Activating Used Receiver - Help Needed

[bhmgolfer]

I used to have StarChoice service in the past through a broker. I had purchased the receiver and dish from Kusat. I disconnected the service about 2 years ago and am thinking about reactivating w/o broker.

I called Shaw twice today and was told each time that, even though it is a used system, I would have to return the receiver (even though I paid full price for it) or pay a $200 early termination fee if I did not keep the service for at least 12 months. Same response from 2 different CSR's.

Has anyone had any luck in activating a used receiver and not having these penalties involved?

They sure didn't seem very interested in waiving those conditions. I basically told them to forget it - I would go to cable!!! Even with that, they still didn't make any effort to sign me up. Can't believe they're turning away business - I can understand these conditions if they were going to provide the equipment and do the install but not when you have your own stuff and all they have to do is activate it.

 

[bradleys]

It sounds like their computer system is telling the customer service rep that you were not a good customer previously.

Were you with a broker who has been in trouble with StarChoice?

Did the broker timely send your payments to StarChoice?

 

[joshuals]

When you spoke to the CSR, didn't they ask you for your account number and service address/phone? And if you were using a broker, how did you know this information; did the broker provide you with it ??!! I'd be suprprised, as brokers tend to keep this information under wraps for job-security reasons....

Are you in the US and planning to reactivate without a broker?

What I'm getting around to saying is that if you were not able to provide the CSR with your account information and Candian service address, they may have sensed something was amiss and hence were not interested in doing business. That might explain the odd response on their part.

 

[bhmgolfer]

Thanks for the replies.

When I previously had StarChoice service, I was with TVM which, I believe, is one of the best, if not the best broker to deal with. I was fully paid up when I terminated my service through TVM.

The first CSR I spoke to yesterday asked for the receiver S/N. I gave it to her and she said the receiver was clear, good to go, and she forwarded me to the activations group. Before I got very far in conversation with the CSR in activations, I inquired about the 12 month service issue for a used receiver. He put me on hold for a minute and came back with the "return the receiver or pay $200 if you cancel within 12 months".

I believe the 2nd CSR in activations that I spoke to asked me where I got the receiver from (didn't ask for the S/N). I made up a story that a bought it from someone at work who wasn't using it any more. Again, before we got into any more detail, I inquired about the 12 month commitment and got the same answer as the first CSR. BTW, these were separate phone calls made within 10-15 minutes of one another.

I thought I read somewhere, maybe in a different forum, that if the used receiver had previously been activated for more than 12 months, the "return the receiver or pay $200" didn't apply. Neither of the CSR's mentioned this possiblity about checking the service history of the receiver.

That's where I stand right now - don't really need Starchoice as I have Directv but was mainly interested in picking up different NFL games during football season.

Totally open to any other suggestions or ideas that anyone has.

 

[bradleys]

Try calling back, but this time don't poke the bear. Specificially, don't ask about the 12 months commitment.

They may mention it, or they may not. If they don't mention it, you're (probably) not going to be subject to it.

If they try to stick you later, make them play back the recording of your order, and they shouldn't be able to make you pay since you didn't agree. (I'm not a lawyer, so YMMV).

If you downgrade your service after football season, will it be worth keeping the service for 12 months?

What kind of address in Canada are you using? The USA has databases of valid addresses, and I suspect that Canada also has similar databases.

Are you calling on a cell phone based in Canada? Even if you block caller-ID, owners of 800 numbers see your phone number with ANI (automatic number identification) which is completely separate from caller-ID, and is not blockable by a caller.

And, unfortunately, there may be some trigger or flag in their system that makes them realize that this receiver was previously activated with a broker. I live in both Canada and USA, so I don't know how brokers work, but maybe there is something about your old account that they can tell?

It's hard to tell what's in their minds or their computers, so you'll never really know why they're giving you a hard time.

In any case, try telling them the absolute minimum, and see how that works.

Good luck.

 

[Mojo]

Use a broker and/or buy a new ird and be done with it.