Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnXI
Hey Bill, I plan on doing the same thing except I'm trying to decide between DirecTV & Dish Net. Any comments on that would be appreciated.
Anyway, if I understand you correctly, you have two dishes/antennae, one set up here and one located in Ohio, so my question is, when you moved your receivers from one location to another and plugged them in, why would you have to call DirecTV?? Shouldn't your service just continue working as before?
Thanks,
John A.
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John - We had Dish for a number of years. Only reason for switching to DirecTV 2 years ago was based on programming offered at the time. Dish wasn't offering certain deal-breaker channels whereas DirecTV was. Either service is fine as far as I'm concerned - fairly minimal problems with either, at least for me! Just check and compare their programming packages for what channels they offer and what's offered in HD (if you're getting HD service). Also, if one knows you're checking out the other, they'll start tossing all kinds of deals at you to get you to go their way!
Additionally, DirecTV will generally do "free standard installation" of an antenna. (Dish might work this same way but I can't speak to that). "Standard installation" to them means roof-mounting the antenna, which we don't personally care for. If you want it pole-mounted in the ground, you'll have to arm wrestle with the service tech when he/she shows up at the time of the install for what the charge will be as they consider that a custom installation. The installers are independent contractors (generally) and they'll charge you whatever they feel is appropriate. I tried to get them to call me in advance of the install appointment - no luck with that. $75 seems to be what they'll usually do it for - but I've heard/read as much as $150 and some people manage to get the extra charge waived completely. So you're pretty much on your own with the installer's pricing tactics!!
There are a couple of different reasons DirecTV makes you call them when you're switching locations. First, they need to "flip the magic switch" somewhere in their world so that you pick up the appropriate local channels - ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, etc. So when we were there in TV, we were getting the Orlando stations as well as a few out of Daytona, I believe. Called them from back home and the locals get flipped back to central OH. Second reason: They we talking some FCC-type regulation stuff about ensuring you can only receive service for a single account in one locale at a time. So you can't leave one receiver back home and take others to TV and get service at both places.
Lastly, if you deal with DirecTV as a brand new customer, they might quibble over the installation (for free) of the 2nd antenna. The way I got ours done was through their "Mover's Connection" group - different 800 number and everything. It's the part of their business that handles new antenna installs when you actually change residences - the typical "We're moving!" situation. But they apparently handle the dual-location situation the same only they add the 2nd residence as an additional service address to your account. They told me that there would be no charge since we'd been with them for two years already, our account was in good standing, and we'd never done the Mover's Connection thing with them before. Apparently they allow it to be done just once every 12 months. So be prepared for a potential discussion with them about the 2nd location if you're going to be a new customer.
And the nice thing is that we still pay the same thing every month. No extra monthly charges for any of it!
Hope that helps!
Bill