Question about DirecTV Contract Renewals

[larryz]

Hi All. First time poster. I'm hoping to get some details about DirecTV's contract renewal policy. I actually sent them a letter via postal mail to ask this question, but I only received a generic phone message in reply that didn't answer the question, and Customer Service confirmed via e-mail that they would not be sending any written reply (very odd for a large company)

I understand that if a broken receiver needs to be replaced with an identical one, the two-year contract is not renewed (at least theoretically). I also understand that if you upgrade your receiver to a whole new tier of service, such as SD to HD-DVR, that would start a new two-year contract.

However, what happens if you are a customer for let's say 5 years, your receiver breaks, and the same model is simply no longer available? Some people are reporting that in this scenario, their contract was renewed with the replacement box, in some cases unbeknownst to them. If I continue to remain a DirecTV customer beyond my two-year committment, how can I be certain that a new two-year contract will not somehow begin? Thanks for any info.

[curt8403]

Hi All. First time poster. I'm hoping to get some details about DirecTV's contract renewal policy. I actually sent them a letter via postal mail to ask this question, but I only received a generic phone message in reply that didn't answer the question, and Customer Service confirmed via e-mail that they would not be sending any written reply (very odd for a large company)

I understand that if a broken receiver needs to be replaced with an identical one, the two-year contract is not renewed (at least theoretically). I also understand that if you upgrade your receiver to a whole new tier of service, such as SD to HD-DVR, that would start a new two-year contract.

However, what happens if you are a customer for let's say 5 years, your receiver breaks, and the same model is simply no longer available? Some people are reporting that in this scenario, their contract was renewed with the replacement box, in some cases unbeknownst to them. If I continue to remain a DirecTV customer beyond my two-year committment, how can I be certain that a new two-year contract will not somehow begin? Thanks for any info.

1. if your equipment is leased, replacement will not do a new agreement. if you have an old rcvr and it is replaced there is a new agreement, but only if this is the first time that an owned rcvr is replaced with a lease unit.


2. changing programming without changing equipment will not do a new agreement

3. old equipment is replaced with current models IE an RCA 435 will be replaced with an D11 or D12

[SDizzle]

Or, if you have the PP, then the replaced "owned" equipment would not reup your commitment at all....not even the first time like Curt explained above if you didn't have the PP.

[smiddy]

I know this sounds funny, but what is a PP?

[evan_s]

In this context it would be protection plan.

[WERA689]

In any other context, it would be liquid:D

[MicroBeta]

Hi All. First time poster. I'm hoping to get some details about DirecTV's contract renewal policy. I actually sent them a letter via postal mail to ask this question, but I only received a generic phone message in reply that didn't answer the question, and Customer Service confirmed via e-mail that they would not be sending any written reply (very odd for a large company)

I understand that if a broken receiver needs to be replaced with an identical one, the two-year contract is not renewed (at least theoretically). I also understand that if you upgrade your receiver to a whole new tier of service, such as SD to HD-DVR, that would start a new two-year contract.

However, what happens if you are a customer for let's say 5 years, your receiver breaks, and the same model is simply no longer available? Some people are reporting that in this scenario, their contract was renewed with the replacement box, in some cases unbeknownst to them. If I continue to remain a DirecTV customer beyond my two-year committment, how can I be certain that a new two-year contract will not somehow begin? Thanks for any info.Welcome to DBSTalk. :welcome_s

This is about as official as we can get.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=1100106

Mike

[rudeney]

Hi All. First time poster. I'm hoping to get some details about DirecTV's contract renewal policy. I actually sent them a letter via postal mail to ask this question, but I only received a generic phone message in reply that didn't answer the question, and Customer Service confirmed via e-mail that they would not be sending any written reply (very odd for a large company)

Actually, by not giving you a written response, D* is making sure that it doesn't create an official policy. This gives them tremendous flexibility in changing that "policy" anytime they want to best fit their needs. I'm not saying that what others have told you is incorrect, because in practice, it does appear to be true. The problem is, if a D* CSR tells you different, you really have no argument because this is all just "talk on The Internet".

The only official policy in writing you will get with regards to replacing receivers is the protection Plan. If it's important to you to have a formal policy,t hem you might look into it. I have it and have used it several times and I believe it's worth the price, but YMMV.

[ThomasM]

1. if your equipment is leased, replacement will not do a new agreement. if you have an old rcvr and it is replaced there is a new agreement, but only if this is the first time that an owned rcvr is replaced with a lease unit.



That's not always true. Another poster in this forum just posted that he received an R16 in exchange for a defunct leased R15-500 and it reset his 2 year commitment.

So far, I've found no definitive answer why some customers get replacements for broken LEASED receivers without extending their commitment and some don't. Even the CSR's I've quizzed can't supply a positive answer. I wish someone would.

[Dolly]

That's not always true. Another poster in this forum just posted that he received an R16 in exchange for a defunct leased R15-500 and it reset his 2 year commitment.

So far, I've found no definitive answer why some customers get replacements for broken LEASED receivers without extending their commitment and some don't. Even the CSR's I've quizzed can't supply a positive answer. I wish someone would.
This all comes back to my one BIG TIME problem (and no it isn't how many HD Channels they do or don't have) with D*. They are inconsistent in the way they treat their customers. And it seems like there is "a lot" NOT in writing to let them easily get a way with doing it. And I think it would be nice, but I'm sure D* won't do it, to have it in your account information if 1) you are under a commitment and 2) what date you will be free of your commitment. And if you change any thing that changes the commitment the new date should then be listed. Like me I got upgraded for HD service in June 2007. I got an HD DVR at that time. And then in Aug. of this year I got a second HD DVR. I know that extended my commitment time, but I have no idea when my commitment ends. Is it added onto my first commitment or does the time of the commitments overlap?

[randyk47]

My understanding, for what that's worth, is that a new commitment overrides an existing commitment and starts the clock all over. For instance, I just upgraded an H10 which generated a new 24-month commitment. At the time of the upgrade I was 18 months into a previous commitment period for an HD DVR upgrade. The HD DVR commitment period is gone and is replaced by the H10 upgrade. Since I did that in October I'm now on the hook with DirecTV until October 2010.

[paulman182]

This all comes back to my one BIG TIME problem (and no it isn't how many HD Channels they do or don't have) with D*. They are inconsistent in the way they treat their customers. And it seems like there is "a lot" NOT in writing to let them easily get a way with doing it. And I think it would be nice, but I'm sure D* won't do it, to have it in your account information if 1) you are under a commitment and 2) what date you will be free of your commitment. And if you change any thing that changes the commitment the new date should then be listed. Like me I got upgraded for HD service in June 2007. I got an HD DVR at that time. And then in Aug. of this year I got a second HD DVR. I know that extended my commitment time, but I have no idea when my commitment ends. Is it added onto my first commitment or does the time of the commitments overlap?

Your comittment ends two years after your last upgrade or addition. So in August 2010 yours will end.

Unless you're like me, and keep adding, and adding...:)

[rudeney]

That's not always true. Another poster in this forum just posted that he received an R16 in exchange for a defunct leased R15-500 and it reset his 2 year commitment.

So far, I've found no definitive answer why some customers get replacements for broken LEASED receivers without extending their commitment and some don't. Even the CSR's I've quizzed can't supply a positive answer. I wish someone would.

It seems that D*'s unpublished policy is that replacing a defective leased receiver should not reset the commitment. However, it seems that sometimes it does. My guesses as to why are:

1. Many CSR's just don't understand the policy

or

2. The software they use makes it difficult to handle properly

or

3. There are incentives for CSR to renew commitments and some unscrupulous ones erroneously reset them for their own benefit.

EDIT: I was just informed by someone I trust to know the right answer that my "guess" about #3 is wrong - CSR's have no incentive to extend contracts, so it's either #1 or #2.

[Dolly]

Your comittment ends two years after your last upgrade or addition. So in August 2010 yours will end.

Unless you're like me, and keep adding, and adding...:)
I think money wise I am added out :lol: As I was typing that post I was thinking about O.J.'s jail time and how the Judge kept using the words--I believe they were consecutively and concurrently. So I was trying to find out which one was true for my comittment ;) And thanks paulman182 and Randyk47 for helping me out with that :sunsmile:

[inkahauts]

If you have a unit replaced and its outside (either 30 days, or the manufactures warranty, which is probably 90 days, I just can't remember which) of getting it, unless you have the PP, they are going to consider it a favor to simply swap it out, and you will be re-upped for your commitment... People think that if something is leased its fully covered. Its not. Go lease a car and see what they cover when your car has an issue, or even needs an oil change...

[rudeney]

If you have a unit replaced and its outside (either 30 days, or the manufactures warranty, which is probably 90 days, I just can't remember which) of getting it, unless you have the PP, they are going to consider it a favor to simply swap it out, and you will be re-upped for your commitment... People think that if something is leased its fully covered. Its not. Go lease a car and see what they cover when your car has an issue, or even needs an oil change...

Actually, it's not a "favor" to swap out a defecitve leased recevier - it's part of their written policy:

From the FAQ's on the DirecTV website: (http://directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/faqPage.jsp?assetId=3460036&footernavtype=5)

Why lease the DIRECTV equipment?
As the technology in our receivers becomes more advanced, leasing allows us to continue to provide the latest equipment to you — at minimal cost. Leasing also permits affordable upgrades and free replacement receivers.

Why do I need the protection plan if I lease my equipment? The equipment leasing fee is for your receiver only. Leasing the receiver allows us to provide the latest equipment with minimal upfront cost, affordable upgrade options, and if the receiver fails we will replace it at no charge. The protection plan is also a great option to cover equipment other than the receiver. With the protection plan you will have access to service calls from a trained technician if we can't fix the problem over the phone, dish alignments, replacement of defective remotes and other components such as cables, multi-switches, or splitters, as well as free technical troubleshooting 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.