# I want to order Directv but my credit is bad..



## danpedraza (Sep 16, 2004)

Okay here is the deal. I want to order Directv but my credit is bad.. I called and they want 200 dollars up front which they say will be credited to me in 5 dollar increments monthly until i reach 200. So in essence its a 200 dollar deposit. I wanted to go to best buy and buy the HR22 HD DVR and 3 regular DVR boxes. 199 for the HD DVR and 99 dollars each for the regular DVR boxes. I get conflicting information when i call dtv. They say i cant have DVR boxes when they come do the install instead i could only have 2 standard receivers. However in 30 days i just have to call the DTV office and they will upgrade to 2 DVR boxes. Heres my questions:

1) When they upgrade to the 2 DVR boxes are they free or do i pay the 99 dollars each?
2)If i go to best buy and just get a DVR HD22 plus 1 Standard DVR i pay 199 plus 99 dollars? Then i call DTV and say please take my 200 dollars and come install the dish with 2 more boxes? Is it that simple??
3) Will they connect 4 televisions??


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

danpedraza said:


> Okay here is the deal. I want to order Directv but my credit is bad.. I called and they want 200 dollars up front which they say will be credited to me in 5 dollar increments monthly until i reach 200. So in essence its a 200 dollar deposit. I wanted to go to best buy and buy the HR22 HD DVR and 3 regular DVR boxes. 199 for the HD DVR and 99 dollars each for the regular DVR boxes. I get conflicting information when i call dtv. They say i cant have DVR boxes when they come do the install instead i could only have 2 standard receivers. However in 30 days i just have to call the DTV office and they will upgrade to 2 DVR boxes. Heres my questions:
> 
> 1) When they upgrade to the 2 DVR boxes are they free or do i pay the 99 dollars each?
> 2)If i go to best buy and just get a DVR HD22 plus 1 Standard DVR i pay 199 plus 99 dollars? Then i call DTV and say please take my 200 dollars and come install the dish with 2 more boxes? Is it that simple??
> 3) Will they connect 4 televisions??


1 the fee for hd or dvrs is 300 rather than 200 
2 the cost of an upgrade will be 99 + 99 install for a DVR, or Hd and 199 + 99 for a HD DVR
3. You cannot avoid the fee, but you can get up to 4 regular rcvr installed for free, 
4. even though there is a cost, you best bet is to go through Directv


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

1) Right now, there does not seem to be a way to “upgrade” a receiver. Basically, an “upgrade” is just like paying the normal up-front lease fee for a new additional receiver, then deactivating an existing receiver, and returning it. Unless you get a CSR that’s somehow willing to work with you on this, you end up losing the up-front lease fee on the original receiver and not getting any credit for that on the new “upgrade” receiver. This is one of the biggest problems I have with their “lease” model.

2) You can’t buy (actually, it’s still an up-front lease fee) equipment at retail unless you are an existing customer. You can sign-up fro a new install through Best Buy and other retailers, but you can’t take the equipment home. Once you have an established account, they will let you lease from a retailer and take the receiver of your choice home and self-install it. They do, however, check your account when you do this, so if your account would in some way be flagged as a “deposit required”, then they may not allow it. I don’t know enough about D*’s credit requirement for this to give you an answer.

3) They will connect each receiver you lease to one television as part of the standard install. If you get four receivers, they will connect each to one of four televisions. Your comment about them telling you that you can only have 2 standard receivers may be an issue with the deposit-required account. For the most part, they will install as many receivers as you are willing to pay for in terms of up-front lease fees and monthly charges.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Try costco... they are generally cheaper than other retailers. And by the way, unless its changed in a year, I call bs.... I set up a new account last year. I basically told them I had 2 HDDVRS already, and wanted a third... They set up the install, 3 units, one they would bring with them... it was easy.


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## DishCSR (Jan 14, 2004)

curt8403 said:


> 1 the fee for hd or dvrs is 300 rather than 200
> 2 the cost of an upgrade will be 99 + 99 install for a DVR, or Hd and 199 + 99 for a HD DVR
> 3. You cannot avoid the fee, but you can get up to 4 regular rcvr installed for free,
> 4. even though there is a cost, you best bet is to go through Directv


 let me add 50.00 for a new cust fee, all payable upfront with a debit/credit card


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## danpedraza (Sep 16, 2004)

what do you all mean the Fee for HD DVR is $300 not $200?? Last time i went to best buy with my neighbor they did not check the account or anythink just checked out. I thought you just pay the 199 lease price here listed at best buy

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8911449&type=product&id=1213047334087

So if i do the 200 dollar deposit and have 2 receivers installed i can call in 30 days and get 4 DVRs installed at 99 dollars each???


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## rocket69 (Oct 27, 2008)

dan try this tell them at your local office you dont want a contract but you are willing to pay $249. The $249 will get you one HD-DVR and one sd recever must take those recevers for this opton if they say they canot then inform them nicely to call retail services and ask them about the $249 no contract HD-DVR & SD recever. The office will recive full pay for the install of those recever dish and install..

Any other gear you must buy in full Retail $599 HD-DVR and pay extra for the install of it.. or just give the tech $60($45 is what tech will get from office if its on his work order) when he installs your gear to run 2 extra lines to the other location you want an HD-DVR then get the $200 24month box at costco after 30 days..


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

danpedraza said:


> what do you all mean the Fee for HD DVR is $300 not $200??


I think Curt meant that the deposit would be $300 if you want an HD-DVR instead of standard receivers.



> Last time i went to best buy with my neighbor they did not check the account or anythink just checked out. I thought you just pay the 199 lease price here listed at best buy
> 
> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8911449&type=product&id=1213047334087


I assume your neighbor had existing service so when he got home with the receiver, he just called to activate it. If you do this, they will want to setup a new account, and then you'll be paying a deposit.



> So if i do the 200 dollar deposit and have 2 receivers installed i can call in 30 days and get 4 DVRs installed at 99 dollars each???


Only a D* CSR can answer that (and there are a few of them here so you may get an answer). Unless there is some special program for customers in your situation who pay deposits, I can say that when I have asked about "upgrading" a receiver, it's always been quoted at full-retail lease price for the new equipment, not a discounted price like this.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

If you are married, get your wife or kid(s) a debit card, and have them subscribe for you.

BTW, I just bought a HR22 at Best Buy, and all I had to do was sign an electronic agreement at the checkout to activate the receiver within a month.


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## TigersFanJJ (Feb 17, 2006)

rocket69 said:


> Any other gear you must buy in full Retail $599 HD-DVR and pay extra for the install of it.. or just give the tech $60($45 is what tech will get from office if its on his work order) when he installs your gear to run 2 extra lines to the other location you want an HD-DVR


Prices vary by location. I charge $55 per extra line that isn't on the workorder. $105 per line if it needs to be fished in a wall. Cash or check made out to TigersFanJJ (not to directv or the install company). If the customer doesn't want to pay, I will gladly tell them good luck finding someone else to do a professional job for that low of a price.


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## rocket69 (Oct 27, 2008)

TigersFanJJ said:


> Prices vary by location. I charge $55 per extra line that isn't on the workorder. $105 per line if it needs to be fished in a wall. Cash or check made out to TigersFanJJ (not to directv or the install company). If the customer doesn't want to pay, I will gladly tell them good luck finding someone else to do a professional job for that low of a price.


Tiger i was basing it off ironwood pay out list. for wall fishing im at $75 per line for one story and $75HR for 2 and 3 story. My installs are mostly in beverly hills and large comercal installs. Comercal is a whole new ball of wax using plenum


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## DishCSR (Jan 14, 2004)

danpedraza said:


> what do you all mean the Fee for HD DVR is $300 not $200?? Last time i went to best buy with my neighbor they did not check the account or anythink just checked out. I thought you just pay the 199 lease price here listed at best buy
> 
> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8911449&type=product&id=1213047334087
> 
> So if i do the 200 dollar deposit and have 2 receivers installed i can call in 30 days and get 4 DVRs installed at 99 dollars each???


it will cost you 99.00 for each dvr plus 99.00 intall fee , plus 50.00 new customer fee, all payable upfront with a dc/cc at the time you place the order.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

DishCSR said:


> it will cost you 99.00 for each dvr plus 99.00 intall fee , plus 50.00 new customer fee, all payable upfront with a dc/cc at the time you place the order.


There will not be an installation fee if you don't have a DVR on the account. The $50 fee is based on your account history. Things you can do to have this fee not hit the account would be setup recurring cc and wait a minimum of 90 days. This does not guarantee there won't be a $50 fee.

You could sign up with the $200 deposit and later on upgrade to DVR's. The deposit is only required for initial sign up.


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

when i signed up back in june '08 all i had to pay was $200 deposit and another $99 for the DVR.... they came a week later and installed 2 standard receivers and a DVR and i have really, really bad credit.


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## iceturkee (Apr 1, 2007)

my credit has been bad for years but i never had to pay more than $50 upfront which was subtracted from my first months bill. sounds like they might be cracking down.


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## danpedraza (Sep 16, 2004)

okay after reading the replys i think my best option is to do the 200 dollar deposit which is not that much of a hit because they give you the 5 dollar credit monthly for 40 months so minimum service is 24.99 instead of 29.99. Thats what was told to me at DTV cust serv. They insist i will get 2 standard receivers installed free. But then they said i could call after 30 days and get 2 Regular DVR boxes installed for free? Is that true?? If that true then after the 30 days i could also go to best buy and get the HD DVR right for 200 dollars??


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

I'm not sure what you can/will get or not and I will defer to someone who has had experience with this, but whatever offer or details they give you (such as being able to get two SD DVR boxes installed for free 30 days later), get it in writing via e-mail and have them put it in the notes in your account AND read it back to you.

Again, I haven't had the experience of future promises with regard to equipment/new accounts, so hopefully someone who has can give detail on what you should do to assure you get what they're telling you you can get.


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

I do believe it is possible to go the owned route, and avoid a credit check and i think it is cheaper than the deposit.


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## Justin23 (Jan 11, 2008)

Davenlr said:


> If you are married, get your wife or kid(s) a debit card, and have them subscribe for you.
> 
> BTW, I just bought a HR22 at Best Buy, and all I had to do was sign an electronic agreement at the checkout to activate the receiver within a month.


You didn't "buy" the HR22...it's still a leased receiver when you get it at Best Buy.

J


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

Davenlr said:


> If you are married, get your wife or kid(s) a debit card, and have them subscribe for you.
> 
> BTW, I just bought a HR22 at Best Buy, and all I had to do was sign an electronic agreement at the checkout to activate the receiver within a month.


no no no no no no no no. your wife, yes, kids must be over 18 or you commit fraud


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## ffemtreed (Jan 30, 2008)

curt8403 said:


> no no no no no no no no. your wife, yes, kids must be over 18 or you commit fraud


technically its only fraud if you planned to defraud them out of money/service, ie sign up and never planned to pay the bill.

Using a wife or kids name to sign up for service wouldn't be a crime unless you did it without their permission. You may violate direct tv terms of service (due to age) but that isn't a crime, thats a civil situation.


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## cariera (Oct 27, 2006)

danpedraza said:


> But then they said i could call after 30 days and get 2 Regular DVR boxes installed for free?


Probably more like 60 or 90 days. They have started charging a $50 fee for new customers adding equipment within the first few months.

Also, the key phrase is "installed for free". You would still be paying $99 for each DVR, even though they may waive an installation charge.


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## DishCSR (Jan 14, 2004)

JLucPicard said:


> I'm not sure what you can/will get or not and I will defer to someone who has had experience with this, but whatever offer or details they give you (such as being able to get two SD DVR boxes installed for free 30 days later), get it in writing via e-mail and have them put it in the notes in your account AND read it back to you.
> 
> Again, I haven't had the experience of future promises with regard to equipment/new accounts, so hopefully someone who has can give detail on what you should do to assure you get what they're telling you you can get.


I agree with you jluc , however,. the part about noting the account, does not apply wtih direct tv sales, since they use a completely different system than the csr's do, I know this makes no sense, but it is dtv. Direct sales agents have absolutely no way of noting the account. Because they never see the "account" they only see the sales order applilcation, and vice versa. the part of the sales application that sales agents see is very different than the sales;/orders that a csr sees. again this makes no sense, but it is dtv.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

DishCSR said:


> I agree with you jluc , however,. the part about noting the account, does not apply wtih direct tv sales, since they use a completely different system than the csr's do, I know this makes no sense, but it is dtv. Direct sales agents have absolutely no way of noting the account. Because they never see the "account" they only see the sales order applilcation, and vice versa. the part of the sales application that sales agents see is very different than the sales;/orders that a csr sees. again this makes no sense, but it is dtv.


OK, I hear ya.

So what mechanisms are in place for someone to assure that promises made to a new customer by the sales agents aren't (a) just smoke blown up someone's rear end to make a sale or (b) "vaporware", so to speak, where when the customer calls to take advantage of those offers they don't get the "sorry, I don't know anything about that and DirecTV doesn't do that" responses?


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

JLucPicard said:


> OK, I hear ya.
> 
> So what mechanisms are in place for someone to assure that promises made to a new customer by the sales agents aren't (a) just smoke blown up someone's rear end to make a sale or (b) "vaporware", so to speak, where when the customer calls to take advantage of those offers they don't get the "sorry, I don't know anything about that and DirecTV doesn't do that" responses?


All the sales information is displayed on the order. So if you were giving a programming special or something then it's listed on the order itself. When it comes to things like "Just call after" then the responses are generic and they have no way of going over every situation that can come up. They are sales people and so they're going to spin it as much as they can in a good light but they shouldn't lie. The biggest issue is the lack of explaining a $50 fee for ordering equipment or placing a movers within a specific time frame after the account is open.

Once an order is placed when you call in you will be routed to the regular departments and not direct sales. If you have any further questions they can answer them.


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## bluesman40220 (Jul 13, 2006)

Davenlr said:


> If you are married, get your wife or kid(s) a debit card, and have them subscribe for you.
> 
> BTW, I just bought a HR22 at Best Buy, and all I had to do was sign an electronic agreement at the checkout to activate the receiver within a month.


Leave your kids out of this--enough said.


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## Mertzen (Dec 8, 2006)

Make sure to pay the bill on time or so long deposit.


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