Set Top Box Rental Fees
chabbyd
Enthusiast - Level 3
Doesn't there become a point in time where the set-top box rental fees paid are more than the actual value (new or used) of the set top box?

I am wondering why I have to keep paying rental fees for equipment that in essence I have paid enough over the years to own outright. It seems like Verizon is making a heafty profit off of this.
Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
armond_in_nj1
Master - Level 1

@chabbyd wrote:
Doesn't there become a point in time where the set-top box rental fees paid are more than the actual value (new or used) of the set top box?

I'm quite sympathetic to this idea.  A number of mobile phone companies have taken similar steps when it comes to paying for new wireless devices.  Still there really is no precedent, in the sense that one usually understands the term "rental."  For example, if you live in a rental apartment long enough (and this is fairly common in New York), you don't automatically "own" your dwelling after a certain period of time.

"It would be nice" if fees were lower and one could somehow own STBs.  Hey wait, isn't that something like Tivo?

Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
chabbyd
Enthusiast - Level 3

Your response makes no sense at all.

1.  You PURCHASE/BUY wireless devices.  You don't rent them.  You pick what you want and pay for it.  You are responsible for it.  To use it you need to pay a service provider.  Even landlines phones have not been "rented" for over 40 years.  This is exactly how these set top boxes should be handled.  Verizon doesn't maintain these set top boxes.  I've had mine for 5 years and Verizon has never touched it since they day I started service. 

To date I have paid $719.40 in rental fees for this box and it is not made of gold.  How many boxes do you think Verizon can purchase for $719?  I'd bet quite a few.

2. I do own my home.  Every month I paid a mortgage until I paid the "value"/agreed upon price when I purchased the home and interest to the bank that lent me the money until I paid the agreed upon amount and now I own my home. I am also responsible for it and everything in it.  When you rent a apartment, you pay the landlord for shelter.  You are not responsible for it (unless of course you purposely burn it down).  The landlord is responsible for the apartment/property.

Again Verizon doesn't maintain my box.  I have no idea how you figured renting an apartment is the same as renting a cable box.

3. I also don't know what Tivo has to do with any of this.  I don't have Tivo.  I don't want Tivo. If a Tivo box could replace my cable box I would be happy to return my very expensive metal box to Verizon and purchase a Tivo.  But, IT DOESN'T and IT WON'T.  So what does Tivo have to do with the absurd amount of money I pay monthly for this non-gold, metal box?

Thanks for your response, but it makes no sense!

Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
beetlejuice2
Specialist - Level 1

@chabbyd wrote:

Again Verizon doesn't maintain my box.  I have no idea how you figured renting an apartment is the same as renting a cable box.

3. I also don't know what Tivo has to do with any of this.  I don't have Tivo.  I don't want Tivo. If a Tivo box could replace my cable box I would be happy to return my very expensive metal box to Verizon and purchase a Tivo.  But, IT DOESN'T and IT WON'T.  So what does Tivo have to do with the absurd amount of money I pay monthly for this non-gold, metal box?

Thanks for your response, but it makes no sense!


Actually they do maintain your box. If it fails to work properly or at all they replace it with a different one easily at anytime. If you are talking about dusting it with a swiffer then no. If you were to own it and it were to break you would be out of luck (unless there was a warranty with it).

It would be nice to be able to purchase the boxes or pay less after so many years, but I highly doubt it will never happen.

Yes some providers such as Directv offer a buy option for their boxes, but most providers don't.

What does Tivo have to do with it? I easily understood what armond said so it shouldn't be hard to figure out, but I guess you don't understand so I will clarify it a little.

You are complaining about how much you have paid for the cable box. You said, "If a Tivo box could replace my cable box I would be happy to return my very expensive metal box to Verizon and purchase a Tivo.  But, IT DOESN'T and IT WON'T."

Well guess what? IT CAN AND IT DOES. You would own the box.

If you don't like the boxes Verizon provides you at the cost you pay, you can get a Tivo and NOT HAVE a Verizon box. All you need are cable cards from Verizon which are still rented, but for around $6 a month. You do have to pay for the Tivo service as well though which you might as well consider a rental fee since it will cost just as much per month for the service as it does for the Verizon boxes. Tivo does offer a lifetime service though which I believe is either $400 or $500.

The rental fees are high with Verizon considering Directv is like $5 a month and Brighthouse is around $11 (at least where I live), so they could at least give better discounts after x amount of years or if you have more then one box. I pay $37 a month for my 2 boxes when it really should be half that at most imo.

It should be interesting to see how much Verizon will charge per month for their upcoming media server and extra boxes needed for each tv.

Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
chabbyd
Enthusiast - Level 3
You obviously don't understand my point. I would be happy to"maintain" my own box as 1. I haven't had a problem in 5 years so my odds are fairly good and 2 I'm sure I could buy quite a few boxes with $700+ Verizon continues to stash in their pockets
Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
beetlejuice2
Specialist - Level 1

@chabbyd wrote:
You obviously don't understand my point. I would be happy to"maintain" my own box as 1. I haven't had a problem in 5 years so my odds are fairly good and 2 I'm sure I could buy quite a few boxes with $700+ Verizon continues to stash in their pockets


 

Directv boxes are $600-$700 new and Verizon charges $650 per box if you don't return it after terminating service (but become a rock) so new they would probably be the same. If they were used on ebay you could probably buy a lot.

Just think if you were to pay the rental fee for 10+ years. You could probably pay a NASA scientist to build a new one out of diamonds for that amount.

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Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
roaddogg1
Specialist - Level 1

@chabbyd wrote:
You obviously don't understand my point. I would be happy to"maintain" my own box as 1. I haven't had a problem in 5 years so my odds are fairly good and 2 I'm sure I could buy quite a few boxes with $700+ Verizon continues to stash in their pockets

If you want to maintain your own box then go buy a Tivo, get the lifetime subscription, and pay the monthly fee for a cable card. Tivo's are way better then the fios dvr's anyways.

You might lose Fios VOD though and if you ever have issues with fios tv dont expect them to help at all because you arent using their equipment. Yes it would be nice to be able to buy a fios box from Verizon, but it won't happen so we either have to deal with it or go elsewhere.

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Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
chabbyd
Enthusiast - Level 3
Thanks for the continued harassment. You must have a lot of free time on your hands to continually annoy people in the Verizon forum.

FYI. You assume I am referring to a DVR box and I am not. I don't want a DVR and therefore a TiVo. With that info maybe rethink your response, but please keep it to yourself. Your responses are not helpfu
Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
chabbyd
Enthusiast - Level 3
Maybe I am a NASA scientist. All I need are the diamonds. Thankfully I won't have to hire someone for D&D
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Re: Set Top Box Rental Fees
roaddogg1
Specialist - Level 1

@chabbyd wrote:
Thanks for the continued harassment. You must have a lot of free time on your hands to continually annoy people in the Verizon forum.

FYI. You assume I am referring to a DVR box and I am not. I don't want a DVR and therefore a TiVo. With that info maybe rethink your response, but please keep it to yourself. Your responses are not helpfu

Harassment? Wow! If you think advice is harassment then I truly feel sorry for you. If you don't want responses then maybe you shouldn't be posting {please keep your posts courteous}

Good luck to you.

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