If you like watching TV, DirecTV is one of the best values....offering dozens of channels, including your local stations, and many of them in high def.
But DirecTV comes with one downside the cable company doesn't have: You'll find out if you try to cancel before your contract is up.
Surprise at Cancellation TimeCrystal Rombke loved her DirecTV service...with its channel selection, onscreen guide, and great picture. But then she started having problems. Crystal told me "our HD is constantly going out...to where we dont have any service."
So she then asked DirecTV for a new receiver, hoping it would fix things. Unfortunately, it didn't. The problem may have been her home's location and nearby trees blocking the dish.
So, she says,"we asked them if we could be let out of our contract, since it was about to expire."
That's when Crystal got the bad news: By swapping out her receiver, she had restarted her entire contract.
She says "they told us we had a year and half left, and they told us we had extended our contract by getting a new receiver when ours had gone out." Result: She now faced a hefty early termination fee. "We had no idea that would happen," she says.
The Fine PrintThe company wasn't pulling a fast one: It's in the fine print of the contract. Even DirecTV's website states that equipment changes or upgrades will extend your contract.
But since Crystal only got the new receiver to try to fix a problem, not as an "upgrade," I decided to contact DirecTV on her behalf. The company then agreed to waive her termination fee, leaving Crystal free to find a new provider.
Heads Up to Potential SubscribersIf you have or are considering DirecTV, which can be a great value, remember that any change or upgrade in equipment can restart your contract.
So if you think you may want to cancel youre service at some point, ask questions before you make any changes to your service.
That way you don't waste your money. Im John Matarese.
