$50 HD Receiver Upgrade Charge

[Silvia2112]

I just tried to swap out my standard receiver in my bedroom with a HD one. I really didn't want to pay the $99 fee but decided to anyway. I spent 1 hour on the phone and the lady tells me there is a $50 fee that she can't waive. She transfer me to another guy and he tells me the same thing. "Because I am a new customer". Anyone ever hear of this? I tried telling them I could buy at Best Buy for $99 without that fee. He said that when I went to activate it - the charge would be added to my account.

 

[charper1]

Yep, for current "new" subs still under contract this sounds pretty normal; there may be a few unverifiable stories of people getting a few dollars off of that, but most, if not all freebie upgrades are given to the people out of contracts. I think I may have read of a handful of new subs that got a free upgrade for like $19.95 and the delivery of the hardware (if they did not pick it up) and extended their contract if they were within a few months of being out of it. But you know how the net is; 50% or more can very well be made up.

 

[Silvia2112]

Maybe I am misunderstanding you. I don't want a free upgrade. I am willing to pay the $99 fee for the new receiver. I was just surprised that at the very end of the conversation they wanted an additional $50 on top of the $99. The CSR was actually nice while I was doing my best jerk impersonation to have them waive the $50 fee. I told him I was going to call back retention later and get someone else. He didn't care - lol!

 

[charper1]

Maybe I misread you..

What was the extra $50 listed for?

install fee? upgrade fee? shipping fee?


Call another time or two (playing CRS roulette) this person may not have been "up to date". or have you made the deal already which pretty much locked you in.

 

[downthedoor]

I think that fee only applies during your first 6 months of service. Call back after you have been with D* for 6 months and you won't have to pay the fee. I think it has something to do with offsetting the cost of the second install for about the same contract lenght.

 

[Silvia2112]

I just got off the phone with another CSR. She/he told me it was a Processing Fee that can't be waived. The interesting thing is she/he told me to go to Circuit City/Best Buy and buy a receiver for same cost. Go home and swap the boxes. No fee. Odd. I would hate to get the other receiver home and when I go to activate it - get charged $50.

Any thoughts?

 

[ScottChez]

I called on the exact same thing.

$50 extra service fee even if they mailed the receiver out to me and I did the install my self.

I called 2 CSRs, something about being a new customer and I need to establish credit, even though I have credit card auto PAY and due to a BILL mix up my account s negative $40 (they owe me $40).

I checked an other board and someone said this is ONLY for the first 30 days, is this true?

 

[themilkman]

No but if you pay the bill consistently it will go away.

 

[spiderman865]

Why not go pick up a H20/H21 at Best Buy and just add it to your account?

 

[ONUOsFan]

I did notice one time when I looked online at upgrading a receiver that there was an additional $50 with no explanation, but that was pretty early in my contract. I was able to get an HR20 for free (just paid shipping) in September, though, after signing up in April, so it must have fallen off at some point.

 

[Ronnie-]

I did notice one time when I looked online at upgrading a receiver that there was an additional $50 with no explanation, but that was pretty early in my contract. I was able to get an HR20 for free (just paid shipping) in September, though, after signing up in April, so it must have fallen off at some point.

It does eventually. When your account gets a little age on it, and if you keep paying your bills on time

 

[iceturkee]

now, the three different times i have activated new accounts with directv, i have had to pay a 50 dollar deposit (which is subtracted from the first bill, btw) because my credit is luke warm. but never as an add on fee to a receiver. is this what you're talking about?

 

[HDinCincy]

I opened my account and had them do a four rec'vr install on Aug. 1. then about Oct. 1 I decided I wanted another HD rec'vr. I bought it at costco for $84.99 and ran the line myself. No activation, no $50... just $4.99 more per month. HTH

 

[ltahoe7195]

I just added a DVR receiver to my account, I'm also a new customer since the middle of November (only 2 1/2 weeks). Currently I have one HD DVR and one standard receiver and decided that I wanted the 2nd receiver to also be a DVR (w/o HD) On my receipt ( I ordered online) there was a charge of $99.00 for the DVR receiver plus tax = $ 106.00. Are you saying that when it comes time to activate it (after it is installed this Sat.) I will get charged $50.00 on my account ? If that is true I can tell you one thing I'll be sure to get that back at the end of my 2nd year when I fulfill my obligation and threaten to leave D* for E*, I can guarantee you that !!!!!!! They'll basically just be borrowing the $50 from me for now only to give in up in 2 years.