# Considering cancellation - what is best way to find best deal?



## BHYDE-1 (Nov 2, 2007)

I've been a DirecTV customer for approximately 10 years, and four years ago added a second account at my daughter's home in another city. Neither account is within the two year contract period.

I've had my own DirecTV account suspended since January, when my DVR conked out. After many years with the Premiere package, the ever-added costs just got to me - the DVR fee, which DirecTV then began increasing (for a while, I was grandfathered, and didn't have a DVR fee, then they started charging me), the HD fee, then the increasing Premiere fee - I didn't want to ask for a replacement DVR and incur a new two-year commitment in view of these areas of dissatisfaction.

Now my daughter's family is moving to another city. If her home has a good line of sight, I suppose she and her husband can subscribe on their own and get the deal that new subscribers get if they decide to keep DirecTV, but they're on their own now that grad school is over.

So I'm considering canceling DirecTV. I called today, and the following offer was made for my own account: replace the broken DVR with a comparable DVR without a 2-year commitment; or get a new genie HR-44 or Tivo - plus a second unit for the bedroom, for free with a 2-year commitment. On the programming side, and this was without regard to whether I made a 2-year commitment: $10 off per month for a year for the Premiere package, free HD for a year(worth $10 per month), and $5 per month off for six months for each of the following: HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Showtime. So, a total of $40 per month off for 6 months, and $20 off per month for the next 6 months; and the representative said there would probably be some additional offers for the premium channels at the six-months point. And there was an offer for NFL max for about $120.


I'm just not sure if I want to stay with DirecTV. But I'll make that decision before deciding whether to accept this offer. But would I do better actually canceling if I decide to stay?

Any comments would be helpful.

I must say that the person I spoke to in cancellation certainly was pleasant.


----------



## goinsleeper (May 23, 2012)

Is there an amount you're looking to get? I would say if the offer sounds good to you, jump on it. I'm sure other people have gotten more but there are far more people who have been offered less.


----------



## ChiWavDave (Jul 13, 2007)

FYI, I cancelled, sat out about 5-6 months trying another provider (UVerse) and came back to a much better deal than the above. Got about $35 off the Premier package for the first year with $10 discounts in year 2/3. Got the sunday ticket max for free, genie and 2 other rooms for free and all the movie channels free for 3 months.


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Well, What are your other choices - Dish, cable FiOS?


----------



## BHYDE-1 (Nov 2, 2007)

Comcast is my other choice, and I have two Tivo premieres that I use. I didn't originally include that since the issue is whether to keep DirecTV _plus_ Comcast. The Comcast bundle of cable + internet + telephone is just too good to overlook, since I basically get my phone for free and also get a $50 reduction each month off my cable.


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Dont see nothing wrong with this deal. it seems that for the first 6 months, you will be getting a 50% discount!


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

If there's nothing gluing you to DIRECTV, you need to set up a table with _your_ options and see how they all pencil out. Weigh the channels you need and the hardware you want against price and any other factor you deem important. There may be options you hadn't previously considered or that have become competitive since you last gave thought to the subject.

If you don't really care one way or the other, going off suspension is certainly a lot easier and you certainly don't have to add or upgrade anything (unless you own your DVR).

What I would counsel is that you think very hard and carefully about going the TiVo route. The THR22 is neither the best of TiVo nor the best DIRECTV has to offer and it will cost you $5/month extra for the privilege.


----------



## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

One thing to keep in mind if you do stay, the DirecTV Tivo is nothing like the Tivo Premiere. I don't think I'd recommend it unless someone just does not want to use anything but the TiVo GUI, no matter what.


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

dpeters11 said:


> One thing to keep in mind if you do stay, the DirecTV Tivo is nothing like the Tivo Premiere. I don't think I'd recommend it unless someone just does not want to use anything but the TiVo GUI, no matter what.


Additionally with the DirecTV Tivo, you have to pay a 5.00 Tivo charge in addition to the DVR service fee of 10.00
So it is like double paying to be able to use the DVR functionalities unless you have TV Lifetime service.


----------



## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

BHYDE-1 said:


> I've had my own DirecTV account suspended since January, when my DVR conked out. ... I didn't want to ask for a replacement DVR and incur a new two-year commitment in view of these areas of dissatisfaction.


A replacement DVR for one that 'conked out' would have been (at most) $19.95 plus applicable taxes. No additional commitment.

And that is why they made you that same offer today.

But as others have said, it looks like a good deal, but you have to decide your price point based on your programming needs and then compare that to other providers.

Good luck.


----------



## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

I like DirecTV, which is why I have it. However, if I chose Comcast on a triple play deal I would not have DirecTV. I do not need two television service providers. Keeping DirecTV is pretty much what is keeping me from upgrading my Comcast (which I have only for internet). However, I do agree with you as far as cost is concerned, it keeps rising every year and eventually it will price itself out of my budget. Maybe when that happens I'll have to take another look at Comcast, or maybe just go to OTA.

I guess that was the long way of saying if I were you, I would drop DirecTV. You are obviously satisfied with your Comcast service.


----------



## acostapimps (Nov 6, 2011)

Call and use the cancel cancel prompt and make sure it's retention dept, if it is explain your situation and let them work there magic, I was skeptical at first of how people got freebies, but it just happened to me, but it could depend on account history.


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

acostapimps said:


> Call and use the cancel cancel prompt and make sure it's retention dept, if it is explain your situation and let them work there magic, I was skeptical at first of how people got freebies, but it just happened to me, *but it could depend on account history.*


it does to a certain extent


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

I am surprised sometimes to the length DirecTV will go in order to retain a customer.


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

peds48 said:


> I am surprised sometimes to the length DirecTV will go in order to retain a customer.


Right now the company is actually focusing heavily on loyatly and building loyal customers to reduce churn.


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Volatility said:


> Right now the company is actually focusing heavily on loyatly and building loyal customers to reduce churn.


then where does the PP come into place. if all it takes is one word.....


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

peds48 said:


> then where does the PP come into place. if all it takes is one word.....


Customers who spoke with retention and got equipment offers were able to do so based off of their account history. Not everyone who calls in and speaks with Retention is able to get their way. The Protection Plan allows customers even with a poor account history to get a free upgrade every 2 yrs. This has been discussed on these forums before btw


----------



## goinsleeper (May 23, 2012)

Not to mention, when the HR34 was branded the Genie, how long was it before people were able to get offers on it? The PP upgrade will allow people to get offers on new equipment as it comes out, as long as they're eligible for their upgrade.


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

goinsleeper said:


> Not to mention, when the HR34 was branded the Genie, how long was it before people were able to get offers on it? The PP upgrade will allow people to get offers on new equipment as it comes out, as long as they're eligible for their upgrade.


exact a mundo


----------



## sweep49 (Jul 15, 2008)

Volatility said:


> Right now the company is actually focusing heavily on loyatly and building loyal customers to reduce churn.


You could have fooled me! They would not give me a free upgrade me last week when I needed a dvr replacement. Been with since 2001, autopay, NFLST, premiums, etc. and out of contract. Perhaps I have already proved my loyalty?


----------



## Volatility (May 22, 2010)

sweep49 said:


> You could have fooled me! They would not give me a free upgrade me last week when I needed a dvr replacement. Been with since 2001, autopay, NFLST, premiums, etc. and out of contract. Perhaps I have already proved my loyalty?


You might want to call back and ask for retention.


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Volatility said:


> You might want to call back and ask for retention.


and back to my question...lol


----------



## celticpride (Sep 6, 2006)

Directv hurt my feelings when i left nearly 4 years ago,They didnt offer to send me to retention only told me they would send me a box send back my dvr,I had been a customer for 14 years and always paid my bill ontime and had nba league every year. now i'm thinkiing of coming back because i use to have the east coast DNS channels plus the lifetime service from my tivos ,Which i dont think i can get back,To make things worse i sent back a dvr whic had replaced one of my tivos which i OwnedI. Technelly i owened it but sent it back beacuse i was afriad directv woud charge me $300.00 for it .


----------



## BHYDE-1 (Nov 2, 2007)

Thank you everyone for your comments. What I gather from those comments is that the offer I received was probably about as good as I might get if I decided to stay with DirecTV - a new genie or Tivo HD DVR for free with a two-year commitment or a free replacement HD-DVR without a commitment, a discount on Sunday Ticket, $40 off Premiere for 6 months, and then $20 off for the remaining six months.

Am I correct in inferring that the consensus was that actually canceling and then seeing what offer I got probably wouldn't get me anything better?

FYI, I still don't know if I'll stay with DirecTV, but want to make the most informed choice possible.


----------



## etexlady (Oct 22, 2007)

Re: the Protection Plan and upgrades every two years, I would assume you would not automatically get upgraded to a Genie, correct? I "upgraded" equipment two years ago and got a used HR22-100. I guess they considered that an upgrade. My contract expires in July. I've had the Protection Plan since day one. I've had the Premier plan since day one. I've never asked for any freebies or discounts for the six years I have been with them. Wonder if that qualifies me as a loyal customer? When I go off contract in July, I guess we'll see if I get a Genie without begging or threatening to leave.


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Re: the Protection Plan and upgrades every two years, I would assume you would not automatically get upgraded to a Genie, correct? I "upgraded" equipment two years ago and got a used HR22-100. I guess they considered that an upgrade. My contract expires in July. I've had the Protection Plan since day one. I've had the Premier plan since day one. I've never asked for any freebies or discounts for the six years I have been with them. Wonder if that qualifies me as a loyal customer? When I go off contract in July, I guess we'll see if I get a Genie without begging or threatening to leave.


You should be able to get an upgrade. only way to find out is by calling DirecTV 


Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


----------



## acostapimps (Nov 6, 2011)

Retention is the magic word, but not everybody will get the same result, But give them a try and see what happens, 
You don't have to threat in canceling to get the offer, but simply saying that you're interested in upgrading but it's too much for what they ask. Make sure it's retention that answers the phone call from the cancel cancel prompt on the automated system.
Like they say it never hurts to ask.


----------

