How much do I have to pay up front?
There is a NO activation fee that is due upon installation. Now, you may have to pay a small deposit or shipping fee.

How much is the installation cost?
Basic or Standard Installation is Free. Additional Fees may apply if our installers are not able to follow the standard installation methods.

What does Basic/Standard installation consist of?
Installation is considered standard if the Dish can be placed on a solid surface (House, Garage, Shed, Deck...) relatively close to the television sets to be connected, and that the cable(s) can be ran from the Dish to the rooms they are to be connected to through the walls or into a basement then up through the floors. If you request the Dish to be placed in the yard on a pole, or the cables to be ran inside of the walls, through an attic, in a crawl space, or in any other means outside of the standard installation, you may be charged an additional installation fee. Installation of Telephone Jacks, Mirror Lines, and extra receivers beyond 4 TV's are not included in the basic installation. Talk to your installer to communicate your installation concerns, and Line of Site issues before the installer begins installation to avoid unexpected charges.

I Live in an apartment or other Rental property, can I get DirecTV?
Most of the time satellite dishes are allowed so long as they are not attached to there building property, and is installed on the ground with a pole or Non-Pen Mount. Some landlords may require an additional security deposit before allowing installation of satellite dishes. Refer to your Lease agreement, and talk to your landlord or complex manager and ask about there rules regarding satellite dishes before signing up for satellite service.

How can I get a cheaper DirecTV bill without changing my packages?
You can reduce your DirecTV monthly bill by simply refering your friends and family to DirecTV. You will receive 5 monthly $10 credits on your bill per person you refer (up to 20 per year) to DirecTV.

Do I need a credit card to subscribe to DirecTV?
Yes, our promotions require a credit card for contractual purposes, as we supply the equipment at little or no cost. We also charge the shipping fee as well as any equipment cost to the card proir to installation. We do require that the name on the credit card and the name on the DirecTV account match to prevent fraud. If you do not have a credit card or debit card with a credit card logo on it, than you can also purchase a Pre-Paid credit card (available at retail merchants). When the account is set up, the credit card number is linked to the account in a secure location that cannot be read by our Customer Service Representatives. If the contract is defaulted, the promotion cancellation fee (if applicable) is charged to that card. You are not required to make your monthly payments with a credit card.

Can I paint the dish antenna so that it blends in with my house?
We do not recommend painting your dish as it may cause signal loss. If you do decide to paint your dish, do not get paint on the front cover of the LNBF (the white plastic cap that faces the dish), and avoid latex and metallic paints. We also recommend that you use as few coats as possible as more paint will increase signal loss.

I have trees in front of my dish. What can I do?
If your system has been installed for a while and you lose signal during clear weather, you may have obstructions (trees, buildings, mountains, power lines, etc.) causing interference with the satellite signal. If you cannot find a different location that provides a clear line of sight to the satellite, you may have to trim your trees.

What can I do about snow and ice on my dish?
If you experience signal loss due to the accumulation of snow and ice on your dish, if safe to do so, gently by hand or with a small broom, brush as much of the snow and ice off as possible. Your signal should return shortly.

Why do I need a phone line connected to my receiver?
A phone line connection is required in order to provide non-interrupted programming. The phone line will not interfere with your telephone use. If the receiver is using the telephone line and someone picks up the telephone, the receiver will immediately stop and try again later. The same will be done if a call is received. The receiver will only use a toll free (800) number. This provides continuous access to DirecTV Pay-Per-View movies and events and allows use of the Customer Support Application and other Interactive TV applications.

DirecTV Pay-Per-View purchases are stored within your receiver and limited to a specific purchase amount. The phone line connection allows your DirecTV Pay-Per-View purchases to download automatically and be processed by our computers. These purchases are then applied to your regular bill.

A phone line connection is also required with some of the features of Interactive TV.

What are the benefits of DirecTV periodically updating receiver software?
From time to time, we update the software in our receivers to improve the performance or add new features. There is no charge for these enhancements. Please note that the receiver must be in standby mode (plugged in but turned off) to receive software downloads successfully.

The download process takes between 5 and 15 minutes. It’s best to leave the receiver off overnight, or when you are not watching TV for an extended period of time.


The time in my Electronic Program Guide (EPG) is incorrect. What can I do?
During an initial activation, the time will be set normally 10-15 minutes after the programming is authorized. The time is set according to the ZIP code listed for the physical address, which is federally assigned.

If it has been more than 15 minutes since activation, you can perform a Smart Card reset.

Caution: The Smart Card could be damaged by a Static Electricity discharge. To prevent this, you should touch the outside of the receiver prior to removing the Smart Card.

• Locate the Smart Card. The Smart Card is normally located behind the receiver.
• Carefully remove the Smartcard for 15 seconds then reinsert the card.

• Remove electrical power from the receiver by unplugging the receiver from the AC electrical outlet.
• Wait 15 seconds.
• Plug the receiver back into the AC electrical outlet.
• If you are still receiving the incorrect time, please contact our Technical Support Department at 1-800-347-3288 for further assistance.

I need a Professional Installation. Who do I call?
Simply call 1-888-606-2722 to schedule an installation time convenient for you.

Can I install my satellite TV system myself?
You can not install the DirecTV satellite system by yourself at this time.

Do you have an equipment/installation protection plan?
DirecTV offers customers the DirecTV Protection Plan for $5.99 per month. This program covers most "DirecTV" branded DBS equipment in the same home. The program terms are active the moment you add the DTV Protection Plan service to your account. Malfunctioning equipment must be active on the account at the time you exercise the Protection Plan. In some cases you may be required to return the equipment for an exchange. The equipment return process will include packaging and prepaid shipping labels for your convenience. The program also includes In-home servicing if the problem cannot be resolved through troubleshooting over the phone with our technical agents.

For more information on the DirecTV Protection Plan, including the terms and conditions, please click here.

Do you provide Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio?
DirecTV provides Dolby Digital audio on some Pay-Per-View channels and select movies on HBO, Starz, Cinemax and Showtime (all HDTV channels are Dolby Digital). The program has to be sent to us in Dolby Digital format for us to provide it in Dolby Digital. These channels may also show movies in their original letterbox format (LBX). To see if a program is in Dolby Digital, look for the "DD" symbol in your Electronic Program Guide (EPG).

In order to take advantage of the higher quality of audio provided by Dolby Digital, you must have both a DirecTV receiver that supports Dolby Digital Audio and a Dolby Digital decoder (generally part of the surround sound system).

Using separate DIRECTV Receivers for each of the TVs in your home gives you the flexibility of watching different programs on different television sets. There is a $4.99/month additional fee for your secondary and each additional receiver.

No. DIRECTV allows you to connect more than one television in a single household to our services. The programming you request for the primary access card in your receiver is copied for all of the access cards in the other receivers and you are authorized to receive this same level of programming on these televisions.

When you receive programming on additional receivers, we verify that all of your receivers are continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. If we find that one of the receivers is not connected to the phone line, we will discontinue service to that receiver and you will need to call us to re-establish that service.

As the technology in our receivers becomes more advanced, leasing allows us to continue to provide the latest equipment to you — at minimal cost. Leasing also permits affordable upgrades and free replacement receivers.

The monthly lease fee is $4.99 per receiver, though we waive this fee on your first receiver. This low monthly fee is the same for standard receivers, DVRs, HD receivers and HD DVRs.

Not at all. We always use local installers and area retailers to serve you, so DIRECTV is part of your neighborhood. We're pleased to report that DIRECTV was rated higher in Customer Satisfaction than cable five years in a row by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). (The American Customer Satisfaction Index, The University of Michigan Business School. 2001-2005)