Free Genie Upgrade?

[rnpatrick]

Hi All,

I've had DirecTV service for 2.5 years now and have the pre-Genie receiver. I have read on here of some people getting free Genie upgrades - is there some secret phrase you have to say on the phone with customer service to get this?

I have not called to inquire on upgrade pricing yet since I did not want to tip my hand to them yet but over the years I have had Dish and DirecTV twice each because NEITHER of them would work with me to new equipment without buying it at full price after my 2 year agreement was up so it was always just far cheaper to switch.

This time I would like to add a second TV (and possibly a third) and get the whole-house DVR capability. My preference would be to get the Genie and stay with DirecTV but in my experience they will not match the new-customer pricing from Dish.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
RP

 

[raoul5788]

I would simply call and ask if they can give you the deal you want. If not, call back and say cancel at the prompt. That will get you to the retention department. They have more flexibility to offer better deals. Don't threaten to cancel, otherwise they may take you up on it! Explain what you want, be nice, and they will likely fix you up.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

Just over a year ago I added a third HD DVR and Directv installed the whole home DVR. Since Genie was newer at the time they wouldn't give it to me. I was with Directv for 4 years at the time and out of contract.

 

[satjay]

I agree with Raul, as former sub with Direct, and using the same approach with Dish, being polite in your request can go a long way.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[fayrich]

Hi All,

I've had DirecTV service for 2.5 years now and have the pre-Genie receiver. I have read on here of some people getting free Genie upgrades - is there some secret phrase you have to say on the phone with customer service to get this?

I have not called to inquire on upgrade pricing yet since I did not want to tip my hand to them yet but over the years I have had Dish and DirecTV twice each because NEITHER of them would work with me to new equipment without buying it at full price after my 2 year agreement was up so it was always just far cheaper to switch.

This time I would like to add a second TV (and possibly a third) and get the whole-house DVR capability. My preference would be to get the Genie and stay with DirecTV but in my experience they will not match the new-customer pricing from Dish.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
RP

Do you have the service agreement? It is my understanding that you are supposed to be able to upgrade equipment once a year at no charge if you do. Doesn't the Genie qualify for the free upgrade?

 

[raoul5788]

I think the free upgrade is if you have the better protection plan.

 

[Mariah2014]

The regular protection plan gets you the upgrade as well. The bigger key is be out of contract and having the protection plan. Secondly, they seem to be pushing to get people on the whole home dvr setup and if your home isn't already set up for that when the genie is available in your area and your out of contract you may get a phone call especially if you have an older box like a HR20, H20 or even something before that in the house. I took them up on the free upgrade and in fact they called some many times after I took the upgrade that I could have got two genies off Directv at no cost in less than a months time. I suspect it has to to with the fact I didn't let them have the HR20 yet.

 

[jcrandall]

I think the free upgrade is if you have the better protection plan.

From memory I think it is included with all the protection plans, but it is an every two year upgrade, essentially a way to re-lock you into contract.

 

[Jimbo]

The regular protection plan gets you the upgrade as well. The bigger key is be out of contract and having the protection plan. Secondly, they seem to be pushing to get people on the whole home dvr setup and if your home isn't already set up for that when the genie is available in your area and your out of contract you may get a phone call especially if you have an older box like a HR20, H20 or even something before that in the house. I took them up on the free upgrade and in fact they called some many times after I took the upgrade that I could have got two genies off Directv at no cost in less than a months time. I suspect it has to to with the fact I didn't let them have the HR20 yet.

From memory I think it is included with all the protection plans, but it is an every two year upgrade, essentially a way to re-lock you into contract.

Also, so far, only 1 Genie on an account is allowed so far.

 

[Mariah2014]

That is what I thought as well, but the person would have actually done it which surprised me.

Also, so far, only 1 Genie on an account is allowed so far.

 

[raoul5788]

IF they activate two Genies, one of them will end up deactivated soon afterwards.

 

[Bogy]

How long does it take the Protection Plan to take effect? I'm just out of my contract, and I have a dead H24 that needs to be replaced. I have the whole-house setup, with an HR24, 2 H25's, and the H24. Started out with three H25's, but one had to be replaced right after the installation, so they gave me the H24 instead. I'm interested in getting the Genie. I'm not signed up for the Replacement Plan. I've read varying opinions here on how much difference it makes on getting equipment repaired or replaced, and that you can just as well wait until you need it before signing up for it. It's fairly recently that they started offering equipment upgrades as part of the Protection Plan. Do you have to be on the Plan for a certain amount of time before you qualify for the upgrade?

 

[raoul5788]

Without the protection plan they will replace a defective box at no charge or contract extension, but you may need to pay shipping. That's $19.95. That charge is often dropped upon request.

 

[Jimbo]

How long does it take the Protection Plan to take effect? I'm just out of my contract, and I have a dead H24 that needs to be replaced. I have the whole-house setup, with an HR24, 2 H25's, and the H24. Started out with three H25's, but one had to be replaced right after the installation, so they gave me the H24 instead. I'm interested in getting the Genie. I'm not signed up for the Replacement Plan. I've read varying opinions here on how much difference it makes on getting equipment repaired or replaced, and that you can just as well wait until you need it before signing up for it. It's fairly recently that they started offering equipment upgrades as part of the Protection Plan. Do you have to be on the Plan for a certain amount of time before you qualify for the upgrade?

I dont believe they repair any equipment for you, they would send you another recvr have you return yours if its not too old, then they wouldpossibly repair it and send it outto another sub for a replacement.

 

[Ace68]

To see if you qualify for the free equipment upgrade, you can go to directv.com and go to your account page. I was just surfing their site one day a couple of weeks ago, and saw my available upgrades...I now have the Genie & a new HDDVR for free (I have the protection plan and got VIP no cost install (required) and re-upped for 2 more years, they also waived the DVR fee of $10/mo for 6 months, followed by a $10/mo credit for HD service for the following 6 months) Oh...and gave me a year of Starz & Encore for free! (I have been a loyal customer for about 15 years) Good Luck!

 

[linus259]

Call and talk to retention. In the last year and a half I upgraded to all HD (HR24 and 3 H25's) and then several months ago I upgraded to a Genie (HR-44), all at no cost to me with free shipping. I've never had the protection plan. Every time I call, they fall all over themselves wanting to give me new equipment and discounts.

 

[maestro7]

I can confirm that free upgrades are definitely in the system for at least some subscribers without having to haggle. Also, we have no additional services on our account except HD and DVR.

Over the past two days, I've been calling DirecTV and peppering them with all sorts of questions about upgrading our HR20-100 and H21-200 (I'm sure some folks here may be rolling their eyes over our equipment but, so far, so good for us - and more on this shortly). A special thanks to this forum for the additional info to ask DirecTV.

Anyway, today's rep mentioned that our account - which, admittedly, is over 10 years old and over a year out of contract - is eligible for upgrade at any time for no additional hardware cost (additional monthly $3 whole home DVR fee required), plus $49.95 install fee (I'd prefer to install SWM equipment myself, but I don't have crimping tools available, so I figure $50 is a smaller price to pay for new tech installed correctly the first time).

However, we're not taking advantage of the above immediately, predominantly because our main compelling reason would be the wireless Genie Mini client receiver.

The rep told me that this receiver is still in trial stages only in certain parts of the country. It is on very slow rollout until they're comfortable with nationwide deployment, again from what he said. I asked if there was some other concern they were having with it; he indicated none. For us, having a wireless client would be ideal, as our kids are too young to have their own cable outlets provisioned (read: I plug in additional outlets in the basement ), and we don't have enough coax jacks around the house for a really nice wired solution (wife refuses additional cord fishes, and I don't blame her, for our current setup).

As I mentioned above, and based on our current needs, we simply don't have a compelling reason yet to upgrade (e.g.: neither wife nor I have ever found ourselves in front of a receiver saying, "Man, I wish we could do such-and-such"). Of course, a hardware upgrade would mean a new 2-year contract, but our only other viable video option is AT&T U-verse, but we don't know if/when that deployment will ever happen.

YMMV, and with eligibility attached to our account, we don't have to make a move, but we could