I began my DirecTV service in January. Before that I had a year of service with Dish Network, and as agreed they took my equipment back and did not bill me for the two years of service they had expected.
I moved to DirecTV because it carried local channels in HD that Dish did not have at the time. I wish I had never switched. In April, after more than two years, I cancelled and sent back the equipment through their equipment return program. A customer service rep told me they would send me a check for the unused time in the following month, which I had already prepaid. The charges had gone through my credit card.
Some time afterward, I saw a $360 early cancellation charge. When I phoned, they explained that my DVR had malfunctioned in December and been replaced, and that this gave me another two years of commitment. They said an addendum to the customer service agreement states that every piece of equipment carries a two-year commitment. I disputed it with my credit card company, which reversed the charges.
The following month DirecTV billed the same amount again. I am now close to paying these crooks just to keep any negative marks off my credit. Before I do, I will look at my credit report to see whether they have already blacklisted me. I have not found anyone who has managed to get them to withdraw this unfair charge, and I do not have the legal resources to fight it. I have sent a copy to the Texas Attorney General and will report it to the BBB. Do not do business with these crooks.
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