I ordered DirectTV for my new apartment through Smart Circle at Best Buyat the beginning of February. Unfortunately, when I moved in I found out there were no phone jacks in the apt., so I had to wait 2+ weeks for AT&T to set up my internet access and thus did not have it when the installation tech arrived. First, he said I needed to pay $75 for "custom installation" (because my roof is flat, or something ridiculous like that). Ok, fine. Then I told him that I did not have internet access yet, which is apparently required in order to set up DirecTV's On Demand service (Cinema Connection). He told me it would be no problem, that he would complete the installation and then when I get internet access I could just call to get a tech to come install Cinema Connection AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. Am I sure I heard him correctly? YES. I re-confirmed this with him multiple times; I had already payed $75 for what was supposed to be a "free" installation, " and I was not about to pay any more. The tech gave me his direct contact number and said if I have any service problems at any time, I should call him and not DirecTV.

Cut to this morning. My internet is all hooked up, so I call Smart Circle to set up Cinema Connection installation. They tell me that the cost to send someone out to install it is $79. I tell them what happened and what the tech said and they claim that when I deferred installation of CC (because I had no internet access), I was essentially agreeing to cancel the free installation of CC, which was part of the package deal I purchased at BB. Angry and frustrated, I immediately tried to call the tech at the number he gave me, only to receive a computer message saying, "the mobile customer you are trying to reach is not available at this time. please try again later." Positively livid now, I call DirecTV to see if they can help me. They tell me they would be happy to order me a CC wireless, self-installation kit- for $31. Oh, and since I didn't place the initial order with them, they consider this a service "upgrade, " so I'll have to pay another $50. And should I have a problem with the "self" installation, it will cost me $50 to get a service tech to come out to help me.

When you go through Smart Circle, you are indeed buying DirecTV service, but you are actually ordering Smart Circle hardware installation. DirecTV has nothing to do with these 3rd party installations, but they will be happy to clean up the mess they make- at the expense of the customer. So basically, not only is there zero incentive for DirecTV to qualify or even approve these resellers, the more resellers there are and the crappier service they offer, the more money DirecTV makes. And what does Best Buy (or Sam's Club) care? They're not the ones doing anything wrong, the poor service doesn't reflect negatively upon them and clearly DirecTV doesn't take issue with them over it. The whole thing is totally sketchy and, ethically, highly suspect at best- which makes it entirely unremarkable. That's just the way business is done now. The only thing we can do is remember what Mike Brady taught us- caveat emptor.