Replaced broken receiver and new 2 year contract.

If you upgraded to a different receiver then you agreed to a new contract. A replacement defective receiver should not be a new contract. AT&T doesn’t save chat logs 

A warranty replacement (like for like) does not renew the service agreement. An upgrade (not like for like, or adding additional) comes with a 24 month service agreement.

The amount of $342 would not be an ECF itself. The service agreement is valued at $20 for each month remaining of the 24 month agreement. So no way could that add to $342.

What are the models of the problem box and the one that replaced it? That will determine if warranty replacement activated as upgrade in error or if it was a valid upgrade situation.

Chat logs do not get saved to the account. One of the biggest reasons I avoid chat, in addition to questionable information given too many times.

Whether you get this situation cleared up in your favor or not, always read the order confirmation that is sent. That way you can verify if all is as expected or if you need to follow-up with any questions or changes.

Thanks.  They replaced a HR24 with another HR24 that broke 7 months later.  One woman gave the "number" of three chats, to ask the "Chat Team" for, but they know nothing.

Just FYI, I got the replacement HR24-200 in Dec of 2020.  Hence 2 years less 7 months is what they want.  I spent 5 hours, this morning, being bounced around, and can get no place.  At this point I'm (Edited per community guidelines), but almost ready to give them their blood money just so I never hear about DirecTV or AT&T again ever!

Thanks for confirming that they're crooks.

If an HR24 was replaced by an HR24, that is a warranty replacement (not just like for like, but same model). So either the order was placed wrong or there was an error during activation of the replacement box.

Since 24 - 7 months would be 17 months remaining that would be an ECF of $340, not $342 as it must be divisible by $20.

Call DirecTV and when you get the voice system say "cancel". Either a retention specialist, or a supervisor of that department, should be able to credit the ECF as a billing error as a like for like swap is not an upgrade (HR20 thru HR24 are all like for like as are regular HDDVRs). If that doesn't resolve it, then file a BBB/FCC complaint as that goes to the corporate level. I would consider doing that anyway as they need to take a closer look at training of chat agents.

I did not "confirm that they're crooks". I pointed out how it is supposed to work. And from your following information there was an error (with order or activation of box). This is a straightforward fix that any reasonable agent (or supervisor if needed) should be able to make. Lets keep this in reality instead of yelling "blood money" or the like.

@fidmas

Try this link below:

Contacts | AT&T (att.com)

Thanks.  I'll try again today when the west cost wakes-up.  After being bounced around yesterday, I got the retention department at some point.  He simply said this is the AT&T policy, even if it's a same replacement, and just pay just pay the money.

Is there a way to go to a BBB/FCC complaint without a lawyer, I hope?

An agent, in the retention department no less, said it is just policy and pay it???? This is NOT policy. Like for like is a warranty replacement, and in your case was the same model. That is not an upgrade in any shape or form. Absolutely do a FCC/BBB complaint. Just Google (or your preferred web search) either of those and get it started. It is directly done, so no lawyer used. As a side note to that question, they have a binding arbitration clause in the Terms of Service (ToS).

Ok.  I'll try goldw1800's solution and  contact the VP of Customer Care first before going to the BBB I guess.  We'll see...........

FYI: I just got a phone call from the VP of Customer Care who fixed the problem and credited the account.  Thank you all! :-)