DirecTV (ATT) changing their policy?

[Hiking_Hunter]

I received by email from DirecTV with an updated Customer Agreement that appears to be a change in their policy regarding receivers in RVs. Looks like AT&T is having an influence on them. The following is copied from the Agreement... Read section (g) first, then refer to section (f) above it.

(f) Phone Connections. For optimal performance of your Receiving Equipment, including ordering with your remote control or receiving certain Services, your equipment must be directly connected to the same land-based telephone line or internet connection. If you add Service on additional TVs, you may purchase a separate subscription for each additional TV, or, if all your equipment is continuously connected to the same land-based telephone line, we can charge you only the fee amount described in Section 2. You agree to provide true and accurate information about the location of your equipment. If it is determined that the equipment is not at the service address identified on your account, we may disconnect the equipment or charge you the full programming subscription price for the equipment.

(g) Mobile Units. We provide Service to Receiving Equipment installed in mobile units such as campers, boats and other recreational vehicles. However, this Receiving Equipment is not eligible
for the additional TV authorization discount described in Section 1(f).

Section 2, referred to above, describes their programming charges.

I think this is poorly written; they are mixing "For optimal performance..." along with "may" instead of "must", but I think their intent is clear. Additional receivers added without a connection to the same internet or phone line as the others in a house will be charged for separately (full programming charge). I'm suspicious that they worded it like they did to make it sound like a "benefit" - a "discount" for units connected to the same internet or phone line.

Am I paranoid, or did the camel just stick his nose in the tent?

[tegu69]

When "negotiating" a new agreement to get hd service, I told the woman on the phone, that I took my extra (bedroom) receiver with us in the camper. She told me " no problem, we don't use those anymore and you can keep it". When the installer came out,besides telling me that the only place he could put the new dish was on the roof on the front of the house, he was to pick up both receivers. Long story short, I told him to take a hike, I'll keep what I have. I think I will have to start taping phone conversations for "quality control and training purposes".

[wa8yxm]

This is written to directly impact RVers who use the "Spare Receiver" in the RV.

I have long advocated.. Get an RV account.. Then all your gear will always abe at the "Serfvice" address (Simply park the RV behind the house when at home).

[leeper]

nineoaks2004 wrote:
We finally gave up on Direct and have been with Dish Network for the last 10 years with no problems. Direct told us, when we moved in that it would take 2 weeks, I hooked it up myself but then cancelled it because, they also wanted to charge me 75.00 for a pole to hold the HD antenna up,. Dish came right out and we had HD that same day. But for the prices these people charge it seems they could have newer programs instead of so many re run-on top of re-runs..Netflix keeps up up on newer and better movies than either of the satelite companies.

That was not DirecTV doing that. It was the crooked installer!

[toedtoes]

It says land-line OR internet connection.

[WyoTraveler]

Do you realize how many people in the country live rural an no land line is available? Plus how many people just don't have a land line because it is no longer practical? I suppose it is causing some what of a head ache for sat TV business. Unfortunately they will have to figure it all out on their own. I doubt anything will change. ATT will educate theirselves as time goes on. Land lines are history.

[MrWizard]

in the 'old' days you needed the phone line to buy 'on demand' movies or or special sports broadcasts, major boxing matches etc..

now the internet can do that along with tracking everything you watch, so they can assimilate data and target their advertising

[toedtoes]

Hiking Hunter wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
FYI,

Do you have an original service agreement older than 2015?

Not in writing. But, it wouldn't matter anyway. Any time you use the service after they change them, it signals acceptance of the new terms. Quoted from their current terms...

I believe the reason he was asking if you had an older agreement is because the 2015 AND the 2016 agreements have the same (f) and (g) that you posted above. That means it wasn't changed with this updated agreement. It would be curious to see if an older agreement had the same (f) and (g) and it's actually always been there.

[Hiking_Hunter]

TYPO! Rogue instead of rouge! sorry...

[Hiking_Hunter]

DutchmenSport wrote:
FYI,

Do you have an original service agreement older than 2015?

Not in writing. But, it wouldn't matter anyway. Any time you use the service after they change them, it signals acceptance of the new terms. Quoted from their current terms...


We reserve the right to change the terms and conditions on which we offer Service including adding new terms or deleting existing ones. If we make any such changes, we will send you a copy of your new Customer Agreement containing its effective date. You always have the right to cancel your Service, in whole or in part, at any time, and you may do so if you do not accept any such changed terms or conditions. See Sections 5(b), (d) and (e) below. If you elect not to cancel your Service after receiving a new Customer Agreement, your continued receipt of Service constitutes acceptance of the changed terms and conditions. If you notify us that you do not accept such terms and conditions, then we may cancel your Service as provided in Section 5, as we cannot offer Service to different customers on different terms, among other reasons.

The last sentence is amusing, isn't it?

[nineoaks2004]

We finally gave up on Direct and have been with Dish Network for the last 10 years with no problems. Direct told us, when we moved in that it would take 2 weeks, I hooked it up myself but then cancelled it because, they also wanted to charge me 75.00 for a pole to hold the HD antenna up,. Dish came right out and we had HD that same day. But for the prices these people charge it seems they could have newer programs instead of so many re run-on top of re-runs..Netflix keeps up up on newer and better movies than either of the satelite companies.

[darsben1]

2oldman wrote:

Hiking Hunter wrote:
Is DirecTV trying to round up the rouge receivers?

If they are it's a good thing mine is black.

Sounds like vague legal mumbo jumbo to me. Time will tell. The best thing to do is keep quiet and tell them as little as possible.

Laugh my flippin arse off:B:B

[DutchmenSport]

FYI,

I just went out to the DirectTV web site and found the customer Agreement policy. They have the 2015 and the 2016 version available. Section (f) and Section (g) are identical.

Do you have an original service agreement older than 2015?

Click here - Customer Agreements

[2oldman]

Hiking Hunter wrote:
Is DirecTV trying to round up the rouge receivers?

If they are it's a good thing mine is black.

Sounds like vague legal mumbo jumbo to me. Time will tell. The best thing to do is keep quiet and tell them as little as possible.

[Hiking_Hunter]

DutchmenSport wrote:
You could always contact DirectTV and tell them they MUST honor the original agreement you signed for! Just because they send you email does not mean you agree to the new rules unless you decide to do nothing. And if you have a 1 or 2 or 3 year contract, they will have to honor that original contract until it ends, otherwise they are in breach of the contract. You're grandfathered into the agreement you originally agreed for the length of time in your contract. They can't change that on a whim. Anything different, and I'd be on the phone raising a fair amount of He!! with someone.

I wish it were that easy, but like most agreements like this, the last clause gives them the right to change the agreement at will!

[Hiking_Hunter]

Many RVers use a receiver taken from home. DirecTV acknowledges that use, in fact on your account set-up on their website you can define the location of a receiver (by a pulldown menu) as being in an RV. No extra charges are incurred.

What I'm commenting on is an UPDATED Customer Service Agreement that was sent out on June 16 (two days ago). Is DirecTV trying to round up the rogue receivers?

EDIT - fixed a typo!