fantasycurse42
Footballguy Jr.
Just got my free Sunday Ticket 
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Can you negotiate with DirecTV? (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter oukurt
- Start date
St. Louis Bob
Footballguy
I've been having issues with taped shows freezing up and the screen turning gray. Same thing when I pause live TV. I've made sure they know about this. My year is up in June and I really might cancel. I've had it with equipment failures.
RBM
Footballguy
FWIW, I just signed up over the weekend. The biggest sticking point with me is that I only wanted red zone channel and not the full Sunday Ticket Package. I had to call back 2 different times, but they finally agreed to give me the entire Sunday Ticket Package for free the first year and red zone channel free the 2nd year. I think what got them was that I said both Cox and Dish offer this option, and it would be a dealbreaker b/c I wasn't going to pay $329 just to have red zone.
Anyone need a referral code for $10 off for 10 months, let me know
Anyone need a referral code for $10 off for 10 months, let me know
VA703
Footballguy
I got the free RedZone last year, will leave if cant get this year.FWIW, I just signed up over the weekend. The biggest sticking point with me is that I only wanted red zone channel and not the full Sunday Ticket Package. I had to call back 2 different times, but they finally agreed to give me the entire Sunday Ticket Package for free the first year and red zone channel free the 2nd year. I think what got them was that I said both Cox and Dish offer this option, and it would be a dealbreaker b/c I wasn't going to pay $329 just to have red zone.
Anyone need a referral code for $10 off for 10 months, let me know
fantasycurse42
Footballguy Jr.
Had to move early, don't know how the AT&T merger impacts their free ####, hopefully it doesn't. They didn't include the mobile portion, but I'll call back week one and play stupid and I don't think it'll be difficult to get that too.Just got my free Sunday Ticket
culdeus
Footballguy
Wingnut
Footballguy
You didn't go about this right. You don't call and threaten to cancel. You call and say the wife has been pressuring you to find something cheaper, and you've got offer(s) from other provider(s), but express that YOU love DTV and would rather stay with them, and ask what they can do to avoid switching to a different cable/satellite company. Tell them the wife isnt opposed to staying with Dtv is you can get the price down somehow. This approach has always worked for me. I've never called up and said 'I want to cancel' or 'I'm going to cancel'. They WILL call your bluff if you go in with that attitude.Also, chat them up a bit before getting down to business. I always ask where they are, make a little joke or two...just be personable and let then know that you want to keep DTV if possible, but the wife is making you shop around. Maybe mention the Sunday Ticket as a main reason you don't want to change providers (it never hurts to put that bug in their ear) but when push comes to shove, if the wife isn't happy, nobody is happy.
Then if you don't like the deal or offers(s) they offer, tell them you'll talk to the wife and call them back. Never just say NO outright...keep your options open for further negotiations.
Your situation worked out, but Id rather not gamble on setting up a hard delete date and hope they call...once the cancel date is set, you lose leverage.
Just my $.02. I will be calling them in July to attempt to get my usual free Sunday Ticket and discounts. All always I will post my tactics and results.
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flapgreen
Footballguy
Getting greedy and forgetting what made them great. Not liking my chances of sticking with them.
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mquinnjr
Footballguy
I'm moving to the Philly area late summer, and I'm going to be on month 16 of my contract when I cancel (long story, but short version is apartment complex where I won't be able to 1) install a dish easily and 2) no access to Phillies games. So, outside of the $160 ETF I'm stuck with, what else am I looking at? I assume I ship my Genie back to them...what about the dish, do you just keep it/remove at your own expense/risk?
VA703
Footballguy
They don't want / care about the dish. If you can proove your new apartment is not capable of the dish it may be a way out of the contract
kneeshooter
Footballguy
How do you calculate your ETF? Is there a standard amount or is it based on how long you have left on the contract?mquinnjr said:
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
3C's
Footballguy
"if you choose to cancel your DIRECTV service before your commitment expires you will be charged a prorated fee of up to $20/month."
Bull Dozier
Footballguy
I'm getting a little fed up with my DTV service. A couple of months ago, the DVR in my living room started to go. It would overheat if you watched for more than an hour. I called, and they sent me a refurbished unit for only $20. I thought that was a great deal, so I was happy. Well, it's only a couple of months later and now the unit is giving off this horrible high pitched sound. I know it is the DTV, because it is a smart TV with Netflix, and when you watch Netflix, or play the PS3, the sound is not an issue.
Then, the unit on our porch started acting funny. Every few seconds, the screen freezs/flinches ever so subtely. You really can't notice it when you watch a sitcom or regular TV show where the camera isn't constantly panning, but watching sports, NBA in particular is unbearable. It drives me nuts.
Maybe I'll be able to get a couple of new units for $20 each again, but how long will they last? I'm paying over $100 a month for this service, and I think its rediculous the cost of the equipment they add on.
Then, the unit on our porch started acting funny. Every few seconds, the screen freezs/flinches ever so subtely. You really can't notice it when you watch a sitcom or regular TV show where the camera isn't constantly panning, but watching sports, NBA in particular is unbearable. It drives me nuts.
Maybe I'll be able to get a couple of new units for $20 each again, but how long will they last? I'm paying over $100 a month for this service, and I think its rediculous the cost of the equipment they add on.
Politician Spock
Footballguy
There is little room for subscriber growth anymore. And they're losing customers to cord cutters and streaming services. Stock holders still want a healthy bottom line, so you should probably expect them to be attempting to get as much out of their hardware as they can to keep costs down.
Wingnut
Footballguy
Last year here...its too early to ask this year...
mquinnjr
Footballguy
I don't know about 100% off, but I know you can negotiate the price down with bill credits. For example, for MLB Extra Innings, I called (got retentions) and said, "I want this package, but it's too expensive. What can you do for me?" Split it in half via bill credits from $200 down to $80. No it's not free, but if you're willing to give a little, they'll work with you from my experience two months ago.
flapgreen
Footballguy
I doubt they even look at it that way now.
rail
Footballguy
IC FBGCav
Footballguy
I have been sucessful with the hard delete option but I have much experience with it. I like this way better. If you hard delete they will not call you back. You need to call them back and say you have to move your cancel date and get negotiations started again.
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
Called them today to cancel HBO since GoT is over.
Talked to the guy about NFL ticket, best I can do is $5 off a month, Im like wtf, thats alot more than I paid last year. Nevermind, Ill call back later
Offered me that free genie baloney, thats $13 bucks a month, Im like how is that free? Oh sir the equipment & installation is free.
Gonna call back once I get my July bill and try again
Talked to the guy about NFL ticket, best I can do is $5 off a month, Im like wtf, thats alot more than I paid last year. Nevermind, Ill call back later
Offered me that free genie baloney, thats $13 bucks a month, Im like how is that free? Oh sir the equipment & installation is free.
Gonna call back once I get my July bill and try again
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
St. Louis Bob
Footballguy
I called a couple of days ago and got $15 a month off for 12 months. I told them I was canceling then. However I forgot my equipment was still under contract for another year so it was going to cost me $240 to cancel. Doh. So I took the $15.
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
This is a good posting.
Two years ago, I waited until I got my first bill with the first installment for ST. I then called and did exactly what you said above, start shooting the #### with them and tell them I want to cancel ST because my wife told me I had to bring the bill down. Worked like a charm.
Last year I actually cancelled for a month and re-upped in July and got all the new customer deals including free ST..
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
Seriously? You sent back your DVRs and went through the whole rigmarole one month later? What were your upfront costs to re-up? What was the process?
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
Yep.
I actually hadn't planned doing that, but I was so disappointed with Time Warner Cable after only a month that I went back to DTV.
They send you boxes to send your equipment back free of charge. Then they sent someone out to hook me back up a month later. The salespeople don't care as they probably get commission.
No upfront costs, just like you're a new customer.
flapgreen
Footballguy
Why are cable companies so terrible? Comcast is the worst run company I've ever come in contact with. They really have no clue what's going on with their customers. It's hard to imagine a place being ran that badly. There were countless times where they would tell me one thing and then do the opposite. I would call them back like "wtf" and they would act like they didn't know what I was talking about. Do they keep all of their records on post-it notes? So ridiculous
B Maverick
Footballguy
Was considering taking this angle with retention when I call coming up soon. all my discounts are up and I think my 2 year is up too.
I wondered if telling the person "i can cancel and wait a month and get all the new customer deals and discounts. Can even get the referral discount since my wife's parents have DTV. So why not just save us the time and effort and give me the better pricing?"
Think it would work?
If not, I do believe my wife would love to have no TV for a month. win win!
St. Louis Bob
Footballguy
Exactly what I was going to do until I found out I was still under contract for a year. The retention person I talked to said you had to wait two years after canceling to be considered a new customer.
Wingnut
Footballguy
I wouldnt try that angle, you'd basically be telling them your plan and they may flag your name so you don't get the new customer deal...I'd rather play it sneaky...if its in your name right now, try signing back up in the wife's name, or vice versa.Of course they may deny it anyway, I've heard both success and failure stories with this strategy. Luck of the draw maybe?
GoFishTN
Footballguy
My mom switched back to Comcast and it took them almost three weeks to get four TVs working and I had to fix one of them myself. I was thinking about going back too, but now I'm really hoping DTV will play ball on some discounts.
B Maverick
Footballguy
Wow thats new. I came back after 1.5 years and got the new customer. 6 months vs 23 is a lot but i am not surprised they would say that. Funniest thing about this is I guarantee if I cancelled within 1-2 months I would start getting the come back offers (we'll pay $200 toward your cancellation fees, get the discounts) in the mail.Exactly what I was going to do until I found out I was still under contract for a year. The retention person I talked to said you had to wait two years after canceling to be considered a new customer.
B Maverick
Footballguy
Probably depends on who you talk to, their mood and if you seem to get a good dialog with them. I could probably put it in my wife's name, or heck my daughters name. She loves getting mail!
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
Yea, my contract was up.Exactly what I was going to do until I found out I was still under contract for a year. The retention person I talked to said you had to wait two years after canceling to be considered a new customer.
bagger
Footballguy
Hold.....
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
Can you get RedZone for free? Last year I got Sunday Ticket Max for free
This year I was able to get after an hour on the phone..
Sunday Ticket Max for $166.00
They were able to lower Sunday Ticket $8.00 from 39.99 and then include max $15.00 a month for free and then give me a one time credit of $25.00 bringing the net total for Sunday Ticket to $166.00 over 6 months.
This year I was able to get after an hour on the phone..
Sunday Ticket Max for $166.00
They were able to lower Sunday Ticket $8.00 from 39.99 and then include max $15.00 a month for free and then give me a one time credit of $25.00 bringing the net total for Sunday Ticket to $166.00 over 6 months.
GoFishTN
Footballguy
I got Red Zone free last year. I didn't try for ST, I never watch a whole game anyway.
Haven't tried this year.
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
I'll have to call back later and try for only RedZone. I really don't want ST either.
Politician Spock
Footballguy
fruity pebbles
Footballguy
True but don;t the time warner prices sky rocket after 12 months?At least there's no more 2 year contract for Directv to use in order to bend me over.
