Unordered "upgrade" and extension of programming agreement

Hi u/BillHanlon. We're sorry about your overall experience with DIRECTV. Please know that once you add or upgrade leased equipment and require professional installation, you'll have a new term commitment of either 12 or 24 months. Learn more here: https://www.directv.com/legal/directv-equipment-lease-agreement/ Let's meet in DM to assist you with your concerns further. Sherma, DIRECTV Community Specialist

I didn't add or upgrade any leased equipment.  I called 800-531-5000 to report that I had a Genie Mini that would not power on from its remote.  When I pushed the power on button on the front of the unit it would start through its initialization routine, but never reached the "connecting" message.  Instead it ended in a power off state.  The DirecTv person on the other end of the phone had me go through some troubleshooting steps and came to the conclusion that the Genie Mini needed replacing.  She offered to have a technician arrive the next day.  I asked about DirecTv sending me the Genie Mini via FedEx or UPS so I could install it.  She said that was not an option.  So we scheduled the tech to come.

A few hours later I received a call from a DirecTv person who implied (I don't remember his exact words) that he had a higher level of technical knowledge that the lady I spoke to earlier.  He had me go through some procedures, but came to the same conclusion, that the Genie Mini needed to be replaced.  He offered to have a Genie Mini expressed to me and then he would talk me through the installation procedure.  I chose to stay with the already scheduled next day service call because it would take longer for an expressed Genie Mini to arrive..

As I said before no equipment was added or upgraded.  I read the https://www.directv.com/legal/directv-equipment-lease-agreement/ and see no clause that covers extending the agreement when faulty equipment is replaced by DirecTv under either of the protection plans.

What is "meet in DM"?

Hi @BillHanlon. Thank you for sharing this information, and we apologize for this inconvenience. We've sent you a DM to address your concerns, please check your inbox. You can find the Private Message/Direct Message (PM/DM) icon (text/speech bubble) on the upper right portion of the page between the notification icon (bell) and directv.com. Sherma, DIRECTV Community Specialist

Very strange, as replacement of a defective receiver is generally done by shipping you a replacement not sending a tech.  There is no new 2 year contact when replacing like for like.

@BillHanlon 

Replacing a Genie Mini, or any other box for that matter, is drop shipped. That means no tech. This means the order was placed as an equipment upgrade, which should show on the order confirmation that gets emailed shortly after it is submitted (so you can catch these issues before locked in).

As long as that Genie Mini is the same model line (like for like) then they can note the account the service agreement is in error, so if you were to close the account during it they submit an ECF waiver for the time that doesn't count.

Be aware that Mini Genies (C31-C61), wireless Mini Genies (C41W and C51W), and 4K Mini Genies (C61K) are 3 separate lines so are not like for like. Well 4 model lines counting the new Gemini (C71KW). That means if your new box was a different line, then the service agreement is valid.

On site protection plan upgrade is too common. Fortunately there is that 30 day no charge/no claim period giving you the option to remove/reduce it before charges are valid. Too many techs have "accidently" added or raised it.

All the protection plan does is cover the cost of shipping the box ($19.95), sending a tech for repair ($99) which is NOT done to replace a box as that is just a swap, or to get a replacement remote ($15) which tends to be cheaper through online retailers. With $108.77 for the whole year ($8.99 a month) that you pay indefinitely whether you use it or not, I personally do not find it a good value. I find it better to pay the one time costs only when needed so I don't waste my money.

@DIRECTVhelp , Sherma he DIDN'T order an upgrade he called for a REPLACEMENT the agent incorrectly placed an upgrade VS a replacement and then to make it worse either that same agent (or the on-site tech) snuck in a protection plan upgrade THIS happens wayyyyy too often due to the high pressure enforcement of upselling the protection plan. Of course I know you're not personally responsible for that but I'm just saying what happens 

@BillHanlon just out of curiosity did the first agent advise you that a replacement receiver DOESN'T include an on site tech? 

Apologies, I just saw my typo.

Wireless Mini Genies are C41W and C61W. 

Simply put, W means Wireless and K means 4K.

Nabukl:  As I stated in my second post of this thread:

I asked about DirecTv sending me the Genie Mini via FedEx or UPS so I could install it.  She said that was not an option.  So we scheduled the tech to come. 

Nabukl, Juniper, shannon02, et al:

Thanks for your interest and support.

I get a feeling that DirecTv's request to "Lets meet in DM" is just a way to get my complaint out of the public eye.  There have been many DM messages (with at least 5 different DirecTv reps) back and forth since yesterday.  Some of those DM messages from DirecTv reps contradict others.  

It appears the DIRECTV Protection Plan Premier for @$29.99/mo that I did not order has been rolled back to the DIRECTV Protection Plan for @$8.99 as I originally had. 

The dispute now centers around the extension of two years of my exposure to Early Termination fees.  I'm not planning to cancel my DirecTv service, so I doubt that the extension will hurt me in any way, but I think DirecTv is going against their own agreement when they extend the time window.

The failed Genie Mini had been at my home fore more than 2 years when it failed. I think the following part of the equipment lease agreement supports my point of not extending the term commitment (also posted in the "DM" conversation):

Do You have a new term commitment or programming commitment when We replace Your existing Leased Equipment?

If You receive a replacement for Your Leased Equipment, then You do not have a new term commitment or a new programming commitment. You will still have the term commitment or programming commitment You had before Your Leased Equipment was replaced, if any. This is true as long as You do not upgrade or change the type of Leased Equipment.

The problem started when someone at DirecTv coded this Genie Mini as an upgrade, not a replacement for a failed unit.  That mistake has been acknowledged in the "DM" conversation.  For some reason DirecTv reps seem to not take the statement seriously.

We know that replacement of defective receivers doesn't extend or start a new contract.

That's what I think too.  But try telling that to DirecTv when your transaction was initially coded as up upgrade, not a replacement for a defective unit.

If DTV doesn't get it straightened out you can file a BBB complaint to kick it to corporate.

When there is an upgrade in error, they don't have a way to remove the service agreement. The only fix they have had is to have the account properly noted that it was  warranty replacement in error (or for the cancellation rep to do the research to determine that seeing it was like-for-like), and submit a waiver request on the ECF upon canceling. This is one complaint I've had about their system is it wasn't built with a correction option.

If you're not planning on canceling than a BBB complaint is certainly another valid route. Especially if you've had conflicting DMs (those are only supplemental to regular support). The BBB complaint goes to corporate usually resulting in contact back from their Office of the President within a few business days. That's as high as we customers can go.