Really ?
The local installess I have dealt with Never give Free installs, D* gives free installs because they want your service and can do it due to the Large numbers of installs they have.
The local installer may get a few a month, they are not giving away the install for free. ... they have b to cover the equipment price plus the wages and insurance for a job that they don't always have .... these installers also do many Other jobs to cover thier day.
I think next time I go by my local installers I'll walk in and ask them if they will do a free D* install for me ... and expect to get laughed out of the building.
We are a local DirecTV authorized retailer and I can assure you are wrong. I don't know who or what you're talking about and dealing with but that's not the way it works. When we sign up a new qualified DirecTV customer the installation and everything else is free, and really free. No activation fee, no shipping charges, nothing. Zero. Zip. Free.