How long will the lease model last?

[hiker]

E* now has a $299 upfront cost, $6/mo lease fee, minimum $49/mo. HD package and 18 month term agreement when existing subs upgrade to the ViP622 HD DVR.

[LonghornXP]

I've just been called by a few contacts and this is what I've been told and this is official.

At anytime during the first two years or after you can avoid those per box charges by returning the hardware. The "only" fee you will pay if you cancel service within the first 24 months will be the pro-rated charge of no more than 150 bucks.

Now if you cancel DirecTV service and don't return the boxes within 30 days you will be charged the per box fees and it doesn't make a difference if you cancel in your account during or after the two year agreement. I will update my sticky to reflect this.

[LonghornXP]

E* now has a $299 upfront cost, $6/mo lease fee, minimum $49/mo. HD package and 18 month term agreement when existing subs upgrade to the ViP622 HD DVR.

That is good to know and everything I said above is what customer have been told by DirecTV and its sad that my contacts couldn't call me to confirm or deny what the customers are being told until now.

[herdfan]

Any official word on how we can "Buy" boxes from either D* or a retailer?

Robert,

Are you going to be selling boxes, for full cost of course? Or are you drinking the Koolaid and think this is a good deal for the csutomer?

[LonghornXP]

Any official word on how we can "Buy" boxes from either D* or a retailer?

Robert,

Are you going to be selling boxes, for full cost of course? Or are you drinking the Koolaid and think this is a good deal for the csutomer?

As far as I know the official word is that only DirecTV can sell the hardware so you can own it. But I have been told also that if a retailer wanted to sell hardware that the customer would own they would have to specify that the customer would own it and the retailer wouldn't get paid any subsidy for the box. I'm hoping Robert would chime in on this because not many people within DirecTV are on the same page.

[ArtWIS]

I've just been called by a few contacts and this is what I've been told and this is official.

At anytime during the first two years or after you can avoid those per box charges by returning the hardware. The "only" fee you will pay if you cancel service within the first 24 months will be the pro-rated charge of no more than 150 bucks.

Now if you cancel DirecTV service and don't return the boxes within 30 days you will be charged the per box fees and it doesn't make a difference if you cancel in your account during or after the two year agreement. I will update my sticky to reflect this.

Well that sounds better. Now if we could get D* to drop the high upfront charge!

Just curious what does E* do if you cancel and have a 622 leased? Same as D* just return the 622 within 30 days?

[scotsmanron]

Even if you assume that the D* and E* leasing deals are similar, the one big difference is that D8 is sold by monkeys at BB and CC. Many of these reps barely know how to turn on some of the equipment, much less be able to explain a lease. So I predict many customer complaints will come from not fully being explained the terms they were agreeing to.

I know, I know, its all in the agreement, but how many people are going to: A) take time to read it in the store, and B) understand it if they did read it.

So what are BB and CC's reactions going to be when some of these customers come complaining to them? Or blaming them. I really can't see these large retailers being happy about it.

And THAT is what is going to get them in trouble. D* just lost a $5 million settlement with the State of Florida over what was essentially deceptive advertising. They told people that is was a buy one, get one receiver free deal and started charging for both. It's a no no.

Look what is going to happen when people go to CC and BB and have no CLUE it's a lease!!!!

[grizzly]

The retailers that participate in the lease plan will have to make the customer sign a lease agreement at the time of the transaction. I'm not sure if they are all doing that yet but the only way that D* pays the retailers a commission is through a lease.

I didn't sign anything but a Credit Card reciept. It mentioned nothing about a lease or anything else.

I haven't had any of the R-15's before and they had an open box. If nothing else, I can at least participate in the class action suit...lol.


Grizzly

[Doctor Bob]

RONTGLMAO.... The funny part, is how many times will it take to get them to pay attention to what their Customers are trying to say???

Everything you've said so far has been correct Longhorn XP... I can tell you one thing for sure, we are a D* Dealer, and every person that has called since March 1st, has said they were not interested in D*, but thought that we would give them a better deal than D*, and that they were going to stay with the Company that they had... LOL

[Digital Dude]

So should we start a pool on how small Direc's customer increase will be, or how large the decrease?