DIRECTV Disconsolations

The account with DirecTV and myself (and tenant) was started on March 2, 2006.  The 3-month ‘Special’ deal was up on June 2, 2006.  I renegotiated down to the basic connection for $27 somewhere around this time.

As DirecTV bills in advance for their services, on June 3, 2006 I received a bill for $50.80.  I thought maybe their paperwork was behind, so I paid the agreed upon $27 on this bill and let another month go by.  My next bill from them on July 4, 2006 was for $79.62, with the same base bill of $50.80.

Along with my payment of another $27 which I had agreed to over the phone, I included the note below:

“July 21, 2006

Hello,

Against my will I was forced into taking your ‘Total Choice’* package for 3 months upon signing up.  At the end of 3 months I phoned in and stopped the ‘Total Choice’ package within moments of the first telephone notification that the trail period was over.  I was told by one of your representatives that my new bill would total about $27 per month.

Please make corrections to my bill so it reflects what I was told.

Thank you,

Bill Hardin”

* Notice the Orwellian double-speak of ‘Total Choice’.  This package was sneakily forced upon me for the additional charge of about $17.  As noted before, all their advertising at the time was for a $19.95 basic service, which was all I wanted.