Anyone buy the protection plan?

[bshef]

sigh......yesterday my system reports "searching for signal" crap-o-la....I didnt' have time to troubleshoot so I went about some chores figuring it would correct itself.

2 hours later still no signal so I called DTV..
Service rep Kid tells me to check the other boxes in the house (which were all down as well).

Then he starts offering me a Menu of prices for a service call...My jaw hit the floor!

I explained to him I had no intention of paying for anything and felt insulted so I asked him for a Retention rep.

Retention rep apologizes and has me reboot and then I figured out my multi-switch had come up-plugged from the power (wifey got a new kitten...lmao).

Anywho......the nice service lady gives me one year of $10 off my HD for my troubles.

Who here has purchased D's protection plan?

 

[bonscott87]

I don't. Nobody but me is going to touch my stuff. I can fix it myself if needed.

 

[cybok0]

I have, it's like car insurance, you may never use it but if you need to, your glad you have it.

 

[moonman]

I am disabled, and so I cannot climb up ladders....so for me, it is necessary.
Since I live in so. Fla. I am subject to frequent lightning and windstorms.
For the cost of a single home call($70+tax) @ $5.99=$ 71.88 for the plan,
all it takes is one home call a year to come out ahead/even. The plan covers
all receivers and remotes,wiring,satellite antenna,connections,switches,power
surge-related repairs, dish antenna realignments(hurricanes). The plan used to cost more on advanced equipment, but when D* went to leasing, the receiver cost
was covered, so they had to lower it... It is worth it to me....YMMV

 

[iceturkee]

i agree with moonman. i, too, am disabled and could never fix anything my self. given i also live in florida and i have the slimline dish, it is well worth my $5.99 each month.

 

[iwc5893]

Also something to consider is if you have only one receiver or multiple receivers. If you have only one, it may not be worth it. If you have 2 or may, it is definately something to consider.

 

[Jimbo]

I do have it, It covers everything, from what I understand.
If I have a problem I usually can figure it out, but I still have it just in case.

Jimbo

 

[Happy Camper]

We subscribed to the protection plan. We had a lightning strike which affected two of our lnbs and got a service call which fixed everything-no cost.

Then I had an old Sony HD receiver fry and they sent a guy out to look at it because I think they thought I was an idiot who did not know how to work my own system-the technician trouble-shot the whole system and confirmed that the old receiver was partially fried. Three days later I had a new HD receiver. No cost.

Then, the power supply on my initial release model HR10-250 went bad and the receiver kept resetting. Three days later I had a refurbed HR20 at our door (this time they did not check anything-they just ran a phone troubleshoot with me and then sent the receiver). No cost.

So, we have had the protection plan for one year of exceptionally bad luck on an old system in a nine televison, five receiver household. We have gotten two replacement HD receivers, two new lnbs, two free service calls and one of the service guys left behind 100 feet of RG6 cable so I could rewire a diplexed TiVo. No charge.

If you have multiple boxes or you fear the reliability of the modern boxes (as you should), the protection plan could be a good deal for you. Surely was for us. And, I might add that I am usually underwhelmed with D* customer service. But, the protection plan people were terrific about getting us new boxes and making sure the ssetup and system records were amended.

Just one story, but we have not paid a dime above the monthly cost. Worked for us.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I 've been with directv for 5 years now and never had it.But now I have all this HD equipment so I bought the plan last month. Just to be safe.I'll bug them about every little thing now.

 

[Happy Camper]

We were like Hemi and never had coverage and never needed it. Then we got it and it seemed everything went wrong at once, so we were lucky.

Like any 'insurance' it always seems to be too much until you have a big claim, like you have an HD TiVo box that cost you $800 originally go belly up, and then they send you a new one for no cost.

I'd say that the more equipment you have, the more likely you are to get your money out of it.

Always a gamble, though. Here, it's a fairly small bet for a potential pretty good gain, but you could stand the loss even if you did not win. Kind of like a less fun version of Las Vegas.

 

[Jhon69]

I have only 1 receiver R15 and I have it.Remember once you purchase it it takes 30 days to activate.So if your thinking I'll just wait and when there is a problem I'll
get it then.

 

[bshef]

Thanks for everyone chiming in.
Great idea to try this out. I wonder if it will then cover all my old equip?......
Think they were talking $70 to have this protection!
I'll look into it!

 

[damaged]

It covers all D* equipment that's on the account, regardless of model, or age, or how it was procured [i.e. customer bought unit, or unit provided by D*].

I myself, do not have it, I would go the self-fix [I have a duplicate for every part in my system and the dish is low to the ground] and/or the 31 day route.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

For $72 a year for all the equipment I have .Its a no brainer.They give you remotes ,Dish realignment,even your wires(even if they didn't install them).

 

[tech007]

If my company installs it you covered for the first 60 or 90 days. So if the install was bad you will know right away and get a free service. If nothing happened and your set up is pretty simple (no advance equipment) then probably nothing is gonna happen and you dont need protection plan. If receiver goes bad my understanding they have to replace it free of charge and send you a new box because you dont own it anyway. They own it so its not your headache.

But if you have advanced equipment like HD, HD DVR, multiple receivers and KaKu dish then you probably already paying close to a 100 dollars a month. Extra 5 dollars will give you peace of mind and its really will be worth it.

And by the way going back to the original post if your wifey bought a "kitten" and that kitten knocked down power adapter for the miltiswitch.....guess what.....we have a service code called "customer caused problem". You or your pet caused the problem, technician didnt cause the problem, Directv didnt cause the problem so guess what you can be mad at us but we didnt do it.

 

[iwc5893]

And by the way going back to the original post if your wifey bought a "kitten" and that kitten knocked down power adapter for the miltiswitch.....guess what.....we have a service code called "customer caused problem". You or your pet caused the problem, technician didnt cause the problem, Directv didnt cause the problem so guess what you can be mad at us but we didnt do it.

Good point. The company I work for uses that code for when the tech feels that the customer should be CHARGED for the service call, regardless of warranty or protection plan status. You pretty much have to intentionally damage the equipment for us to use it, but it's not unheard of.

 

[Jhon69]

If my company installs it you covered for the first 60 or 90 days. So if the install was bad you will know right away and get a free service. If nothing happened and your set up is pretty simple (no advance equipment) then probably nothing is gonna happen and you dont need protection plan. If receiver goes bad my understanding they have to replace it free of charge and send you a new box because you dont own it anyway. They own it so its not your headache.

But if you have advanced equipment like HD, HD DVR, multiple receivers and KaKu dish then you probably already paying close to a 100 dollars a month. Extra 5 dollars will give you peace of mind and its really will be worth it.

And by the way going back to the original post if your wifey bought a "kitten" and that kitten knocked down power adapter for the miltiswitch.....guess what.....we have a service code called "customer caused problem". You or your pet caused the problem, technician didnt cause the problem, Directv didnt cause the problem so guess what you can be mad at us but we didnt do it.

It's 90 days,after 90 days without the protection plan D* can charge you $19.95 S&H.If the customer has the warranty plan and you blame the customer.Then the customer cancels their service and gives your name as the reason why.I would just imagine when you get enough of those.You are going to become real popular
with Directv.

 

[topcats69]

I have but I pay nothing for retentions rep gave to me when I statred sharing my dish and switch with a *d Tech

 

[grydlok]

It's 90 days,after 90 days without the protection plan D* can charge you $19.95 S&H.If the customer has the warranty plan and you blame the customer.Then the customer cancels their service and gives your name as the reason why.I would just imagine when you get enough of those.You are going to become real popular
with Directv.

Sorry but that's a real code. Too many service calls for dead remote batteries, wife unplug multi-switch, kids change tv from channel 3. I had a guy yesterday that was too lazy to replace some IRD's that he ordered through the mail from D*. I told him he just paid for this visit.

 

[BruceS]

I have the protection plan.

Since I have epilepsy, I can't afford to be up on the roof adjusting the dish when I have a seizure.

I don't know whether it had anything to do with the protection plan, but when I bought an HR20 as an additional receiver, the installation visit was scheduled two days after I called DirecTV.