Directv Going To Lease Only On 3/1/06

[Tom J]

The other really great thing about this is the HSP's have been slashing tech's pay for 2 years and the turnover is skyrocketing. So by summer there will be very few good HSP techs left, you will have to pay for some newbie to come to your house and screw it up.

...as opposed to paying "seasoned" techs to screw it up. Please, no flames from the techs who are trying to do a good job but are limited by low pay, tools, lack of training, gas and materials reimbursement. I understand. I'm really referring to the "hire anybody off the street and give them a screwdriver mentality". If I wanted someone who is dangerous with a screwdriver, I'd have my wife do the install.

 

[SirDrake]

I have been a DirecTV subsciber for about 6 years now. I have two HD receivers and one SD receiver (that I purchased). The biggest problem I have always had with DirecTV is the $5 additional receiver charge they have always charged. The cable companies charge this kind of fee but it is a lease fee for the cable box. In DirecTV's case I was buying my own receivers and STILL paying a $5/receiver charge! For what!?!
This was the number one reason most of my friends and relatives would not switch to DirecTV. Sure you can get a 4-room installation for FREE. But then you have to pay $15/month for the extra receivers and they are not covered for failure unless you sign up for the additional $8/month insurance. And if you want HD, you have to BUY a new (expensive) receiver. Cable gives you the HD box FREE. Just pay the $5/month lease fee.
If you ask me DirecTV shouldn't have been charging that addtional receiver fee all along if you own your own equipment. Charge the fee if you want to lease it.
I'm getting a bit fed up with DirecTV's tactics lately. The reason I originally became a customer was because of the flexibilty in programming, price, and choice of equipment. Now it seems they are becoming the opposite.
Believe me when I say I have been a staunch DirecTV customer. I have been singing their praises for 6 years, encouraging others to sign on to DirecTV. But lately I have been getting a bad feeling from them. Just look at the posts in this forum. And DirecTV keeps us all in the dark until the last possible moment, too.
I really think they should do away with the additional receiver fee if you OWN your equipment. Charge the fee only to LEASE it.
And if they are going to charge an up-front fee for leased equipment, they are going to lose customers. They will go back to cable.
They better turn things around or I am going to consider other options.
Are you listening DirecTV?

 

[Digital Dude]

Are you listening DirecTV?

They could care less.

Tom J,

I think we're on the same page. If you subscribe to the MSN group of sat technicians you know the number of caring and experienced tech are leaving in droves. That MSN group is all but defunct.

 

[uboatcmdr]

The other really great thing about this is the HSP's have been slashing tech's pay for 2 years and the turnover is skyrocketing. So by summer there will be very few good HSP techs left, you will have to pay for some newbie to come to your house and screw it up.

You don't know how true that is. I worked for a HSP that got a bunch of company trucks, filled them with cheap Chinese made tools then told the techs they were cutting pay by as much as 50% in order to run off as many senior techs as possible so they could fill the trucks with a bunch of $10 FNG hacks. Then some of the senior techs joined together with many of the not-so-senior techs (guys who had been there atleast 6-12 months), they tried to organize and vote a union in to keep from lossing so much of our pay & benefits. The top organizers got fired before a vote could be held. The company did this because one of our smaller offices had suceeded in voting the union in and they wanted to cut off the head (fire the organizers) in order to scare the heII out of the tail (the other techs). I was one of those senior techs/union organizers that got canned. The union is currently going to bat for me and the others over the wrongful firings.
The techs that the company is hiring now are nothing but a bunch of hacks. In several of the offices the company is out of compliance with their Directv contracts for quality and job completion rates. And because of this non-compliance much of those offices points (installs) over the last few months have instead been given to the area retailers/contractors.
Not all the more vetran techs (either contractors or HSP's) were prefect. There were hacks in both places. But the good techs did whatever needed to be done to help rid the company of the hacks, because shoddy workmanship reflected poorly not just on the individual but the industry as a whole. But now that the HSP's are pushing out the good techs (no tech worth having is going to stick around for such low pay and crappy benefits) all that is left or knocking on their doors is the hacks.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

You don't know how true that is. I worked for a HSP that got a bunch of company trucks, filled them with cheap Chinese made tools then told the techs they were cutting pay by as much as 50% in order to run off as many senior techs as possible so they could fill the trucks with a bunch of $10 FNG hacks. The some of the senior techs joined together with many or the not-so-senior techs (guys who had been there atleast 6-12 months) then tried to organize and vote a union in to keep from lossing so much of our pay & benefits. The top organizers got fired before a vote could be held. The company did this because one of our smaller offices had suceeded in voting the union in and they wanted to cut off the head (fire the organizers) in order to scare the heII out of the tail (the other techs). I was one of those senior techs/union organizers that got canned. The union is currently going to bat for me and the others over the wrongful firings.
The techs that the company is hiring now are nothing but a bunch of hacks. In several of the offices the company is out of compliance with their Directv contracts for quality and job completion rates. And because of this non-compliance much of those offices points (installs) over the last few months have instead been given to the area retailers/contractors.
Not all the more vetran techs (either contractors or HSP's) were prefect. There were hacks in both places. But the good techs did whatever needed to be done to help rid the company of the hacks, because shoddy workmanship reflected poorly not just on the individual but the industry as a whole. But now that the HSP's are pushing out the good techs (no tech worth having is going to stick around for such low pay and crappy benefits) all that is left or knocking on their doors is the hacks.

Sad indeed and 100% true. We do not do any install work for HSP's or MSO's. I only take care of my customers.

-Robert

 

[climo]

Ok, I'm in the same boat as a few others here and before I pull the trigger I have some questions. Excellent forum by the way!!

I was thinking about purchasing a new H20 receiver from my local BB (they have the H20-600 models.) Since I'm an existing customer once I activate the HD package I should get the 200 rebate check. Ok, free receiver but now I'm commited to a 2 year contract that if I break off early I pay a ETF. Correct?

Now different scenario. I lease a H20 thru Directv lease program. I subscribe to the HD package. Does the leasing option also have a ETF like the normal purchased receiver? I gathered that a few threads above. What about upfront fees or other out of pocket expenses with the lease program? I'm trying to weigh the difference between purchase and lease. I rather own but the leasing has some benefits. URGH!!! time is ticking....

 

[nc88keyz]

Directv Advanced Replacement program question

I know this doesnt really pertain to the new leasing model, however I called in this evening to get my HDVR2 replaced in the bedroom as it is just sitting on the welcome screen....Cant hear the fan or anything and I specifically requested an R15 as replacement just to have something new to play with. They said there is nothing they can do to request a certain model but I would receive a comparable model..


At the end of the call, the last instruction was this. I was told there is no need to send that unit back to us and you may dispose of it any way you see fit. Looks like i get some spare parts to play with now

I also asked how my warranty would be affected due to the leasing model coming up in March. She stated that was a good question and was unsure.

I gonna have me a nice wallet ice scraper (access card) now

What are the chances I get a R15 vs R10 or earlier model.

My order info says the following on the website:

NEW_T_1 Group in proccessing


Any clue what that code is?


It will be a busy week with directv and me.

Robert from VE is also sending me a H20 for free! Imagine that.
Arent rebates grand.

Ive heard that Best Buy will be switching to a rebate free bricks and mortar model in the future. It will be then that I will begin spending some of my hard earned money at Best Buy.

Until then. Its Etailers with great customer service only for me!

 

[SAT75]

If you are replacing a HD-DVR , I would not throw anything away. Keep your card. If they end up just FedEx'ing you a receiver with no access card , your going to need that old one. If your just replacing it bc it doesnt work thats what they will most likely do. Send you another HD-DVR w.out a card , you install it and call up to pair up the old card with the new receiver. I also wouldnt throw out the receiver bc if by chance that CSR was wrong, you may end up having to send that back or otherwise pay a non-returned equiptment fee.

I would just play it safe. As far as that "code" goes, looks like its just a "NEW" CSR in Technical that did your ordering T1 ( lower tech), T2 (advanced tech).

 

[nc88keyz]

Oh im not tossing it,

I will wait until it is all final.

I wish they told me to toss an HR10-250! No such luck

This was an HDVR2 - SD Dtivo 40GB drive.

If anything I think I can turn the box into an SD Multiroom tivo with some minor modifications to the file system over at DD

Im still wondering what model they send

Was asking and requesting an R15 but we will see I suppose.

 

[neilk2350]

can somebody help me out here

i've called directv twice and spoke to 2 different CSR's and they all deny the lease thing. how am i supposed to get this leased equipment if they dont know about it

 

[lou_do]

i've called directv twice and spoke to 2 different CSR's and they all deny the lease thing. how am i supposed to get this leased equipment if they dont know about it

Wait till after March 1st, when it goes into effect. You can't get leased equipment before that date.

 

[neilk2350]

wait!

Wait till after March 1st, when it goes into effect. You can't get leased equipment before that date.

so you cant order it for march installation? the CSR's dont know it's coming? that's wild.

 

[lou_do]

so you cant order it for march installation? the CSR's dont know it's coming? that's wild.

Not sure on that, just know the information I have seen says it goes into effect on March 1st. It does seem strange, but not unusual, the CSRs don't know anything about it, but D* sometimes is very tight lipped, until they actually put things in place.

 

[sheepishlion]

the CSR's dont know it's coming?

I just started working for D*, and the training for lease, at least in my call center, is last week and this week. I haven't been through it yet, but hopefully I will go through sooner this week rather than later. I found out about it here, before anyone in my call center knew anything about it.

 

[dnyce]

HR10 Lease upgrade question

Sorry if this was answered earlier... If I rent the HR 10, when the MPEG 4 HD DVR is released will I automatically be upgraded at no cost? Or is that only for people who own?
I'm finally ready to cut Comcast loose and buy the HR 10, but I am unsure whether I should pay the $500 and get one now or wait a couple weeks and pay half of that. If they promise an upgrade I'll rent.

 

[newsposter]

Sorry if this was answered earlier... If I rent the HR 10, when the MPEG 4 HD DVR is released will I automatically be upgraded at no cost? Or is that only for people who own?
I'm finally ready to cut Comcast loose and buy the HR 10, but I am unsure whether I should pay the $500 and get one now or wait a couple weeks and pay half of that. If they promise an upgrade I'll rent.

Thing is, until some can post first handed info, all we can do is guess. I'd hope if you had a HDtivo now they would upgrade you without charging you 299....but Im not sure. I'd be virtually certain if you waited and paid the 299 lease fee, then upgraded, it should be free...afterall, they are touting that you will no longer be tied to obsolete equipment.

remember nothing is certain though.

I initially bought the HDtivo in hopes of a free upgrade. However now that I have very good OTA, i dont want to upgrade at all.

 

[nc88keyz]

Got my replacement receiver from Directv today.

What a POS. Philips DVR7000.

Its got scratches and knicks all over the face.

I expected refurbished equipment but at least a nice krylon job on the silver coating wouldnt have hurt.

I guess I will call up directv and bitch this evening.

 

[zalarrulz]

Don't know if all of this has been, or can be, answered at this time.
1. Will the lease HD DVR have a RF remote so i don't have to rewire my house to record two shows at once?
2. Any estimate on what the initial price will be, and the following rental price?
3. Is it worth waiting till summer for the HMC version?

Thanks

jz

 

[rkivekeeper_75]

how do you access the directv dealer site affirmentioned earlier?

 

[BFG]

Wow. So D* has decided to take the on the same horible Upfront lease fee as E* what a shame

So for both companies if you want and HD-DVR you gotta pay $300 upfront and never own the thing, boy I'm sure the cable companies are smiling at that.

I guess those that want the HD-DVR should buy it for $299 before 2/28 and have some asset in it