BIG surprise from DIRECTV on MOONDANCER's TV System

ANYTIME

ANYTIME

New Member
Dec 3, 2006
345
Northern Virginia
Boat Info
Boatless
Engines
Boatless
A month or so ago I purchased a new KVH M2 Satellite TV system for my 2006 Searay Amberjack 290. Little did I know then that I would be upgrading boats, as I take delivery of our new 2008 Sundancer 310 Axius Drive boat this coming Friday.

I called DIRECTV today to cancel service on Moondancer and was notified (for the 1st time) that the DIRECTV receiver that was supplied with the KVH M2 system was leased from DIRECTV and didn't belong to me; and that I would have to return it to DIRECTV if I cancelled my service.

Further, because I "don't own" my satellite receiver, I have to pay a $20 per month termination fee for each month of the 18 month committment they say I have.

Note, there was no mention of committment when I called on the phone to begin my service, so I question the legality of having to pay to the unused service. I will resolve this once I have resolved the question of the satellite TV receiver.

While resolving the receiver ownership issue, I directed DIRECTV to change my service to the CHEAPEST service offered and I would cancel the service at a later date.

I have a call in to KVH now and am waiting for them to call me back after they complete their communications with DIRECTV. They needed to talk with them about the receiver.

Any comments or constructive suggestions are welcome.
 
Yup! I believe that as of at least two years ago, you could only lease the receivers; DirecTV kept ownership of the equipment. When I originally signed on to DTV at home, I started out with two RCA receivers that I bought and owned. Over the years I added two more DVR receivers to expand to a total of 4 sets. I then upgraded one of the DVRs about a year ago to hi-def, and was told I needed to return the one DVR since I was leasing it from DTV. The hi-def DVR came and I returned the standard DVR in the box within a set time so as not to incur a $300 charge on my account.

I'm surprised by the 18 month commitment. I thought standard contract period was 12 months.
 
That bites. I own all of my DishNetwork gear, 4 boxes from e-bay and my dish. No comittment, month to month plus when I'm away from the boat, winter I can put it in vacation mode and only pay for 1 deck (5.00/month) Good luck with all though and ENJOY THE NEW BOAT:thumbsup:
 
This FIASCO has finally been resolved. :smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038

Yesterday I spoke with the folks at KVH. They told me that the Receiver that comes with the M2 System is not owner by DIRECTV, but by KVH, and when I purchased the M2 System, I purchased the receiver, too.

Today KVH informed me that they had resolved the issue with one of the managers at DIRECTV and that I should call them to complete the cancellation of service.

I called DIRECTV and spent about 30 minutes on the phone with them, passed around to four different people and finally getting them to admit that they had miscoded the Model of Receiver I had. They recoded my account and then told me that I still had an 18 month service committment and would owe them $340.00. We went round and around and they finally realized that I was right and that I would not have any further liability to them; in fact, they now owed me money, just a few dollars.

My DIRECTV service has now been cancelled and I am ready for my new boat. I wonder how long it will take before the Admiral asks me to have a new satellite system installed:smt013??
 
Absolutely LOVED IT !!!!

The timing of this fiasco was crazy. I am sure glad it is over. It was KVH that saved the day!!
 
DirecTV is notorious for this scam. Glad to hear KVH assisted in resolving it.
 
BEWARE of DIRECTV Service with your KVH System

ANYTIME said:
Absolutely LOVED IT !!!!

The timing of this fiasco was crazy. I am sure glad it is over. It was KVH that saved the day!!
Click to expand...
Well....all is not well at Sam's house. Yesterday, after two different representatives at DIRECTV told me they were not going to charge us a "Termination Fee", they charged me $320 and put it on my debit card.

I went to my bank and registered a formal dispute, but I see this leading to places I really don't want to go (negative reporting to Credit Bureaus, etc.:smt013) I explained to my bank that when I activated the new KHV receiver, I was never advised that I would be incurring an 18 month committment. When I asked DIRECTV for a copy of my signature or a copy of a recording of me verbally agreeing to it, they, for all intents and purposes, said "tough sh!t".

They are no longer demanding that I return the Boat DIRECTV receiver I purchased from KVH, which means they now accept that I did not have "leased equipment".

Let this be a "Heads-up" to all who are wanting DIRECTV in their boat. Even if you are a current customer, they tell me that any new receiver added to your account will commit you to 18 months of continuous service with it. I had been a DIRECTV customer for many years...but not now, and never again.

I have reported this to KVH, they forward a form letter to DIRECTV, but appear to have very little influence with them.
 
Just re affirms my belief that there is no need for TV service on a boat, unless it is your home.
 
KayKook said:
Just re affirms my belief that there is no need for TV service on a boat, unless it is your home.
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Your comment doesn't make sense. :huh: and does not address the problem or resolution:smt013.

We are retired, our boat IS our second home !!!
 
Put ur acct in vacation mode or whatever they call it . So u dont get billed every month. I put my acct on hold for the months the boats out of the water. Atleast it gives u time to figure it out with out incurring additional costs

Rob
 
KayKook said:
Just re affirms my belief that there is no need for TV service on a boat, unless it is your home.
Click to expand...

And your belief is just that- YOURS. Since when is the way someone chooses to equip their boat based upon "need"??? It also has nothing to do with the topic being discussed...

To the point of the thread- I can understand the 18 month commitment on adding additional receivers- after all, DirecTV is supplying the equipment and paying a subcontractor to install it in your home. That's not the case here. Unless they could show in the service contract (who reads them, anyway) where this is specified, I would dispute the charge like you did and screw 'em.

I've been a DirecTV customer since their early days, and while they're not perfect I find them far better than the cable we had. I have no intentions of changing service providers (especially now since installing an M3) so I guess it's a non-issue for me. I am curious, though as to why you did not move the service to your new boat?
 
ANYTIME said:
Note, there was no mention of committment when I called on the phone to begin my service, so I question the legality of having to pay to the unused service.
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We just opened a DTV account and had dish installed at the dock. it's unfortunate that you didn't have correct info on the phone, but everything you had mentioned we were informed right up front during our phone conversation. Chances are all this is written in the small font on the contract you had to sign (I'm assuming you've signed something to get the service activated). If this is so, I don't think you'll win the case with the credit card dispute, but keep trying to fight. However, if your contract does have clear statements on shorter contract term, as well as receivers ownership, this would turn things around to your advantage.

Good luck,
Alex.
 
Alex F said:
...Chances are all this is written in the small font on the contract you had to sign (I'm assuming you've signed something to get the service activated)...
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Alex,
There was no contract to sign...it was strictly a cell phone contact with DIRECTV.

I had been a DIRECTV customer for years previously, so they opted to just reinstate my service instead of opening up a new account. The DIRECTV representative stated that because my DIRECTV receiver was owned by me (not leased DIRECTV property) and that I had previously satisfied all minimum service committments, I would have no obligation to any minimum term of service. This is the reason for my dispute (and total outrage) at this company. Note that there was only a 5 month lapse from my previous DIRECTV final statement and when my DIRECTV service was reinstated.
 
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tobnpr said:
.... I am curious, though as to why you did not move the service to your new boat?
Click to expand...

To remove the KVH M2 dish would have been unsightly. The welded in aluminum plates that are on the top of the 290 Amberjack aluminum arch would have had to be replaced. Also, the KVH receiver was mounted in the cabin. Removing it would have significantly devalued my trade in value. The $3k cost of purchasing and installing the system was less than the refurbishing the boat after removing it, so we decided to leave it on the Amberjack.
 
This is to let all intrested parties know that today, DIRECTV has relented and refunded all the money that I claimed they unlawfully withdrew from my account.

Hopefully, this will close this issue forever and that anyone else that this has happened to will reach a satisfactory conclusion.

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