Protection plan ?

[qcjoe]

When you have the protection plan do they charge you for trouble calls? If you dont have the plan how much are trouble calls?
Thanks guys

 

[KE4EST]

15-30 bucks for a service call if you have the plan.....100 if you don't.

 

[Hutch1814]

15-30 bucks for a service call if you have the plan.....100 if you don't.

What? No, free if you have the plan, $49.95 if you don't have it.
I think you're thinking of dish

 

[KE4EST]

Ahh crap yep in the wrong forum...need to go back to bed....
Yes no charge if you have the plan.

 

[Hutch1814]

Ahh crap yep in the wrong forum...need to go back to bed....
Yes no charge if you have the plan.

 

[qcjoe]

I was looking at dish and saw that even after you pay the seven bucks they still charge you so I was a bit worried. That was one of the main reasons not going with them. To me that sounds off to charge you monthly and still charge you a truck roll. Im glad Dtv dosent do that. With that being said should I get the plan right away or wait for something to happen? Thanks for your replys.

 

[Jimbo]

I was looking at dish and saw that even after you pay the seven bucks they still charge you so I was a bit worried. That was one of the main reasons not going with them. To me that sounds off to charge you monthly and still charge you a truck roll. Im glad Dtv dosent do that. With that being said should I get the plan right away or wait for something to happen? Thanks for your replys.

If you wait, there is a waiting period ...
So if you have trouble, you can't call the next day and be covered, doesn't work that way ...
Not sure if the waiting period is a week, or longer.

 

[Hutch1814]

If you wait, there is a waiting period ...
So if you have trouble, you can't call the next day and be covered, doesn't work that way ...
Not sure if the waiting period is a week, or longer.

30 days from time of getting it

 

[Jimbo]

30 days from time of getting it

Thanks Hutch !

 

[qcjoe]

Ill end up getting it I think unless someone thinks its a bad idea. I had so many issues at my old house years ago with them that it may be good to have it at least for peace of mind.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I have subscribed to satellite TV services for about 14 years now. I have never had a protection plan and never had a service call. I've saved nearly $1000. If I do have a service call, then my savings will drop to around $900.

 

[Jimbo]

Ill end up getting it I think unless someone thinks its a bad idea. I had so many issues at my old house years ago with them that it may be good to have it at least for peace of mind.

There ya go then ....

 

[qcjoe]

I have subscribed to satellite TV services for about 14 years now. I have never had a protection plan and never had a service call. I've saved nearly $1000. If I do have a service call, then my savings will drop to around $900.

Thats a good point. Did you ever have to swap any equip out?

 

[Jimbo]

Thats a good point. Did you ever have to swap any equip out?

Tom's idea is a great on, provided your able to do your own work, many can, many can't.

 

[whitewolf8214]

Tom's idea is a great on, provided your able to do your own work, many can, many can't.

Amen to that Jimbo and depends on if you can do your own work or not and if you call to need it peaked or others stuff etc

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Thats a good point. Did you ever have to swap any equip out?

Several years ago, when I was with Dish, I received a defective receiver and swapped it out. I did upgrade receivers from time to time over the years, always did that myself. Installed my original Dish satellite by myself. Then upgraded it to a two dish system by myself. When I switched to DirecTV, they came out and did the roof install. Over my 14 years, that was the only time I had a tech at my house. I know I have been lucky. But I would have had to be very unlucky to have lost money over the years by not having the protection plan. Even if I had had 5 calls, I would still be ahead of the game by never having purchased it.

 

[Jimbo]

Some purchase the PP for piece of mind ...

I too have set up all my equipment from the beginning, went from the 18" to the one with the two lnb, to the A,B, C set up, (Just so I could have HD before most others in the area) then the AT9 and the AU9 up to whatever they call the current Slimline today.

I have had D* out a few times for something or other, can't remember what it was. have replaced recvrs ect.
When I did have D* out, I had him check the Sat Signal and asked to tweak if needed, he went out to take a look with the Birdog and came back in and said I had it better than he could do and asked what I used to set it up and I told him the recvr and patience.

 

[meStevo]

You can also get more latitude from CSRs if you have the protection plan (as well as also pay your bill in a reasonable timeframe - even when late, order PPVs, etc).

There are some intangible savings, in addition to the peace of mind.

 

[Jimbo]

You can also get more latitude from CSRs if you have the protection plan (as well as also pay your bill in a reasonable timeframe - even when late, order PPVs, etc).

There are some intangible savings, in addition to the peace of mind.

Really ?
You think having the PP gives you better deals ?

I never looked at it like that, I suppose it could, but that would suck to be those that DON'T call in for deals, if you could have had one because of it.

I try not to call in very often, unless it's something that I can't fix, like a defective recvr (they typically send it out).
I was told by D* to call in every year about ST pricing by retention.

 

[meStevo]

I looked at it like that because I used to be a CSR, that was my job when I started posting on Satelliteguys. I rarely if ever play the system myself, only recently has moving on from D* really been considered in our household... and when I called just to talk about our options we were more than taken care of.

It certainly shouldn't be looked at as a way to get more from your service, but just saying - and from personal experience - having the protection plan may tilt some (not all) CSR interactions in your favor more than others, in addition to having a specialty group to handle any of your technical problems.