Very well said.
I’ve had DTV since 2000, except for a literal week mid 2000’s when I left for TWC (I believe at the time). TWC ended up costing me more and picture quality was terrible. DTV really did a great job phasing in HD, with many channels having great quality back then.
Back then, DTV acted like a small business. Everyone was friendly, didn’t need to beg for SPIFFS. Tech support was great, on-site techs were awesome. Over the years that all started to fade. Customer service tanked, especially after ATT bought them. On site techs were handcuffed in what they did for no cost any longer such as fix a cable, swap gear.
I’m fiercely loyal when I feel well treated and get my money’s worth from whatever the product is. When I felt they didn’t care about customer service, I only stayed to get ST, and hopefully get it for free. Now that ST is gone, there is nothing left at DTV to stay. Customer service is basically the same across all services. No need for equipment, cables or dishes any longer. And in the end, not paying them a premium for services I can get elsewhere cheaper.