TiVo Community Forum banner

DTV shot themselves in the foot this time.

5749 Views 27 Replies 18 Participants Last post by  bnm81002
Starting sometime in November the "Charge to my account" option was missing from my online PPV ordering page. I could either pay by credit card or by check. Finally 2 weeks ago I found out that if you do not have ALL of your receivers plugged in to a phone line they will not let you order online and charge to your account. This policy apparently started in November. Here is the relevant part of the email I got from Customer service:

-------------------

Dear Mr. Killeen,

Thanks for writing. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to order pay per view online. During a recent web site update, we made a change requiring that customers without a permanent land-based phone connection to the receivers to pay for pay per view movies and events ordered online.

If at some point you connect a phone line to your receivers, please contact us either email or by phone at 1-800-531-5000 and we will be happy to update your information. Please continue to visit DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information.

Sincerely,

Aaron H
DIRECTV Customer Service

-----------------

Why they did that is a mystery to me. In the 3 years that I've been a DTV customer I have NEVER used my remote to buy a movie. I always used the web site. You'd think that they would suspend the ability to order by remote if they were that worried about it. Rather than put up with this, I opened an account with Netflix. There are some drawbacks, sure. But I'll save money in the long run. I USED to buy at least 2, and usually 3 PPV every month. That won't happen now. My money will go elsewhere.
See less See more
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
I still see the Charge to my account when ordering a PPV


Select payment method:
Bill to DIRECTV Account
Pay Via Credit Card
Pay Via Checking Account
I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.
Lori said:
I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.
There is downside to ordering by remote if you don't have landline, only a Cellular or VOIP connection. Then you run into the card PPV event recording capacity and no billing problem. The only option really available for non-landline customers has been ordering online.

And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS. You would think that they would forbid ordering via remote, not online. In fact, I have always viewed the non-connected ordering by remote to be a huge hole in their process.
Lori said:
I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.
If you order online it shows up on all your recievers but if you use the remote it only shows up on that box.
And if one or more of your receivers don't happen to be at the location they are supposed to be at (and that is only verifiable by having a phone line connected), then D* doesn't want you ordering ppv that goes to those receivers.
-
Carl
tbeckner said:
And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS.
Seems to me the only thing DIRECTV is "forbidding" is billing PPV purchases directly to your account. You should still be able to pay for an online PPV purchase via credit card or checking account debit.
Lori said:
I don't understand--what's the downside to using the remote? It's the only way I have ever ordered PPV.
I suppose it depends on the type of PPV you are ordering. ;)
farleyruskz said:
Seems to me the only thing DIRECTV is "forbidding" is billing PPV purchases directly to your account. You should still be able to pay for an online PPV purchase via credit card or checking account debit.
Directv is NOT "forbidding" it the option is still there to bill to your account if you go look your self.
lee espinoza said:
Directv is NOT "forbidding" it the option is still there to bill to your account if you go look your self.
Are all of your receivers connected to a phone line?
farleyruskz said:
Are all of your receivers connected to a phone line?
No not even one and it has been like that for over a year.
None of my receivers are connected via phone line nor have they been for over a year, and I ordered a PPV online and had it billed to my account just yesterday.
DirecTV specifically states that each reciever must be continuously connected to the same phone line. By not having the receiver connected it is you that shot yourself in the foot.
Just ordered 4 movies online and billed to my account.

All this with no phone lines connected 7 different tivos
tbeckner said:
There is downside to ordering by remote if you don't have landline, only a Cellular or VOIP connection. Then you run into the card PPV event recording capacity and no billing problem. The only option really available for non-landline customers has been ordering online.

And now based upon feedback from the originator of the first post in this thread, it appears that DirecTV is forbidding use of online PPV ordering if your receiver is not connected to a landline, which to me is completely BACKWARDS. You would think that they would forbid ordering via remote, not online. In fact, I have always viewed the non-connected ordering by remote to be a huge hole in their process.
I use VOIP and I am able to order via my phone connection. I also see all the options for paying for PPV on-line.
Im having the same problem, they no longer let me charge PPV to my account.. It sucks having to get a credit card EVERYTIME i want to make a PPV purchase. They already autobill me every month.
There's an easy solution. Don't buy PPV's from them. The more difficult they make it, the fewer people who do it, it makes an economic impact.
D Killeen said:
Starting sometime in November the "Charge to my account" option was missing from my online PPV ordering page. I could either pay by credit card or by check. Finally 2 weeks ago I found out that if you do not have ALL of your receivers plugged in to a phone line they will not let you order online and charge to your account. This policy apparently started in November. Here is the relevant part of the email I got from Customer service:

-------------------

Dear Mr. Killeen,

Thanks for writing. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to order pay per view online. During a recent web site update, we made a change requiring that customers without a permanent land-based phone connection to the receivers to pay for pay per view movies and events ordered online.

If at some point you connect a phone line to your receivers, please contact us either email or by phone at 1-800-531-5000 and we will be happy to update your information. Please continue to visit DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information.

Sincerely,

Aaron H
DIRECTV Customer Service

-----------------

Why they did that is a mystery to me. In the 3 years that I've been a DTV customer I have NEVER used my remote to buy a movie. I always used the web site. You'd think that they would suspend the ability to order by remote if they were that worried about it. Rather than put up with this, I opened an account with Netflix. There are some drawbacks, sure. But I'll save money in the long run. I USED to buy at least 2, and usually 3 PPV every month. That won't happen now. My money will go elsewhere.
Have you ever been on the phone with DTV and TOLD them you don't have all receivers connected to a phone line?

Maybe that's why they disconnected you from charging to your account. Whenever I call them and they ask me if ALL receivers are connected I ALWAYS say YES.......yet NONE of them are.....and I can still charge to my account online.

Call them and tell them all your boxes are connected to the phone and I bet you'll have it back.
john-duncan-yoyo said:
If you order online it shows up on all your recievers but if you use the remote it only shows up on that box.
is this true? I've never ordered PPV before, since eventually it'll all be on the movie channels(HBO, Showtime, etc) which I have because I have the $93.99 service plan, but I would like to know in cause I would like to order PPV in the future, thanks
Jotas said:
I use VOIP and I am able to order via my phone connection.
A VOIP connection is dependent upon many factors and based upon feedback about 75% of Series 2 DirecTiVos cannot make a connection via their VOIP connection.

Again, there are exceptions, and there are ways to get around the VOIP problems, but for most users, a VOIP connection is PAINFUL, TIME CONSUMMING, and SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE.
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top