I don’t have enough data about #1 to comment, I agree with Swann about 2, 3, & 4, and I hope he’s wrong about #5.
DirecTV is a disaster, but subs don’t know that until they try to cancel their DirecTV service and get hit by the Early Termination Fee, or whatever DTV calls it these days.
If the FCC OKs a DTV/Dish merger, one of the stipulations HAS to be the death of the Early Termination Fees, at least the way DTV currently does it.
In their place, the company would itemize the bill each month to show how much of each payment goes toward the purchase or lease of the equipment. That itemization should also show the current balance the sub would have to pay for an early cancellation of service.
That way, the sub ALWAYS knows what they’ll have to pay if they cancel their service. In fact, DTV should have to make the Early Termination Fees show up prominently on their website when people sign up for the service, with the dollar amount clearly shown in the calculation of the monthly cost. And DTV reps HAVE to make it clear on the phone when they sign up new subs. The fees should never be more than $25, unless the sub fails to return the receiver.
Also, no more multi-year contracts. The technology changes far too quickly for anyone to be locked into a service contract for longer than that. And when a sub actually pays the full price to purchase their receiver, they should never have to pay an Early Termination Fee. Never. Not even if the receiver goes paws up and DTV has to replace it.
DirecTV is run by con-men who specialize in bilking their subs out of hundreds of dollars for those Early Termination Fees, and these con-men should be sent to prison, not rewarded by bonuses and promotions.
Can you tell I have ISSUES?
Through ATT, I signed up for Dish - I thought and was told AT THE TIME, it was for a year. When I tried to downgrade, I was told I signed up for TWO years. come June, I don’t care if I have TV or not - Dish is gone. Maybe even ATT - I will use my prepaid cell. The only thing (right now) that I want is the internet. When the o takes office (shudder), that may be a moot point anyway.
Wow! I have the same feeling about DirecTV. I was with Dish, then I signed up DirecTV and was lied to over an over. Once they had me installed, they finally gave me the truth. I cancelled within 24 hours, they took my money anyway. After several calls and preliminary talks with my bank, they finally refunded the wrongly taken ‘early termination fee’.
I don’t love Charlie Ergen at Dish, but will probably go back sooner than later.