I signed up for DirectTV on the phone on Oct 2, '07. I was a current, dissatisfied customer of DishNetwork. My issues were with AT&T's handling of my account and discounts that were promised and never given. DirectTV made me a "special" offer that included all the bells and whistles and 30 days to try because I was switching. The installer restated that I had 30 days to try the service and cancel without penalty.
I decided to cancel DirectTV on October 15, '07 because I did not like the fact that I could not block inappropriate content for my kids by program or rating, but had to block the channel to keep them from seeing the titles and descriptions. When I called and spoke to a rep to cancel, they said that their standard policy was 72 hours for cancellation! I told them that I was told 30 days. I restated my reasons for canceling and that I expected them to abide by what I was told. After speaking with her supervisor, she told me that actually my account had a fifteen-day period and that since I was on day 14 the cancellation fee would be waived. She passed me to a supervisor who confirmed this. My bill should have been in my hands in seven days, and the shipping boxes with FedEx labels should have been sent in seven working days.
A few days later I got a call from DirectTV trying to convince me to retain their service. I told him no, that the issue could not be resolved, and that I wished to remain canceled. I also told him about the waiver of the cancellation fee. He told me about the 72-hour "policy" and then put me on hold. He came back on to confirm that I would not be charged a fee.
In summary: three people had told me the fee would be waived.
Today I called because it had been two weeks and no boxes and no bill had arrived. My account had not been canceled. They saw the notes where I called to cancel and made retroactive adjustments and canceled it. I told them that I expected the fee would be waived as I had been told. They told me that they did not have the authority to waive the fee, and neither did the other people I spoke with, and that the "Billing Dispute Office" had rejected the waiver of the cancellation fee. I told them that I expected them to do what I had been told they would do. All to no avail. The rep and supervisor told me today that they would be charging me the cancellation fee. My only recourse is a letter to the "Billing Dispute Resolution Department," which does not have a way to talk by phone. I will dispute any charges to my card and contact the dispute resolution department and update this report as soon as possible.
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