Welcome to the DIRECTV Community Forums

New to the Community? Visit the Community How-To and Guidelines to get started.

patbarnett's profile

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

Wednesday, January 24th, 2024 6:06 PM

PBS Channel Unavailable

Channel 28 WJSP Columbus GA is our local PBS station we have watched for years through Directv. A month ago it became unavailable, with error 721 and information for subscribing. I have spent literally hours and hours on the phone with Directv support and no technical glitch can be found. WJSP confirms they are still a free channel in the Directv lineup. I am at wits end and very close to ending my Directv subscription on the principle of the thing.

ACE - New Member

 • 

5.2K Messages

10 months ago

I’d file a BBB complaint regarding your inability to access PBS. If you’ve already gotten into contact with directv along with your local PBS station, that is the most we can recommend for you to do as this is a public forum full of customers just like you.

ACE - Sage

 • 

46.1K Messages

10 months ago

Error 721 is a subscription authorization issue, not a satellite reception issue. I'm puzzled why DirecTV hasn't been able to fix this for you. Try refreshing your authorization via www.directv.com/refresh 

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

Thanks but refresh does not help.

ACE - Professor

 • 

2.3K Messages

10 months ago

Did you call to make any changes around the time this started? I'm willing to bet there's a line item missing like " PBS hd" check your bills from before it happened and since it happened. Csrs don't always catch that

(edited)

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

Thanks. Everything is refreshing with no effect. It is the only channel where this is happening. Customer rep says it shows on her end as a viable channel in the Choice package. PBS says it shows on their end as part of Directv. But when I go to the channel lineup online it is not there -- in any package. Only PBS Kids is listed. I checked my bill and I did remove Starz around the time the PBS channel showed as unavailable. If this is a line item missing, how do I correct it? Also, how do I know if I have a legacy MPEG-2 box and if so, should it be replaced? Thanks very much for your help.

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

One box. HD Receiver, Model H25-500

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

Sorry to be so dense, but please clarify what is "line item is on the account" and how I double check to make sure it is on the account.

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

Excellent suggestion to say Cancel as the first option. The agent I spoke with was considerably more knowledgeable and understandable than the previous agents. He could not resolve the problem, so he transferred me to a local person to set up a technician to visit. The local person was Barbara, and she was terrific. Very sympathetic, but knowledgeable, with no explanation for why this is happening. Hopefully the technician can resolve. Thanks to all of you for your patience and good advice.

ACE - Professor

 • 

2.3K Messages

10 months ago

What's your zip code? The channel might no longer be part of your locals package

ACE - Professor

 • 

2.3K Messages

10 months ago

@Juniper  yes something like that but I really think it's a line item missing issue that no one is catching I've had to fix so many missing line items especially after a programming change. 

New Member

 • 

8 Messages

10 months ago

Thanks to everyone for responses. Two technicians came out, swapped out the receiver and that solved the problem. The technicians were efficient and professional. Great guys!

ACE - New Member

 • 

5.2K Messages

10 months ago

That's interesting. It must have been either a line item issue as previously alluded to by Nabukl and Juniper, or possibly an access card issue.

(edited)


NEED HELP?