How many service calls from DirecTV have you had.

[bengalfreak]

Due to a discussion in another thread, I am curious as to how many service calls the average DirecTV/DirecTivo customer has had. Only include calls that you had to pay for (or would have if you didn't have the protection plan). Do not include free (or nominally priced) upgrades. For instance, when my locals were moved to a different satellite, a new dish was required. DirecTV supplied the dish and installation for free. I just had to pay shipping.

I, personally, in 7 years have never had to have a service call. I was wondering if my experience was unique.

[Dkerr24]

I've never had Directv come out other than the original install. I upgraded my dish myself when my LNB blew out after a couple of years.

[kaszeta]

Single visit to install the 72.5 degree dish a few years back.

[SteelersFan]

Zero service calls. Only had them out for the original install and 3 upgrade installs.

Can you point us to the other thread you mention so we have additional backround info?

[TonyTheTiger]

I've never paid for a service call and no, I don't have the protection plan. I've had bad installs and poor techs though, not to mention bad CSRs on the phone, but I've pretty much always come away ahead of the deal.

[The Flush]

I had DTV come out after my house was hit by lightning, which fried my DTivos and multi-switch. I had them install a new multiswitch, but would not let them replace my DTivos. I think it cost $70, but my insurance paid for it. I bought replacement DTivos off Ebay. I still have the old DTivos which I am keeping for parts. I think an can make a functioning unit out of what I have. I think I just need to move the power supply from one to the other.

[trnsfrguy]

I had 2 service calls in the few months since I received the HR-20.

[rhuntington3]

Since my install in June 1999, none. I've moved once since then and have had no problems with my dish or DirecTivo, other than the drive bearings starting going out but a local helped me upgrade that and thus no call to DTV was needed.

[John T Smith]

1st install (about 15 years ago) was by DTV

Built new house about 7 years ago and installed all the in the wall wiring myself, but had DTV send an installer to mount and aim the dish

Built another new (last !!!) house last year, this time I found a signal meter to buy and both installed the wiring and the dish (and upgraded to a 24 inch dish to have fewer rain fades here in the great northWET in Vancouver WA)

I have never had any problems that I had to call DTV for service

[LlamaLarry]

0 fee required service calls. In the 11+ years I have had DirecTV/USSB I have had techs come twice: install dish and HR10 for free & install dish and HR20 for free.

[ForrestB]

Zero for me truly means zero. I installed my own dish 11 years ago, ran my own cables and later installed a dual LNB and ran another cable when I upgraded to my second DirecTivo. I've never seen a DirecTV technician!

[stevel]

Not a single one since 2002.

[rubybear]

The installer did such a bad job that they had to come out twice within the free 30-day warranty period. That was back in Aug 2005.

I keep having realignment problems, since he just stuck a pole in the lawn (no concrete, nothing) for my dish. After threatening to cancel if they were going to charge $70.00 for realignment, I got through to a fifth person on the phone who taught me how to realign the thing myself. I've been doing that ever since!

rubybear

[rock_doctor]

None. I installed the system originally in 1998 and have had no issues other then cleaning the snow off the dish in the winter time.

[Sartori]

zero, I do my own troubleshooting, repairing, installing, etc.....

[StinkingWally]

Never. Not even for the original install. I bought, installed and upgraded all on my own. :)

[LlamaLarry]

I'm all for self installs, but *to me* paying for a dish and MS (in addition to the boxes) when you can get them for free is a little chumptastic.

I suppose the same could be said for using your own cable and fishing it yourself (that I have done even when installers were coming to hang dishes), but I have to use that 1000' foot spool of RG11 somehow. ;)

[ForrestB]

I'm all for self installs, but *to me* paying for a dish and MS (in addition to the boxes) when you can get them for free is a little chumptastic.

I suppose the same could be said for using your own cable and fishing it yourself (that I have done even when installers were coming to hang dishes), but I have to use that 1000' foot spool of RG11 somehow. ;)

Chumptastic huh? Some of us have been with DirecTV long before they ever had free installation or even installers.

[LlamaLarry]

Chumptastic huh? Some of us have been with DirecTV long before they ever had free installation or even installers.Umm, yeah, like me... should be 12 years in April.

My chumptastic impression are those buying their own 3LNB/Slimlines/WB616s now. Like I said, laying out cash for something I can get for free does not not make sense *to me*. I've not let a free installer do anything besides hang the dish and I'd even skip that if they would just leave it on my doorstep, so I get the love of self install.

[Sartori]

Could you post the definition of chumptastic, I can't find it anywhere in my dictionary and this is what google comes up with:

Your search - cumptastic - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

* Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
* Try different keywords.
* Try more general keywords.

[LlamaLarry]

Dunno, I am guessing something along the lines of "the condition of being a chump to a fantastic degree". ;) It's not a good thing.

Paying money for something that can be easily, legally and ethically acquired for free is right up there with:
- paying more for an airline ticket than your seat neighbor, then bragging about it
- demanding to pay full price for an item on sale, just because
- buying guides/how to's on hacking a DirecTiVo on ebay, instead of popping to ddb.

Everyone is free to spend their money as they see fit, even foolishly/needlessly if it suits them I suppose.

[gregm]

I've been a customer for almost 10 years, and no one from DirecTV has ever been to my house. I installed the dish myself, and did all my own wiring.

That will probably change when we move, I'll have someone come out to install the new dish. I'll still do all the inside wiring.

[Budget_HT]

Installed my own 18x24 dish and HD receiver and SD DirecTiVo's in 2000.

Had a Protection Plan service call 3 years ago when my multiswitch died.

Had a free install of my 2nd HR10-250 (they would not send it to me, or I would have installed it myself).