Directv Protection Plan

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@Husefu wrote:

I was told I had to upgrade from SD service to HD service at a second home due to the fact that the providers will no longer be providing service in SD. After no shows, cancellations, trying to charge $400 for new equipment, I went with HD service. Now the new bill shows a charge for the Directv Protection Plan, to the tune of $10 per month. If I were to cancel what is essentially an insurance plan on Directv's equipment, and one of the new (refurbished per the paperwork) receivers has an electronic infant failure, do I have t pay for a new receiver?

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Without their optional monthly Protection Plan, you're on the hook for $20 to replace a defective Receiver or DVR (supposedly to cover shipping).  Also, any in-home repairs will cost $99 instead of free. 

So the Protection Plan covers all DirecTV equipment from the satellite dish outside and cabling, to the receivers and remotes inside. If you were to ever need a Technician to service or fix an issue, the Protection Plan saves you from paying the $99+ service fee. I always explain it as if you call us out once a year, the plan always saves you money 

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@Husefu wrote:
I certainly wish that I would have been asked if I desired to sign up for the service, let alone have it explained/sold to me.

Regards

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Of course, you can cancel the Protection Plan if you don't want it. Just realize you'll pay if you need service down the road. 

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@Husefu wrote:
Let me get this straight, if one of the refurbished receivers that I am essentially renting from Directv should let's say have an internal component failure, which sometimes happens (especially "infant mortality"). I have to pay to replace it?

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If you have their optional Equipment Protection Plan, that replacement would be free.  Or if it fails in the first 90-days, it would be free. 

If you don't have the Protection Plan, you would $20 for shipping. 

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@Husefu wrote:
OK, I understand your/DirecTV equipment breaks, my problem, you charge me to correct the problem, Customer service at its finest

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Right. Like I said, it's your choice. Some companies just bundle their "protection plan" into their pricing, so you're not really getting it for free. 

That's technically not correct. They will be willing to drop ship you a replacement receiver where you can swap them out and call in to activate the replacement receiver. The $99 cost is for a tech visit to replace the receiver for you

anyone know what the competition's policy is?

I was just told yesterday from a Dtv rep that even though we have the protection plan, it doesn't cover any equipment replacement. It just covers a tech to come out and service the equipment.

I was just told yesterday from a Dtv rep that even though we have the protection plan, it doesn't cover any equipment replacement. It just covers a tech to come out and service the equipment.

Equipment protection plan is optional. It is $8.99 a month. Without it service calls are $99, delivery of replacement boxes $19.95, remotes $15. Since the cost of the protection plan for 12 months adds up to $107.88, the one-time costs are cheaper in the long run as you shouldn't need to use it enough for it to be the cheaper option. Some people need the plan as is easier to budget a set low cost that is in every monthly bill then to future plan a buffer for one-time expenses.

You do NOT rent the boxes. The boxes are leased meaning they are returned to DirecTV upon disconnect (or recycled if too old). There is no monthly cost difference from leased or any boxes back in the days where you could own them. You pay for the receiver SERVICES on the account and for each ADDITONAL TV. Owned or leased makes no difference to the monthly bill.

If you have old MPEG-2 SD-only equipment, then DirecTV is doing a special complimentary swap. This is because new equipment is required as they have been shutting down the old feeds since April 2019. Going forward we all need MPEG-4 SD/HD capable equipment. The swap is only for the service address. So if you have a RV, travel trailer, etc. then that is on your cost to update. If you have something like a detached garage, or other secondary building on the same property/account then DirecTV will replace the box but you may have to pay for replacing the 2nd dish as still a bit of a custom setup.

The protection plan covers the shipping cost to replace the defective receiver there is no cost for the receiver itself.