Who own's the Directv Streaming Box?

You own the box. If you don't have an account, how do you sign in to the box to execute other services or apps. With most devices, you start from a home screen and select apps. With the proprietary box, it loads the DirecTV Stream app and you select apps or go to the play store. If you can't log in to the DirecTV Stream box, how do you access the other apps? Try and make your own assessment.

She was wrong. The DirecTV Stream box (C71K) cannot be used without a DirecTV Stream subscription. You had two options when you signed up .... buy the box upfront for $120, or pay $5/mo for 24 months. If you cancel early, you'll need to pay off the box. 

Thanks. Of course she was wrong. I just wanted to confirm it.  The technology doesn't work that way. Unless I stay with Directv and use it with a TV that cannot receive WiFi, I was sold a useless box I didn't need. Sure, they can say I was given 14 days to sort it out without any help from them, and that way, they have an out. Wonder how many times that's happened?  Wonder how many times the manger's in Customer Service (on a recorded line, LOL) are telling customers they've had the pleasure of purchasing a fully functional stand-alone system that customers can use with any service, not just Directv. Not clear how doing that to customers helps Directv's brand and why no one has challenged it. A couple explanatory paragraphs in a spec sheet with the unit, would go a long way. Oh well, live and learn.  Just watch out for "promo" programs like HBO Max, automatically being added to your account, if you don't catch it  and cancel it before the next billing cycle. That was about to happen this month when I caught it after going over their bill and finding the Streaming box installment plan.

One is paying a premium price for the streaming service and then an over-priced proprietary steaming device with the only advantage being able to select channel numbers. That's not streaming but cable to me. One would be better off to stay with a cable service.

Hello @AndAnotherThing, let's clear up all your questions about our DIRECTV STREAM device.

The DIRECTV STREAM box has built-in our DIRECTV STREAM app, and also allows you to access to the Google Play Store and integrated apps such as HBO Max, Netflix, Pandora, Prime Video, and more (even if you don't have an active subscription).

In case you want to enjoy the DIRECTV STREAM service with a different account, make sure you disable the auto-sign in feature.

Just as a reminder, you need to have an active Google account to download and use other apps in your device. Let us know if you have more questions about our equipment, we'll be here for you.

Rafael, DIRECTV Community Specialist

Appreciate your effort. But the last thing I want to do is give Google even more information about me than they’ve already stolen. Everything that sounds easy, comes with a price. It’s was a pleasure dropping Netflix and HBO Max. The more I can drop, the better. But, again, thanks for your clarification!

@AndAnotherThing, we are happy to help. 

In case you have any other questions related to your DIRECTV STREAM service, feel free to contact us again. Thank you for contacting DIRECTV. 

Rafael, DIRECTV Community Specialist

I'm confused by much of the above.

If you read the Terms and Conditions and/or the "details" on the website, you learn about the DTV streaming device and that it is owned, not leased.  (Admittedly, the relevant info in a little further into the site than it used to be).  I personally never sign up for anything based on the info from a salesdroid - even if they are trying to provide all the relevant info (and often they don't), they generally don't know everything themselves and are frequently poorly trained.  I always depend on "official" details I can read - that doesn't always save me, but it is much more likely to than depending on verbal statements.

DirecTV Stream works anywhere in the country (that has internet), so unless you are moving out of the US, moving doesn't impact your ability to get the service - that's one of the points of an OTT internet service.  If you move to a different media market, it will change the local channels you get and maybe the RSNs - that's all.

I don't get what is meant by the comment "Unless I stay with Directv and use it with a TV that cannot receive WiFi, I was sold a useless box I didn't need."

Per the Terms and Conditions, you can use the device for other services after you terminate your DTV Stream service (though the phrasing is contradictory):

Use of Device. Your access to and use of the Device requires You maintaining an active DIRECTV STREAM account. You may access the Device by entering the user ID and password associated with your DIRECTV STREAM Service. If you cancel your subscription to the DIRECTV STREAM Service, you may continue accessing the Device without an active DIRECTV STREAM account using the same or other valid DIRECTV STREAM user ID and password.

I'm not familiar with the "auto-sign in" that the rep mentioned, or whether you actually need to disable it for this use.

You likely need to be logged into a Google account to get things from the Play Store, but as far as I know, you do not need to be to use them.  On the rare occasions I need to do something requiring being logged into Google, I do so and log out after - I am almost never logged into Google (because I don't wish to be tracked any more than I have to either), and while their apps sometimes whine at me about how much better it would be if I was logged in, I ignore them.

And if you are getting rid of all your streaming services anyway, why does any of this matter?

FWIW, if you really don't want it anymore, you can sell the DTV Stream device on eBay, though not for close to what they cost.  I think the current going rate is between $40-50.  If you do sell it, then you need to disable auto-sign in, as the rep indicated.

This differences in some of the comments here mainly center on whether customers need a “box” and who owns it when someone terminates the service. In other states, we’ve paid a monthly rental fee for equipment and returned it when we ended service. And no, I don’t just take the word of a salesman about anything I can’t see in writing, but as I said, we moved and were on the highway en route to our new hometown when I realized Internet service hadn’t been set up and we needed it activated ASAP since we work from home. As it turned out, all the ordering was all done over the phone while we were driving and AT&T combines their package with DIRECTV. I’d never dealt with them before. Internet installation and DIRECTV activation went without a hitch, but the “box” purchase details fell through the cracks. No big deal. Monthly fee is less than the cost of a cup of burnt-tasting over-priced Starbucks coffee. Just wanted to know if I was going to end up paying the streaming box, was there any use for it in the future if I didn’t stay with DIRECTV.