DirecTV Phone Number

DirecTV is a provider of satellite television services. Acquired by AT&T in 2015, DirecTV has over 20 million subscribers. Prospective and current customers have the option of setting up new accounts or managing their current services using DirecTV's telephone customer service.

Why Do Consumers Call DirecTV Customer Support?

Consumers call DirecTV customer service for a range of reasons, including:

• Ordering new service
• Changing or canceling service
• Technical issues with current service
• Billing issues

While many of these issues can be managed online, some customers prefer speaking with a live person. DirecTV understands this and offers extended hours for customer service calls every day of the week.

When is DirecTV Customer Service Available by Phone?

General customer service and new customer set-up are available every day from 8 am to 12 am eastern time. Technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Telecommunication Relay Service (TRS) is also available. This information applies to residential accounts: Business accounts are set up and serviced by a different division.

How Do People Feel About DirecTV Phone Customer Service?

At one time DirecTV was well known for high levels of customer satisfaction and there are many reports online from DirecTV users who are happy with their overall service, as well as their experience with phone-based DirecTV customer service.

On the other hand, some feel that the quality has slipped since the AT&T merger. Some individuals have complained that DirecTV customer service does not provide consistent care to its customers.

Another complaint is that the DirecTV phone systems do not keep appropriate records of calls. Failure to keep detailed call logs can result in customers having to tell their "story" to multiple agents, which can be frustrating.

Media Reports

There have been some media reports about DirecTV offering pay-per-view and sports channel deals and then not honoring the deal, charging the customer instead. In one case, a customer was promised a free sports channel and was charged for it. After requesting cancelation of service, the customer was charged an early termination fee.

Another case involved a customer whose roof was damaged by DirecTV. DirecTV offered to pay for repairs but repeatedly ignored requests for compensation after the customer had hired the approved contractor and paid the repair bill herself. Telephone representatives were particularly inept at handling the case, promising to call back and failing to do so.

In these cases, DirecTV was eventually able to work things out with customers, though third parties had to get involved.

What Kind of Issues can DirecTV Customers Handle Over the Phone?

Many issues, including technical and equipment problems, can be managed via DirecTV's customer service call center. These issues include:

• Setting up and changing service
• Canceling service and arranging for equipment return
• Billing issues
• Reports of technical and equipment issues, such as poor reception or sound
• Scheduling technician appointments

What Can't be Managed Over the Phone?

While many reception issues can be diagnosed and addressed remotely, others require repairs or equipment replacement. In such cases, a phone representative will help to arrange for a technician visit or a way to send back malfunctioning equipment.

Technical Support Phone Tips

DirecTV advises callers with technical support questions to call from a room where they can be in front of their television set with a receiver in hand. This makes it easier for the representative to work with the caller to determine and, hopefully, resolve any issues with reception and equipment.

General Support Tips

Like many companies, DirecTV can use caller ID to identify you when calling, provided that your phone number is associated with your account. In cases where you are calling from a phone that is not associated with your account, it can be helpful if you have a recent bill handy so that you can provide the representative with your account number.

What Can You Do if DirecTV Phone Reps Can't Help?

Sometimes, and despite your best efforts, you may find it impossible to get your issues resolved with DirecTV over the phone. If you are in this situation, don't fret: You have other options for communicating with DirecTV customer service.

• Visit the DirecTV website and request a live chat or post your issue on the site's community forum. Text-based communication has the advantage of providing you with a paper trail, which might be useful in further conversations.
• Contact DirecTV on Twitter or Facebook. DirectTV customer service is managed on Twitter by @ATTHelp. As with live chat or community forum posts, social media communication can provide you with a written record of your communications.
• Visit an AT&T retail store in your area. Call in advance if you need to set an appointment, or to clarify that their staff can work with you on a DirecTV issue.

Another option is to call back. Customer service representatives are individuals and some may be better than others at understanding and resolving your concerns.