Terminating My True "Cable"

[NanaFoods]

Recently, we had a storm sweep through our area, and the wind tilted my True satellite dish out of whack, so it doesn't pick up the signal anymore.

We called True and asked them to re-align it. They said it would cost 300 baht.

"Now wait a second", I thought. "I pay money every month, both for service and for equipment rental. It's your equipment - I pay rent on the dish and box every month. And you have the audacity to expect me to pay money to fix a problem with your equipment resulting from a storm that blew it out of whack ??!!" An expletive came to mind.

So I told them to come and get their equipment and terminate my account.

Anyone else disgusted with True?

[gotlost]

We all love them.

[garyh]

Your paying for rental not to fix damage caused by acts of god, 300 baht is not much money, get over it.

Edited June 12, 2010 by garyh

[Birdman]

Don't know. How much would that be in your home country?

[happylarry]

So what are you going to get instead???

HL

[Will27]

Is it really worth getting that pissed off over 300 Baht?

Who are you going to replace them with?

Just take a deep breath, pay them and move on.

Regards

Will

[jackdawson]

i'm sure they will miss u .

and that u will be happy w/out cable in what during daylight hours is probably one of the most boring spots on the planet .

now that's a win win

[Birdman]

So what are you going to get instead???

HL

[dumball]

'Birdman' date='2010-06-12 08:50' timestamp='1276307448' post='3681133']

Don't know. How much would that be in your home country?

Actually , my service provided an alignment programme on a TV display , it showed signal strength etc , also gave the method and parameters for initial line-up , when all else failed , called the local service agent who would come and rectify the problem , charge ?

"Have a nice day sir "

[gotlost]

You could pick up an old multi choice super sports system real cheap.

[NanaFoods]

@garyh - I am certainly not responsible for "acts of God" on rental equipment. They are. They are the party making a profit. Your concept invites moral hazard. If this is way you think things should work, you need to check yourself. Can you not see how a company can profit from such nonsense? Just don't tighten the bolts 100%, and they can make a profit every time a storm blows through. Brilliant.

If I had damaged the equipment from misuse, then I would happily accept it as my responsibility.

Actually I had become quite bored with their limited programming anyway.

Its not the 300 baht charge that is the issue, but the principle of paying to fix their equipment, which we rent. Moral hazard.

No problem regarding programming - I get plenty from the Internet, especially news, and can rent a good number of DVD's per month (of exactly what I want) for the price of their subscription (from which I get only a few movies I actually might enjoy per month - some months, nothing I enjoy).

Edited June 12, 2010 by ChefHeat

[NanaFoods]

Is it really worth getting that pissed off over 300 Baht?

Who are you going to replace them with?

Just take a deep breath, pay them and move on.

Regards

Will

You've been in Thailand too long.

Pity that you feel so powerless.

[dsprtliving]

They are extremely over priced versus what we actually get, but the problem is that they've got a virtual monopoly here and know it. I've wished for a long time that there were other providers that could be competitive, but the local set-ups are just woeful in comparison. Might just have to suck it up and get it fixed or have a go at enjoying Thai TV/ get used to buying loads of DVDs.

[NanaFoods]

They are extremely over priced versus what we actually get, but the problem is that they've got a virtual monopoly here and know it. I've wished for a long time that there were other providers that could be competitive, but the local set-ups are just woeful in comparison. Might just have to suck it up and get it fixed or have a go at enjoying Thai TV/ get used to buying loads of DVDs.

You're right, it is virtually a monopoly.

But not 100%.

I can rent more DVDs than I can watch in a month for the True subscription price. I dont buy DVDs that I think are watchable only once. Usually my choices for purchase are music videos and certain special movies that I can watch over and over again.

Since I mostly watched the news on True, I won't be missing the garbage spewed from BBC, CNN or MSNBC.

I have been getting better sources from the Internet for some time now. No loss on that count.

Sitcoms? - the entire format has been outdated since the 90's. No loss.

But there are other options. The main issue with the options are the start-up costs - buying one's own equipment, usually involving a fairly large dish. So after a hiatus from True, if I ever have a desire to get a service again, I can save much of my former monthly fees that I can roll over into equipment for an alternative service.

Actually I am quite happy with my decision - more so than I had expected at first.

That's why I made the post.

[Jimi007]

They are extremely over priced versus what we actually get, but the problem is that they've got a virtual monopoly here and know it. I've wished for a long time that there were other providers that could be competitive, but the local set-ups are just woeful in comparison. Might just have to suck it up and get it fixed or have a go at enjoying Thai TV/ get used to buying loads of DVDs.

You're right, it is virtually a monopoly.

But not 100%.

I can rent more DVDs than I can watch in a month for the True subscription price. I dont buy DVDs that I think are watchable only once. Usually my choices for purchase are music videos and certain special movies that I can watch over and over again.

Since I mostly watched the news on True, I won't be missing the garbage spewed from BBC, CNN or MSNBC.

I have been getting better sources from the Internet for some time now. No loss on that count.

Sitcoms? - the entire format has been outdated since the 90's. No loss.

But there are other options. The main issue with the options are the start-up costs - buying one's own equipment, usually involving a fairly large dish. So after a hiatus from True, if I ever have a desire to get a service again, I can save much of my former monthly fees that I can roll over into equipment for an alternative service.

Actually I am quite happy with my decision - more so than I had expected at first.

That's why I made the post.

I've had my dish go out of alignment a few times here. I called customer service in Bangkok and they sent out the local UBC guys from Phuket town. One went up on the roof while the other shouted out signal strength to him. No charge. My IRD, (integrated receiver decoder) fried itself. I called them again. They had me do all the stuff, reboot etc. I said I can see arcing inside the box, they were out the next day with a new box. I had to sign new paperwork, they said; thank you, good bye. But that doesn't mean that their programming doesn't still suck. Or that they still charge too much and then want more money for every channel they add... In the US, I put my dish up and its never gone out! I even have one I take with me when I go skiing for a week and C-clamp it to the balcony railing, get out my compass and I can watch everything in my room.

[IanForbes]

Everything still comes down to value for your money. If I think something is worth the cost then I pay what they ask regardless if it's a bit of a ripoff, otherwise I give it a miss. That goes for "wigits", restaurants, double tiered pricing in parks and women.

I asked the hotel I was staying at to take out the TV they were charging me for and it saved me 250 baht a month. There wasn't more than one channel out of 40 that was worth watching. Of course, I'm not married and don't have a woman who wants to watch Thai soaps all day.

For me, 300 baht would be worth it if there WAS something worthwhile on TV... even if I did think I was being ripped off. But, not having TV is not something I miss.

[leftcross]

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. There was a really bad storm the night before the Champions League final and my dish got knocked out of line. I went in the local True shop and asked if they would come and sort it out. They said they would but it would be a couple of days. I asked if they could do it a bit quicker because I didn't want to miss the football. They had a chat between themselves and then said they would be there in the next couple of hours. Two blokes came around and sorted the whole thing out and I gave them a case of beer. Job well done, brilliant service. I can remember trying to deal with Sky in England and getting messed about for weeks if I had a problem. It used to take an hour just to get to speak to a human on the phone (if you were lucky)

[ukrules]

I bet you paid the installation fee in the first place. Using the same argument that you're using now you should never have paid this either.

[siamect]

I also had the same problem with a dish pointing somewhere else...but I also have a toolbox.

5 minutes later I had perfect picture...

Martin

[garyh]

I also had the same problem with a dish pointing somewhere else...but I also have a toolbox.

5 minutes later I had perfect picture...

Martin

Being able to help yourself is by far quickest and most satisfying. But when it comes to digging holes etc I am happy to watch.

[NanaFoods]

I also had the same problem with a dish pointing somewhere else...but I also have a toolbox.

5 minutes later I had perfect picture...

Martin

I have a physical limitation in my spine that precludes me from climbing ladders or taking any risk of falling.

If I had an accident, I could become paralyzed a lot more easily than a healthy person..

[Will27]

Is it really worth getting that pissed off over 300 Baht?

Who are you going to replace them with?

Just take a deep breath, pay them and move on.

Regards

Will

You've been in Thailand too long.

Pity that you feel so powerless.

Have not been here that long and don't feel powerless.

I just wouldn't "die in a ditch" over 300 Baht.

Regards

Will

[NanaFoods]

I bet you paid the installation fee in the first place. Using the same argument that you're using now you should never have paid this either.

Categorically wrong.

There is no moral hazard for a one-time installation fee.

[grantbkk]

True Visions is very similar to what was available in the US in the early 1970's. It is simply a monopoly that has bribed and bullied its way to the top. The only direction for them now is down. Right now True Visions can charge whatever they want because they and their parent company CP are in control. Sometime down the road the Kingdom of Thailand will open their market to competition which will improve choices and service. Right now the continuing criminal enterprise that is True Visions can steal your money and laugh all the way to whatever foreign bank they use to spread the wealth.

[Pib]

@garyh - I am certainly not responsible for "acts of God" on rental equipment. They are. They are the party making a profit. Your concept invites moral hazard. If this is way you think things should work, you need to check yourself. Can you not see how a company can profit from such nonsense? Just don't tighten the bolts 100%, and they can make a profit every time a storm blows through. Brilliant.

If I had damaged the equipment from misuse, then I would happily accept it as my responsibility.

Actually I had become quite bored with their limited programming anyway.

Its not the 300 baht charge that is the issue, but the principle of paying to fix their equipment, which we rent. Moral hazard.

No problem regarding programming - I get plenty from the Internet, especially news, and can rent a good number of DVD's per month (of exactly what I want) for the price of their subscription (from which I get only a few movies I actually might enjoy per month - some months, nothing I enjoy).

Well, let's assume the orignial/current dish realignment policy is a 300 baht charge per visit, whether the subscriber agrees with the policy or not. It's apparently True's policy and you have two basic choices, pay the service charge, or as you did, cancel. You made your choice.

Personally, I would have paid this particular charge as every service agreement has the clause that the company can change (of course they call it an update) its policies pretty much at any time--that's a chance the subscriber knowing accepts when he/she signs the agreement. Plus, when the dish gets knocked out of alignment due to an act of god or whatever reason, there was no "electrical" failure of equipment like the dish LNB going bad, set top box failing, etc., which I would consider TrueVisions responsible for under the month subscription/rental fee until they showed me otherwise in writing their policy which would probably take a visit to one of their service centers vs just a phone call. But I've had two boxes replaced for free and no service visit fee each time over the last few years, so I know there is not charge for this type of failure, which I refer to as an electrical failure.

I wouldn't have considered cancellation until I knew exactly what the service agreement I signed said...but I have no doubt it would have included a phrase similar to, "the company has the right to change its policies and the subscriber agrees to this by signing the service agreement."

.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Pib

[NanaFoods]

Have not been here that long and don't feel powerless.

I just wouldn't "die in a ditch" over 300 Baht.

Regards

Will

OK. Fine.

But if you consider my lack of enthusiasm with their programming before all of this, I am in no way "dying in a ditch".

Of course, this is subjective to every individual and how addicted to, or dependent upon, TV they are.

At first, I was wary that I might develop "bailer's remorse", to play on words a bit.

Or go through TV withdrawal. But it turns out, no such symptoms whatsoever.

In fact, I am finding that I am more focused in my work, and still have plenty of entertainment available when I desire it - and it's perfectly targeted to my tastes.

I rent the movies I want, and can find better news and re-runs online (the same reruns aired on True and more).

[jfchandler]

As a general rule, Truevisions has contracts and policies that say they will charge customers all kinds of ridiculous fees for all kinds of services... like 7500 baht for initial cable installation.

In practice, however, they're always discounting or ignoring those.... As a cable and internet customer of theirs, they've been out to the house any number of times...but I don't believe I've ever paid them a service fee for any of them.

That said, none of the above represents any comment or opinion about the quality or cost/value basis of their TV programming. That's a whole different subject.

By way of comparison, one time, when I needed them to change a cable receiver box, they came out to the house and took the old one and installed the new one... no charge.

[kikoman]

As a general rule, Truevisions has contracts and policies that say they will charge customers all kinds of ridiculous fees for all kinds of services... like 7500 baht for initial cable installation.

In practice, however, they're always discounting or ignoring those.... As a cable and internet customer of theirs, they've been out to the house any number of times...but I don't believe I've ever paid them a service fee for any of them.

That said, none of the above represents any comment or opinion about the quality or cost/value basis of their TV programming. That's a whole different subject.

By way of comparison, one time, when I needed them to change a cable receiver box, they came out to the house and took the old one and installed the new one... no charge.

The same thing happened to me, my cable receiver box went bad, called up the cable office and they said to bring the box into Nakhon Sawan and they will change it, if they came out to my village it will be a 300 baht service fee.

I told them that I would not pay them to service their equipment, to turn off my TV service until one of their repair man was in my area to exchange it free off charge. My service was disconnected for a week before they came out to service it free of charge.

If they had not come out to service their equipment, I also would have terminated their service!

Cheer:

[kikoman]

It seems like you all have been in Thailand to long and have learned to go with the flow. actually I am surprised at some of your, powerless answers. After hearing all the complaining about Thai scams that are so prevalent on this forum.

I am not concern about Scams, but I will not pay them one penny much less then the $9.00 they wish to charge for servicing their equipment. To me it is the principle of their demands,. The service I receive from True is not worth 1,600 baht per month! period and if push comes to shove. I will disconnect the service , use that money to provide entertainment to my self during the month.

I already have a Thai satellite dish for the wife and kids. no monthly payments.

Being without the True TV reruns service is not the end of the world.

Cheers: