DirecTV after merger into AT&T

[lunchbkt1]

In addition to myself, do we have in our membership others, who are disappointed in DirecTV's approach to customers, now that they are fully merged into and part of AT&T. A brief overview of our situation, We are part timers.  We use our coach to escape the heat in Arizona each summer. Sometimes we travel to Colorado and stay there for several months, other summer we have gone to Oregon, Western canada  etc. We have DirecTV in our home. It seemed a logical thing to do as we wanted to have it installed in our coach. In the coach we have two receivers, on in the living room, one in the  bedroom.  Two years ago we installed a Winegard, specific to DirecTV, antenna.  Each year when we return home , mid-September, we deactivate the receivers that are in the coach, to avoid paying the monthly fees, an activity that DirecTV fully accepted, then we would re-activate the next May. 

Not so, this year! When our direcTV account was merged with our other AT&T account (cell phones), because the coach receivers were not added to the merged account. Perhaps because those receivers were not active, but it is suggested that they would not have been, even if they had been active. 

Now we  are told we must have a second account,  and we must purchase two new receivers, cost $398.00, (the receivers we have used for the past several years will no longer work). When I asked why, it was because the satellites have changed!  The antenna still locks into the same satellites (101,99,103). Now we have to choose a Channel package and pay the monthly cost for it. AT&T now has offered an account suspension option for $7.00 per month (which previously was deativation for free). When I asked why a second account was required it was because the equipment must be in identified in an account with a fixed address.  Hence receivers in motorhome cannot be in a residential account. That raised the obvious question What address will be used to identify a motorhome, which could move every day! Answer, that will require you to speak to a different dept., one called "movers".

This seems to be money grab by AT&T. They know that many motorhomes or 5th wheels or whatever may have an antenna that is specific to the service provider.

Other thoughts? Does our association have a position?

 

[hermanmullins]

Lorne,

Sorry, I haven't seen a post from you before so WELCOME to the Forum.

Seventeen year ago when we purchased our first MH I would take one of my Dish Networks receiver from the house and use it in the MH and return it when we returned home. This worked until we got our current Coach. At present time we have a Dish Hopper Sling in the house with 2 Joies (3 TVs) We also have a Hopper Sling with 2 wireless Joies in the MH. I went wireless in the MH to cut down on the wiring. Both units work great and they are on one bill (account). 

I have never had Direct nor will I, but that's a personal issue. I have lots of friends with Direct and at this time haven't spoken of an issue like yours. With Dish and we have traveled out of our zone for our locals all I have to do is call Dish and they will switch us to the local of the area where we are. (I have to remember to have them move our local back home when we return home).

What we have at home is a standard 3 LNB dish on the roof and in the MH we have a Winegard "Dish Traveler 1000". 

I hope you resolve your issue with Direct but if not "Come on over to Direct".

Herman

[obedb]

Our Direct TV DVR has failed us. We enjoy recording programs for later viewing and fast forward thru commercials. We have never used the Genie system. Which is better/ The DVR system or the Genie? I know very little about the Genie. Opinions would be a big help.

[obedb]

Lorne/ I was on the DirectTV-AT&T website looking for answers on replacing our failed component. I do not like the new site, but maybe I did not select the right page? Seems to me that the company is more interested in selling phones and streaming movies. My two!

[kaypsmith]

Why not move the receivers into the house so it will be a permanent address? That was my solution and has worked well so far. I have the Genie system and it works very well, can record 5 different channels with my setup. And also I don't like the ATT webpage either, nearly as well as Direct old website, but you can navigate to makeshift look alike from the ATT account, and is much easier to navigate than trying to do so on the ATT my account page.

[wayne77590]

Whether DTV or DISH, they all have their problems.  I switched from DTV many many moons ago to DISH and never regretted it. Now I have the Hopper 3 at home and it is capable of recording 16 channels simultaneously. I can't watch that many channels so we just record a few we like. As for local channels when on the road, and I have the Wally receiver for the MH.  It is not as robust as the Hopper 3 but serves our purpose.  We pay an additional $7.00 a month to have the Wally in the MH and we can turn it off for the months we don't use it.

Lorne, consider asking to speak with a supervisor and when push comes to shove tell them you will not consider moving to DISH Network.  That usually starts some kindling smoldering and you may get what you want, a switch of all to one account.

Good luck.