DNS. Sadly, it doesn't appear like that is ever going to happen.

[blujay40]

Originally Posted by bobm

Is there any involvement with the NFL package? If you wanted to watch a particular game, you could request a change to a different location and watch the game on that local station. Used to have the NFL package and paid significant dollars for it.

This thread is all about NOT being able to take a receiver or two with you from home and just call to change your "service address"/location any longer.

Once your DirecTV account is migrated to the new ATT combined billing system, you can't call to change your "location" any longer without going thru the entire move process which involves a truck roll to your site, a "movers fee" of up to 200.00 AND a new 2 year commitment. ATT is doing away with service address changes in the new system.

[ml4moore]

Just took the plunge into satellite TV after years of over the air. Seeing this I glad I went with Dish. Hope they don't follow suit.

[bobm]

Originally Posted by blujay40

This thread is all about NOT being able to take a receiver or two with you from home and just call to change your "service address"/location any longer.

Once your DirecTV account is migrated to the new ATT combined billing system, you can't call to change your "location" any longer without going thru the entire move process which involves a truck roll to your site, a "movers fee" of up to 200.00 AND a new 2 year commitment. ATT is doing away with service address changes in the new system.

exactly, that may be a big part of the reason they don't want or allow you to move a dish from one location to another.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by ml4moore

Just took the plunge into satellite TV after years of over the air. Seeing this I glad I went with Dish. Hope they don't follow suit.

Very smart.... Just went through a long conversation with DIRECT TV about cancelling... FOUND OUT THEY ADD CONTRACT EXTENSIONS ANYTIME YOU MAKE ANY ACCOUNT CHANGES.

Use DISH and Verizon FORGET DIRECT and ATT.

[blujay40]

Some interesting developments in my quest.

I have been on the phone with DirecTV 4 different times the past month and basically get so many conflicting stories now in regards to RV accounts, service address changes, DNS availability, and just plain equipment ordering, it's making my head spin.

I won't go into all the ugly details here but between rep's in retention and tech support at DirecTV who told me conflicting statements and now Solid Signal and Winegard (both partner companies with DirecTV) telling me "good luck" getting DNS, I am about to bust.

DirecTV says everything is fine and you can still do service address changes "as far as they know" and then another rep says they aren't going to allow service address changes going forward and to open an RV account with DNS.

But then when you contact Solid Signal about an RV account with DNS, they will gladly sell you the equipment and get you signed up but as for DNS, their response to me was "good luck with that" because they have filed dozens of DNS applications over the past year or so with every single one disappearing into a black hole to never be heard from again and no real way to follow up on the applications to see what went wrong.

Then Winegard disavows any knowledge regarding what DirecTV is doing in regards to the availability of service address changes or DNS availability and stated that some of their customers have no issues while others do and they don't know why.

But the real "gotcha" here in regards to opening a second RV account is that you have to open the account, activate your equipment, send in the paper work for DNS that includes the new account number, the serial numbers of the equipment being used, a copy of your RV registration and "THEN" wait. And in what appears a very likely event that your denied or your application just vanishes, your now in a new 2 year commitment without DNS or possibly a way to change your service address to get locals. I am considering opening a complaint with the FCC to see if that gets a rise out of anyone at DirecTV.

So unless things change in the very near term, I have to believe that DirecTV isn't just terminating any RV accounts but is doing everything in their power to prevent any new ones. And if that is the case, there is absolutely NO advantage or reason I can see to have DirecTV in an RV unless your happy with no locals or OTA reception where available as your only option.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by blujay40

And if that is the case, there is absolutely NO advantage or reason I can see to have DirecTV in an RV unless your happy with no locals or OTA reception where available as your only option.

You are 100% right. DISH is now the best way to go with an RV and I had an RV account since 2008.

[Sassy Lassy]

We have always called Direct Tv to change our service address to get local channels when traveling. After reading these posts it was with some trepidation that we called again when in ND. We had no problem get switched in ND for locals and again now that we are in IA. From our experience it depends upon who you talk to, so we always go direct to technical support because the regular operators don’t know. We were told once that they would only do it once a month. Maybe we just got lucky this time, maybe not. Time will tell.

[blujay40]

Originally Posted by Sassy Lassy

We have always called Direct Tv to change our service address to get local channels when traveling. After reading these posts it was with some trepidation that we called again when in ND. We had no problem get switched in ND for locals and again now that we are in IA. From our experience it depends upon who you talk to, so we always go direct to technical support because the regular operators don’t know. We were told once that they would only do it once a month. Maybe we just got lucky this time, maybe not. Time will tell.

Because you were able to still do this means your account is still in the old "DirecTV" billing system as I am. The issues start once your account has been migrated to the new RC1 system. Once migrated, a change of service address requires you to go thru the "move" process instead of a simple address change in the older system, and that is where all the issues arise. Just know that our days are numbered however, and our accounts WILL be migrated, it's just a question of when.

I actually filed a complaint thru the FCC knowing there was nothing they would do but knowing that ATT would be notified of the complaint and maybe give me a call to discuss, which they did after a few weeks.

During that conversation, they said the new ATT system doesn't allow for temporary service address changes and there are no plans to add it. I was also informed that DNS service (distant network services) is also not something the new system will be able to handle and from the info she had, if you currently have DNS, your good but any changes to your account addresses (billing or service) would most likely end up with you losing DNS as well.

Although the contact was very polite and acted like she understood the issues, there was absolutely nothing I could take away from the conversation that gave me even an ounce of hope in regards to anything ever going back the way it was. There was a lot more in the conversation but basically, it appears ATT is going to operate DirecTV "satellite" service the same as their Uverse "land" based service where service address changes are only done with a "move" which involves fees, truck rolls, etc. and where DNS service doesn't exist.

Basically, if you want DirecTV and are happy with just getting 200 and above when not at home, fine. Anything else? Take it or leave it.

[Sassy Lassy]

Originally Posted by blujay40

Because you were able to still do this means your account is still in the old "DirecTV" billing system as I am. The issues start once your account has been migrated to the new RC1 system. Once migrated, a change of service address requires you to go thru the "move" process instead of a simple address change in the older system, and that is where all the issues arise. Just know that our days are numbered however, and our accounts WILL be migrated, it's just a question of when.

I actually filed a complaint thru the FCC knowing there was nothing they would do but knowing that ATT would be notified of the complaint and maybe give me a call to discuss, which they did after a few weeks.

During that conversation, they said the new ATT system doesn't allow for temporary service address changes and there are no plans to add it. I was also informed that DNS service (distant network services) is also not something the new system will be able to handle and from the info she had, if you currently have DNS, your good but any changes to your account addresses (billing or service) would most likely end up with you losing DNS as well.

Although the contact was very polite and acted like she understood the issues, there was absolutely nothing I could take away from the conversation that gave me even an ounce of hope in regards to anything ever going back the way it was. There was a lot more in the conversation but basically, it appears ATT is going to operate DirecTV "satellite" service the same as their Uverse "land" based service where service address changes are only done with a "move" which involves fees, truck rolls, etc. and where DNS service doesn't exist.

Basically, if you want DirecTV and are happy with just getting 200 and above when not at home, fine. Anything else? Take it or leave it.

I don’t know about all the technical stuff that you posted but after doing a little research I did find this on the Direct TV website on DNS...http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/policy/shvera.doc #11 .Whether this is still current I don’t know nor do I know how this may apply to us. Since we were still able to change to a spot beam in TX and back to our home address on a recent trip I don’t have the need yet to do a lot of research. We were told, however, by technical support not to change/upgrade to a newer system because we would no longer be able to change addresses as we are now doing, so perhaps that is what you were talking about? If you could perhaps dumb it down some for me I would appreciate it.

[blujay40]

Originally Posted by Sassy Lassy

I don’t know about all the technical stuff that you posted but after doing a little research I did find this on the Direct TV website on DNS...https://transition.fcc.gov/mb/policy/shvera.doc #11 .Whether this is still current I don’t know nor do I know how this may apply to us. Since we were still able to change to a spot beam in TX and back to our home address on a recent trip I don’t have the need yet to do a lot of research. We were told, however, by technical support not to change/upgrade to a newer system because we would no longer be able to change addresses as we are now doing, so perhaps that is what you were talking about? If you could perhaps dumb it down some for me I would appreciate it.

The rep you spoke with is correct. Once your migrated to the new system, you won't be able to do temporary service address changes as many of us RV'ers or those with mobile accounts have in the past. What they didn't tell you though is that eventually ALL accounts will be migrated to the new system regardless so the clock is ticking whether you make any changes or not.

The ending of temporary service address changes is just one small part of a much bigger picture. When you also look at the facts that DirecTV has stopped processing new DNS applications for LA/NY locals for RV/mobile accounts, the upcoming LCC (local channel connector) that lets you scan and merge local stations over an antenna into your channel guide, and the announcement that ATT's focus is transitioning away from satellite services and more towards OTT (streaming) services and that they will not be purchasing any new replacement satellites to update their existing fleet with a suspected life span of about 10 years or so indicates that this is just the beginning of the end and we all need to start getting used to the new DirecTV or find other alternatives.

It's my suspicion that the LCC is going to be a multi edged sword for ATT going forward. Let RV'ers/mobile users use it to get locals for wherever they are over their antennas so they don't have to do temporary address changes any more and eliminating a number of calls to customer support, pass them out to customers that call complaining that a local station went off the air over a contract dispute as leverage in negotiations, and at some point, allow them to end carrying local stations all together via satellite which I can imagine would be quite a huge savings not only in costs to carry the various channels, but satellite bandwidth and other ground based infrastructure as well.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by blujay40

The rep you spoke with is correct. Once your migrated to the new system, you won't be able to do temporary service address changes as many of us RV'ers or those with mobile accounts have in the past. What they didn't tell you though is that eventually ALL accounts will be migrated to the new system regardless so the clock is ticking whether you make any changes or not.

Also what they don't tell you is when you change it put's you into a new multi year contract even though they say it doesn't..