AirTV is a device that claims to be able to take your Over The Air (OTA) local television broadcasts and then transmit them to the AirTV app or (as promoted by Sling) integrate them into your Sling App and service so that they show up with your Sling channels. This local channel integration was the main reason I went with Sling for service when I decided to leave cable. This product does not work and they will not refund my money.
Sling offers a promotion for an AirTV 2 + antenna for $49 (AirTv 2 normally costs $99). You just have to commit to 3 months of Sling service to get that deal. Before I ordered, I purchased my own antenna to ensure that I could receive OTA transmissions at my house. I can and all the major networks plus a handful of other channels come in perfectly. So I ordered everything. The Sling service worked fine, so I only had to wait for my AirTV. Four days later it had arrived and I tried to set it up. First off, it only found 9 channels instead of the 13 or so my antenna found on its own. No big deal as long as the networks are all there. They weren’t. And the channels it “found” wouldn’t play through Sling. An error message would display that the antenna signal was missing or too weak. CBS did play slightly but was so juddery, pixelated, and froze too often to be usable. I moved the antenna back to the TV to check and everything came through perfectly again. I started the setup over. Same. I did a factory reset. Same. I called AirTV support and was told to do another factory reset. Same. I was continually told I needed to reposition my antenna. When I explained that stations came in fine through the TV, I was told again that the antenna needed repositioned. So I did. Same. Eventually there were a couple muttered statements about loss of signal strength through the device.
I then called Sling to demand a refund and instructions to return the AirTV. The first gentleman I spoke to was very nice, but explained they had a no refund policy. I explained my situation as above. He said he had an AirTV as well and experienced some of the same issues as me and that he was told that there was a loss of signal strength when channels route through the device so that is why it probably wasn’t working. Ok, great! So it does not warn of that anywhere in the product information I could see on their website, I have no way of knowing this before I purchase it, I tested my signal with my own antenna and it was fine. Product does not work as advertised should equal refund. I asked for a supervisor. She created a ticket and said she would pass it to the billing department and they would reply to me via email within 3 business days. Great! I received the email and they stated they could not issue a refund.
I called back customer service and requested to speak with a supervisor. They repeated that thy are a prepaid service and they do not issue refunds. I asked to speak with their supervisor and was told that they were the highest level. I asked to speak with a member of the billing department and was told they can’t be reached by phone and I need to email them. They refused to assist me any further or do anything to resolve my displeasure other than putting me in contact with AirTv (which I had already done and who is not the company that charged me). Then they hung up on me.
I would advise against having anything to do with Sling or AirTV.
I can receive OTA TV signals with my antenna.
AirTV claims to take those signals and stream them to your Sling service.
Sling offers the AirTV at a $40 discount if you sign up for 3 months of Sling.
AFTER I receive the AirTV and find it does not work as advertised I am told there can be a loss of signal strength when the signal passes through AirTV.
I had no way to know this or test this before making the purchase.
Sling refuses to refund me and/or accept a return of the AirTV even though it does not work as advertised and I only paid for 3 months to get the AirTV.
Sling stole my money.
No comments:
Post a Comment