MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — Most people cannot go without television for very long. When a Moore County man could not resolve a service issue with his satellite company, he called Five On Your Side for help.

Mark Adkins has had service with DIRECTV for 11 years. He said he did not have any problems until recently.

"I turned on the TV. Blank screen. There was a message at the bottom of the screen that said, 'Call customer service,'" he said.

When Adkins called, a DIRECTV representative told him his service was suspended because of his "questionable identity."

"I said, 'Excuse me, I think you probably have this mixed up with somebody else,'" he said.

Adkins said he was told it would take up to four weeks to sort it out.

"I go, 'Four weeks? Wait a minute, don't you have a phone number? Don't you have an e-mail address? I can send a message to get this resolved, because this is really a mistake.'" he said.

Adkins e-mailed customer service and got the same response. He would hear something "within four weeks."

In the meantime, Adkins could not get any service. Adkins kept e-mailing back and forth with DIRECTV and called Five on Your Side, who called DIRECTV. Company representative Jade Ekstedt told Five On Your Side it was a "total system error" and calls it "very strange." Two days after the call to Five On Your Side, Adkins' service was back.

"We pay the bills. We do what we're supposed to do as a good, bona fide subscriber to their system. And all of a sudden, just a glitch," Adkins said.

DIRECTV credited Adkins for a month of service. Plus, they sent a technician for a free service visit to check out his system.. And installed a new dish.