What is the difference between Time Warner and DirecTV, exactly? (Howe: credit card, how much)

[Mom2Feebs]

We have DirecTV currently. Our contract is up, and we bought a new HDTV (formerly had reg tv), so we contacted the local installer to upgrade to a new HD DVR box. They were running a promo: if we signed another 2 year contract, then there would be no charge for installation or the actual HD DVR box. Sounds great, right?

Fast forward a week and a half. We get a phone call the day the installer was supposed to come out. "Oops," they say, "...we forgot to tell you there might be a charge on your account." We ask why...they say, "you will need a new dish." But the kicker is, they can't tell us how much it will be. Then they ask if we'd like to just authorize the charge, even though we have NO idea what it will be, so our installer can come out. My husband just about snorted. Um, no. 5 minutes later, the installer calls us and tells DH just how much of an inconvenience this is to his schedule. DH blows up on phone. Finally, after a last call to DirecTV's customer service, where they yet again tried to upsell us, DH hangs up. We then discuss the merits of Time Warner's bundle package.

For $119 a month for two years, Time Warner will bundle our home phone (currently with AT&T), Road Runner (which we already have and love), and Cable. Well, that sounds great (because currently it's $120 for DirecTV, $50 for phone, and $57 for RR), but I can't find ANYthing that says what cable channels come with that package. I also can't find anything that talks about the disadvantages in going from DirecTV to Time Warner.

If anyone has any insight or perhaps has an even better solution, let me know! I am not feeling the love for DirecTV right now, even though we do secretly love it. If Time Warner is not that different, though, I'd jump ship right now.

[SabresFanInSA]

You will find a pretty big drop in your picture quality with Time Warner. That is enough for me to stay with Directv. (comparing to my brother's and inlaw's TW).

Savings all of that I would call Directv back and ask for Retention. There should NOT be a charge for upgrading your dish. I would also NOT call a local installer right off the bat. Call Directv and set it up through them. They will get you whatever you need and many many times you can get more than you originally ask for for nothing. You can just say "cancel" at their prompts. I normally dont advocate that to get what you want, but in your case you are truly thinking about cancelling.

As an Example, I had 2 DVR boxes.

I added two new receivers (reg price $99 each)
Upgraded to their Whole Home DVR service ($149)
My price $80.00
(side note whole home dvr is the greatest thing on the planet)

For just adding a reciever you should come out not paying anything. If the installer tries to tell you anything else call Directv.

[datacity]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

For $119 a month for two years, Time Warner will bundle our home phone (currently with AT&T), Road Runner (which we already have and love), and Cable. Well, that sounds great (because currently it's $120 for DirecTV, $50 for phone, and $57 for RR), but I can't find ANYthing that says what cable channels come with that package. I also can't find anything that talks about the disadvantages in going from DirecTV to Time Warner.

If anyone has any insight or perhaps has an even better solution, let me know! I am not feeling the love for DirecTV right now, even though we do secretly love it. If Time Warner is not that different, though, I'd jump ship right now.

You will save some money by consolidating to one provider, but even with the TW promo, there are hidden fees that you didn't include above, but probably are in your DirecTV price you have been paying. You must also have a higher package at DirecTV so you likely have many more channels than what you will get from TW.

Your phone and internet service sound expensive -- do you have the ability to go to U-verse? Or.. perhaps phone and net at TW and then a lower package at DirecTV... or go to Dish for a year or two.

HD from DirecTV does require a new dish, but I would not pay for it if you have to sign a new agreement, especially given what you are paying for it.

For under $150 including tax, you can usually get unlimited calling and 6Mbps down internet from at&t along with a decent HD package from Dish.

TW has some great features... but in my view, it has the worst interface in the industry. You can get used to it, but it is a mess. Maybe the new boxes they are adding will be better.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by SabresFanInSA

You will find a pretty big drop in your picture quality with Time Warner. That is enough for me to stay with Directv. (comparing to my brother's and inlaw's TW).

Savings all of that I would call Directv back and ask for Retention. There should NOT be a charge for upgrading your dish. I would also NOT call a local installer right off the bat. Call Directv and set it up through them. They will get you whatever you need and many many times you can get more than you originally ask for for nothing. You can just say "cancel" at their prompts. I normally dont advocate that to get what you want, but in your case you are truly thinking about cancelling.

As an Example, I had 2 DVR boxes.

I added two new receivers (reg price $99 each)
Upgraded to their Whole Home DVR service ($149)
My price $80.00
(side note whole home dvr is the greatest thing on the planet)

For just adding a reciever you should come out not paying anything. If the installer tries to tell you anything else call Directv.

Okay, I should clarify, I have been corrected, DH set up the upgrade through our account online. Any phone calls we made were to DirecTV itself. Not the local installer. However, he did call us.

[datacity]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

Okay, I should clarify, I have been corrected, DH set up the upgrade through our account online. Any phone calls we made were to DirecTV itself. Not the local installer. However, he did call us.

Seriously, call DirecTV directly and say you are going to cancel. As a valued customer, they should (and likely will) fix it so you do not have to pay for the dish upgrade or receiver. But in the off chance they are ready to let you go... go. You can always sign up in the future and they will spend even more then to reinstall everything.

[SabresFanInSA]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

Okay, I should clarify, I have been corrected, DH set up the upgrade through our account online. Any phone calls we made were to DirecTV itself. Not the local installer. However, he did call us.

Never set it up online. If I had done it online all I would have gotten was one receiver for free so my outlay would have still been $250.

Talk to them. They'll help you.

When I switched from SD to HD I didnt pay a dime to upgrade my dish.

[BenjaminNicholas]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

We have DirecTV currently. Our contract is up, and we bought a new HDTV (formerly had reg tv), so we contacted the local installer to upgrade to a new HD DVR box. They were running a promo: if we signed another 2 year contract, then there would be no charge for installation or the actual HD DVR box. Sounds great, right?

Fast forward a week and a half. We get a phone call the day the installer was supposed to come out. "Oops," they say, "...we forgot to tell you there might be a charge on your account." We ask why...they say, "you will need a new dish." But the kicker is, they can't tell us how much it will be. Then they ask if we'd like to just authorize the charge, even though we have NO idea what it will be, so our installer can come out. My husband just about snorted. Um, no. 5 minutes later, the installer calls us and tells DH just how much of an inconvenience this is to his schedule. DH blows up on phone. Finally, after a last call to DirecTV's customer service, where they yet again tried to upsell us, DH hangs up. We then discuss the merits of Time Warner's bundle package.

For $119 a month for two years, Time Warner will bundle our home phone (currently with AT&T), Road Runner (which we already have and love), and Cable. Well, that sounds great (because currently it's $120 for DirecTV, $50 for phone, and $57 for RR), but I can't find ANYthing that says what cable channels come with that package. I also can't find anything that talks about the disadvantages in going from DirecTV to Time Warner.

If anyone has any insight or perhaps has an even better solution, let me know! I am not feeling the love for DirecTV right now, even though we do secretly love it. If Time Warner is not that different, though, I'd jump ship right now.

There's no excuse for poor customer service. I'd callback Dtv and make it clear that if they can't offer you a new dish with the new contract, that you'll jump ship to TWC. Be plain. Don't mince words.

The difference between the two companies in terms of tech is big. While TWC offers an instant on-demand product (that worked very well for me in the past), Dtv needs to be downloaded and is all dependent on the speed of your internet provider. The picture and sound quality on Dtv is ridiculously better that TWC, so if you're a pic or sound junkie, it's likely best that you stay with them.

Your other option is to ask for a customer retention specialist when talking with Dtv. Make it clear from the getgo that you're a loyal customer who wants a better deal to stay with satellite. Two years in contract is a long time and deserves a break if you've already been on contract before.




BN

[Mom2Feebs]

Okay, we DID talk to DirecTV--the 1-800 # for customer service. We DID tell them "thanks but no thanks", and that we were going to call our other options. They really didn't try to keep us. So that's kinda why I'm like...WTF?

Edited to add: I am going to call and ask for a retention specialist. I don't think we were even told about those on our call.

[poopycat]

I eventually left DirecTV because of their poor customer service. When I last relocated, they told me it would take TWO MONTHS for an installer to come out and install service at my new house. Obviously, I said no, but they continued to charge me for service. When I called customer service to say that I hadn't been getting service for two months so why are they still billing me, the stupid customer service rep said that I had not called to say I canceled, and he hung up on me!

I ended up having to write a letter to the complaints department to stop bills from coming and to get the two months of charges for no service off my credit card.

I switched to DishNetwork. Not quite as good as DirecTV in terms of equipment, but at least the customer service is a little better and they got the technician out to connect service in less than a week!

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

Okay, we DID talk to DirecTV--the 1-800 # for customer service. We DID tell them "thanks but no thanks", and that we were going to call our other options. They really didn't try to keep us. So that's kinda why I'm like...WTF?

Edited to add: I am going to call and ask for a retention specialist. I don't think we were even told about those on our call.

When you call DirecTV and tell them you want to cancel your service, you will almost always be transferred to a retention specialist, to see if there is anything they can do to keep you as a customer. If you are wanting to upgrade your service (to HD, for example), and you have a good payment history, I would be shocked if you were not offered a free HD receiver and new dish installation (in exchange for a new 2-year commitment, of course).

As far as the installers, they are normally independent contractors who are authorized DirecTV installers/dealers. Usually new customers are entitled to free "basic" installation of a dish, cabling, and receiver(s). Extra-long cable runs, special dish mounts, switches, etc., may not be included in the free install, and extra charges for those items are at the installer's discretion.

Looking at your OP, it doesn't sound like you are asking for anything more than is normally furnished to new customers. I'm not even sure they're installing the SD-only capable dishes anymore, even for customers just ordering SD service.