Directv vs Verizon

[mack19318]

Moved to an area with Fios and decided to check it out. Right now I pay $109.99 a month for 2 HD DVR'S and whole home with the Choice Extra Package. And this is with no specials or discounts. Have had same package for 4 years, plus and minus there package name changes.
I am also getting Fios internet already for $56 a month with no specials or discounts. So it is about $166 per month.
So with the Fios Double play it would be only $131.20 with credits and discounts. And thats with internet that I already get and for 1 dvr that I have to pay an extra $19.99 for and 1 SD receiver and Prime HD which has less Channels than Choice Extra Package. So after speaking to another VZW rep I got them to give me the total after all discounts run out and how much to add an additional DVR and it came out to over $200 a month with out discounts or credits! The package price for just the tv jumps to $124.99 and then its still $19.99 for each DVR. Plus would still have to pay the $55.99 for internet. So with no offers, credits or promotions I would have ended up paying around $240 a month with taxes!! I pay less then $200 for both right now with no discounts!
But not even the prices they show are real, that 94.99 package ends up at around $140 with no DVR!
So before you make that switch check the real prices for everything. They had me fooled at first with all the promos and the $200 visa card they offer. I thought it would be a better deal to switch, bundle for only 1 bill and cheaper if I used the $200 gift card just for the bill. But it is really not that great of a deal after you have to pay the full price. Plus the retention department lady was a super pit bull in trying to getting me to stay. Even after she admitted the prices after 2 years would be more than what I pay now. All she wanted to say was how much i could be saving right now!!
So when I contacted Directv to tell them about the switch and what VZW was offering the Retention department guy offered my a few new discounts for the next year which will equal $30 a month off!
I did think it was funny how the Directv guy made a remark about how long it takes for the Fios tv set up. said something like "dont want to sit around for 2 hrs waiting on the install" And thought back on the Directv installs over the years from moving and not 1 of them where under 2 hrs!

 

[mountainbikermark]

It's a long story but because of the way I got treated by 6 different installers and 2 supervisors over a 3 week period I'll never get Direct . All had different excuses why they couldn't install the day scheduled, the supervisor were supposed to follow up by appointment and they never showed it even called. First time I called to cancel someone from the presidents office called said she'd take care of it and promised heads would roll if I got anymore run around. Next appointment dude shows up says he can't install cuz he didn't have any concrete for a pole and it was too hot to install on the roof. He talked to his supervisor who was supposed to show up around 1 that afternoon, he never showed and never called. I called back to cancel and the rep asked me to email the supervisor and ask why he didn't show or call. When I said "that's y'alls job" she hung up on me.
I've got Dish. It costs me $4 a month more but I got 2 Hoppers with free lifetime dvr and free hd for life.
The installer took over 4 hours to install but he was being meticulous. They sent me the supervisor that trains the supervisors. The guy was awesome, went over every wire and joint with a fine tooth comb said he treats all his customers as if their house is worth millions. He even made sure the mulch in the flower bed wasn't messed up once he installed a new wire outside.
Even if fios was offered here I've heard and read so many horror stories I'd not go that route either.

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From my Beano

 

[mack19318]

You are very right about the install problems. I have had it installed 4 times and 3 times it was changed to a different day and once the guy showed up with out the right equipment! So i really do understand the problems with their installs. But I did have a really cool guy the last time that did some above and beyond work for the install. "dang palm trees in the way!"
Before all the Directv stuff I had decided to go with Dish, but the guy showed up with out the right paper work, late and then only brought 1 dvr when it was supposed to be 2 dvr's and a regular receiver. Told me it would be another week before they could install. He left and i called Directv they had a guy to my house in 2 days! Been with them ever since.
So how much do you pay for the Dish package you have, and what does that include?

 

[nikecar]

Mack, do you, or anyone in the family work at USF? or even attend? if so, you can get discounted via the USF discount.

5153_VzUSF_LPiFrame

I pay 108, I get the middle TV package, the 15/5 internet, that really is closer to 20-25, and the phone. I have one SD box and an adapter. you get one free SD box for life, so if you get the HD DVR, you can use that one DVR across all rooms with the free box too.. You don' tneed 2 DVRs.

 

[mountainbikermark]

LogO

You are very right about the install problems. I have had it installed 4 times and 3 times it was changed to a different day and once the guy showed up with out the right equipment! So i really do understand the problems with their installs. But I did have a really cool guy the last time that did some above and beyond work for the install. "dang palm trees in the way!"
Before all the Directv stuff I had decided to go with Dish, but the guy showed up with out the right paper work, late and then only brought 1 dvr when it was supposed to be 2 dvr's and a regular receiver. Told me it would be another week before they could install. He left and i called Directv they had a guy to my house in 2 days! Been with them ever since.
So how much do you pay for the Dish package you have, and what does that include?

I pay $72 for the 250 channel package, including Joeys and insurance. It goes up to $92 after a year. I got rid of the free trial for 3 months stuff since we didn't use any of it. NFL network is free for life (Comcast charges new customers $96 a year) but no other paid sports channels.
I watch about 6 channels out of all I have, my teen girls watch 3, my wife 2 and my toddler daughter 2. My only gripe is when it storms heavily around Ft Lee (the direction my dish points) I lose signal. It can be Katy bar the door at my house and I have signal but storming over the Ft Lee area I lose it every time . I don't care cuz I just catch up on dvr stuff but the wife gets mad at me since I am the one that signed up for it.
Yeah installer number 2 showed up with NO boxes or dish and installer number 3 showed up with standard stuff then said I needed hd stuff in order to get a signal. Installer number 4 shows up with hd stuff then says only regular stuff , which he didn't have with him, would get signal.
I don't even know what installer number 5 had cuz he showed up and said his supervisor called him to another job and he couldn't install that day. Only installer number 1 even tried to do any install and he was green as grass, said he couldn't figure the stuff out, called his supervisor who scheduled installer number 2 to do it. Supervisor was supposed to come help number 1 but decided it was Friday, didn't feel like it . His words. .

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[mack19318]

I wish someone in my family worked for the USF, but nobody in my family does. And the reason for 2 dvrs is both my girl and I have shows recording at the same time, there is a few days where 4 or 5 shows are over lapping and right now with all the new line ups coming on and we work 2nd shift. So 2 dvrs are needed just to record all the shows we miss, we never get to just watch our normal shows we are always watching them with the dvr.
With the whole home dvr from vzw can 2 things be recording and you can still watch 2 different shows at the same time on different tv's?

 

[mountainbikermark]

I wish someone in my family worked for the USF, but nobody in my family does. And the reason for 2 dvrs is both my girl and I have shows recording at the same time, there is a few days where 4 or 5 shows are over lapping and right now with all the new line ups coming on and we work 2nd shift. So 2 dvrs are needed just to record all the shows we miss, we never get to just watch our normal shows we are always watching them with the dvr.
With the whole home dvr from vzw can 2 things be recording and you can still watch 2 different shows at the same time on different tv's?

With mine I can record up to 3 at a time per Hopper and for those that still watch broadcast it has a feature that records all 5 at once during prime times on 1 tuner and leaves 2 tuners available. We've usually got 2 recordings going at once as well, the need for a second Hopper for the additional tuners. A few times we've not had enough tuners (6) and somebody had to ,GASP, watch the show they were recording. I've got everything overlapping like 1 network instead of 2 separate networks.

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[mack19318]

Yep I can believe it!! Not sure why but Directv's installers sure do need to work on keep time and install date. Even if the times where off I would still prefer the same day, but just like you had heard, the Supervisors kept bumping the days around to whenever fit him and didnt care about me taking off work to do the install.
For shows i watch a huge variety, not glued to the tv every night but i do have about 10-15 shows that i record. Stuff like counting cars and all the pawn shows and i like american restoration, plus sons of anarchy and games of thrones and the few cars shows then all the shows like dirty jobs, ice road truckers, deadliest catch. plus all the cartoons like new simpsons and family guys and american dad. So i do have "about" my own dvr with shows that i havent watched yet
So I need a dvr just for myself other wise things get deleted for stuff like brides maids and american idol--booo:icon_ devil:!

 

[mack19318]

how big are the Hoppers hd wise? And are they expandable like usb hd to the back or front?
5 at a time for local channels? How does that work?

 

[mack19318]

Dont get me wrong I know how it works, but is it only an option for 5 at once with some option checked or can you normally record 5 shows at one time?

 

[mountainbikermark]

Dont get me wrong I know how it works, but is it only an option for 5 at once with some option checked or can you normally record 5 shows at one time?

Only prime time feature does the 5 at once. Everything else is 1 recording per tuner at a time. The Hopper is 250 gb per Hopper with ability to add an external of up to another 500gb on each one.
I don't see me ever needing to add an extra hard drive. I've got more than I'll ever watch now on "mine" and only using 9%. My oldest daughter tied her laptop into the other one for streaming her photos and stuff over Wi-Fi. I might see if I can figure out if my Fire will network into it for Prime video watching but have no clue how to go about doing it, not sure if the Fire can even do it.

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