True vision HD box- a con or not?

True Vision seems to be my topic of the week.

Had a phone call from True in Udon, completely out of the blue, saying they wanted to come to my house to install a new HD sat box. Funny, as I have an old TV that is not HD so an HD sat box ain't high on my priorities.

Assuming that it was a valid call from True (as opposed to a conman seeking access to my house), to the best of my knowledge, you have to buy the HD box, not be given it for free. I think they have a five month free offer on at the moment, but after that, I assume the box and channels are chargeable.

Does anyone know if True are trying to get the HD boxes into houses under the heading of "routine free upgrade", with the intention of whacking on, or trying to whack on, the HD fee in 5 months time? I can just envisage a lengthy conversation in 5 months time where I have to convince someone from True that I didn't ask for the box and that they gave it to me "for free".

Maybe it's a question that can only be answered in 5 months time, or maybe someone has a contact at True who can confirm whether this is a Thailand wide upgrade of black boxes for all True users........or a questionable salestactic to get HD sales on an upward path.

wynnsiensheng wrote:True Vision seems to be my topic of the week.

Had a phone call from True in Udon, completely out of the blue, saying they wanted to come to my house to install a new HD sat box. Funny, as I have an old TV that is not HD so an HD sat box ain't high on my priorities.

Assuming that it was a valid call from True (as opposed to a conman seeking access to my house), to the best of my knowledge, you have to buy the HD box, not be given it for free. I think they have a five month free offer on at the moment, but after that, I assume the box and channels are chargeable.

Does anyone know if True are trying to get the HD boxes into houses under the heading of "routine free upgrade", with the intention of whacking on, or trying to whack on, the HD fee in 5 months time? I can just envisage a lengthy conversation in 5 months time where I have to convince someone from True that I didn't ask for the box and that they gave it to me "for free".

Maybe it's a question that can only be answered in 5 months time, or maybe someone has a contact at True who can confirm whether this is a Thailand wide upgrade of black boxes for all True users........or a questionable salestactic to get HD sales on an upward path.

For shure the call was valid but............they try a trick to sell U an uppgrade packet to HD True....thats a scam as well but.....the same trick they use all ower the world, they start talk about a rutin upgrade.....the coasts will be presented after....the install...he he

parrot wrote:#1 - If you don't have an HD capable TV, why bother?

#2 - Judging by their website that advertises 2 different HD packages at 490 Baht per month and 290 Baht per month, I'd guess any 5-month-free-deal is just that. 5 months free, then you pay. http://www.truevisionstv.com/photo/prom ... 1111th.jpg

It doesn't seem to be a questionable sales tactic to me.....it's a matter of reading the fine print....and I'd guess that you'd have to sign a contract for this promotion.

Yes be very wary of this. A couple of months ago we were also rang by them to inform us that we had been"specially" selected for a 5 months free trial.Now being suspicious by nature I went into the office and asked specifically was this a trial that at the end of I can say no I don't like it and that's the end of it . Lots of sheepish looks and they didn't have a copy of the contract I would have to sign for me to read . Funnily they have never arrived. After phoning I am told 'No have boxes yet" I think the paper you sign on receipt of the "free" box gives you a period free, after which you are automatically billed for a further 2 years, non cancel able .Read it carefully yourself when and if it arrives, don't let your wife do it even. Mine , an intelligent woman, didn't understand this principle.

I am catagorising this approach from True firmly in the "con artist" catagory. It's more than questionable sales because they have made false claims:

1. This is a "routine upgrade".

2. I need it so that they can"send messages to my TV".

Neither is true (pardon the pun) and the lies are intended to pave the way for an eventual sale of an HD package. Having once gained access to my house to fit the box, and by the way they intended to be at my house within 20 mnutes of their call, I'm sure more lies would be forthcoming in order to try and convince me I have to have the HD package. I don't know what they would be, but I'm sure they would materialise.

Well, they can stick their HD box where the sun doesn't shine and if they call again I'll tell them just that.

I've just taken up their free offer to upgrade to HD. I'm a Gold customer. For that I get 3 HD channels. 120,121and122.
120 I never watch, 121 is HBO films which I don't get any sound and 122 is sport which is brilliant. Football and golf is crystal clear.
The remote is not as good as the previous one. When changing channels it often comes up with a zero when I've pressed everything but a zero.
I haven't signed anything so when the 4 month trial is up, they can have it back.

Another episode in this saga. Truevisions finally made an appointment to fit my free box on the 29th November . About lunch time my wife rang as they hadn't appeared, was told have many to do can't say time. Nearly 5pm still not arrived, so rang again , promise to ring back, never did .Yesterday was asked would we be in today 1st as they are coming. when asked about no show the previous day , told run out of boxes.So then asked for an approximate time of arrival was told couldn't say as they had four to fit in the village .At nearly the end of the conversation the girl asked if we would give the driver 300bht "for his petrol'(Its 40k from Udon) totally forgetting she had previously said they had four to fit .4x300bht , not bad aye .Not sure if this is a scam by True staff or company policy . Either way it stinks .

trubrit wrote:At nearly the end of the conversation the girl asked if we would give the driver 300bht "for his petrol'(Its 40k from Udon) totally forgetting she had previously said they had four to fit .4x300bht , not bad aye .Not sure if this is a scam by True staff or company policy .

Hmmmm. Seems to be a pattern here TB. I had a somewhat similar experience with Truevisions only with my Gold package box. It quit working so we called them and they sent a couple guys out who checked it and said the box was defective and they would have to take it back to the shop to repair it. A couple of days later the wife gets a call saying the box is fixed, they would deliver it that day but it there would be a 500 baht "repair charge". I was furious, as the box belongs to True, not me, and we have only had it for less than a year. What's next, one of their satellites goes down and I have to pay for that? Anyway we marched down to the kiosk at Big C (we don't have a True office in our small town), and informed them that I wanted to cancel the service and told them why. The lady looked shocked, told us to wait until she made a phone call, then hung up and told us that we did not have to pay anything, that the box had a lifetime warranty, that they would repair it or replace it whenever it was needed, and that they would deliver the box that day. When they showed up they were very apologetic and said they had nothing to do with the 500 baht request. Honest!

Now either this was a scam cooked up by the local repair guys, or it's a True policy. I suspect the former. In any event my wife sent a nasty email to Truevisions so that they know that this is going on. Never heard anything back.

parrot wrote:Here's an idea: just like the immigration folks who might ask for a 'little extra', ask for a receipt. No receipt, no money. Or, as you're paying the guy, have your wife/gf snap a photo of the transaction.

No receipt , no money is my normal policy but sometimes the wife who is not quite as forceful as me gets fobbed off with the "in the post' reply .As for the snap . I don't think that is such a good idea to do openly . after all they now know where I live and my yarm only works at night. However my cctv cameras can be triggered on at any time, without the culprits knowledge .Not that I think the results will do any good. Judging by my experience and apparently other posters, the powers that be are not interested in the criminal activities of their employees .

Well a post script to the above. My wife knowing there could be trouble brewing . I was planning to make a You Tube video of the cctv recording .Rang the office in Udon 042 230001 and asked the guy answering about the petrol money as her husband didn't think it could be correct .No bother came the curt reply, we'll cancel it .Either the True mafia have taken over completely or the company have a strange public relations attitude .You have been warned .

I've used the following site to register a complaint with TrueVision.

http://www.truevisionstv.com/contactus.aspx

Just click English at the bottom of the page, fill in your info, go to drop down menu and click on SERVICE COMPLAINT (you will have to scroll down to find it), type in your message and click SEND.

Really can't say how effective it is but perhaps it is read by someone who might give a darn.

In my case, I did get a phone call from them and the problem was eventually resolved.

Shado wrote:I've used the following site to register a complaint with TrueVision.

http://www.truevisionstv.com/contactus.aspx

Just click English at the bottom of the page, fill in your info, go to drop down menu and click on SERVICE COMPLAINT (you will have to scroll down to find it), type in your message and click SEND.

Really can't say how effective it is but perhaps it is read by someone who might give a darn.

Interesting . Did you get a reply or even an acknowlegement ?

Yes, please read last sentence of the post. (edited post adding the sentence)