# What does $8 per month get you with the D* Protection Plan?



## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

What does $8 per month get you with the D* Protection Plan?

I'm trying to save as much money as I can due to job uncertanies, and I'm thinking about dropping the $7.99 protection plan. I've had D* for 11 years and only used it once - to replace an HR10-250 about 5 years ago. But my HR20's are leased, so I'm wondering why I'd want to pay $95/year.

Thanks!


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

I think it's six...

It covers everything in your setup from the dish to the boxes, excluding the boxes, which are already covered. It will also get you free shipping if you need a box replaced and no extension of commitment.


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

tcusta00 said:


> I think it's six...
> 
> It covers everything in your setup from the dish to the boxes, excluding the boxes, which are already covered. It will also get you free shipping if you need a box replaced and no extension of commitment.


5.99 and it covers the dish, the cables, the remote and rcvrs,  It covers anything that is not caused by the customer


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

It's $7.99 for "advanced products". I was being charged 7.99, and have 2 HR20's


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## cb7214 (Jan 25, 2007)

I have 2 HR20's also and only paying $5.99


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## DBSNewbie (Nov 3, 2007)

I, too, am paying $5.99 per month and I have several HD DVRs. I am wondering if the $5.99 charge is some sort of grand-fathered fee for subscribers who had signed up for it prior to the rate change of $7.99 for advanced receivers.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

D* has been charging the two different rates for quite some time and no one really seems to know why.


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## MizzouTiger (Jan 10, 2007)

I was originally paying $7.99 but about a year ago or so DirecTv changed their pricing to $5.99 across the board. I waited a while and my pricing wasn't reduced. I was about to call and inquire about it when they reduced it to $5.99 themselves. Has been that price ever since.

I see on my DirecTv account on their website, it shows that I'm paying $5.99 but below that it says "$7.99 for advanced products". Could it be that they charge $5.99 for leased receivers and $7.99 for owned receivers? Doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but just throwing something out there.


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## idigg (May 8, 2008)

You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


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## waynebtx (Dec 24, 2006)

5.99 is what iam paying


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


There are alot of people, very few here, who need it as they are unable to work on these systems. I don't have it either, but my 80 year old father would if it were not for me


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


Yep, we're nuts. Thanks for asking.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

They dropped the $7.99 a couple years ago. It's $5.99 now no matter what equipment you have. If you're still paying 7.99 then you've been overcharged for a long time and need to call and get that fixed.


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## 1948GG (Aug 4, 2007)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plan.


It all depends on how much equipment (and type), and how 'complex' your system is.

Once I went over 3 HD DVR's, another couple HD receivers, an 'original' AT-9, a WB616, and a SWM8. I did all the cabling myself, and installed all of it except I let the local guys do the AT-9, kinda as a 'test', although when it was installed, it was in the first dozen or so put up in my area (I got a 'retune' on the thing a couple months later as the guy doing it was right up front about the fact that the Ka sats, both Spaceway/DirecTV10/11, didn't exist yet); He came out and tweaked it up just nice, hasn't been touched since (going on 30+ months). Sigs are 'peachy'.

If it fails, it's going to of course be replaced by an AU-9/Slimline, even though I have a couple of extra AT-9 LNB assemblies I picked up right after the install.

But I could get one of the folks I do contract MDU engineering for come out at any time, but it's simply (the $5.99) not enough to matter. I'll keep my 'home' system above board, no freebies.


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## Albie (Jan 26, 2007)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


You tell me.

Cost of protection plan for 1 year - $75.88

Amount credited to my account after having dish realigned (After Hurricane Gustav) plus having several barrel connectors replaced on WB68 switch - $79.95

Two other points - my dish is on the roof of a 2 story raised house which requires a 22' ladder to get to and I still have 9 more months of protection making any more calls during that time completely free.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

I ran all of my cables myself and have instlalled my own SWM8. Still, I pay $5.99/mo for the PP. It's a cheap alternative to arguing with D* about what needs to be done. Over the last four years, I've had two owned receviers, an LNB and a faiiled multiswitch replaced under the PP.


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## tbpb3 (Dec 10, 2006)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> What does $8 per month get you with the D* Protection Plan?
> 
> I'm trying to save as much money as I can due to job uncertanies, and I'm thinking about dropping the $7.99 protection plan. I've had D* for 11 years and only used it once - to replace an HR10-250 about 5 years ago. But my HR20's are leased, so I'm wondering why I'd want to pay $95/year.
> 
> Thanks!


This is really a scam.
I would never do this. You lease the equipment. If something goes wrong its Directv,s problem,not mine. If they dont fix it, they can have it back. And I will just go to another provider.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

tbpb3 said:


> This is really a scam.
> I would never do this. You lease the equipment. If something goes wrong its Directv,s problem,not mine. If they dont fix it, they can have it back. And I will just go to another provider.


You only lease the receivers, not the cabling, multiswitch(s) LNB, dish, etc. All those things are owned and unless you have the PP, you'll pay to have then fixed. Besides that the "lease" arrangement has nothing to do with any sort of warranty or maintenance agreement,


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Just as a note they have dropped the price of a service call from 79.95 to 49.95.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

Ken S said:


> Just as a note they have dropped the price of a service call from 79.95 to 49.95.


That is true, but I heard that a "service call" no longer includes any hardware - it's just the price for the tech's visit. If you need anything replace, like a multiswitch, LNB, cable, etc. that is an extra cost. however, swapping a defective leased receiver is "no additional charge" other than the service call or the $19.95 S&H fee.


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## Dolly (Jan 30, 2007)

Ah and here we are yet once again with D*'s right hand not knowing what its left hand is doing. I know all of you are probably sick of me bring this subject up, but it really bothers me. One person pays this, but another pays that for the same thing. One person can get credits while another one can't for the same thing. :beatdeadhorse:


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> What does $8 per month get you with the D* Protection Plan?
> 
> I'm trying to save as much money as I can due to job uncertanies, and I'm thinking about dropping the $7.99 protection plan. I've had D* for 11 years and only used it once - to replace an HR10-250 about 5 years ago. But my HR20's are leased, so I'm wondering why I'd want to pay $95/year.
> 
> Thanks!


wilbur_the_goose (and anyone else still paying $7.99 for the PP),

Here is a thread from September 2006 (over two years ago) with reference to the fact that the Protection Plan price should have changed to $5.99 across the board in March 2006 (the same time they went to the lease model).

*Don't pay $7.99 anymore!*

Even their "barker" channel (channel 201, I think) when explaining the Protection Plan states it's $5.99 per month regardless of what equipment you have.

NOBODY should still be paying $7.99 for the Protection Plan.


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

I looked at the PP this way, what could go bad??? LNB, Muti-switch, receivers, cabling... 

Ok, so my LNB goes out?? i have 2 extras and if they go bad you can almost always find someone selling a new one on fleabay for under $20....

Muti-Switches can be found on amazon or fleabay for under $20... personally i found a guy selling 10 WB68's for 7.99 a pop:eek2: 

Receivers will be swapped out by D*, just have to pay S&H (usually $20) if you dont have the PP...... 

Cabling is cheap, when i installed my system i got a 1000' foot reel for around $100.. still have 700' left i am sure...... 

So, the PP is about $95/year and if everything on my system goes out at once im looking at about $60..... so, for me the PP is not worth it:nono2:


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

firefighter4evr said:


> I looked at the PP this way, what could go bad??? LNB, Muti-switch, receivers, cabling...
> 
> Ok, so my LNB goes out?? i have 2 extras and if they go bad you can almost always find someone selling a new one on fleabay for under $20....
> 
> ...


I'm glad they give us the choice to make for ourselves. Some of us want it and see the value. Others don't. That's great! Cable doesn't have a "protection plan." They have higher prices across the board and everyone gets "protected" by spreading the cost around to everyone.

Don't judge a man 'til you walk a mile in his shoes.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 28, 2005)

Albie said:


> You tell me.
> 
> Cost of protection plan for 1 year - $75.88
> 
> ...


If you don't have the PP don't they allow you to sign up for it at the time of a problem for only a minimal charge? Either $19 or $49 comes to mind for some reason. And you have to pay for a year of PP in advance.

I've been with DTV for 9+ years and never had to make a single service call. I can't imagine having to make more than 1 in a year, so I'll pass on the additional cost.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

tcusta00 said:


> I'm glad they give us the choice to make for ourselves. Some of us want it and see the value. Others don't. That's great! Cable doesn't have a "protection plan." They have higher prices across the board and everyone gets "protected" by spreading the cost around to everyone.
> 
> Don't judge a man 'til you walk a mile in his shoes.


Exactly. I personally don't see the value in it for myself. But then I have the technical ability to do all the things firefighter does as well. I've had to buy a new dish before and replace an LNB, but over time I've saved money.

BUT, there are many, many people that wouldn't have any idea what an LNB is let alone how to change one out or what one to buy. Firefighter, you gotta realize we are in the great minority of people that can do this ourselves. I have several friends that are so technical illiterate about stuff that they need the protection plan. All they know is that "there is this cable thing that plugs into this box and I have channels on my TV". It's almost embarrassing to go over and see them have this high end HDTV and stereo system only to find their HD receiver is connected by Svideo and using red/white audio cables...to the TV. Wow. It opens up your eyes. And I hate the fact my mom and her husband waste money on the geek squad because I don't live close enough to them to help them out. They call the geek squad to hook up a DVD player for them. Ugggggggggg.

So yes, many people just don't have the technical knowledge to fix things themselves, no matter how "easy" it may seem to us.

And then there are those people that are physically unable to it, even if they have the knowledge. They may be disabled or have a bad back or something. I personally have a bad back and if my dish had to be on my roof then I'd have to have the protection plan myself because no way I'm going on the roof. But I've instead got my dish on a pole in the backyard, making it easy for me to work on it should the need arise. But that may not always be the case and I will happily pay the protection plan if I get to a point in my older years where I just can't physically do the work.

Anyway....protection plan topic has been hashed over many other times in many other threads.

Bottom line for the OP, you should be paying $5.99, not $7.99. And the protection plan covers *everything* in your setup, even your remotes.


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## bsprague (Feb 24, 2007)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> What does $8 per month get you with the D* Protection Plan?


I pay $5.99. One thing you get seems to be faster service. When the D* computer asks what your problem is, say "Protection Plan". I seem to get immediate service and more experienced CSRs.


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## Hdhead (Jul 30, 2007)

Well worth it for me with 6 HD receivers and 6x16 multiswitch. Have had 2 receivers go south and a bad multiswitch which goes for 129.00 bucks a pop. For simple set ups not worth it but the cost is the same no matter how elaborate your hardware.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

tcusta00 said:


> I'm glad they give us the choice to make for ourselves. Some of us want it and see the value. Others don't. That's great! Cable doesn't have a "protection plan." They have higher prices across the board and everyone gets "protected" by spreading the cost around to everyone.
> 
> Don't judge a man 'til you walk a mile in his shoes.


As much as it pains me to defend the cable cos, they also take ownership of everything required for the customer to view the programming they pay for. D* leaves the cost of ownership for the peices with the highest probability of failure to the subscriber.
Additionally, as D* has creeped higher on their pricing, Time Warner, in our area at least, has actually come down by significant amounts for comparable services. I just ran a comparison for the closest configuration to what I currently have and TW is approximately $8 more per month. Last year when I upgraded to HD, the spread was almost $30 for the closest offering. In fact, if I was willing to accept a 2 year commitment and bundle with high speed internet, it would actually be close to $5 per month cheaper.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

firefighter4evr said:


> I looked at the PP this way, what could go bad??? LNB, Muti-switch, receivers, cabling...
> 
> Ok, so my LNB goes out?? i have 2 extras and if they go bad you can almost always find someone selling a new one on fleabay for under $20....
> 
> ...


My per hour charge for work is way more then the per hour charge for the protection plan - when I am screwing with a issue with my directv setup I am not working for a customer and have a income. I can work while the tech is tracking the problem down, I can work while I have to spend time looking for the equipment on flea-bay and hope that the equipment purchsaed there works, the vendor is not a rip-off artist and it is the actual item that is bad.

See - you 60.00 does not include what your time if worth, unless you work for free in real life -


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

We pay $5.99. It buys me piece of mind.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

wingrider01 said:


> My per hour charge for work is way more then the per hour charge for the protection plan - when I am screwing with a issue with my directv setup I am not working for a customer and have a income. I can work while the tech is tracking the problem down, I can work while I have to spend time looking for the equipment on flea-bay and hope that the equipment purchsaed there works, the vendor is not a rip-off artist and it is the actual item that is bad.
> 
> See - you 60.00 does not include what your time if worth, unless you work for free in real life -


That's all well and good except you have to take time out to call DirecTV and get someone scheduled. This can take several calls and lots of hold time.

Then you have to be home during the four hour window they give you. There's also a chance they will not come or come late...and then there's the time spent inspecting what they've done and, if necessary, calling them back and going through the process again.

So...either way can be a hassle.

Now, as it relates to the protection plan...you can have them come out and fix the problem without paying for the PP. They charge $50 for the visit.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Ken S said:


> That's all well and good except you have to take time out to call DirecTV and get someone scheduled. This can take several calls and lots of hold time.
> 
> Then you have to be home during the four hour window they give you. There's also a chance they will not come or come late...and then there's the time spent inspecting what they've done and, if necessary, calling them back and going through the process again.
> 
> ...


I'm not clear about this statement. I was under the impression that one would have to pay unless one had the PP, depending on the issue of course. Can you clarify your statement?


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

BubblePuppy,

The statement that follows what you bolded explains it. They will gladly send a tech out if you don't have the PP, but they will charge you for the service call. The rate for a truck roll right now is, I believe, $49.95. It seems, though, that the $50 charge may not cover the cost of equipment necessary to fix the problem.

I have the PP, so I'm not sure of all the details of non-PP service calls.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

JLucPicard said:


> BubblePuppy,
> 
> The statement that follows what you bolded explains it. They will gladly send a tech out if you don't have the PP, but they will charge you for the service call. The rate for a truck roll right now is, I believe, $49.95. It seems, though, that the $50 charge may not cover the cost of equipment necessary to fix the problem.
> 
> I have the PP, so I'm not sure of all the details of non-PP service calls.


Your are correct, it does explain it. A month after I got Dtv, Hurricane Wilma hit and tore off the dish and cables.One week later I got a generator from a friend, called Dtv (I suspended service the same day wilma hit, thank goodness for cell phones) and scheduled a service call; new dish and all the cables plus the service call did not cost me anything extra, and I had only paid $5.99 or whatever it was. I can afford the extra monthly PP fee, I just don't want to be hit with a big fee all at once.


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

bonscott87 said:


> Exactly. I personally don't see the value in it for myself. But then I have the technical ability to do all the things firefighter does as well. I've had to buy a new dish before and replace an LNB, but over time I've saved money.
> 
> BUT, there are many, many people that wouldn't have any idea what an LNB is let alone how to change one out or what one to buy. Firefighter, you gotta realize we are in the great minority of people that can do this ourselves. I have several friends that are so technical illiterate about stuff that they need the protection plan. All they know is that "there is this cable thing that plugs into this box and I have channels on my TV". It's almost embarrassing to go over and see them have this high end HDTV and stereo system only to find their HD receiver is connected by Svideo and using red/white audio cables...to the TV. Wow. It opens up your eyes. And I hate the fact my mom and her husband waste money on the geek squad because I don't live close enough to them to help them out. They call the geek squad to hook up a DVD player for them. Ugggggggggg.
> 
> ...


I wasn't saying that EVERYONE should drop the protection plan cause you can get things so cheap... I was just saying that in MY situation, since i know what i am doing, the protection plan is worthless to me....

I understand plenty that there and so some not so tech savvy people out there. and for them, the protection plan may be worth the money. Or if in my local area could pay me to do it:hurah:


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## kevinturcotte (Dec 19, 2006)

tbpb3 said:


> This is really a scam.
> I would never do this. You lease the equipment. If something goes wrong its Directv,s problem,not mine. If they dont fix it, they can have it back. And I will just go to another provider.


Even if you send all the equipment back, you still have to pay your monthly fee for programming, or pay an ETF (Early Termination Fee).


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

bonscott87 said:


> Exactly. I personally don't see the value in it for myself. But then I have the technical ability to do all the things firefighter does as well. I've had to buy a new dish before and replace an LNB, but over time I've saved money.
> 
> BUT, there are many, many people that wouldn't have any idea what an LNB is let alone how to change one out or what one to buy. Firefighter, you gotta realize we are in the great minority of people that can do this ourselves. I have several friends that are so technical illiterate about stuff that they need the protection plan. All they know is that "there is this cable thing that plugs into this box and I have channels on my TV". It's almost embarrassing to go over and see them have this high end HDTV and stereo system only to find their HD receiver is connected by Svideo and using red/white audio cables...to the TV. Wow. It opens up your eyes. And I hate the fact my mom and her husband waste money on the geek squad because I don't live close enough to them to help them out. They call the geek squad to hook up a DVD player for them. Ugggggggggg.
> 
> ...


Of course there are those that could do all of that, if they are so inclined and are not distracted by the issues that life can hold. I chose to go with those that have the time and expertise to do it correctly while I persue other issues. Ignorence isn't the only reason others are employed to do the things we could do ourselves, but some chose to worry about more immediate issues. It works for all.


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

In my 12 year experience with D* its an 'I'm not willing to stand my ground' tax. I've had dishes blown off the roof, pole mount moved 4-5 times due to tree growth a bad LNB, length of cable gone bad and a switch fail. The phone call always starts with 'no protection plan you have to pay' and me telling them if they want me to pay for their service they need to get it to my TV . . . yada yada yada . . . the guy will be out on Thursday.

I expect if you're not good at getting deals with them on the phone (free superfan, free receivers etc) you probably should have the plan. Riding your DirecTv equipment bareback is not for poor negotiators. 



tbpb3 said:


> This is really a scam.
> I would never do this. You lease the equipment. If something goes wrong its Directv,s problem,not mine. If they dont fix it, they can have it back. And I will just go to another provider.


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## marknga (Dec 11, 2005)

I pay for the PP and have found it worth the expense. I work 65+ hours a week so I don't have the time to do repairs AND I certaintly don't have the expertise.
In five years I have used the PP 4 times. It has replaced defective receivers, installed new LNB, replaced switch box, removed a dish, ran new cables and probably more. So while I have spent 71.88 per year for the protection it has provided WAY MORE than 71.88(per year) of service.

But hey to each his own. For those of you with the expertise, desire and time: CONGRATULATIONS! I'm sure for some of y'all (well most of you) that tinkering with your consumer electronics is fun and a hobby. For me: I just want a good clear signal, good picture and good programming to choose from. 

Happy Holidays!

Mark


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

tim99 said:


> In my 12 year experience with D* its an 'I'm not willing to stand my ground' tax. I've had dishes blown off the roof, pole mount moved 4-5 times due to tree growth a bad LNB, length of cable to bad and a switch fail. The phone call always starts with 'no protection plan you have to pay' and me telling them if they want me to pay for their service they need to get it to my TV . . . yada yada yada . . . the guy will be out on Thursday.
> 
> I expect if you're not good at getting deals with them on the phone (free superfan, free receivers etc) you probably should have the plan. Riding your DirecTv equipment bareback is not for poor negotiators.


I'm curious, have you received any preferred customer perks? To enroll in the PP plan or not is an individual choice that does not reflect on any defect in the individual.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

BubblePuppy said:


> I'm not clear about this statement. I was under the impression that one would have to pay unless one had the PP, depending on the issue of course. Can you Clarify, for me , your statement?


If you don't have the protection plan they will charge you $50 to come do the work. Some say they will charge for parts...but my experience has been otherwise.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

tim99 said:


> In my 12 year experience with D* its an 'I'm not willing to stand my ground' tax. I've had dishes blown off the roof, pole mount moved 4-5 times due to tree growth a bad LNB, length of cable gone bad and a switch fail. The phone call always starts with 'no protection plan you have to pay' and me telling them if they want me to pay for their service they need to get it to my TV . . . yada yada yada . . . the guy will be out on Thursday.
> 
> I expect if you're not good at getting deals with them on the phone (free superfan, free receivers etc) you probably should have the plan. Riding your DirecTv equipment bareback is not for poor negotiators.


The protection plan wouldn't cover moving the pole mount anyway. It should cover a bad LNB and bad cable.


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

Not sure if this is what you mean by a preferred perk but things I can think of are that recently I got showtime for free for 3 months which I switched to the sports pack for football season which saved me from having to buy it. Also $10 per month for a year plus they have given me 3 HRx's at no upfront cost. Another thing I consider a perk it also states on my account (online) 'No Annual Commitment' something else I have refused to sign on for and which I expect helps get their butts out here when their stuff breaks.

Poor negotiation skills are not a defect. Just a matter of fact. Some people are good negotiators and others are not. Just because we're all good at some things and bad at others hardly means we're defective.



BubblePuppy said:


> I'm curious, have you received any preferred customer perks? To enroll in the PP plan or not is an individual choice that does reflect on any defect in the individual.


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## Fenway (Aug 25, 2007)

We pay $5.99 per month. It buys me peace of mind. Neither of us would be able to fix anything.

The other nice feature - when you call for tech support and the automated voice requests that you state your problem - all you need to say is _Protection Plan_ and you get connected right away.


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

...and yet another PP thread runs its course. :lol:


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

When the dish was pole mounted they were the ones choosing the location so its certainly not for me to pay when their location ends up being a poor choice. Esp when a few months later and the leaves return it fails yet again. This happened so many times that I doubt anyone would have been willing to pay for it PP or not.

They said the cable and switch went bad due to the heat/sun. This was at our place in FL and they said I should expect that in that environment but my point was they chose the quality/type of cable and to run it where it would be exposed to the point it failed.

Now the last upgrade they wanted to move the disk to the roof and I insisted on staying with a pole mount and on that point there were 100% unmovable unless I paid $150 I think it was.



Ken S said:


> The protection plan wouldn't cover moving the pole mount anyway. It should cover a bad LNB and bad cable.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


Or just afraid of heights. I can not bring myself to go more than two rungs up a ladder. When I first went to satellite D* and then later I added E* it was when you did a self install, or paid. I paid since I wanted both dishes up out of sight. I jumped on the protection plans when they became available and am currently way ahead.

Side note: the dealers where I bought both systems, the two RCA receiver D* and the single receiver E* are long gone


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## Ed Campbell (Feb 17, 2006)

davring said:


> There are alot of people, very few here, who need it as they are unable to work on these systems. I don't have it either, but my 80 year old father would if it were not for me


So, you would have arrived here within 24 hours and revived my lnb's and receiver after a nearby lightning strike?


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

tim99 said:


> Not sure if this is what you mean by a preferred perk but things I can think of are that recently I got showtime for free for 3 months which I switched to the sports pack for football season which saved me from having to buy it. Also $10 per month for a year plus they have given me 3 HRx's at no upfront cost. Another thing I consider a perk it also states on my account (online) 'No Annual Commitment' something else I have refused to sign on for and which I expect helps get their butts out here when their stuff breaks.
> 
> *Poor negotiation skills are not a defect*. Just a matter of fact. Some people are good negotiators and others are not. Just because we're all good at some things and bad at others hardly means we're defective.


You are correct in your statement, however, for most poeple negotiation skills are learned, and as such need to be practiced. Just as some people are good at negotiating, others ar not good at electronics. I will pay a plumber for the knowledge and training that they have but I will not pay someone to set up my stereo, which is the knowledge I have. 
The use of the word "defective" was not a good choice on my part.


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## jhart05 (Aug 14, 2008)

I guess I would just rather take my chances. I don't have that complicated of a setup.

I've only had to have one person come out after installation in my 3+ years with D*. That was a month after installation because my signal strength's were terrible. And D* paid for it, because I argued the first guy didn't set it up correctly. Which he didn't.

Since then I've adjusted my sat a few times by myself, with no other problems.

So I'm ahead of the game right now. If something should happen to my sat, I'd just take that opportunity to upgrade to HD and hope they give me some kind of deal in the upgrade.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

So when all is said and done, we choose which of our priorities we will spend our money on.


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## kevinturcotte (Dec 19, 2006)

idigg said:


> You guys are crazy paying for protection plans. Do you get those when you checkout at BestBuy?


No. I trust Directv to honor the PP.


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

I agree with that. I routinely need help with math. That partition of my cranial hard drive is full of bad sectors and surface errors.



BubblePuppy said:


> You are correct in your statement, how ever, for most poeple negotiation skills are learned, and as such need to be practiced. Just as some people are good at negotiating, others ar not good at electronics. I will pay a plumber for the knowledge and training that they have but I will not pay someone to set up my stereo, which is the knowledge I have.
> The use of the word "defective" was not a good choice on my part.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

tim99 said:


> When the dish was pole mounted they were the ones choosing the location so its certainly not for me to pay when their location ends up being a poor choice. Esp when a few months later and the leaves return it fails yet again. This happened so many times that I doubt anyone would have been willing to pay for it PP or not.
> 
> They said the cable and switch went bad due to the heat/sun. This was at our place in FL and they said I should expect that in that environment but my point was they chose the quality/type of cable and to run it where it would be exposed to the point it failed.
> 
> Now the last upgrade they wanted to move the disk to the roof and I insisted on staying with a pole mount and on that point there were 100% unmovable unless I paid $150 I think it was.


Okay, the Protection Plan still wouldn't cover moving the pole. Read the terms. When they said the cable and switch went bad because of the sun they were trying to claim it was an "act of God" and not cover that too.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying you should have paid for them...I'm just saying that the protection plan is pretty limited in scope. It's much easier to figure out what they don't have to cover rather than what they will.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

Whether you select to have the protection plan or not has nothing to do with whether you can work on your system or not. It's just a gamble on whether you are going to incur more in repairs each year than the plan costs. Basically, if you require more than one service call a year then the protection plan is for you. Of course, if you require more than one service call a year perhaps DirecTV isn't for you. DirecTV sells the program because they believe that the average subscriber will have under one call per year...so...should you bet with the house (no protection plan) or against the house (get the plan). The choice is your's.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

Sounds like buying insurance at a Las Vegas blackjack table. It's a sucker bet, but some folks just like that comfort level.


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm not sure I'd go that far. Staying with the betting analogy, it can also depend on what cards you're holding. A person who is a long time customer, has a decent level of service, pays their bill on time and above ALL is a Sunday Ticket subscriber has a lot better chance of having D* come out and fix problems for nothing than a new customer who pays late and subscribes to basic services.

Or viewed another way, Protection Plan or no in my experience D* isn't going to give up a long time Sunday Ticket sub just because the wind blew their dish off the roof.



wilbur_the_goose said:


> Sounds like buying insurance at a Las Vegas blackjack table. It's a sucker bet, but some folks just like that comfort level.


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## Tybee Bill (Oct 21, 2008)

If the protection plan dropped $2.00 per month in 2006 and you are still paying $7.99, ask for a credit.
It is a billing error and your were overcharged.

ANY business would give you a credit.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Ken S said:


> That's all well and good except you have to take time out to call DirecTV and get someone scheduled. This can take several calls and lots of hold time.
> 
> Then you have to be home during the four hour window they give you. There's also a chance they will not come or come late...and then there's the time spent inspecting what they've done and, if necessary, calling them back and going through the process again.
> 
> ...


Since 99.9 percent of my work is done at a computer screen, I lose nothing while I have them on wireless headset that allows me to wander the whole office or my home. same with them showing up, can continue to work.

$50.00 + parts in-laws needed LNB and multi-switch replaced - they where charged, multiple calls to CSR's at directv stated that was valid. father-in-law signed up for PP after that one.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

BattleScott said:


> As much as it pains me to defend the cable cos, they also take ownership of everything required for the customer to view the programming they pay for.


Well, that's true. But in the case of the cable system that would serve my home, it means that no matter how often the picture goes out due to old cable, leaky fittings, and ancient amplifiers, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, because I don't have ownership of or access to any of it.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

paulman182 said:


> Well, that's true. But in the case of the cable system that would serve my home, it means that no matter how often the picture goes out due to old cable, leaky fittings, and ancient amplifiers, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, because I don't have ownership of or access to any of it.


You call the cable company. They come fix it and you don't pay a dime. Also, they will usually credit your account for any appreciable loss of service due to system failure. 
I'm not saying that one business model is 'better' than the other, just that the cable operators use a different one than the satellite operators do and that there isn't any physical hardware that you would need a protection plan for with cable.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

wingrider01 said:


> Since 99.9 percent of my work is done at a computer screen, I lose nothing while I have them on wireless headset that allows me to wander the whole office or my home. same with them showing up, can continue to work.
> 
> $50.00 + parts in-laws needed LNB and multi-switch replaced - they where charged, multiple calls to CSR's at directv stated that was valid. father-in-law signed up for PP after that one.


But, look even if they charge for the parts (they didn't in my case) it's just insurance on consumer electronics items. If you believe it's worthwhile in your case where you work at home and have a wireless headset then it's good for you.

It's also a pretty good deal for DirecTV because they like to sell it.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

BattleScott said:


> You call the cable company. They come fix it and you don't pay a dime. Also, they will usually credit your account for any appreciable loss of service due to system failure.
> I'm not saying that one business model is 'better' than the other, just that the cable operators use a different one than the satellite operators do and that there isn't any physical hardware that you would need a protection plan for with cable.


What cable company do you have? Ours (Charter) it costs $40 just to "roll the truck" and get someone there let alone what it costs to fix whatever the problem is (unless the problem is at the poll or something). Cable also has a protection plan as well, around here at least.

When my cable modem went out last year I called up and it was $40 to show up plus whatever it was to fix the problem. Or I could just bring the modem in and exchange it at the office at no cost and install it myself (no problem for me). But if my mom had this problem it would have cost her at least $40 for them to come out and replace the broken cable modem. I have friends with Comcast or Time Warner and they are all the same as well.

Must be nice to have a good cable company. Hope they stay that way for you.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

bonscott87 said:


> What cable company do you have? Ours (Charter) it costs $40 just to "roll the truck" and get someone there let alone what it costs to fix whatever the problem is (unless the problem is at the poll or something). Cable also has a protection plan as well, around here at least.
> 
> When my cable modem went out last year I called up and it was $40 to show up plus whatever it was to fix the problem. Or I could just bring the modem in and exchange it at the office at no cost and install it myself (no problem for me). But if my mom had this problem it would have cost her at least $40 for them to come out and replace the broken cable modem. I have friends with Comcast or Time Warner and they are all the same as well.
> 
> Must be nice to have a good cable company. Hope they stay that way for you.


Comcast doesn't charge anything for repairs...at least not in SE Florida, NJ or Mass.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

bonscott87 said:


> What cable company do you have? Ours (Charter) it costs $40 just to "roll the truck" and get someone there let alone what it costs to fix whatever the problem is (unless the problem is at the poll or something). Cable also has a protection plan as well, around here at least.
> 
> When my cable modem went out last year I called up and it was $40 to show up plus whatever it was to fix the problem. Or I could just bring the modem in and exchange it at the office at no cost and install it myself (no problem for me). But if my mom had this problem it would have cost her at least $40 for them to come out and replace the broken cable modem. I have friends with Comcast or Time Warner and they are all the same as well.
> 
> Must be nice to have a good cable company. Hope they stay that way for you.


Don't have cable, have D*. But many family members and friends do (Time Warner) and they never get charged for service, unless it is to add new outlets or things of that nature. In your case, and maybe the case here, I think the ISP portion is handled seperately from the Cable TV portion, so they may charge for those types of calls. We recently had the windstorms from hell here in Ohio and several family members and coworkers lost cable service for days. No one that I know was charged anything for the repairs.


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## dmurphy (Sep 28, 2006)

I pay the $5.99 for the protection plan.

Why?

I have a mix of leased and 'owned' DVRs. My dish is about 30' up in the air. I have a pretty complex setup, with lots of moving parts.

I'm not climbing on the roof to adjust my dish - it's just too high and too far for me to reach. I'll let someone else do it, thankyouverymuch.

With 7 DVRs in the house, I do experience a higher-than-average failure rate (just more samples in the pool ...) so when a receiver does fail, I get it replaced, no-questions-asked. No problem.

It's piece of mind. If I'm traveling for work, I know my wife can get the service repaired quickly - I don't have to be here and tinker all freakin' day.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

dmurphy said:


> I pay the $5.99 for the protection plan.
> 
> Why?
> 
> ...


What part of what you said wouldn't happen if you didn't have the protection plan?


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Ken S said:


> What part of what you said wouldn't happen if you didn't have the protection plan?


Why is it that when people say they have the Protection Plan, it's peace of mind for many and various reasons, etc., and they are happy with their choice - why is it that people that don't see the value in it insist on hammering them as if there's something wrong with the choice they made???

Fine, it's not the choice you would make for yourself and you have your reasons. It happens to be the choice they made for their own reasons. It's not money out of your pocket so why not lay the h*** off? Is it some source of pride that you somehow have to prove you are RIGHT?

It always seems to go from people posting about the PP and stating their opinion (which is what the forums are all about, after all) to the "chosen few" having to continually try to convince people how wrong they are to choose to have it. :nono2:

And no, before anyone asks the other asinine question - I do NOT work for DirecTV and the only affiliation I have with them is that I happen to be a very satisfied customer of over 12 years.

By the way, for people that are posting, it's 'peace' of mind, not 'piece' of mind.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

What part of my question was hammering him? His post could be very misleading to others reading it. I don't believe he meant it to be misleading though...I just think he misunderstands what he's really getting. I may be wrong though and he may fully understand the program so that's why I asked the question I did.

Everything he said he liked about the protection plan he could get without the protection plan. Where did I tell him he made a bad decision or even try to convince him to do something else? I'll save you the time...I didn't do either and you very well know that.

There is NO additional service offered to subscribers that have the protection plan. None. Everything you can get under the protection plan is available on a fee basis from DirecTV (which also seems to get waived or credited back a great deal). That was my point. That is not opinion it's fact.

The protection plan is nothing but a financial question. Does the customer wish to pay $72/year for the limited coverage afforded by the protection plan OR do they want to take the risk and pay (with the chance that DirecTV will not charge them anyway) if and when something goes wrong. Not having the protection plan does not mean you have to fix the items yourself or buy parts on eBay. All it means is that you have to call DirecTV and pay them their going rate for a service call.

That's it...that's the whole choice. That's the answer to the title of this thread. If someone would rather pay for the insurance and that gives them "peace of mind" then there's absolutely nothing wrong with that...but they should know what they're paying for and not be misled by a bunch of sycophants and shills. Just to be clear, I don't believe the poster that I asked the question of is either. He actually seemed like a pretty pragmatic person.

But, hey...perhaps the truth on this issue doesn't serve your purpose...and since you have no basis for your argument it's just time to lash out. It's okay, if it makes you feel better keep it up...I'll still sleep well.



JLucPicard said:


> Why is it that when people say they have the Protection Plan, it's peace of mind for many and various reasons, etc., and they are happy with their choice - why is it that people that don't see the value in it insist on hammering them as if there's something wrong with the choice they made???
> 
> Fine, it's not the choice you would make for yourself and you have your reasons. It happens to be the choice they made for their own reasons. It's not money out of your pocket so why not lay the h*** off? Is it some source of pride that you somehow have to prove you are RIGHT?
> 
> ...


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

tim99 said:


> I'm not sure I'd go that far. Staying with the betting analogy, it can also depend on what cards you're holding.


Except that insurance on a black jack table does not depend on what cards you're holding. It's a bad move no matter what.

I went 8 years without the PP and never had an issue. Earlier this year there was a promo to get the PP free for 6 months?(don't remember the details). I signed up, but now I'm paying the $6 per month. I've got some programming changes to make after xmas, so I'll probably cancel it then (although I know as soon as I cancel it, something will happen).


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

The math is simple, current rates for service calls are 49.99 + parts if needed. Receivers are replaced for the $20 shipping charge. 

If you average more than 1 service call per year or have a receiver replaced more the once every 4 months, then the protection plan is a good investment. If not then it is not. 
As Ken S points out, there are no 'additional services' available to protection plan subscribers that are not available on a pay as you go basis. If there were, that would open up a whole new argument for the premise of this thread.


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## dmurphy (Sep 28, 2006)

JLucPicard said:


> By the way, for people that are posting, it's 'peace' of mind, not 'piece' of mind.


That's what happens when you post in a rush ... I'm usually quite picky about my grammar & spelling.

The fact that I fell into this common trap really disappoints me!


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## dmurphy (Sep 28, 2006)

Ken S said:


> What part of what you said wouldn't happen if you didn't have the protection plan?


#1 - I'd have to pay to have a dish realignment/LNB replacement/SWM replacement/rewiring/etc.
#2 - I have several OWNED receivers. Those wouldn't be replaced for "just" shipping costs.
#3 - It's something that I don't have to concern myself.

My setup is somewhat complex - and that means lots of moving parts. I've used the PP to get several parts replaced and realigned, and for that alone, it's paid for itself.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

dmurphy said:


> #1 - I'd have to pay to have a dish realignment/LNB replacement/SWM replacement/rewiring/etc.
> #2 - I have several OWNED receivers. Those wouldn't be replaced for "just" shipping costs.
> #3 - It's something that I don't have to concern myself.
> 
> My setup is somewhat complex - and that means lots of moving parts. I've used the PP to get several parts replaced and realigned, and for that alone, it's paid for itself.


1. Yes, I agree you would have to pay if it wasn't under warranty. That's kind of the point of my post. It's not an availability of services issue...just a question of cost and whether the PP will end up costing or saving money in the long run.

2. The owned receiver I had was swapped for free. But that's not a written policy like many things with DirecTV. Do you have HR21-Pro DVRs?

3. That to some is the value in the program. If you expect to have problems with your system that are going to exceed the costs of the PP on an annual basis then it would make sense to purchase the plan.

I too have a fairly complex setup and in ten years of service had had two service calls. Once when a hurricane knocked the dish off the side of the house (used a 3rd party to repair it as DirecTV was quoting months to make the repair) and recently to put the support arms on a dish that were never installed (we moved to a new home and had DirecTV's mover's connection put up a new dish). At the time I had the Protection Plan (it was offered for free for one year) and they would not cover putting the support arms in place it had to be paid for separately (DirecTV then credited the cost back).

So, in my case the Protection Plan would not make financial sense.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

BattleScott said:


> You call the cable company. They come fix it and you don't pay a dime. Also, they will usually credit your account for any appreciable loss of service due to system failure.
> I'm not saying that one business model is 'better' than the other, just that the cable operators use a different one than the satellite operators do and that there isn't any physical hardware that you would need a protection plan for with cable.


Not the cable company here - it is no charge is the problem occurs in the wiring outside of you house, the minute they step inside the house that go on the clock for charges - starts at 65.00 here


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Ken S said:


> What part of what you said wouldn't happen if you didn't have the protection plan?


The implied no charge part


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Ken S said:


> But, look even if they charge for the parts (they didn't in my case) it's just insurance on consumer electronics items. If you believe it's worthwhile in your case where you work at home and have a wireless headset then it's good for you.
> 
> It's also a pretty good deal for DirecTV because they like to sell it.


easier to budget 5.99 a month then an unexpected charge of 50-150 US in today's economy depending on what is needed.

Yes I am a firm believer in extended warrenties on large ticket items - have had a 4 1/2 year old TV replaced by Best Buy under their no-lemon warrenty after the 4th repair call. Got a Samsung LN52A740 for 300.00 because of it.


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## bradpr (Sep 8, 2007)

wingrider01 said:


> Not the cable company here - it is no charge is the problem occurs in the wiring outside of you house, the minute they step inside the house that go on the clock for charges - starts at 65.00 here


My cable company here (Charter) is terrible, but they don't charge a dime for faulty receivers, receiver upgrades (to newer models), or external wiring. They will charge for internal wiring, at the technician's discretion.

D* and the cable company both lease us consumers our equipment, but that's all they have in common. Why does my cable company replace my cable box for no fee while D* makes me pay? Why does D* charge me $200 up front for my leased receiver and then charge me monthly lease fee while my cable company charges nothing up front along with a monthly lease fee?

Why does D* charge for stuff that the cable company doesn't? - Because we will pay for it! The $5.99 or whatever it is for the PP is ridiculous, but as demonstrated on this thread, people are happy to pay for it & look at it as something nice that D* provides us.

Here's a question I'm sure someone can answer - I've heard that if you don't have the PP and you have to replace a receiver, not only do you have to pay $20 for S&H, but you get hooked for a commitment extension by activating the replacement receiver. Is that true? This seems incredibly unethical, but I haven't seen much integrity in how D* treats its customers.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

bradpr said:


> My cable company here (Charter) is terrible, but they don't charge a dime for faulty receivers, receiver upgrades (to newer models), or external wiring. They will charge for internal wiring, at the technician's discretion.
> 
> D* and the cable company both lease us consumers our equipment, but that's all they have in common. Why does my cable company replace my cable box for no fee while D* makes me pay? Why does D* charge me $200 up front for my leased receiver and then charge me monthly lease fee while my cable company charges nothing up front along with a monthly lease fee?
> 
> ...


Brad,

That is not the case. DirecTV's own website indicates that leased receivers are replaced free of charge. There should be no additional commitment. Now, I'm sure there are some mistakes made and unscrupulous or untrained CSRs that have done otherwise, but I'm sure DirecTV would correct those errors if someone made the effort to inform then and stuck with it long enough to get to the proper person/department.

As for what cable companies charge...that's their business model. DirecTV does thing differently. Customers should that that into account when choosing a provider along with programming content, cost, equipment, etc.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

bradpr said:


> My cable company here (Charter) is terrible, but they don't charge a dime for faulty receivers, receiver upgrades (to newer models), or external wiring. They will charge for internal wiring, at the technician's discretion.
> 
> D* and the cable company both lease us consumers our equipment, but that's all they have in common. Why does my cable company replace my cable box for no fee while D* makes me pay? Why does D* charge me $200 up front for my leased receiver and then charge me monthly lease fee while my cable company charges nothing up front along with a monthly lease fee?
> 
> ...


My own experience back in my cable days, as well as some more recent ones that family members have had is the same. I found that generally they will not charge for repairs unless it was clearly not a service line installed by them. Poor quality cable, cheap connectors etc.

As for the receiver fees, that isn't apples to apples. Yes, D* charges an upfront fee, but the monthly fees are typically lower than the cable fees. At least in this area they are. The standard TimeWarner receiver fees in this area for additional receivers is 7.95 for standard digital box, and 16.90 for DVRs. So it doesn't take long to offset the upfront fees that direct charges with the higher monthly fees from cable (Time Warner anyways).


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## bradpr (Sep 8, 2007)

BattleScott said:


> My own experience back in my cable days, as well as some more recent ones that family members have had is the same. I found that generally they will not charge for repairs unless it was clearly not a service line installed by them. Poor quality cable, cheap connectors etc.
> 
> As for the receiver fees, that isn't apples to apples. Yes, D* charges an upfront fee, but the monthly fees are typically lower than the cable fees. At least in this area they are. The standard TimeWarner receiver fees in this area for additional receivers is 7.95 for standard digital box, and 16.90 for DVRs. So it doesn't take long to offset the upfront fees that direct charges with the higher monthly fees from cable (Time Warner anyways).


That's fair - cable rates do vary. In my area, a non-DVR box (HD or SD) costs $6 per month and they have an HD DVR service bundle at $13. For me, this makes the monthly lease cost nearly a wash (slightly favoring cable considering $6 for HD and $10 for DVR).

I'd feel better about D*'s fees if the upfront cost was the fee to play, then after you paid it, they retained you by giving free upgrades to new boxes based on your loyalty (like some cell phone companies do) instead of charging me another $100-$200 to upgrade AND sticking me with another 2 year commitment. I understand the business sense behind using equipment upgrades to get commitments, but don't charge me for the upgrade if I've already paid for a receiver and I'm committing to 2 more years of service!


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## tim99 (Sep 14, 2007)

I just don't see the risk. I don't have to climb on the roof or pay them for anything, they have always fixed everything for free. Average service + Sunday Ticket which I think helps. Also I believe a key point could be no annual commitment.



spartanstew said:


> Except that insurance on a black jack table does not depend on what cards you're holding. It's a bad move no matter what.
> 
> I went 8 years without the PP and never had an issue. Earlier this year there was a promo to get the PP free for 6 months?(don't remember the details). I signed up, but now I'm paying the $6 per month. I've got some programming changes to make after xmas, so I'll probably cancel it then (although I know as soon as I cancel it, something will happen).


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

bradpr said:


> D* and the cable company both lease us consumers our equipment, but that's all they have in common. Why does my cable company replace my cable box for no fee while D* makes me pay? Why does D* charge me $200 up front for my leased receiver and then charge me monthly lease fee while my cable company charges nothing up front along with a monthly lease fee?


Well, with the much higher monthly cable fees that *never stop* it's cheaper to go the DirecTV route which is why I like it better.

Cable charges $17 *per* HD DVR.

DirecTV charges $200 up front (at most, you can get it cheaper or free in many cases) and $6 per month DVR fee.

After 18 months I've paid that $200 to cable in extra fees.

Doesn't take too long with DirecTV for me to come out ahead on that deal while with cable you just keep on paying. I'd rather pay a higher fee up front and lower monthly fees. If you'd rather not do that and pay higher monthly then by all means do so.


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## bradpr (Sep 8, 2007)

bonscott87 said:


> ...If you'd rather not do that and pay higher monthly then by all means do so.


Regarding your above statement, who would "rather not do that and pay higher"??? The answer is "nobody that I know". Dont be silly. That wouldn't make sense.

Maybe I wasn't clear in making my point - some folks pay more for cable than others. Depending on what you pay, the cost/value argument can be easier to make.

If the monthly lease rates are lower with cable than with d* and the monthly programming is cheaper (which it is for me - full cable package w/HD DVR and all movie channels costs $110 + [email protected] for additional non-DVR receivers) then you have to determine if other factors justify paying the premium for D* (i.e. the # of channels, quality of customer service, and technology perks like remote scheduling and DTV to PC). For me, the programming is better, the customer service is crappy, and the tech perks are nice which favors D* marginally. If D* would cover the protection plan with the up front fees I pay for new equipment and not always be looking for ways to stick me with a commitment, I'd feel much better about paying a premium. Also, if I have to make cuts to the household budget, trading my dish for cable in order to save $30-$40 per month is an easy decision to make.


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## SParker (Apr 27, 2002)

I wrote DirecTV a gripe email a year or so ago about paying $7.99. They changed me to the $5.99 plan and gave me back the difference for every month I paid $7.99.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

bradpr said:


> That's fair - cable rates do vary. In my area, a non-DVR box (HD or SD) costs $6 per month and they have an HD DVR service bundle at $13. For me, this makes the monthly lease cost nearly a wash (slightly favoring cable considering $6 for HD and $10 for DVR).
> 
> I'd feel better about D*'s fees if the upfront cost was the fee to play, then after you paid it, they retained you by giving free upgrades to new boxes based on your loyalty (like some cell phone companies do) instead of charging me another $100-$200 to upgrade AND sticking me with another 2 year commitment. I understand the business sense behind using equipment upgrades to get commitments, but don't charge me for the upgrade if I've already paid for a receiver and I'm committing to 2 more years of service!


Can't disagree with you there, except to say that I'd rather pay the upgrade and not start a new committment.


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## Dominic26 (Jun 25, 2008)

bradpr said:


> Why does D* charge me $200 up front for my leased receiver and then charge me monthly lease fee while my cable company charges nothing up front along with a monthly lease fee?


I have been with D* since 1997. In those days there were only 1 tuner receivers. In D* land 1 tuner = 1 receiver. If you had a 2nd, 3rd or 4th receiver there was a $4.99 mirroring fee to mirror your programming onto the other receivers, or tuners (that's only 1 $4.99 fee to have 3 extra receivers).

When the DVR came along you now had 2 tuners in 1 receiver. Even though it has 1 access card inserted, it is still 2 tuners and they consider that 2 receivers because you can record and watch 2 different channels at once. This is mirroring. At the same time, they changed the name from "mirroring fee" to "lease fee" How much does cable charge for each extra STB per month?

I have 2 DVR's. To D*, this is like having 4 receivers. IMHO some empty suit probably thought people would not be happy to see the mirroring fee if they only had 1 box with 2 tuners, hence the name change.

Hope this explains the lease fee.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Dominic26 said:


> I have been with D* since 1997. In those days there were only 1 tuner receivers. In D* land 1 tuner = 1 receiver. If you had a 2nd, 3rd or 4th receiver there was a $4.99 mirroring fee to mirror your programming onto the other receivers, or tuners (that's only 1 $4.99 fee to have 3 extra receivers).
> 
> When the DVR came along you now had 2 tuners in 1 receiver. Even though it has 1 access card inserted, it is still 2 tuners and they consider that 2 receivers because you can record and watch 2 different channels at once. This is mirroring. At the same time, they changed the name from "mirroring fee" to "lease fee" How much does cable charge for each extra STB per month?
> 
> ...


  

Are you trying to say that they are charging $4.99 per tuner???

They charge $4.99 per set-top-box (regardless of how many tuners it has), with the primary receiver not incurring a $4.99 charge.

bradpr, you are not paying a monthly equipment leasing fee. Your equipment leasing cost is strictly what you pay up front to obtain it. If you owned your equipment rather than leasing it, you would still be paying $4.99 a month for all but your primary receiver.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Dominic26 said:


> When the DVR came along you now had 2 tuners in 1 receiver. Even though it has 1 access card inserted, it is still 2 tuners and they consider that 2 receivers because you can record and watch 2 different channels at once. This is mirroring. At the same time, they changed the name from "mirroring fee" to "lease fee" How much does cable charge for each extra STB per month?
> 
> I have 2 DVR's. To D*, this is like having 4 receivers. IMHO some empty suit probably thought people would not be happy to see the mirroring fee if they only had 1 box with 2 tuners, hence the name change.
> 
> Hope this explains the lease fee.


Nope, that is totally incorrect. You pay per extra receiver, not tuners. Heck, I had the first dual tuner DirecTivo on the market, it's just one fee.

The naming is simple:
Owned - "additional receiver fee"
Leased - "lease fee"

Both are the same $4.99 fee for mirroring programming. Has nothing to do with DVRs or tuners.


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## Dominic26 (Jun 25, 2008)

bonscott87 said:


> Nope, that is totally incorrect. You pay per extra receiver, not tuners. Heck, I had the first dual tuner DirecTivo on the market, it's just one fee.
> 
> The naming is simple:
> Owned - "additional receiver fee"
> ...


Scott,

I am only reciting what a D* CSR told me. Scott, or D* CSR. I'll take Scot every time. Thanks for the correction.

For my own information, is the fee per receiver or for up to 4 receivers (as told by CSR)?


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

Dominic26 said:


> Scott,
> 
> I am only reciting what a D* CSR told me. Scott, or D* CSR. I'll take Scot every time. Thanks for the correction.
> 
> For my own information, is the fee per receiver or for up to 4 receivers (as told by CSR)?


each rcvr after the first is 4.99 each regardless of 2 rcvrs on account or 40 rcvrs on account


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Dominic26 said:


> For my own information, is the fee per receiver or for up to 4 receivers (as told by CSR)?


Definitely per receiver with no maximum. The only one that doesn't incur the $4.99 is your primary - every one beyond that, $4.99.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

Isn't there a max number of active receivers per account?


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

BattleScott said:


> Isn't there a max number of active receivers per account?


Nope. Although it's been said once you get above 9 or 10 they may audit you to make sure you're not actually a business like a bar and thus should be paying for a business account. I'd highly doubt that happens much but if you got 12 receivers and every single sports subscription it might send up a red flag for them to check into it.


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

JLucPicard said:


> The only one that doesn't incur the $4.99 is your primary - every one beyond that, $4.99.


Technically, no. In practice, yes. The monthly bill does show a $4.99 charge for the primary receiver. However, there is a corresponding $4.99 credit for that receiver toward the bottom of the bill. If lease fees are subject to sales tax in a given state, you do have to pay the sales tax on the $4.99 for the primary receiver as that is not reflected in the credit.


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

Bill Broderick said:


> Technically, no. In practice, yes. The monthly bill does show a $4.99 charge for the primary receiver. However, there is a corresponding $4.99 credit for that receiver toward the bottom of the bill. If lease fees are subject to sales tax in a given state, you do have to pay the sales tax on the $4.99 for the primary receiver as that is not reflected in the credit.


The tax is credited back on my monthly bill.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Bill Broderick said:


> Technically, no. In practice, yes. The monthly bill does show a $4.99 charge for the primary receiver. However, there is a corresponding $4.99 credit for that receiver toward the bottom of the bill. If lease fees are subject to sales tax in a given state, you do have to pay the sales tax on the $4.99 for the primary receiver as that is not reflected in the credit.


Whatever - when I was answering his question, I was getting to point with regard to the question he asked - I didn't decide to take the "splitting hairs" route. My bad if I left out something germaine to the question being asked and answered.


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## chevyguy559 (Sep 19, 2008)

BattleScott said:


> The tax is credited back on my monthly bill.


Mine is too


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

bonscott87 said:


> Nope. Although it's been said once you get above 9 or 10 they may audit you to make sure you're not actually a business like a bar and thus should be paying for a business account. I'd highly doubt that happens much but if you got 12 receivers and every single sports subscription it might send up a red flag for them to check into it.


On a business account there is a max of 20 units on the account without HD service, with HD service the max goes up to 30


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## fredandbetty (Jan 28, 2007)

DBSNewbie said:


> I, too, am paying $5.99 per month and I have several HD DVRs. I am wondering if the $5.99 charge is some sort of grand-fathered fee for subscribers who had signed up for it prior to the rate change of $7.99 for advanced receivers.


same here


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

> Originally Posted by *DBSNewbie *
> I, too, am paying $5.99 per month and I have several HD DVRs. I am wondering if the $5.99 charge is some sort of grand-fathered fee for subscribers who had signed up for it prior to the rate change of $7.99 for advanced receivers.





fredandbetty said:


> same here


No, they eliminated the $7.99 rate over 2 years ago. It no longer exists. If someone is still being charged $7.99 then that is a billing mistake and they should call to get it taken care of and a refund.


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## eilloc (May 17, 2007)

I have one receiver, the H20-600; has worked flawlessly. After a year I dropped the protection plan; D* then charged $10 to drop the 5.99 a month plan. A month later they called me to inform me that the package I was signed up for was no longer available 'implying' that I needed to upgrade to a 'new' package! When I strongly told them that I was satisfied with my current package, the marketer backed off and told me to have a nice Christmas!


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## wcsdkqh (Mar 11, 2006)

Does the logic of having the Protection Plan change if you have 5 owned receivers, 3 of them DVR's?


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

wcsdkqh said:


> Does the logic of having the Protection Plan change if you have 5 owned receivers, 3 of them DVR's?


No, it's $5.99/mo regardless and it covers all equipment on the account. Leased equipment will be replaced with leased and owned with owned.


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