| DIRECTV is going under fire for the terms of | | | | introduced a bill that would require cable and |
| their early cancellation fees. If you are a Dish | | | | satellite companies to disclose the cancellation fees |
| Network customer, consider yourself lucky that | | | | in the same font size as the service's sales |
| you are not in the same boat as some DIRECTV | | | | price.Another complaint is that DIRECTV often |
| consumers.The satellite TV provider requires that | | | | 're-starts' the two-year commitment clock if it |
| consumers sign a two-year commitment when | | | | replaces a defective set-top. A DIRECTV |
| they sign up for new service. There used to be a | | | | spokesman told the Times: "If it's a broken |
| 12-month commitment with standard equipment, | | | | receiver, we don't turn the clock back. There has |
| but that was upgraded to an 18-month | | | | been some administrative errors where a |
| commitment and soon after that raised to | | | | customer service agent will accidentally start the |
| two-years. | | | | clock again on the two-year commitment." |
| Now, every customer who signs up for DIRECTV | | | | However, one aspect of the "re-starting of the |
| must sign a two-year agreement, regardless of | | | | commitment" is true: if you upgrade to advanced |
| his or her equipment or programming. If a | | | | equipment such as a DVR or HD receiver, |
| consumer tries to cancel DIRECTV before the | | | | DIRECTV restarts the two-year commitment |
| two years are up, the company will assign a | | | | every time you do so.Better Business Bureau has |
| financial penalty of $20 per month for every | | | | reported having received more than 30,000 |
| month that still remains on the consumer's | | | | complaints about DIRECTV's cancellation policy. As |
| agreement.Because of this, DIRECTV has drawn | | | | a result, the BBB has changed DIRECTV's rating |
| much criticism from consumers and is now the | | | | from a "B" to "no rating." Several cable and |
| target of a class action lawsuit and legislation from | | | | satellite rivals are rated an "A" or "B."In a related |
| two New York state legislators. Many subscribers | | | | development, a group of California consumers |
| have complained that the early cancellation policy | | | | have filed a class action lawsuit against DIRECTV, |
| is hidden in small print in the agreement. | | | | saying the company "unlawfully" removed money |
| The two New York state legislators have | | | | from their bank accounts and credit card |
| checked these claims and agreed that these | | | | accounts without their knowledge when they tried |
| claims are correct. As a result, they have | | | | to cancel their subscriptions. |