[luvdtv04]

I have an R15 that I added to my account about 9 months ago. I understand that I locked myself in to a 24 month commitment at that point. If I choose to drop the R15 but maintain my Total Choice programming package, what is the penalty for doing that? I understand the penalty would be $12.50 a month for each month remaining if I cancelled my service entirely, but I'm just interested in dropping the advanced receiver that only costs me $10.98 a month (mirroring fee and DVR service). Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Nope... the Commitment is for the programming package...
not for the equipment that you have activated.

At "worst" they may want you to send them the R15 back, but that is it.

 

[luvdtv04]

Thanks, Earl. I wasn't sure if I had committed to 24 months of DVR service as well or just a programming package. As usual, I suppose I could remove all doubt with a phone call but the wait times seem especially long tonight. Thanks!

 

[luvdtv04]

Right you are. They just want me to send it back. They are apparently sending a "kit" so I can return the R15 to them. Anyone done this before? What do I have to send back? Does this let me verify when they receive it back? Anything else I should know?

 

[JLucPicard]

I think they send a box with a pre-paid shipping label (FedEx or UPS). I would make a photocopy of the shipping label (or scan it). That will give you the shipping number and you should be able to track it to determine when delivery is made.

 

[jonaswan2]

All you have to do is return the receiver and the remote (some people don't even send back the remote) and your good to go!

 

[gto5830]

Nope... the Commitment is for the programming package...
not for the equipment that you have activated.

At "worst" they may want you to send them the R15 back, but that is it.

So what you are saying is that if we have several different recievers, and want to give one back, but stay with the programing we signned up for,they will not charge us? Also, what if we are getting 6 months of free Showtime, but do not wish to continue that,we should be ok? Right? Thanks.

 

[JLucPicard]

So what you are saying is that if we have several different recievers, and want to give one back, but stay with the programing we signed up for,they will not charge us? Also, what if we are getting 6 months of free Showtime, but do not wish to continue that,we should be ok? Right? Thanks.

gt05830,

Welcome to DBSTalk! :welcome_s

The programming commitment that is required is that you maintain at least a minimum level of service for the commitment period. Even if you are returning the equipment that necessitated the commitment, you would not be charged the Early Termination Fee if you continue getting programming service at the required level.

As for the Showtime question, if you are receiving it as part of a deal that was tied to the receiver you are returning, I'm not quite sure how that is handled. At worst, they would drop it or start charging you for it. Chances are they wouldn't do anything about it. If the deal was tied to a piece of equipment that you are keeping, there shouldn't be any impact, either. If you are getting Showtime as part of a deal and you don't want it anymore (wish to cancel Showtime), there shouldn't be any problem with doing that except for maybe one: if you cancel within 30 days of them turning it on, their system automatically charges a $10 fee for that. I would at least wait until 30 days has passed before cancelling Showtime.

 

[cariera]

I have an R15 that I added to my account about 9 months ago. I understand that I locked myself in to a 24 month commitment at that point. If I choose to drop the R15 but maintain my Total Choice programming package, what is the penalty for doing that? I understand the penalty would be $12.50 a month for each month remaining if I cancelled my service entirely, but I'm just interested in dropping the advanced receiver that only costs me $10.98 a month (mirroring fee and DVR service). Thanks in advance for your help.

You say you added this to your account, do you have other receivers that you own and not lease? If so you could swap the R15 with one of the owned receivers and then deactivate the owned receiver. This would mean nothing would have to be returned, and you would have the R15 if you change your mind. You can probably drop the DVR service and the R15 would function like a standard receiver, at the same cost.

Just a thought.

 

[jonaswan2]

You say you added this to your account, do you have other receivers that you own and not lease? If so you could swap the R15 with one of the owned receivers and then deactivate the owned receiver. This would mean nothing would have to be returned, and you would have the R15 if you change your mind. You can probably drop the DVR service and the R15 would function like a standard receiver, at the same cost.

Just a thought.

As far as I know, the R15 doesn't function at all without DVR service.

 

[carl6]

Actually, I think an R15 will work as a receiver without the DVR service, but I'm not absolutely certain of that. I think when I first tried activating one (over a year ago when they first came out), and before the CSR was able to figure out the R15 used a different activation code than Tivo, I was watching live TV but had no DVR functions (no buffer, no trick play, etc.)

Carl