I have been a DirecTV customer for just shy of 8 years. Other than during the first year or two when my first receiver had to be replaced after many tech issues, for the most part it has been smooth sailing for the bulk of the 8 years. That just came to a crashing halt.
Last week I decided to finally upgrade to HD. I made the appointment and reviewed what was involved in a standard professional installation (which was supposed to be free). It did take three calls before they finally removed the charge for shipping and handing from my bill - it was supposed to be free, but the sales people failed to see that putting that point in print means it is binding), but that was not the big issue. The BIG issue is the installation company - Ironwood.
They guy shows up and, without getting any closer than 20 yards from the building, tells me the HD dish will have to go on the roof and that they will not be legally responsible for any damage they do to the roof, or any leaks that may occur because of their installation (my current, standard dish is on the facia).
I told him my landlord said it cannot go on the roof, even if the installation is non-penetrating. I told him it can go on the wall, using the studs. He said it is too heavy and they never install HD dishes on a wall - ever. It is NEVER installed there. Then they wanted to charge me $75 to go and put the dish on the roof, even though I told them it is forbidden. Then they said I need a letter from my landlord to install it anywhere on the building. They had written permission with the first dish and DirecTV told me that because it is an upgrade, verbal approval was fine. We had verbal approval. These guys were arrogant and rude.
I called DirecTV who at first was great and said that of course installing on the wall was an option and that no, I did not need written permission for an upgrade. She said they would have the buy come back and install that afternoon. I was supposed to get a call from dispatch right away. Meanwhile, two hours later no call. I called again and this time started the runaround. They said the installer looked at the property and determined it could not be put in the wall. I asked if it is standard to look at it from a great distance for determination and they said no, but defended him anyway saying that the dish is too heavy for any wall installation.
I went online and found four different brackets for installing DirecTV's Slimline dish on the wall, on the soffit and/or on the exposed tail beams. Obviously these were things they should have considered, but wouldn't. The DirecTV person said that wall mount costs extra - even though their own installation rules and procedure say it is free!)
I was told to wait by the phone for the call from the supervisor at the dispatch office. They escalated the issue and sent and urgent email to him and kept leaving urgent voice mails all day (turns out the guy left for vacation the next day and did no work in the office on his last day there). Through out the day they "escalated" the issue FOUR TIMES. I never got a call back.
The next day I tried again, but this time on one in dispatch would answer the phones - for THREE HOURS! I had to repeatedly demand a supervisor at DirecTV to help me (they service reps always try tell you their supervisor cannot do anything more than they themselves can and 99% of the time, they are dead wrong about that!). Finally a supervisor left a message for the dispatch's supervisor's supervisor and I got a call back 36 hours AFTER I was told I would get a call immediately.
The alleged supervisor said they only install on the roof for no other reason than the bracket that comes with the dish from DirecTV is for roof installation only. They will not order wall mounts and will not use wall mounts (or any other mounts) bought by the customer. Again I was told no HDTV ever gets mounted on a wall. I told him that in Las Vegas almost ALL of them are mounted in walls because of the spanish tile roofs. He didn't care and said there are different standards in Vegas - and refused to install my dish anywhere by the roof. He was condescending and arrogant and treated me like a child.
I called Dish Network and asked about wall mounts for their HD dishes. They said of course they mount on walls, as long as it is strong enough to handle it and the Ironwood people were only willing to do roof installation because it is super easy. Less work for the same pay. Tomorrow i get by Dish Network HD Dish. I am through with those jerks at DirecTV!
Carrie
Studio City, California
U.S.A.
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