Should Voom allow to sell and activate 2nd hand units?

[Mr.Poindexter]

$250 for a receiver?!?! Dude, if you already have an account, additional receivers are only $199.

I can possibly see them not wanting to activate a brand new account from somebody who buys a $199 receiver, but for adding an additional used receiver onto an account, I wonder how they would treat that.

 

[TechCop]

At least you're not bitter...

I too am glad they don't let people use STB's that were bought legally. The more people they piss off the word gets around and the sooner they fold up shop.

Who do you work for?

 

[TechCop]

VoomVoom...

I agree with lostcause... would just like to add... it's good to know dtv has come down to 20.00 for a card, it used to be 50.00... of coarse that was 6 or 7 years ago... not to mention, you had to mail your old card to them and wait for a new one to arrive...

So you don't mind sitting on hold for an extra 10 minutes while they deal with problems related to a box they did not sell? I also assume you don't mind if they increase rates to offset the cost of handling the extra call volume?

I think it's a wise policy not to allow "outside" equipment, at least until they get the bugs out of what we have now.

 

[lostcause]

How are you seeing any added call volume???? Did the box suddenly multiply by itself and become two boxes??? I didn't know these boxes were capable of mitosis. Either way, if the box didn't work right someone would call...either you or the other owner.

btw, what you call "outside" equipment had to come from the inside at some point. You can't just solder one of these things together in your garage.

 

[exoticbargain]

Thanks for all the inputs

Thanks for all the inputs, I would really appreciate if any of you is from an installation, retailer or reseller company and send that fax to eBay/PayPal so that they can refund the charge and ban other users to sell these units.
I don't know how many hits it is going to take for eBay to understand that these are just fraudulent...

The documents must be faxed to PayPal at (402) 537-5760. Please include a cover sheet with your fax that includes my email address sales@exoticbargain.com and the ID number of my claim (PP-041-589-967) so that they may attach the documents to the claim as quickly as possible.

Unit's serial number is 0698474008019651, Access Card's serial number is 00000251843.

Thanks again!

 

[motorcycle_rider]

I have also purchased my STB and as I became aware of VOOM's Policy it gave me a bad opinion of Voom. As time goes on my feelings of the company are slowly getting worse. Its insane policies such as that that is really making me no longer want to be a part of Voom. Voom really needs to wake up and realize that a satellite based business is NOT a cable company. One of the reasons D* and E* are doing so well is that they do offer the ability to install yourself or more importantly pick who does the install if a person is not able to do it themselves. In my opinion allowing people to sell or by receivers thru "unauthorized dealers" will in my opinion help them grow. The are dumping a large sum of money's on receivers that they know someday they will have to recollect. Another thought is by them allowing this to do this it will force Voom to constantly work on improving there STB's or risk loosing customers. Think about it those of you who have cable are stuck with crappy STB's that you know the cable companies are not willing to invest in improving them because of the fact of knowing you have know choice other that switching to satellite.

 

[lostcause]

Thanks for all the inputs, I would really appreciate if any of you is from an installation, retailer or reseller company and send that fax to eBay/PayPal so that they can refund the charge and ban other users to sell these units.
I don't know how many hits it is going to take for eBay to understand that these are just fraudulent...
Thanks again!

The problem is that I don't think they are fraudulent. The sellers have the right to sell something that they legitimately own and is not illegal to sell. I'd be willing to bet that they don't even know about vooms ridiculous policy.

I can understand your being pissed off about it but I really don't think you got defrauded by anyone except voom in this case (unless the box was stolen or something like that). Sure, I would do what I could to get my money back, but I would also go after voom, not the seller (again, unless the box was stolen).

 

[TechCop]

Oh, excuse me, lostcause.

How are you seeing any added call volume???? Did the box suddenly multiply by itself and become two boxes??? I didn't know these boxes were capable of mitosis. Either way, if the box didn't work right someone would call...either you or the other owner.

btw, what you call "outside" equipment had to come from the inside at some point. You can't just solder one of these things together in your garage.

I thought we were discussing VOOM's policy on allowing activation of equipment they did not sell directly to the customer, not just one STB?

By "outside", I meant outside of the normal requirements for activation. And it could be a box someone fabricated in their garage, or one from another service that was modified. It could be a one of the first-generation boxes that were recalled/replaced by VOOM. Someone on this forum actually posted a link to the same MOTO receiver, available for purchase, new in box (without the VOOM logo). Do I know if it would work on VOOM? No, neither does VOOM. And I don't want my investment in them being pissed away trying to find out.

VOOM should buy back the boxes, check them out, and lease them to subscribers. At this point it would be ridiculous to take on any more potential service nightmares.

 

[TechCop]

How did VOOM defraud them?

...I really don't think you got defrauded by anyone except voom in this case...

Did VOOM promise to authorize this equipment? - NO!

No Promise = No fraud.

 

[Indy]

I have also purchased my STB and as I became aware of VOOM's Policy it gave me a bad opinion of Voom. As time goes on my feelings of the company are slowly getting worse. Its insane policies such as that that is really making me no longer want to be a part of Voom. Voom really needs to wake up and realize that a satellite based business is NOT a cable company. One of the reasons D* and E* are doing so well is that they do offer the ability to install yourself or more importantly pick who does the install if a person is not able to do it themselves. In my opinion allowing people to sell or by receivers thru "unauthorized dealers" will in my opinion help them grow. The are dumping a large sum of money's on receivers that they know someday they will have to recollect. Another thought is by them allowing this to do this it will force Voom to constantly work on improving there STB's or risk loosing customers. Think about it those of you who have cable are stuck with crappy STB's that you know the cable companies are not willing to invest in improving them because of the fact of knowing you have know choice other that switching to satellite.

Good points! We all here seem to forget Voom is owned by a cable company. This bears out the cavalier attitude displayed by Voom of take what we give you or go back to Rabbit Ears. They are accustomed to no competition due to protected service areas from the cable industry. Wake up Voom! This is the DBS industry and you do have competitors!

 

[voomvoom]

So you don't mind sitting on hold for an extra 10 minutes while they deal with problems related to a box they did not sell?.

Nope. It's my opinion (although I don't know) the box is a voom box and was originally sold by voom (provided it's not stolen). As far as I know the seller was someone like me (vooming since october) who purchased their equipment and was never offered a lease option (which I would not have taken) from voom or anyone else. I found out about it on this forum. Maybe the seller decided to drop voom and asked them to repurchase the equipment back and they either refused (cause it was after a deadline, seller knew nothing about) or made to low an offer. Then maybe the seller decided to try and sell it on ebay, to get some money back. I might have done the same thing.

I also assume you don't mind if they increase rates to offset the cost of handling the extra call volume?.

If/when they get their box working right, they could lay off some csr's. Any increase won't be for this, it'll be because they have a half million or more customers, so it won't matter if they lose a few customers who get pissed from the increase.

I think it's a wise policy not to allow "outside" equipment, at least until they get the bugs out of what we have now.

I agree with this, provided by "outside" you don't mean me using an old and larger D* or E* dish or one I went out and bought to help solve my problems with rain fade and such. Even if I bought it on ebay. Or going to Radio Shack and getting a new diplexer cause mine fried for some reason. But, if yours fries, then call your installer. And get genuine voom authorized parts so they're not "outside" equipment, which will not be tolerated by voom. Even if it takes 3 weeks to 2 months to get your new diplexer. you can count on voom to give you a credit for time lost and possibly even some extra time.

I love my HDTV....

 

[lostcause]

Did VOOM promise to authorize this equipment? - NO!

No Promise = No fraud.

Well, considering a company has the right to refuse service to anyone they choose in certain circumstances, you are technically correct.

However, it still doesn't mean it's not wrong/stupid/, and quite possibly still illegal if they would otherwise provide you the service if bought the box from them. They are forcing you to use their dealer to buy the box. I'm sure that violates some law somewhere (and if not, it damn well should).

 

[edsmith100]

its the law!

it is perfectly legal.i know.caveat emtore.hope the spelling gets my point across. ed

 

[weagle]

thank goodness i found this out before i was going to buy a used box. silly though voom is really acting very silly, they're acting as if they are only leasing you the box and not charging you a fee when you pay the full price, same with my phone company here who has adsl i found the exact same looking adsl modem on ebay i told them if i buy it will i be charged the leasing fee of the modem and they said i would still be charged so go figure. I bet my cable co is the same as voom which offers to lease the hd box or buy it outright i bet they wouldn't let me transfer it to another name.