Direct TV Premier Protection Plan

Anybody else know if this Direct TV Protection Plan is good to have, or not?

Hello @bake1778 , let us give you a hand on this.

The DIRECTV Protection Plan covers technical appointments when your service might require technical assistance, you can upgrade your DIRECTV equipment every two years at no cost, get replacement equipment will be delivered to your door including shipping costs, and many more benefits.

Andris, DIRECTV Community Specialist

https://www.directv.com/technology/protection_plan

There are 3 tiers. Sounds like you have 2 or 3.

At the base tier, they cover service calls ($99) delivery of replacement boxes ($19.95), and remotes ($15). Those one-time costs are cheaper in the long run as you pay for the plan whether you use them or not. And if you need to use them often enough to be cheaper, something is very wrong.

It boasts a free upgrade every 2 years, which I find misleading. As long as it has been over 2 years of active service since your last upgrade, with account in good standing, you should have a free one anyway. The plan merely gives an exact date to the agents. Also new lines of equipment aren't made every year. So there can be years in-between before there is a new line to take advantage of.

To be clear, a newer model number is not an "upgrade". A warranty replacement gets same model number or newer depending on stock, of the same model line. So HR20 thru HR24 are all regular HDDVRs (like for like) and Genies (HR34 thru HR54R1) are like for like. Now regular HDDVR to Genie would be an upgrade.

Protection Plan Premier covers additional non-DirecTV equipment like your TV. Must be registered on your plan and be a specific type to be covered. If you have another warranty or protection plan (such as through the manufacturer or store) then you are just paying more for same/similar coverage.

As you probably know, now Direct TV is no longer part of ATT.  They apparently as the tech told me Dis-Combined their relationship.  Bottom line is you have to renegotiate your agreement to stay with them by threatening them to leave in order to get any discount for your service.  The latest for me was they gave me a $10 a line discount for my two wireless accounts if I would continue my Auto-Pay as I have done for many years by having the entire subscription amount paid by a charge to my credit card which always has paid on time for years.  Now that I agreed to that a few weeks ago to get the continuing discount, I have now received a text advising that if I continued have my monthly account billed to my credit card the discount of $10 a month is now a discount of $5 a month.  In my limited math skills it computes that I am being charged an extra $10 a month as I have two cell phones as do most married people especially ones that pay their bills on time.  By the way, credit card companies hate people like me who pay their bills when it's due each month.  They already do it now by charging us an annual fee just because they can.  Still better than paying 20% interest if you leave a balance.  Even the mafia's shylocking fees were cheaper back in the day.  I really believe the mafia now owns the credit card companies.  The Biden Crime family just taught them a better way.  My opinion.  RB

AT&T sold off 30% of DTV and the new partner is running the day to day operations..  There is no renegotiating your contract as after your 2 yrs is over you continue on a month to month bases.  Your cell phones have nothing to do with your DTV bill.  None of my CC charge an annual fee and I also pay off the statement balance each month.

@bake1778 

DirecTV is still part of AT&T. They didn't get rid of it completely, just sold off 30% and are letting the new co-owner take over most management of it.

You don't "negotiate" your agreement to stay with them. You only have a service agreement if you upgrade your equipment. Outside of that you are month to month.

There is no ongoing discount to negotiate. Discounts are temporary perks, not something to have indefinitely. Long before the new co-owner entered the mix a financial review was done and it determined that too much was given out. So discounts got pulled back to address problem customers. If price is not comfortable for you than it is your responsibility to lower services until it fits for you. If any discounts are available certainly enjoy them, but know you will not have them forever.

AT&T is not the only company that is changing their autopay discounts. The trend seems to be they want a debit card/auto pay from bank account instead of credit card. I'm not  fan as I pay off my bill monthly, and it keeps me in a good credit rating. My credit card doesn't have any fees just to have it. I only pay additional if I were to not pay off my balance each month. All I've ever had was a single late fee when life took a turn and I had other priorities on my mind.

As mentioned, your cell phones don't affect your TV account. If you have questions for other customers on those, than post in the AT&T forum under the right section.

(politics and mudslinging leave at the door please)