I see Uverse receivers on eBay for sale. Can these be used instead of renting equipment?

I thought there was a law that anything that was leased, you should be able to purchase. This goes back to when ATT phone company forced everyone to rent their house phones. Laws chaged and now you could by a phone from anywhere.

The U-verse TV service is not a regulated telephony service and is not covered by the telephony rules from the 70's and 80's.  It is also not a CATV service, so it is not covered by CATV equipment rules from the 90's and 2000's.  So, at this point, they are not required to sell you the equipment.  Note that even CATV companies charge "outlet fees" for programming on additional TV's, even when they don't provide equipment for those TVs.

See this post as it has a bearing on my situation. <https://forums.att.com/conversations/uverse-tv-dvr-receivers/max-number-of-receivers-dvrs/5deff538bad5f2f60669eee2>.

I had two ISB7005s and the WAP VAP2500. Worked ok, even good until one 7005 failed and AT&T replaced it with a VIP2500. That combo won't pair or link even swapping locations. After AT&T replaced the VIP2500s twice and also the VAP2500 and HOURS on the phone dealing with agents and supervisors that new little more than "you need to reboot everything", they wanted a repairman to come and troubleshoot at home. I wasn't comfortable with a stranger visiting because of the virus and refused the repairman. I am 87 and have an invalid wife with other health conditions. I was denied a replacement ISB7005 at my request. They wouldn't bend.

If I bought a ISB7005 off eBay and still paid AT&T monthly the $10 for each for my 4 receivers, would they still not let me activate and use it? I would drop UVerse in a heartbeat except for the fact my wife likes it and has to have it as she is bedridden.

I had to purchase my equipment when I didn't cancel within the 30bday time frame. I own it! I have a receipt. I have every right to sell it. AT&T is lying about that so they can get extra bucks from unsuspecting patsies. As one of the big wigs said on national TV, they can charge what they want because people will pay it. Antenna TV is my go to.

I had to purchase my equipment when I didn't cancel within their 30 day time frame. I own the equipment and have a receipt to prove ownership. If I choose to sell it that's my business. Why on earth would I want to keep it. AT&T is lying about it being stolen. They just want to be able to sell or rent equipment to unsuspecting patsies.

For U-Verse:

If I buy from you, AT&T has no way of knowing I have the box. If I plug it in at my house, I'm going to get some sort of "not authorized" message because the box hasn't been provisioned for my account.

It really isn't complex.

Now why on earth someone would choose not to send it back...that's anyone's guess. I'm guessing they think they can somehow profit...after AT&T bills them for equipment that customers agree (via writing) to return.

For the service now known as DirecTV Stream, yes...those boxes *can* be sold.