First tv charges

This is a recent billing issue that has cropped up. It is believed to be caused by moving all customers to the new billing account system that is integrated with AT&T. The Genie-2 (HS17) should not have a TV fee at all as it does not go on a TV to begin with. The first Client would be the primary. Since the Genie-2 is a Client only setup, that is what I believe is causing the problem as this is the only setup where a Client is also the Primary TV.

Old way: Primary TV fee $0, HD $10, DVR $10, Whole Home DVR $3 = $23

New way: Primary TV $7, HD included service, Advanced Receiver Services (DVR and Whole home DVR) $15, = $22

Both ways: $7 for each additional TV/Client

Genie-2 should never count for the $7 as it is not a Client and doesn't even go on a TV to begin with.

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@MarD-28 wrote:
Thanks for the information. Looks like I’m still on the old billing cycle
as far as the cost layout. I called again and after trying to explain to
someone my problem and they never understanding they passed me on to a
supervisor. He was very understanding and helpful and said the first
receiver should be free. I gave him all of the receiver serial numbers for
the receivers I have and he verified them. Said he had it all taken care
of. About an hour after my call, my main receiver deactivated. I called
back and they could not get it activated so I will have a service tech come
to see if they can get it back activated. Probably has something to do
with those people going to Area 51.

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They deactivated it?? That shouldn't need a tech but an override in the system for deactivating a box in error. The new system doesn't allow reactivation of boxes after a voluntary disconnect, but an error by an agent or needed as part of troubleshooting, should have a way to just reactivate. Sending a tech out is the wrong answer as it is not a hardware issue but an account problem. If that truly needs a tech to get activation through their system they use when on-site, than that makes this issue an even bigger problem. Ugh, good wishes to you with this massive headache.

Sending a tech out to reactivate a receiver is beyond ridiculous and stupid, a tech can't do anything physically to reactivate a receiver, it's a system issue I'm SO glad I no longer work for direcTV this new rc1 system seems to be a nightmare that the programmers failed miserably with 

@nabukl, it can be a nightmare. Occasionally a tech is required to swap receivers if one has been accidentally deactivated. I'm guessing one could be shipped too so I am not sure why they don't just do that. This will probably be common practice until they sort out the rc1 issue of reactivating receivers that have been deactivated. 

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@Cstarman922 wrote:

@nabukl, it can be a nightmare. Occasionally a tech is required to swap receivers if one has been accidentally deactivated. I'm guessing one could be shipped too so I am not sure why they don't just do that. This will probably be common practice until they sort out the rc1 issue of reactivating receivers that have been deactivated. 

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Swapping a box so that there is an order that allows a box activation, when a box cannot be reactivated, makes sense as a workaround. But the fact that new equipment is needed for an option that should be on the account itself is horrendous.

On a related note regarding the original issue, that I am starting to see multiple posts of, could you share some explanation as to the Genie-2 (HS17) being charged the $7 TV fee? If you are on the old billing model there is no fee for Primary TV, but people are starting to see $7 Primary TV for the Genie-2 and $7 for the Additional TV/Client, even in a single TV home. So $14 worth of incorrect charges (or $7 for new customers as they do pay the fee for the Primary TV). Is this another issue of the RC1 system, a problem with the Genie-2 in general (even in the old system), or something else?

And are there any updates regarding customers who currently have more than 8 devices (legitimately at home, not multiple locations) which apparently is the cap for RC1?

So many questions and concerns with the RC1 system and the design of the Genie-2 (any SWM-only HDDVRs in the works that are supposed to work with it?)

I believe part of the issue is a lot of techs and agents we are dealing with started working there after the billing model changed. So they are not familiar with the grandfathered setup that still applies to us older customers. It changed in late 2015 so has been a few years.

Though that would explain the issue with many of them claiming the Primary TV Fee is required, it does not cover the agent deactivating the box all together. Physical restrictions and now what appears to be a billing conflict in the new system, are why I stick with a regular Genie and HDDVRs instead of going to the Genie-2 (HS17).

@MarD-28 

If you end up having to call again with this issue continuing, I would see if they would just swap to a regular Genie setup to fix everything. Unlike the Genie-2 it goes on a TV itself as it is a full HDDVR, not just a server tower. Plus this gives you the option to have regular HDDVRs instead of Clients. My Genie and 2 HDDVRs gives me 9 tuners, better than the hard limit of the Genie-2's 7 tuners, plus the HDDVRs can be used independently unlike Clients (which go down with the main box as they cannot work by themselves).

@Juniper: No new information. These swaps for boxes that have been accidentally deactivated are supposed to be set up as upgrades without the 12 month commitment and free of charge, it's usually customer care that has to set these up. They cannot be set up as a service call because a box can only be swapped on a service, and if a box has been deactivated there is nothing to swap it with on the account. Customers on the old account system (RIO) can still have deactivated receivers activated again.

As far as the billing issue this is the first I've heard of it. But as a technician we rarely get asked about billing issues. 

I'll have to request another update on the 8 receiver limit.

@MarD-28: If you end up needing to call in again I would suggest calling the regular number (1.800.531.5000) and saying cancel at the voice prompt. This should route you to a retention agent who should be a little more experienced in resolving complex account issues.

@Cstarman922 

I understand AT&T needs DirecTV accounts to be fully integrated into their system. Just feels like not enough testing was done on this new system before migrating batches of customers.

The issue where the Genie-2 is charging the $7, and the 1st Client for grandfathered customers seems to be a new issue. I have only seen posts within the last week or 2 that have experienced this. What is consistent is that when they call to resolve it the agents are telling them that this is being billed correctly, which suggests agents with no clue as to how the old billing model works for grandfathered customers and that the Genie-2 itself doesn't go on a TV. Frustrating as I haven't heard of someone with their DVR service disabled when migrated due to account type changing from residential to commercial accidently, so was cautiously optimistic that the big migration issues had finished.

That 8 device limit is very suspicious as the Genie-2 plus 7 Clients at most reaches that cap perfectly. I do hope it is a temporary limit for some of those power users (one recently in the forum with either 10 or 11 devices, think you or Constructive participated in that discussion as well).

I hope there is more equipment in the works. In my household I have people with medical issues who use the TV a lot, which ended up with overlapping recordings. The 9 tuners we get from the Genie and 2 HR24s gives us the flexibility we need. Plus after solving a issue with the Genie resetting, from my cat sleeping causing the power cord to be loose (fixed the setup so cannot happen again), I was very glad not to have Clients that would have gone down every time it reset. So I am hoping that regular HDDVRs would be in the works again. Would be nice to find out they are building up for SWM-only boxes like all Genies, and the H25, and so just wanted to transition from older equipment that weren't optimal as they could still use older setups.